Alive and Active Life

There was a man who lived many years ago. Centuries ago. He knew living a good life was critical. So he worked hard to live such a life. Yet, he did not know God personally. It wasn’t until God made the first move to him (God always does) that relationship with God became an option for this man. God reached into his life, his world, His reality and invited him closer. This man believed and responded. Even though he was already living a good life, it wasn’t until he actively believed God that he had the reality of living a holy life. This man decided to reach back to God.

This man did not have the Law or the Prophets that are now in the Bible. The invitation God gave him happened way before those blessings were given by God to people. God just sliced into this man’s life to call him, to extend a hand of fellowship, and to invite him into relationship. Even though there was no Law, no Prophets, not a Bible, not even a Pentateuch, this man so wanted fellowship with God. He was hungry for God. So, with little more than a shoestring (really – a leather sandal string), he grabbed onto that invitation. He embraced the opportunity to know God. To please God. To have a real relationship with the living, eternal God Who created all things.

In those moments of reaching back to God, accepting the offer by faith, this man’s obedience became a proof of a credible life e-pistle. A life story. People have been “reading” his life letter ever since. His good living took on meaning. His righteous works became full, rich, and real because of his faith in God’s love. God considered him as righteousness. And he was called – “God’s friend.” (Jas. 2:23)

Many years passed before the Law, the Prophets, and the Christ were introduced in human history. God’s timing for each of these events “came to pass.” Jesus Christ came in the most extraordinary way! He entered the human race as a “fully God – fully man” kind of guy. He was, is, and always will be the only being of His kind. Jesus is the God-man . . . born of a virgin, yet, alive before the beginning. In fact, He created the beginning. He is the God who became a man and lived a perfect life, died in place of every person, and rose from death as our Champion. This God-man completed God’s reach to mankind. It’s a reach of love, friendship, family, eternal life!

But this all happened after God slipped into Abraham’s life with an unbelievable invitation – “Be My friend.” It is a forever offer to all people through Abraham. What amazing grace!

The response to such an invitation? Well, Abraham totally took it! He knew less than you and I about God. But he had bold faith! What were the results? Intimate relationship with the living God. A good life well-lived with deep and rich meaning – all through faith. Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness – by God.

Ever since then, it’s faith in an extraordinary, loving God that brings salvation. Yes, even back in Abraham’s day – it all hinged on faith in Jesus.

So what’s the value of working so hard at living a godly life? Why go after that? Well, good living by faith in Jesus proves you believe God and love Him back. That you trust Him enough to Reach Back.*

Have you accepted your invitation into intimate relationship with God? Have you received Jesus’ incredible offer to believe on Him? How are you reaching back to God?

You have a shot at knowing God, who loves you. You have opportunity to live every day richly blessed, even in terrible times. The presence and glory of God will reside inside your soul if you Reach Back.*

Why not draw close to God? Respond increasingly to His amazing invitation into intimacy. Make Jesus Christ your first love (Rev. 2:4) “The righteous will live by faith.” (vs. 11; Hab. 2:4) “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” (v. 13) God intends to live inside your body. Will you Reach Back* each day for more of Christ and the peace and joy He promises? Will you be God’s friend. Why not go after this life of faith in Jesus?

Article developed from Gal. 3:1-14.

* Reach Back is a wonderful study book to help you live a godly – holy – life. Order your copy and dig in. Ask a friend to join you in this encouraging study.

Many countries have a celebration day to remember their freedom. America just celebrated July 4th. In some countries, freedom is not even a reality. Freedom has been a hot topic all through human history. Wars that claimed many lives have been fought to preserve or gain freedom. Apparently, it’s been important to God since before history began. God’s original design was anchored in freedom. He wants you to be free.

It wasn’t until trickery pulled the rug out from under daily freedom that people had to fight for freedom. Before Adam and Eve’s famous mistake (if it wouldn’t have been them, it would’ve been me . . . or you!) freedom was a delightful, continual, daily reality. The free will God gave each person allowed endless choices and possibilities. Daily discoveries. Unlimited options. Unending adventures. Peace. Rest.

God’s intended design promotes freedom. Design does not negate freedom. It enhances and channels freedom to be increasingly powerful and attractive. The endless creativity of free choice was compromised by sin. Then it became a memory. And we all became slaves to sin. What a terrible reality for people who were created to be free!

Freedom is so important to God that He went after it again. He re-gifted it back to whoever puts faith in Jesus. This returns you to His original design – living by faith and knowing God. Jesus Christ sets people free to be eternally mobile once again. He does not want you to be burdened by a yoke of slavery. So, He became a slave, took up shattered freedom onto His own shoulders, bore every sin ever committed in His own body, and paid the penalty for sin with His own life. He usurped power away from the enemy and gave it back to His own children. Anyone who believes on Him can, again, be free.

If you have tasted His delicious freedom, work to stay there! Stand firm. Don’t compromise or go back. Your old systems, rituals of behavior (performance, perfection, pretending), or pleasing others (fear of man) pull you away from Christ. Do you really want freedom to become only a memory again? If you do choose this, you will need to be absolutely perfect on your own, keeping God’s holy standards. I can tell you up front – you won’t last long. You can’t be perfect. Only one person has ever accomplished this unfathomable feat. And justification is found only in Him. His holy, perfect life is yours – if you trust Him.

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” (v. 6) You can do that! Walk away from man-made cycles and systems, including your own pleasures. Walk toward Jesus – straight into His open, loving embrace. Your heart, your soul, needs this. All it takes is living a couple of long decades to realize this is truth. But you can accept His gift of freedom before you live out those decades. Jesus already fully paid for your freedom. It’s waiting for you to pick up, unwrap, and enjoy as you very own.

How tragic to call yourself God’s child and not joyfully be free! Especially because, out of deepest love for you, Jesus paid a steep price for your freedom. Hmmm – would you be saying by not accepting His gift – that He wasted priceless payment on you? With His own life blood, Jesus took the punishment so you could walk away from all the burdens, chains, trickery, and bondage – to forever be FREE – to be you!

Why not accept this amazing gift? You can stand firm in your freedom? Why would you let yourself be burdened again by the devil’s yoke? That’s a “no win” scenario. God has ensured you still have power to choose. You are the only one who decides how you will respond to Jesus. He even gives you that.

Where are you living in bondage? What kinds of things keep your mind and heart shackled? What can you do today to accept and start living more fully in your already purchased freedom? Why not live in the original design and be you? Because, in that place – everybody wins (except God’s enemy)! Why not be a winner instead of a loser?

Pen to paper: how will you use your freedom going forward?

Article developed from Gal. 5:1-6.

If I were to ask you who has had a high level of influence in your life, who would you mention? What impact did they have on you? Most of us have a handful of people we would think of. Their touch on our lives is noteworthy – sometimes life-changing. Their life has been a kind of “virtual e-pistle”* for you to read. They had opportunity to influence you.

What about you? How are you influencing other’s lives? What kind of letter is your life? God has placed a certain career, a ministry, or a specific service on your heart. You have a special life purpose. Your faithfulness to be the ”you” He created is your response back to Jesus. He wants you to be His living e-pistle.

In your daily living, you have opportunity to touch other lives in the same way Jesus did during His life on earth. Within your career, ministry, community, or home life, you have the same power that raised Jesus from the dead available to you each day. Are you living in that power? God asks you to pour your life into His interests on behalf of others, and your response to obey pleases Him. He intends you to have influence over others in this i-generation.*

Even when no one notices your thoughtful work – Jesus notices. He is thankful you care about His interests enough to creatively engage every scenario He gives you. God’s work is practical. He pours His grace and peace over you and into your work, even when you don’t see or feel it. Check out Heb. 6:10. “God is not unjust. He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” Your life matters every day in each situation. Your story counts!

Since Jesus set the example in serving, it makes sense to imitate Him. “I have set you an example, that you should do as I have done for you.” (Jn. 13:15). Jesus, Mary’s first-born, likely helped His mother with siblings after Joseph’s death (influence at home). He carried out practical things – healing the sick and feeding hungry people. He used parables to illustrate how His teachings fit into daily living. (career / community / ministry influence) Everything Jesus did was to please God and accomplish His interests. (model of influence) Are you invested in taking care of your Heavenly Father’s interests?

Perhaps, even after years of faithful service to the Lord, you may feel discouraged. Please don’t give up in weariness or fatigue. Stay close to Jesus in your heart to avoid disillusionment. If you trust Him and walk steadily, your opportunity for influence will be significant. Hold onto Christ. He is your “gospel.” He is your life story!

Focusing on Jesus keeps your heart vibrant. Let your service flow from the passion to know Christ more. He will never leave you alone, and He will make your future steps clear at the right time. “Stay the course.” As a statement of your love back for God, pour out your best as an offering each day. God notices it all – and He is very keen on rewarding faithfulness. Your influence on others will be blessed. And you will provide the strong example, the influence, another person needs in their life.

I urge you not to labor to please people. That’s bondage. Pleasing God is freedom, and it helps others. This freedom gives you grace and peace. Plus, you wield influence as you take care of Christ’s interests. In this place you stay clean in your motives and effective in your serving. Your life needs to be an e-pistle – a personal story of His incredible offer to others in the i-generation. They need Jesus!

Ask God to help you. He will. The e-pistle of your life is needed in your world. If you are discouraged and feel incapacitated, draw close to Jesus and only focus on His love for you. It’s real!

Article developed from Gal. 1:1-10.

* Brenda’s most recent book, E-pistles For an i-Generation, talks about matters of the heart and practical action steps to grow deep into Jesus and to influence other people. It takes you through Paul’s epistles of 1 and 2 Corinthians. Readers report being encouraged and nurtured. They are seeing new things in God’s Word. Order your copy today!

How many years does it take to reach adulthood? I suppose it depends on the situation. In some cases, it’s 18. Other times it’s 21. And some people don’t seem to get to adulthood until they are well into their thirties – or later! Regardless, every person is busy growing up in some way! Even retired people are. The key issue at each age is to give it all you got. Start by knowing God better and learning His ways to a well-lived life.

Time is a treasure given to each person. Yet, time is often difficult for people. It takes time to grow, to change, and to build trust. Building a life data base of knowledge takes time, especially in this i-generation of technology. Developing character and wisdom takes practice in problem-solving. That takes time, too.

The passing of time is in God’s hands. Every season is in His over care. God uses time to train and shape His children. He teaches how to manage relationships and resources. It’s a privilege, really. Learning means you give it all you got. And this makes for an intentional life. At times giving all you have doesn’t seem quite enough, though. This is discouraging. Yet, even disappointments are in God’s capable, loving hands.

There are times a person needs to take a “time-out” to move past previous life seasons in relationships, habits, patterns, life losses, and character. Take this time to develop your life story, your e-pistle, into a credible example for others.

Whether it’s daily or a deliberate length of time set apart, time with God is a life-changer. Paul took time-out after His conversion to Jesus. God helped Paul privately prepare, reflect, and repair his perspective. Paul gave it all he had in his time-out. And when God put him into circulation, Paul gave it all he had in serving.

Paul was smart, knowledgeable, very religious, disciplined. He was a go-getter. He would have made a fabulous i-Generationer! (that might not be a word) Yet, when Paul chose Jesus as his first Love and Lord, it took him three years to be ready for the next season of serving. Three years of meticulously practicing God’s principles before being credible. That’s over 1000 days and nights! For a “get-up-and-go” person, that may seem like an eternity. Yet, Paul stayed where God planted him, and he consulted no one else as he remained in time-out with God. He busied himself where God put him till God decided it was time for the next season of Paul’s work. God wants you to train where He has you.

After the three year time-out, God opened doors for Paul never opened before. Paul had responded beautifully to God’s training. He was ready to give it all he had for God’s agenda. His next wait was even longer. Fourteen years later, Paul went to Jerusalem to officially connect with the church.

During this visit, Paul took more time to get acquainted with Peter, the disciple Jesus named “the rock,” and with James, the brother of Jesus. Peter had been busy establishing Christ’s church. James was the steady leader of the fledgling new church. And Paul? Well, he was trying out new strokes he had been practicing in his long time-out. Now he wanted to spread his new wings. It was an exceptional, legitimate stretch for people to accept him because they knew the treacherous man Paul was before. He literally hunted down believers in Jesus. Paul knew he needed to prove himself – to give it all he had! And he also knew that training and changing take time.

Time is necessary to build strength, heal hearts, nurture patience, and forge tenacity – all needed to be a follower of Jesus. And these characteristics start by spending time-out with God each day.

Being part of this generation of highly technical professionals, we’ve been calling it the i-Generation, your part matters. Your life matters. Your choices matter. Whether you are at home or at a job location – God has a special calling over your life. Are you tuning in to hear Him? Are you alert to His training action steps that enable you to become His e-pistle to others through a well-lived life? Well-lived does not mean perfect. It means forgiven and surrendered for God’s purposes. Well-lived means making choices that addresses God’s interests over your own. It’s saying, “Lord, I love You back.”

Whether you are in a time-out or busy serving, it’s time for you to give it all you got?

Article developed form Gal. 1:18-24.

Ways to Help It’s impossible to live a sinless life, unless your name is Jesus Christ. Remember how easy it is to slip into a wrong response or an old pattern. You’ve been there, and so has everyone else. There Read More ...

For more resources and tools that inspire and equip you to live well using God's Word in practical ways each day, visit the Alive and Active Life website.

A promise is something that cannot change. It cannot morph into something else. A promise can only be kept – or broken. If you can’t make good on a promise, don’t make it in the first place.

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Recently, I reflected on a disappointing scenario that penetrated my life last year. It hit like a missile, and I found myself deeply sad. Being familiar with the need to make hard decisions for good reasons for long periods of time, I guess I forgot about a real phenomenon. After decades of managing such situations, you end up with a “pile-up.” This pile-up loomed in my thoughts and lingered in my heart. Clearly, I needed a re-boot. Somehow the pile-up had turned into a mountain.

I’ve always found God to be faithful through thick and thin. Yet, some life scenarios just don’t shift – even after prayer, patience, and best management efforts. As I stared at my pile-up, I felt discouraged. Confronted with a monumental pile-up, what does a seasoned believer do?

Then, I remembered the military. What do they do with a serious pile-up? They identify specific objectives. This might include re-establishing a beach head, strongly affirming territory, sending in stealth operatives, carrying out secret missions, etc. Then they devise a plan to go after those objectives. Often, they name their thrust – like “Operation Desert Storm.” Perhaps you remember that one. Every focus, resource, and endeavor goes into the operation . . . or it’s abandoned.

So – facing my pile-up, that’s what I decided to do: get an operation going! After consideration and prayer, I decided my focus would be – renewed closeness to God. Keep in mind, I’ve been a seasoned believer for a long time . . . and I felt I am close to God. But this was something special. I longed for more of God, even in my deep discouragement. “He is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Ps. 73:26) That became my absolute focus. And so began “Operation Close.” I laid some strategies and committed to carry them out. Re-establishing a beach head and re-claiming territory was about to begin. I felt like a stealth operative on a secret mission with God.

For the next month, I parked in a psalm or two – and lingered there. Just a psalm or two for all those days. I dropped my regular quiet time schedule to focus on Operation Close, and daily journaled what those familiar Scriptures meant in my realities. I decided to be desperate for one thing: God. Every focus, resource, and endeavor went into that operation . . . or it was abandoned.

Do you know what I found out? That kind of operation changes you. The faith that under-girds such a thrust is rewarded. Heb. 11:6 says, “Without faith it’s impossible to please God . . . He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” God says – “The only thing that matters is (your) faith (in Me) expressing itself through (your) love (for Me).” (Gal.5:6) Wow.

As I looked back and reviewed my journal notes for the month of Operation Close, I had interesting observations. My beach head was re-established, territory solidified, and freshness watered my aching soul. As I abandoned myself completely to trust God, my actions as a stealth operative resulted in a successful secret mission in the undercover of my daily quiet time with God.

The final day’s entry in my journal for Operation Close is a prayer. It is evidence this focus did something inside me. I want to be vulnerable and share that prayer with you.

“As Operation Close draws to a close today, I feel a bit sad. This month has pulled me through. Jesus, You met me at my low point to care for my heart wounds. You put my hand back into the hand of hope. My focus was not on Your power. It was on Your love – the needle point of Your power.

Your love pierces through any fabric of life. It drives me through toughest terrain and pulls me through where there’s no opening. Because I believe Your intentions toward me, You penetrate brick and mortar on my behalf. In barren places, You share Your strong, tender, heart with me, and refresh my aching soul. Where others have slandered and ostracized, You have taken me up into Your own great, warm Person.

You are my Safe Place, my Fortress, my Garden, my Companion, and my dearest Friend. You are my Counselor who guides into tomorrow. The Mighty God who lays Your life down in front to provide a solid road. My dear Everlasting Father who created my life with purpose. My Prince of Peace who brings rest and respite. You are Extraordinary Strategist who addresses pile-ups and trains me as a stealth operative in secret missions behind enemy lines.

Thank You, O God of the Heavens, for caring so deeply for me. I put my full hope in You and stay in the force field of Your love. Thank You for Operation Close!”

And so ended my military operation. I instinctively knew I was facing off with the enemy in Jesus’ name. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (Eph. 6:12)

And I was still standing. “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.” (Is. 7:9)

What kind of pile-up do you have? Do you need to get an operation going? Have you spent time with your General to soak up His strategies, to train as His operative, to partner in His secret mission for your soul’s well-being?

God loves you so much! He wants you to be free and to live in His peace and joy. So, get an operation going. Get alone with God in a serious way to be renewed in Christ!

When a person is content, they no longer have task masters cracking the whip over their life. In fact, they settle into a living condition of peace. They have a quiet heart, despite surrounding threats, difficulties, or obstacles. It would be rare to see such a person get “riled up.” This person is quick to be flexible, open to the unforeseen, and satisfied in their heart. The thing they consistently do to remain content is to draw close into God’s great heart in the details of their day. They literally picture themselves in that safe place. It is in this place they can freely ask for wisdom, for creative ideas, for critical insight, and for direction. And – they hear God in their heart – of all things! These folks have learned about contentment.

A believer choosing to be content in Jesus has discovered the missing element that is otherwise absent in this broken world. That element is the exercise of their God-given free will to intentionally take a submissive position under Jesus. They become a living sacrifice – by choice. That one decision changes everything in their discipleship journey. Instead of losing themselves, they find themselves. They become great. At least from God’s perspective.

After making this kind of radical commitment, to be a living sacrifice, your problems don’t simply disappear. But you know you are in a good place in God’s over care. He holds all things together, including your entire life. Plus, He gives an extra special kind of empowerment. Scripture says, “The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.” (2 Chron. 16:9a) God is literally scanning the earth to identify and support individuals fully committed to Him.

Jesus knows how hard it is to live in a fallen creation. Since He is the Great Creator, He certainly remembers what His original design was before humanity fell into sin. Jesus lived on this earth as the God-man, shoulder to shoulder with everyone in His community. He knows. And He cares – deeply!

Contentment in a fallen world is a hard concept to aim for. It requires extreme faith. This radical belief enjoys the greatest power ever known and finest love ever experienced in the history of creation. God’s power. God’s love. Both of these cover your life when you yield to God’s Spirit.

To know that God is absolutely aware of every detail that touches your life. That He is intervening before you even know what’s coming your way as you remain in faith in Him. That He loves you with everlasting love and will never leave you or forsake you. These deep realizations are the very elements that bring contentment to the human heart. Yes, you are loved. You belong. You are on God’s radar!

Jesus wants you to trust Him pin-pointedly enough to, “Come to Me all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest . . . ” (Mt. 11:28) And He wants you to do this – in the middle of your living.

Phil. 4:12-13 says this – “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.  I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

Apparently, contentment is something that is learned – even by the “greats.” Surrounding circumstances have nothing to do with contentment. What is the secret? It is having Christ central in your life.

Your best life response is to be content in the Lord. Contentment affects absolutely everything.

When you radically choose Jesus, to be your first, most, and best you get all His best, even when you suffer. This is an eternal “mystery” that will only be fully realized in Heaven one day. But those who latch onto Christ now by faith and rest in Him – not only do they get all He promised of Heavenly treasures. They also get contentment, here and now. They live in peace. Plus, they have fabulous personal character! Further, they enjoy wisdom and discernment. God said, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” (Is. 30:21)

Here are some things that will help you practice contentment:

Remember that “godliness with contentment is great gain.” (1 Tim. 6:6)

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What are you doing during COVID-19 lock-down with all your mandated free time? (Interesting concept!) For the most part, people are figuring it out.

Through various means, I gathered comments and ideas from people about their activities. Here is a summarized, compilation list of how people are living out their story during this global pandemic. Some pretty interesting and creative ideas.

My conclusion? You can still live intentionally during lock-down.

One of you shared a simple heart-felt statement – “This is a tough time, yet I’m doing OK. I’m leaning heavily on what I know about God, not on what the news says.”

God has sleeves rolled up to help as we look to Him in faith. God loves you – so much. As we wait on Him, let’s fill our days with positive productivity. Why not redeem lock-down time. Make memories. Get creative. Work toward accomplishments. Pray for the sick and grieving in our global family.

I want to close with a precious prayer I heard from a child recently: “Dear God, please tell someone the cure for COVID-19. We can’t do this ourselves. We need Your help!”

That prayer beautifully expresses what should be in all our hearts . . . turning our attention to God and asking Him for His wisdom. James chapter 1 encourages that if anyone lacks wisdom, they should ask God who gives generously without showing favoritism. God will give you wisdom if you trust Him for it – no matter what you are doing during COVID-19 days.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019