LifeLift

Over the past few years it’s become popular in hipster-ish types of churches (not that I’m opposed to ANY expression of the church) to say things that SOUND right but actually breakdown to “nothing” when placed under the weight of any scrutiny at all.

For instance, this one…

“I hate theology, but I love Jesus.”

😳

Sounds cute and clever, but really?

When we break it down, we get this:

👉 Theo- = God

👉 -ology = study of

That is, “theology” reveals what we believe to be true about— and what we think about— when we think about God.

As we discussed in the previous episode, we’re all practical theologians… that is, we all “live out” what we think and feel to be true about God every single day.

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When we look closer at the Bible, especially the New Testament, we discover that Jesus is actually taking us TO and revealing what God is like (see John 14:1-9).

He is…

💙 The image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15)

💙 The fullness of the Father was in Him, as He actively reconciled the world to Himself (Colossians 1:19-20)

💙 The perfect imprint & very expression of God’s nature (Hebrews 1:3)

💙 Only did what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19)

💙 Is so much like God that whoever “sees Me sees the One who sent Me” (John 12:35)

In other words, as Pastor Bill Johnson once wrote, “Jesus is perfect theology.”

That is, He demonstrates what God the Father is like through what He does (His words) and what He said (His deeds).

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In this episode we make that concept super-practical…

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Identity eBook referenced in this talk $5 = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/LcR6Bz3a

https://www.jenkins.tv/assessment-DISC-colors to assess yourself with the DISC / Colors 💙❤️💚

Identity video course = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/twHHm6Lh 

The Purpose paperback = pay the shipping & handling, and we’ll send it! https://www.jenkins.tv/purpose  

I knew a pastor who used to say, “God’s in a good mood.” To his dying day, he’d chuckle- in a serious way- when he said it. He was convinced that God was absolutely happy.

Somehow, I was totally uncomfortable with what he said— but I WAS (super-strangely enough) NOT uncomfortable with the opposite…

Why would I be more cozy with the notion that…

❌ God was angry,

❌ God had a “short fuse,” and

❌ God was ready to pour out His wrath on His children?

🤷‍♂️

The thrust of Scripture shows us the pastor was right. Though most people don’t believe it (they just haven’t been shown), God is… well… joy.

All of life, for that matter- is really an overflow of your deep-seated convictions. Of your beliefs. Even of what you think about God- or don’t think about Him or her or whatever-else-you-believe-to-be-true here.

As you live, it’s like plugging those beliefs in a small amplifier… with a microphone… and everyone else sees— and hears— those beliefs. That is, we practically “live out” what we believe to be true about God’s goodness (or lack of it), how He views people with differing views and lifestyle choices, and who we believe carries His image…

No matter how much you talk or don’t talk about them, your beliefs about what God is actually like REALLY DO matter.

At the fundamental level, how we view God affects all of life…

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Identity eBook referenced in this talk $5 = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/LcR6Bz3a 

https://www.jenkins.tv/assessment-DISC-colors  to assess yourself 

Identity video course = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/twHHm6Lh 

The Purpose paperback = pay the shipping & handling, and we’ll send it! https://www.jenkins.tv/purpose  

What is God actually like?

That’s a big question— and one that matters.

You see, we practically “live out” our beliefs, even those we’re not aware of. And, one of the biggest, most important beliefs is what we think when we think about the Creator.

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Some of us think of God in theological terms…

Others think about Him in “Bible words.”

Some of us even wonder if He’s a “him” or “her” or a “ghost” or a “spirit” or something else…

Or even if He is…

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When we work out way through Scripture, we find that the Bible paints quite a different picture than what most of us immediately jump to, however.

Sure, we read that God is righteous and just— in fact, those are two of the foundations of His throne (see Psalm 89:14-15).

But we also read this…

God is joy.

And the throne sounds like joy (Psalm 89:15).

And He rejoices over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).

And His presence is full of joy (Psalm 16:11).

And so the Kingdom of God is righteousness… and peace… and joy (Romans 14:17).

Even when Jesus was born, the angels said they brought “good tidings of GREAT joy” (Luke 2:10).

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So…

… we think a lot about God.

Some of us think about NOT thinking about Him. And others of us think about Him in ways that are true— but only partly true.

And some of us are still trying to sort it in our minds…

But, at the core, regardless of where we are on the journey…

God is— and, I know— it’s bad grammar— GOODER than you think.

💛

That’s the subject of this week’s talk.

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Links referenced in this talk 

Identity eBook referenced in this talk $5 = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/LcR6Bz3a

Identity video course = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/twHHm6Lh 

The Purpose paperback = pay the shipping & handling, and we’ll send it! https://www.jenkins.tv/purpose  

The DISC / Colors assessment ❤️💙💚💛 = https://www.jenkins.tv/assessment-DISC-colors

A few weeks ago I met Andy Mason… online. We’re in a common Facebook group, because we use the same software to run our websites…

One of his posts led to an offline conversation which led to us swapping books. He was already planning to come to town, two weeks in the future, so after ready his book, I was about to meet him in person…

His book… Heaven in Business.

The reason he was coming to town?

To lead a workshop based on the principles in the book.

(He came to the DoubleTree, just 2 miles from my house, so when the schedule cleared I decided to go.)

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The premise of his book is this: Christ in you is an advantage everywhere you go-- not just the church building. So, if you're involved in business, the Presence should empower an ongoing "level-up" in that sphere.

In one of the chapters, he mentions this...

⭐️ Daniel (and his friends) were 10x wiser than the acclaimed magicians and astrologers of Babylon-- because God was with them (see Daniel 1:20).

⭐️ John the Baptist was the greatest-- to that date-- born of a woman (see Matthew 11:11), meaning he must have excelled Daniel.

⭐️ You-- and anyone in the Kingdom of God-- is greater than John, according to Jesus (see also Matthew 11:11), meaning there's a new dimension that's now open because of the new covenant and radical grace + supernatural empowerment.

In fact, Jesus actually said YOU will do greater works than He did (John 14:12).

So...

What if...?

What if it's true and we've just been thinking too small, particularly in terms of living out our faith in every

sphere of life?

If it is…

… then we’re all playing too small.

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Links mentioned in the show:

The Purpose book = pay the shipping & handling and I’ll send it: https://www.jenkins.tv/purpose 

The Amplify Project = https://www.amplifyonline.info 

Heaven in Business, Andy’s site = https://www.heaveninbusiness.com 

The Lord established an everlasting covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7:16. He promised an offspring of his would always sit on the throne.

Notably, this occurred BEFORE David committed adultery with Bathsheba and then murdered her husband to cover the forced affair (see 2 Samuel 11:1f.). David never confused to this sin on his own— he was confronted (see 2 Samuel 12).

Yet God— who knew from the beginning that David would fail— STILL honored the covenant. The Bible refers to this as the “sure mercies.” They’re guaranteed. They’re certain. Regardless of what we do.

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For this reason, the New Testament mentions NOTHING of David’s sin. Through the grid of the Cross we know David ONLY as a “man after God’s own heart.”

In fact, in the longest recorded message by Paul (see Acts 13:32-34), we’re told that we also have access to this SAME privilege:

“And I will declare to you good tidings— I will give you the sure mercies of David.”

That is, the same position— God’s call towards our PURPOSE and His capacity to continue pushing us to our POTENTIAL despite our PROBLEM areas remains secure.

Isaiah 55:1-3 begs us, “Come to the waters... and I will make an everlasting covenant with you— the sure mercies of David.”

✅

For this reason, Paul says he was set apart from his mother’s womb (Galatians 1). This, in fact, was before he persecuted Christians. That is, God’s grace covered-over even that.

The same proves true for us. Grace not only saves— it also promises we’ll walk Into our true potential, that is, God’s purposes for us (see Ephesians 2:8-10).

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In Romans 3 we read that God “overlook” sins in “history past” because of the Cross. He knew payment was coming, that is, that from His perspective it was made.

If this is the case…

… couldn’t the same be true for us…?

🤷‍♂️

We discuss it all in this final episode of the Future Grace series…

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Links

Access the FREE “Best of Soul Wholeness” series = https://www.jenkins.tv/best 

Watch the healing video = https://www.jenkins.tv/blog/healed 

The PTSD self-check = https://www.jenkins.tv/PTSD 

The “Identity” course = https://www.jenkins.tv/offers/twHHm6Lh 

The Healing Workshop at 70% off = https://www.jenkins.tv/THW70 

“Repressed emotions are unfinished business,” David Stewart writes— they highlight pages in the past that continuing altering our story in the present” (Healing Oils of the Bible, p116).

As this relates to pain in the body, Dr. Stewart writes, “When you have an emotional experience, especially a traumatic or painful one, the amygdala assigns a part of your body to remember the experience until you are ready to deal with it” (Healing Oils of the Bible, p25). That is, “They can- and will— cause health malfunctions” (p116).

This means that sounds and smells might not be our only reactions to memories. Dis-ease in the body might also be.

🤷‍♂️

Notice the word might in that previous sentence. This is another reason I never shift blame onto the person who comes to me for prayer. An illness or dis-ease might be a repressed hurt; it might, on the other hand, simply be a breakdown in the body.

How do you know if it is or is not?

You simply ask.

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Notice, though, in the same way the check engine light on your car tells you to pop the hood and took a deeper look at your motor, abnormal body function might be biological equivalent— an alert system telling you to stop and deal with some hurt of the past.

The systemic malfunction might show up in the heart, the intestines… or a specific joint or muscle or organ.

Or, let’s say it another way— and make it personal. If you’ve gone to the doctor for a health issue and you couldn’t locate a specific underlying cause of the condition, you might— notice that might word, again— be suppressing something.

👇

Why?

Because you remember everything… yet the memories aren’t stored in the body, they’re filed in your body. And, when your body “flares up” and creates a physical symptom, it might actually be a “check engine light” telling you that you have unfinished business in the soul you need to handle…

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Links

Access the FREE “Best of Soul Wholeness” series = https://www.jenkins.tv/best 

Watch the healing video = https://www.jenkins.tv/blog/healed 

The PTSD self-check = https://www.jenkins.tv/PTSD 

The Healing Workshop at 70% off = https://www.jenkins.tv/THW70 

The disciples spent a lot of time with Jesus. That’s how “discipleship” worked back in Biblical times. Whereas we’ve reduced the concept to “
... the breed of discipleship they experienced was a life-on-life encounter whereby the rabbi imparted everything he knew and did to his students.

As a result, the students learned they could do anything the rabbi did.

“My rabbi does _____________,” they reasoned, “therefore I can, too.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The episode of Peter walking on water makes more sense when you understand this dimension of their discipleship model...

Do you remember Peter’s statement to Jesus?

“If it really is you, then tell me to walk on water” (Matthew 14:28).

Rather than being a great statement of faith, his boldness to step on a wave through increased winds and stride across the sea makes more sense when viewed with the backdrop of the discipleship paradigm. His rabbi was there on the water; therefore, he could be, too.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Here’s where it gets interesting…

Of all the things the disciples COULD HAVE asked Jesus to teach them how to do, the only thing they requested was “teach us to pray.”

Furthermore, the only thing they asked for Him to increase their faith about was when He taught them about forgiveness…

⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of the disciples asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who wronged him. He even offered Jesus a GRACIOUS answer…

Conventional Jewish wisdom was that you forgive an offender three times. So, Peter DOUBLED it and ADDED to it.

He came up with 7. Should he forgive an offender DOUBLE plus ONE what anyone else would do? Surely that would be gracious.

Jesus moved the line a bit.

A long bit.

Not 7. And not 70. But 70 TIMES 7! (Matthew 18:21-22).

⭐️⭐️⭐️

In our culture, we get forgiveness wrong. We think of it as emotional feeling. Or a mental shift only.

Jesus told stories and demonstrated that forgiveness not only acknowledges that a wrong took place, but that the offended then does something radical. They let it go.

And they demonstrate the heart of the Father with their ACTIONS, exhibiting His kind of love by how they walk it out. In fact, the way the offended walks it out is actually the EVIDENCE of how they perceive the forgiveness they’ve received from their heavenly Father!.

A cold shoulder? A freeze out? They’re demonstrating they don’t feel they’ve received much forgiveness. So, they don’t need to dispense much…

Radical grace? Radical reconciliation and restoration…? Again, an overflow of what they perceive they’ve received…

⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Links

Access the FREE “Best of Soul Wholeness” series = https://www.jenkins.tv/best 

Watch the healing video = https://www.jenkins.tv/blog/healed 

The PTSD self-check = https://www.jenkins.tv/PTSD 

The Healing Workshop at 70% off = https://www.jenkins.tv/THW70 

There are 3 facts about human nature:

👉 FACT 1 = We’re designed to explore and grow. We, by our nature, venture forth and look into the unknown.

👉 FACT 2 = Some of that exploration causes PAIN. That is, not all exploration is pleasant. As a result, we create RULES to help govern how we make " in the future.

Some of those “rules” are:

✅ FUNCTIONAL = that is, they’re friends. They’re healthy and they help us reach our potential.

Other “rules” are…

‼️ DYSFUNCTIONAL = they’re foes. They’re unhealthy and they hinder us from making progress…

The problem, is, well… our mind doesn’t distinguish between the two. We simply, unless we discern otherwise, follow the default rules we’ve learned.

And therein lies the problem….

👉 FACT 3 = We adopt the rules as our default method of interacting with the world around us…

In this talk we discuss what these rules mean, as well as how we move forward.

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Links

Access the FREE “Best of Soul Wholeness” series = https://www.jenkins.tv/best 

Watch the healing video = https://www.jenkins.tv/blog/healed 

The “Emotional Wholeness Checklist” video = https://www.jenkins.tv/blog/checklist 

The Healing Workshop at 70% off = https://www.jenkins.tv/THW70 

Albert Einstein said that time is relative.

He didn’t reject the existence of time. Rather, he rejected the distinction between past, present, and future.

⏰⏰⏰

“The light you see now left the sun 8 minutes ago,” a teacher explained, when I was in 2nd grade. “It comes to us really fast, because light travels super-quick. Faster than Superman, even.”

I sat in disbelief. We all knew he was faster than a speeding bullet, able to stop a locomotive, and could leap a tall building with a single bound.

“Light is so faster that we measure it how far it travels in a full year,” the teacher continued. “We call that distance a light year. So, if something is 4 light years away from the Earth, that means it’s a really big distance— light is fast and travels far. So it’s the distance away from the earth that light would get if it moved in one direction for 4 full years!”

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This means that If I could see what was happening 4,100 light years away, I could look back and see Abraham being called by God (2,100 BC).

Or, if I was 2,000 light years away, I could see Jesus walking on the earth…

Time— though we experience it in linear form— is, as Einstein says, relative. What you see depends on where you are— and where you look.

And...

Since God is everywhere (or, more accurately, since everywhere is present to Him)...

And...

Since He isn’t bound by time or geographic place (in the way we are)...

Since He’s literally everywhere on the time-space continuum...

Then...

From His perspective, all of these events are occurring at the exact same moment.

⏰⏰⏰

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Links

Access the FREE “Best of Soul Wholeness” series = https://www.jenkins.tv/best 

During my first year of college I developed the habit of sitting down with a paper calendar— the kind I still carry to this date— the first day of class, syllabus in hand. I always wrote which chapters were being covered on which dates, when terms papers were due, which day I had tests, and any other noteworthy items the professor offered the class. That way, I had everything at a glance. And, I could work ahead... 

I carried the same habit to grad school and quickly realized I had a problem: I had far more to read and much more to write. 

So, I began working ahead. I figured that if I could knock off a few of the larger books during that first week of class— while professors were generally giving us introductory info and ramping up, I’d find myself in a much better position once the full grind of school hit full steam.

That first weekend I grabbed the 750-plus page Grenz book (a massive theology tome) and spent hours at the Barnes & Noble coffee shop, highlighters in hand. I devoured it...

I noticed something fairly quickly, though— something which helped me make sense of the tension I’d felt since Pop's funeral-- the one I talked about in the previous episode...

Let me explain— 

Most theologians write about God using the omni-words: 

✅ Omniscient

✅ Omnipowerful

✅ Omnipresent 

Grenz had a unique angle on each of these. Specifically, though, on that final one, I found an unexpected comfort.

To paraphrase in my own words— “Most people think of God’s omnipresence as Him being present everywhere. He’s present to everything. But, let’s flip the script. Let’s look at it a different way. Rather than look at those things as the center— and God moving towards them, let’s make God the Great Object of the universe— and make everything present to Him."

Or— to say it another way, “What if we don’t say that God is everywhere, thereby making Creation the center of our theology? What if, instead, we say that everything is present to God, that it is all oriented around Him?”

He becomes the core force, the center piece of the cosmos.

Why does that shift matter? 

Listen in...

In this episode I take a shot and defining why, because the thing you center your "world" around really matters.

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Links

Access the FREE “Best of Soul Wholeness” series = https://www.jenkins.tv/best 

Take the free PTSD self-check = https://www.jenkins.tv/PTSD 

Watch the healing video = https://www.jenkins.tv/blog/healed 

The planner mentioned in the talk = https://www.jenkins.tv/8