Radical Womanhood

Help for the Great Commission

As we enter Easter Week, it's fitting to consider the charge given by Jesus to His disciples after His resurrection. We often call it The Great Commission: 

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:16-20, emphasis added)

It's clear in the gospels that it's Jesus who does the calling. He draws His followers. But He asks us to participate in making those followers fruitful. This process is called discipleship, and in my experience it's not just a one-way process. When we get involved in the lives of newer Christ-followers, we share what we know about Jesus and we are edified and strengthened, too. 

Recently at my church, we were asked to stand if we wanted to be discipled. And then we were asked to stand if we wanted to help disciple others. To be honest, it was an awkward moment on both sides. I'm thankful for the honesty of those who stood up. But even when the desire is there, it can be challenging to find materials that are flexible for the individual life circumstances and time constraints for both people. Most importantly, you want to find materials that help those being discipled to dig into God's Word for themselves. You don't want to be creating your own disciples. You want them to be Jesus' disciples.

That's why I think a new tool from Downline Ministries may be helpful. I haven't had time to explore all of it, but what I've seen so far seems to be exceedingly useful. The idea behind the Downline Builder is to create an online curriculum that is customizable for personal or small group discipleship around the life lessons or Bible teaching that are needed by those specific individuals.  It makes it very easy to get started because you can select the topics you need for the time you have available and you get a complete student/leader curriculum in PDF form. (Downline Ministries is an evangelical and inter-denominational ministry based in Memphis, TN. They wrote the curriculum in such a way "as to present what the Bible affirms and leave a more nuanced interpretation in the hands of the discipler, who can contextualize to his or her particular denominational beliefs.")

Below you will find a great introductory video about the Downline Builder, as well as a link to video commentary from yours truly--filmed by Downline Ministries a few months ago after I saw a demo. I hope you find this to be a helpful resource for your participation in The Great Commission!

 

P.S. Downline filmed this late one evening after I had given two full seminars. I'm fortunate I could string together any verbiage. Unfortunately, I didn't catch that I referenced the great commandment, not the great commission. Close in sound, but not quite the point I wanted to make. It's good to be humbled via video! ha ha

Leap Year and the Gift of Time

Whenever leap year pops up, I feel like I'm cheating, like I've gotten an extra day to tackle all those undone things. But it's just an illusion. Today is a day like any other--a gift from God for which I will have to give an account.

I've been thinking a lot about time lately. Days seem to fly by faster than when I was a child. I once read that if your day flies by, that means you are absorbed in what you are doing and you are happy. So I guess that's a good thing. But as I've studied this topic from an eternal perspective, here's a short list of some of the things I've been mulling over as I ponder "time management" as a Christian:

• There's only one person who will ever complete His "To Do" list and He already did it: "When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, 'It is finished,' and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." (John 19:30).
• Therefore, my ambitions about productivity have to be reshaped by the idea that I'm simply a steward. I am responsible for investing and multiplying what I receive from the Lord because I will give an account to Him one day for my activities. What isn't from Him is a waste of time. 
• Discerning the difference betweening stewarding what God has put on my To Do list and what I put on there for other reasons is very hard. I have to recalibrate on a regular basis by praying over my priorities and activities. 
• As someone who is chronically on deadline, I still must find a way to live with margin in my life. By this, I mean the flexibility in my schedule for God to interrupt me with His ministry needs. Those things usually arrive in the form of someone needing my help or attention. If close friends and family don't think they have access to me or can interrupt me, then I know I have things on my To Do list that shouldn't be there. Jesus had a very important schedule, but He was available to minister others as He saw His Father at work.
• Productivity is not the same as fruitfulness. Fruitfulness is the eternal measurement--the multiplication of the work the Holy Spirit is doing in and through us. Productivity is task-oriented but those tasks aren't necessarily fruitful when measured through eternal impact. I find I can get a lot done, but nothing that will be meaningful even next year much less in light of eternity. We will always have tasks like these to do, but are they crowding out what's important?
• The tyranny of the urgent is even more of a harsh taskmaster in a constantly wired world. I first read Charles Hummel's booklet called The Tyranny of the Urgent as the Internet was poised to take off. Now I can appreciate even more why it is critical to schedule the important priorities before responding to the crush of urgencies and social media connections.

I hope these brief thoughts serve you today, as well. Happy February 29th!

 

Into the Light

A few years ago, a friend of mine was keeping a very serious temptation in the dark. His friends and his pastor often asked questions about things that didn't line up, but instead of seeing those questions as evidence of God's mercy at work in his life, my friend continued to hide. He denied any wrongdoing and skirted the pointed questions about his past.

Then one day he succumbed to this temptation and was caught. It was the kind of deed that puts one in jail for a very long time. His family was devastated and his church was dismayed. 

Afterward, I wrote him and asked him how we was processing these recent events. I'll never forget what he wrote back to me. In short, he said God had given him many opportunities to confess and repent, but he didn't see it as the mercy that it was. Instead, what he kept in the dark became the very thing that the Enemy used to destroy him. By nursing his secret sin and fearing the opinions of others more than the judgment of God, he destroyed all that was valuable to him -- including his witness for the Lord.

I've thought a lot about this in the ensuing years, especially in the context of small groups and accountability relationships. In certain circles, we can talk a lot about "safe" people and "safe" churches, places where self-righteous judgment isn't the most dominant relational characteristic. While it is important that we cultivate humility in our relationships (which is what being "safe" is all about), safety is not found in the reaction of others. Safety is found in the light of God. In God's mercy, the one thing we don't want to do -- drag our sin out of the darkness and confess it others -- is the very thing that will actually spare us. As it says in the first chapter of the gospel of John, life is found in the light:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-14, emphasis mine)

Grace and truth co-exist in the One who is the true light, who came into the world on a divine rescue mission to give those who receive Him the right to become children of God. This is jaw-dropping truth! We want to hide our ugliness, our brokenness, our darkness. But when we willingly expose it to the Light, we are healed and restored. 

This means confession and accountability are some of our primary weapons in the spiritual battles we face every day. This "life together in the light" should be the culture we create in our churches and in our families. We should be eager to help each other, not to judge one another. There is but one wholly righteous Judge and He tells us to meet Him at the point of our most severe criticism, the Cross, so that we can see clearly how great is our sin. The wonder is that at this place of severe criticism, we receive completely unmerited mercy! When we are truthful about our temptations and sins, we find grace to repent and change. 

So how can we create this culture in our small group or church? It starts with each of us being willing to remove our own "fig leaf" mask and get real. Why does it seem so much harder to tell one another the truth that God already knows? For that matter, why does it seem so hard to tell one another the truth that most of us can already see in each other?! If I find it hard to confess my pride or anger, I'm being illogical. Nearly everyone around me is already aware of the overflow of my heart in those areas. But confession is the healing balm that brings me into the Light, where grace and truth meet me for full restoration!

(If you want to read further on this topic, I highly recommend Ed Welch's classic book, When People Are Big and God Is Small. It's not just for those who fear rejection. It's also for those who crave approval. Both of those motivations keep us in the dark, instead of the light.)

The Message of Ephesians

When I was a brand-new Christian, the first book of the Bible that I studied was Ephesians, because my church was teaching through it. I remember being struck by the vibrant church community that was described in this epistle. Paul almost seems giddy as he bounces back and forth between the soaring praise and prayers in this book to the instructions on how to love and bear with one another in the church. They way he described life together in the church and in the family was compelling.

I also encountered one of my "life verses" in Ephesians, a standard for godly speech that both rebuked and inspired me: "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Eph. 4:29 NIV). When year later I started reading the ESV, I was reminded even more strongly of the impact of my words on others:  "... that it may give grace to those who hear." I had that verse taped on my mirror for years so that I would be reminded to curb my tongue.

Recently I've been immersed in Ephesians once again through the Bible study written by my friend, Wendy Alsup, called By His Wounds You Are Healed: How the Message of Ephesians Transforms a Woman's Identity. This 35-chapter study on Ephesians is designed to be marked up, reflected upon, and thoroughly digested. As Wendy writes at the beginning of the study:

Written from prison around A.D. 60, Ephesians is unique among Paul's letters because he is not addressing a specific doctrinal or sin issue in the church there. Unlike 1 Corinthians in which some guy is sleeping with his step-mother or Galatians in which Peter is tolerating a legalistic view of the gospel, Paul gets to talk to the church at Ephesus about the big picture of the benefits of Christ's sacrifice for us on the cross and the way that impacts our entire lives. The book reflects a very connected, coherent thought process from beginning to end. Each thought builds succinctly on the previous thought, and context means everything in Ephesians. Unlike Proverbs, where you can pull two or three verses out and prepare an accurate, concise lesson from them, no piece of Ephesians can be pulled out and accurately handled without clearly examining the whole book.

As expected, Wendy takes readers through an in-depth, passage-upon-passage examination of the beauty of Ephesians. I've underlined and starred many segments of the book, but one comment that hit me profoundly was something Wendy wrote about the maturity of the Body of Christ as described in Ephesians 4:13-16.

In dealing with our Christian community, it is essential we keep our eye on the prize--the end result of the Body of Christ growing together in unity and maturity in the true knowledge of God. As the daughter of a cotton farmer, I remember a farming illustration I heard growing up. If a farmer wanted to plow a straight line for a row of crops, he needed to keep his eye on a fixed point at the end of the row. If he looked down where he was, he would make a crooked line. But if he kept his eye on the spot that he wanted to reach at the end, he would maintain a straight line for his row of crops. This is a helpful illustration for us as we deal with issues and relationships within the Body of Christ, the Church. We have to keep our eye on the goal. What is the end result of all God is doing now? It is a church that is unified in the faith and the knowledge of God, measuring up to the stature of Christ. God is moving us toward the goal of Christian maturity in which we are no longer weak Christians easily deceived by every new doctrinal error. We will be a Body that works together in harmony and unity, each part doing its job. And what does fully realized Christian maturity look like? It looks like Christ (v. 13)!

As we discussed before, the Church is NOT there yet, but God calls us to choose the proper place to fix our focus. He calls us to focus squarely on the goal to which he is conforming his Body. We are not to focus on all the ways the Church fails him and us now. I am not suggesting we stick our head in the sand and ignore her failings. That is not Christian unity either. But I am saying that our perspective on the current failings of the Church must be informed by the end result that God promises he will accomplish--a beautiful, mature Body steadfast in correct doctrine where members work together and support each other. Knowing where we are going is a great help to making choices now on how to respond to current struggles.

Amen and amen. I know everyone who is currently part of a local church can nod in agreement. We can see the failings, sins, and weaknesses all around us because we're part of them. But if we keep our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith, we will rejoice in what God will accomplish. Don't look down and create crooked lines. Look at the end goal with eyes of faith and pray we attain to the fullness of Christ.

Obviously I highly recommend this study. I also recommend that if you aren't already familiar with Wendy's writing, you check out her blog, Practical Theology for Women.

Eternal Perspectives Ministries: Crisis Prep

I've heard many wise pastors say that the time to prepare for a crisis is before it happens. When faced with a sobering diagnosis, the loss of a job, the rejection of an unbelieving friend, the criticism of a non-Christian culture — these are not the times you want to dig deep into your faith only to discover shallow roots. Crisis management is not the time to do an in-depth study on God's character, lovingkindness, and sovereignty over our lives. You have to have that kind of knowledge ready on tap for the day of crisis.

That's an excerpt from article I wrote titled, "Crisis Prep 101," that Eternal Perspectives Ministries is running in their Summer newsletter. If you are not familiar with author Randy Alcorn and his EPM organization, I recommend you check out the newsletter, which is posted online in full. There you will find a Q&A with Randy on reconciliation, a fantastically sensitive piece from Randy on giving comfort to hurting people (with a list of resources for grieving people), a piece about heaven by Charles Spurgeon with commentary from Randy and much more. 

End Times Preparation

I really wasn't going to jump on the Harold Camping bandwagon, but I've been thinking about something my pastor, Eric Simmons, said on Sunday. In helping us process the controversy around Camping, Eric provided a broader perspective, which tempered my own (impatient) reaction to Camping's claims.

Of course Camping was (and still is) in great error and should be held accountable for his false prophecies that directly contradict Jesus' own words in Scripture (Matthew 24:36, 24:44 and 25:13; Luke 12:40, etc.). Yet there's also a responsibility that we bear as followers of Christ (not followers of particular human leaders) to know God's Word for ourselves. But as Eric pointed out, it's far more common for Christians to live as though Jesus isn't coming back anytime soon. Camping's false prophecy just highlights the errors on both sides.

That made me think hard. People who believed Camping's false predictions in 1988, 1994, and 2011 made some rash decisions and changed their lives dramatically in response to Camping's predictions. But is this what the Bible expects of us? As I study Matthew 25, and in particular the parable of the talents, I see exactly the opposite. We are always to be investing what has been given to us in order to be fruitful for the glory of God. Since we do not know when the Master will return, we aren't to live in a state of suspended animation -- giving away all we have and standing on a mountain top in white robes, awaiting Jesus. (See: Millerites. Interestingly, Camping is following the same recalculation model of William Miller.) We are to be busy multiplying all that we have, but for the glory of His name, not ours.

If I have to give an account of all that I have, do, and say in an hour I least expect ... am I ready? Have I squandered relationships, resources, spiritual gifts, and time? Or have I invested them? Do I denigrate what I've received because I covet something else? Do I judge God as a harsh taskmaster and do nothing with what I have because I deem it inferior in comparison to what I want (Matthew 25:24-25)? 

If you want to prepare for the return of Jesus, then you should be busy multiplying what He's given you here and now with integrity and honor. Invest in your families, your church, your friends, your community. Be a wise steward of the money, time, and health that you have. Know that no matter how much or how little you have of anything, you can invest it and see a great return by the grace of God. And for that effort, Jesus promises you will not hear the dreaded words, "Depart from me." Instead you will hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

Could our Savior's pleasure at our faithfulness be eclipsed by anything else here on earth? If so, here's a hard truth: we are living just as foolishly as Camping and his followers, and making just as much of a mockery of God and the gospel. Ouch. Time to prayerfully review my priorities...

(Photo: I saw this sign on a rainy road trip last week.)

Liberation and the Sabbath

The other day, I sent an email to a client around 9:00 pm. He wrote back right away, even though it was "after hours." 

"After hours." Remember that concept? It used to be that work was contained within certain boundaries. I remember back at the turn of the century if I sent an email "after hours," I was likely to get a response that started with, "What are you doing at work so late?" But now, thanks to smart phones and other devices, our work spills into all sorts of hours and no one seems to notice anymore.

On some level, that's helpful. These tools allow us to be productive at times that serve our personal schedules. But on another level, that means it's hard to turn work off. I find that I carry around my phone and reflexively check it everywhere. With a few quick keystrokes, I can respond to emails and keep the workflow on track. As a small business owner, I need to keep the tasks moving ahead. It's a good day if my inbox is under 100 messages. But as a Christian, I wonder about how it has affected my ability to turn off, rest, and worship. I also wonder how, through these tools and habits, I affect the ability of others to rest and worship.

Ironically, it was through the Entrepreneurship Initiative (Ei) Forum in New York City that I received a recording from Tim Keller that helped me think through some of these issues. Appropriately titled "Work and Rest," this 2003 message was given before work became omnipresent. I highly recommend that you listen to it. Some of Tim Keller's key points in this message are listed below:

• Examining Luke 6:1-11, we see that Jesus did not abolish the Sabbath, but affirmed it by saying He was Lord of the Sabbath. Which means that Jesus is Lord of rest.
• How can you rest? You rest when you think your work is good and complete. This is modeled for us in Genesis 1, when God creates the world, says it is good, and He who needs it not, rests.
• Why is it hard for us to rest? Because we are always seeking affirmation and identity in our productivity and accomplishments. But the incredible concept of Christianity is that the only One to whom you have to prove yourself has already completed what you cannot do. Jesus is the only One who can truly say, "It is finished." Therefore, it is through the finished work of Jesus that we can rest.
• The Sabbath is an act of liberation. "Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the LORD your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day." (Dt. 5:15 NIV). If you don't rest, you are a slave -- a slave to your job, to the expectations of others, to your own reputation, whatever. 
• Rest is an act of trust. It says, "I'm not the One who keeps the world running. I am not God."

There's much to mine out of this message. But if there's one concept that really leapt out at me, it was the idea that the Sabbath is an act of liberation. By not taking Sabbath rest seriously, I am keeping myself enslaved when I have already been set free by Christ. And by not taking Sabbath rest seriously at this point of my life, I am also buying into the American concept that rest comes with retirement ... and not before then. But I do not need to be enslaved until some arbitrary age! I have been liberated by Christ Himself. 

Here in midweek, I urge you to listen to this message and plan ahead for ways you can get off the treadmill of emails, housework, scheduled activities, and the like ... and enjoy Sabbath rest. Listen to Tim Keller, glean from the biblical wisdom he presents, and live like people liberated by the King!

(Photo: To me, contemplative rest always needs to include a water view...)

New Year's Resolutions

Happy new year, one and all. I pray you find traces of God's Spirit at work in every aspect of your life this year!

So ... it's January 4. Which means we should all be on day four of our diets, gym commitments, budgets, and cheerful attitudes. Yes, we are an army of "resolutionaries" -- at least for one whole week in January. 

But not me, not this year. I definitely need all that I've listed above, but shortly before the new year, I was pondering my new year's resolutions and felt the distinct interruption of the Holy Spirit. You know how that goes. You are busy thinking thoughts about yourself, your goals, your accolades, or even your fears, anxieties, and hurts, when all of a sudden you are aware of a complete thought descending on your soul that is not about you. It is usually a gentle correction, at least in my experience, but it is with utter authority.

In this case, as I pondered self-control and how to grow in it, the impression I had was this: "You won't grow in self-control unless you grow in the knowledge of My holiness." Bam! There was the root of my failure in self-control, totally exposed. My definition of self-control had been something accomplished by my own effort -- here's where we get real -- and done for my own glory. Oh, I wouldn't have actually voiced that to you if you asked, but that was my functional theology. 

The New Testament clearly presents self-control as a fruit of the Holy Spirit, meaning it must be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Not by self. It is the opposite of fear, according to 1 Timothy 6:7, "for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." Fear incites us to hoard, reject, lash out, and distrust others. But with the Spirit of God, we have power to love others and control ourselves. And with that empowered self-control, we find freedom:

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.  But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:13-23)

Walking is a biblical euphemism for the daily actions and utterances of our lives. It's the one-step-at-a-time revelation of what we believe and trust. Therefore, I simply need to resolve to walk by the Spirit, right?  I will make fabulous lists of what that looks like, be accountable to my prayer partners for my choices, and read lots and lots of books on self-control. But in the heat of the moment, unless I am aware of the holiness of God, I won't see self-control as all that serious. "For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do." 

The flesh and the Spirit are at war, in conflict with one another. Simply put, my flesh doesn't take the holiness of God very seriously or it would surrender and stop picking a fight it can't possibly win.

Therefore, my only New Year's resolution is to immerse myself in this topic with the heartfelt prayer that this is one resolution worth keeping after January.

How People Change

I seem to start a lot of blog posts this way these days: "Sorry for the silence on this blog, but I've been busy with (fill in the blank)." Today is no exception. I was at the True Woman Conference in Indianapolis last week when I realized I had neglected to post anything for days. It seems I only have time to live life or process it, but not at the same time. However, I can't afford to let busyness undermine the processing, because it's in the reflection and contemplation that I am able to stop spinning my wheels long enough to examine the overflow of my heart and take my "spiritual temperature," so to speak.

One book I recommend for that process is Paul Tripp and Timothy Lane's book, How People Change. It's been out for a few years now, but its counsel is ageless. The book addresses the "gospel gap" in our lives, our counterfeit hopes, what entangles us and why, our new identity in Christ that leads to new potential, and much more. I found the trajectory of the book to be interesting, as well, as it begins with the individual and moves on to the church. As the authors note, change is a community process, but often we tend to think of it as the community's efforts to change the individual. This book ends with how the church itself often needs to be renewed in applying the hope of the gospel in all its activities and efforts. 

In the first chapter, the authors address what they term the "gospel gap" in our lives that leads to three kinds of spiritual blindness. If you find yourself in any of these descriptions, then I believe you will find much hope in the counsel that follows in the rest of How People Change. Here is an introduction to the ideas you will find in this valuable book:

First, there is the blindness of identity. Many Christians do not have a gospel perspective on who they are. For example, Phil was a good theologian, but his personal identity was more rooted in knowledge and achievement than in the gospel. This lack of gospel identity shows up in two ways. First, many Christians underestimate the power and presence of indwelling sin. They don't see how easily entrapped they are in this world full of snares (Gal. 6:1). They don't grasp the comprehensive nature of the war that is always ranging within the heart of every believer (Rom. 7). They're not aware of how prone they are to run after God replacements. They fail to see that their greatest problems exist within them, not outside them.

My work with teenagers has convinced me that one of the main reasons teenagers are not excited by the gospel is that they do not think they need it. Many parents have successfully raised self-righteous little Pharisees. When they look at themselves, they do not see a sinner in desperate need, so they are not grateful for a Savior. Sadly, the same is true of many of their parents.

Many believers also fail to see the other side of their gospel identity: their identity in Christ. Christ not only gives me forgiveness and a new future, but a whole new identity as well! I am now a child of God, with all of the rights and privileges that this title bestows. This is important because each of us lives out of some sense of identity, and our gospel identity amnesia will always lead to some form of identity replacement. That is, if who I am in Christ does not shape the way I think about myself and the things I face, then I will live out of some other identity.

Often in our blindness, we take on our problems as identities. While divorce, depression, and single parenthood are significant human experiences, they are not identities. Our work is not our identity, though it is an important part of how God intends us to live. For too many of us, our sense of identity is more rooted in our performance than it is in God's grace. It is wonderful to be successful at what God has called you to do, but when you use your success to define who you are, you will always have a distorted perspective.

Second, a "here and now" gap in the gospel also causes us to be blind to God's provision. As Peter states, in Christ we have been given "everything we need for life and godliness." Why does he use two words here, both "life" and "godliness"? The second word is meant to qualify the first. If Peter had simply said that God has given us everything we need for life, it would be easy to add the word "eternal" before it. This is how the passage is often interpreted. We find it much easier to embrace the gospel's promise of life after death than we do its promise of life before death! But when Peter says that God has given us everything we need for "godliness," we know that he is talking about life now. Godliness is God-honoring life from the time I come to Christ until the time I go home to be with him.

Peter is saying that we cannot live properly in the present unless we understand the provision God has made for us. Many believers are blind to the fact that this provision runs deeper than the commands, principles, and promises of Scripture we normally associate with the pursuit of a godly life. It is even more fundamental than the conviction of the Holy Spirit or our legal forgiveness. God's provision for a godly life now is literally Christ himself! He has given us himself so that we can be like him. . . 

Without an awareness of Christ's presence, we tend to live anxiously. We avoid hard things and are easily overwhelmed. But a clear sense of identity and provision gives us hope and courage to face the struggles and temptations that come our way. 

A third form of blindness that a gospel gap produces is blindness to God's process. The New Testament is clear that our acceptance into the family of God is not the end of God's work in us, but the beginning. God has not called us to a life of "I have spiritually arrived" or "I am just waiting for heaven." Rather, he calls us to a life of constant work, constant growth, and constant confession and repentance. Making us holy is God's unwavering agenda until we are taken home to be with him. He will do whatever he needs to do to produce holiness in us. He wants us to be a community of joy, but he is willing to compromise our temporal happiness in order to increase our Christ-likeness.

Any time we find ourselves in difficulty or trial, it is easy to think we have been forgotten or rejected by God. This is because we do not understand the present process. God is not working for our comfort and ease; he is working on our growth. At the very moment we are tempted to question his faithfulness, he is fulfilling his redemptive promises to us. After all, it's not like there are only some people who really need to change. Change is the norm for everyone, and God is always at work to complete this process in us.

Paul Tripp and Timothy Lane have years of counseling experience to back up the teaching and observations in this book. It includes lots of personal stories and illustrations to show how people can grow and change as they apply Scriptural truth to daily life. As the authors note, "we all live on the continuum between slavery [to the deceitfulness of sin] and freedom." We don't have to remain where we find ourselves on this continuum. There is much hope for change in the gospel, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Seven Days with Seven Friends

Here's an article that appeared recently on the True Woman blog. It was written by my friend, Kimberly Wagner, about the Colorado vacation/retreat I mentioned previously on the blog. I thought you'd enjoy seeing our photo of whitewater rafting that she included. But more importantly, I think Kimberly has developed a helpful list of factors that contribute to in-depth friendships. Your comments on this "friendship ingredient" list are welcome; please feel free to add to it, as well.

Laughter, tears, long-running jokes, shared memories, arm-in-arm victories, whispered prayers, late-night discussions, good food, long walks, refreshment in the Word, and bearing one another’s deepest hurts –- all ingredients that forge enduring bonds of friendship.

One of life’s sweetest rewards is the intimacy and joy experienced through the unique fellowship known only by those who abide in Christ. Koinonia. Iron sharpening iron kind of relationships. Hearts entwined by one-souled unity of the Spirit. Deeply loving, respecting, protecting, and nurturing relationships which provide a safe place for transparency and honest communication.

Recently I had the opportunity to spend some “retreat time” with six dear friends, and one thing I brought back with me is a greater appreciation for long-term friendships. Some of us have walked side-by-side through seasons of bitter loss and deep grief. We’ve spoken truth to each other, interceded in prayer, held late-night vigils on the phone, and carried one another’s burdens for years. Godly friendships provide stability when encountering the white-water rapids of life.

Whenever I spend time with these women, I always leave with a greater appreciation for all they’ve taught me. Holly’s served as a friend and example for years, leading me into a deeper understanding of grace; demonstrating steadfast perseverance while under pressure. Mary Ann is a model to me of a woman who chooses her words wisely; refraining from expressing every thought that enters her head! Through the years God has used Carolyn to share Scripture verses that have applied personally to my life (she also was the first person to show me what a blog is!). Jennifer has been precious to my heart, ever since our first encounter at the cafeteria when she was a seminary student. She’s exemplified faithfulness as a friend and prayer warrior. Mary blesses us all with her intellect, keen insight, and ability to address critical issues in a Christ-exalting manner.

And finally, Nancy. Only the Father knows how valuable her friendship has been to me. I am eternally grateful for the volume of truth she’s poured into my life throughout the years. She has truly been a faithful friend.

Although we live scattered across the continent, and vary in ages, marital status, and seasons of life, we are united by our passionate pursuit of Christ and desire to live for His glory. Hearts bound together through the sorrows and joys of spiritual battle.

I often hear from women who desire friendships that go deep and last long. For what it’s worth, I have a few thoughts on ingredients which are helpful in cultivating this kind of relationship:

• A listening ear 
• An open heart 
• Tenderness 
• Confidentiality 
• Loyalty 
• Humility 
• Sensitivity to the Spirit 
• Devotion 
• A sense of humor (especially a willingness to laugh at yourself) 
• Grace for “life interruptions” 
• A heart that forgives quickly and frequently 
• Letting go of things that don’t really matter while holding on to things that do 
• Patience 
• Forgetting the worst and remembering the best 
• Humbly confronting when necessary 
• Speaking truth in love–always 
• Serving as a faithful encourager 
• Taking time to cultivate a long history together 
• Commitment to prayerful intercession

If you are longing for this kind of friendship, don’t wait for someone to befriend you; take the first step by asking God to lead you to someone who needs a friend. Be this kind of friend (John 15:13; 1 John 3:16-18). -- Kimberly Wagner