Years ago, while I attending classes for pastors in California, we pastors were given the book Celebration of Discipline” copyright (c) 1978, by Richard J. Foster. This well-known book, has been ,over the years, very helpful to many Christians both laity and clergy alike.
Mr. Foster's book speaks to believers about how Christians can avail ourselves of the "Spiritual Disciplines" and grow in the Christian life thru a relationship with Jesus Christ by way of the "Spiritual Disciplines"
With that acknowledgement I would like to offer in my own words, as best that I may, what I have gleaned from Mr. Foster’s book.
Spiritual Opportunities
The Spiritual Disciplines are not Religious Duties, but rather, are Spiritual Opportunities that aid in the Christian life and bring us ever deeper intimacy with our Lord Jesus Christ and thru Jesus into an ever growing relationship with the Holy Trinity , the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. Again, the "Spiritual Disciplines" do not earn us salvation, our salvation is accomplished through and by Jesus alone on our behalf. He has accomplished it all for us, Jesus has done what none of us could ever do. Jesus has saved us.
What the "Spiritual Discipline" are, are Spiritual Opportunities for each and all of us to have Communion with our God in times of deep personal intimacy which brings us to see that he is with us and wants us and loves us.
Availing ourselves of the "Spiritual Disciplines" aids the Christin in growing in Christ likeness, this process over a life time , is what the ancient Church called "Deification".
The Value of the "Spiritual
Disciplines" are that they bring the believer to
experience what is true, that Jesus Christ is with us, that is his Spirit fills
all time and eternity and out of his endless love for us he reached out to us
and abides with us.
We are able then, to live out
of a holy relationship with the great God, the Holy Trinity, the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit and to participate is that relationship of mutually love and
submission each honoring the other above self.
Submission
We have been invited into this
relationship through Jesus Christ. In this holy relationship we are called to
relinquish our own self advancement and posturing and willingly yield to others
in submission liberating each of us from the tyranny of the self into true
freedom.
This submission and yeildedness to others, frees us from always having to get
our own way, to win or to come out on top, of defeating another. To let go of
ego without fear of having our ego's rankled.
This submission frees us from the
opinions of others. It allows us to give. To see what is truly important, what
matters. Freedom from nonessential arguments and assertions of ourselves and of
others around us.
Submission frees us to extend grace into the lives of others even before an
offense can occur.
Heart of the Problem
Submission goes to the very
heart of the problem; the very way in which we view others and ourselves. When
we live out of a heart that is in submission, we no longer see others as
competitors.
When our hearts are not filled
with submission, we can outwardly comply to the needs of others yet inwardly
seethe with anger and jealousy, that our request, need, wants or ideas were not
met or utilized.
The Heart of the Problem is a Problem of the Heart.
Submission allows us to be under the authority of another, even those whom we may consider less honorable as we would like, such as politicians, or those whom we report to in our occupations or elsewhere in the societies in which we live. Rm:13
Submission
is being in a state of restful trust in our Lord Jesus.
Subjecting the self to the
will of God will be of great importance when a free people find their personal
liberties legislated away and power is consolidated into the hands of the
wicked who in turn create a body of unreasonable laws design to turn
law-abiding and righteous godly citizens into outlaws, replacing personal
freedoms for license to indulge the lust of the flesh.
It will be in such times when we will need the kind of freedom, we can have through
our Lord Jesus Christ.
We can
know true freedom even in the face of tyranny. When such times arises, as they
will throughout human history then our freedom lies in Jesus alone.
Submission to One Another
St. Paul writing to all
Christians in all ages spoke of the mutual submission that we are to have
toward one another tells us in his Epistle to the Church at Ephesus in Asia
minor that we are to "submit one to another" Eph: 5:21
That is there are time for
each to show mutual submission to others without ranker or strife. We as well
to look out for the interest of others and to esteem others better than
ourselves and in the context of the Church we are to obey those who are over
us. Philp: 2:3-4, Heb:13:17
We are to have lives of holy submission recognizing that it is to the great God
to whom we in truth owe all submission. We are to live lives which reflect this
holy posture of heart, fallowing our Lord Jesus each day setting aside our
self, living lives of sacrificial submission embracing the cross of Lord and
following Jesus.
"Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants
to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow
me." Matt: 16:24
This is another way of telling us
that we do not have to always get our way. That true happiness is not dependent
on each of us getting our own way.
Submission of Self
The "self" , which clamors to be heard to be acknowledged to be catered
to.
The "self"
which competes for dominance and prominence over another.
The "self"
which seeks to undermine and manipulate another.
The "self" desires to force it's will over another.
The "self" which attempts to dismiss or pull down another.
The "self"
from which all strife arise from.
The "self" which never can know true rest or peace.
It is the very "self” which needs to be in submission. The "self ' which tries to build
empires in order to subjugate all within its sphere. It is the very
"self” which needs submission to the lead of the Holy Spirit and the reign of
the Kingdom of God.
We find this submission in and through our
Lord Jesus who always was in perfect holy submission to his holy Father. We can
experience this thru our shared identity in Jesus. When we have this type of
Christ-like submission we find an all-new sense of personal destiny which
exceeds any of the grandiose promises of the "self" of the
flesh. We find more than can be imagined. We find true life in Jesus.
"Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for
my sake will find it."Matt:10:39
We will gain more than we lose, we gain
the freedom of not feeling sorry for our "selves" when we do not get our way.
We find thru submission ,true freedom which will lead to great reward in
this life and beyond.
"So the last will be first, and the first will be
last."Matt:20:16
God calls us to be in submission in this holy submission to him first and above
all and in this submission we will find great freedom and reward.
Benediction: May we each and all find true peace, rest and freedom
in holy submission to our Lord Jesus Christ , today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.
Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor
Topinabee Community Church
Topinabee Michigan
https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html
You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book
No comments:
Post a Comment