Out of the Clay

Live out Thy life within me, O Jesus, King of kings!
Be Thou Thyself the answer to all my questionings;
Live out Thy life within me, in all things have Thy way!
I, the transparent medium, Thy glory to display.

The temple has been yielded, and purified of sin,
Let Thy Shekinah glory now shine forth from within,
And all the earth keep silence, the body henceforth be
Thy silent, gentle servant, moved only as by Thee.

Its members every moment held subject to Thy call,
Ready to have Thee use them, or not be used at all,
Held without restless longing, or strain, or stress, or fret,
Or chafings at Thy dealings, or thoughts of vain regret.

But restful, calm and pliant, from bend and bias free,
Awaiting Thy decision, when Thou hast need of me.
Live out Thy life within me, O Jesus, King of kings!
Be Thou the glorious answer to all my questionings.

There is an immense difference in work that is an expression of our faith and work that is trying to produce faith.

I read that statement this morning as I finished the book ‘Sidetracked in the Wilderness‘ by Michael Wells.  The book was a gift to me from John Woodward of Grace Fellowship International and it outlines the truths of what Wells calls ‘The Abiding Life’.  Other Christian authors and those in ministry have given it the term ‘The Exchanged Life’ or ‘The Abundant Life’.  I have even heard Pastor Warren Broomer of The Gathering in Sevierville call it ‘The Crucified Life’.  No matter what it is called, it is characterized by only one thing - Faith.

After finishing ‘Sidetracked ..’ and getting a warm up on my daily venti, bold, black eye from my favorite morning hang out (aka - Starbucks), I hopped in my car and worshiped for a brief moment before I had to be at work.  After booting up my PC and browsing through all of the monday morning email, I came across a devotional from Lifetime Garauntee called ‘In Me, Through Me, For Me‘ and WHAM!!  I was smacked right in the face again with truth of Faith being an expression of His Life in me as opposed to my working to try an produce faith.

Like most believers, for years I tried my best to copy Jesus.  I was taught that ‘…He has given you so much, you should want to do something for Him …’.  So, I worked.  I read my Bible, I prayed, I served, I tithed, I gave beyond the tithe,  I sacrificed, I fasted, I cried out to God, I repented, I journaled, I quit my career for ministry, I led, I preached, I taught, I baptized and the list goes on and on.  I like to tell people that if anybody completely sold out to the ‘Purpose Driven’ model of Christianity and Church, it was me - and it failed me miserably.

I had to come to a place where I accepted Christ, by faith and faith alone, not only as my Savior and Lord but also as my LIFE.  As I reckon myself dead to sin, self, works, religious activity, and the world and then believe that I have been raised with Him, transformed, a new creature, then I begin to experience the fruits of the Spirit in my everyday experience.  I have peace because He is peace and He is my LIFE.  I have joy because He is Joy and He is my LIFE.  I have patience because He is patience and He is my LIFE.  Do you see it?  How could I possible DO anything to add more to Him?  I can honestly say that since the day that I quit working for Him, He has done more for eternity through me and for me that many will ever see or know. 

I read an illustration this morning - maybe it will speak to you like it spoke to me:

There are many months when a tree appears to be inactive to the naked eye, and yet something is taking place in its innermost parts which will be evidenced in life and fruit.  If such life is never overtly manifested, then we could concluded that the tree is quite dead … Just as a tree, by the power of its life, can break in two a mighty boulder beside which it is planted, so faith is the power within you which will overcome all obstacles.  It is not from you but from Him.  Therefor, if you possess faith, it will be manifested.  We will not allow the enemy to stifle our faith through the deception of inactivity.’

A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood
of mortal ills prevaling. 
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing,
were not the right man on our side,
the man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be? 
Christ Jesus, it is he;
Lord Sabaoth, his name,
from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
his truth to triumph through us. 
The Prince of Darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo, his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers,
no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours,
thru him who with us sideth. 
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill;
God’s truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.

As a church leader:

If we do not disciple and empower others, as Jesus has done, we end up exploiting others, using them for our ends, even if we clothe this in very spiritual terms.

If traditional congregational type churches do not have discipling at their core, they will not be able to develop a structure that disciples and empowers people, let alone disciple nations.  Quality defines the structure which in turn determines quantity.  As a result, people will remain systematically undiscipled and left powerless.  If the traditional structure does not empower and disciple, what does it do?

(Quote and Chart from Wolfgang Simpson’s ‘Houses that change the world’)

If you consider yourself to be a leader in the Body of Christ, then is your life one that is about discipling?  Maybe you’re a pastor, what is the core of your organization?  Quality or Quantity?  Are you empowering people or exploiting them?  Post your thoughts to the comments …