Good News & More

Paul says:  For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation...

(Romans 1:16).

The 'Good News' is the power of God 'in us' to save us from sin and its affect on us, its much more then simply getting into heaven! Jesus says that getting saved is like being born again - this time of the Spirit (John 3:1-21).  Salvation is being born as a child into a new family - its entering a whole new journey of learning to know/trust the heart and mind of a perfect Father.

A very basic part of this new journey is understanding victory over sin.

This is a subject that I've been praying about for the last few weeks.  What I write on this subject will be from my experience combined with that of a friend (Ray Goulet).  Its a result of the growth in our heart understanding/experience of what Jesus teaches us.  Ray is a friend I met a few years ago - one of those relationships that 'you know are of God' and you end up staying in contact with and visiting occasionally. Ray is from the New Hampshire area - which is great since our relationship gives me a good excuse to visit a beautiful state once in a while.

My last post (about the experience with the presence of evil) was an experience that deeply impacted me and changed my perspective and my values.  Having grown up in a religious, formal setting I mostly had a theology for the power of God to bring freedom to my heart, but not a real experience or practical application of it. Emphasis was on appearance - hard work/discipline and meeting the expectations of others - particularly those of the church.  If you could measure up to the expectations of others you got blessed with their approval - so I learned how to do that well.  A few of my friends weren't so lucky and I watched as they were bumped around by a system of belief that has become quite damaging and powerless in light of what Jesus Christ teaches. However, to say I got through unscathed  would be like saying:  living in an environment of very unhealthy expectations where the amount of love given is based on my performance really had no negative impact on me.  Any professional psychologist would have a good laugh at my attempt to avoid the obvious.

Having left the organized church system for some time now, and having visited a number of other church systems, I've found that as part of human nature, we settle for a system/program that appears easy instead of developing actual relationship that are safe, and heart issues are discussed openly.  In fact - the church I grew up in seems to be quite healthy in light of many of the places I've been to and observed. Religion* is something that we will naturally resort to as we seek to live without the pain of authentic relationships both with God and others.    

I'm excited about the next post!  Ray will be sharing a story that has impacted me in the past and reveals a truth that continues to go deeper into my heart.  As I walk out what I sense to be true and resonates in my spirit - I find deeper freedom and restoration to my heart.  I love simple truth, and the encounter Ray had with Lord is just that - simple truth that brings freedom and exposes us to a deeper level of biblical truth.

*

1: A form, list of beliefs or priorities which appear right but will not submit to the leadership of Jesus Christ
2: An emphasis on principles instead of God himself.
3: A way to look good or have an appearance of righteousness without dealing with motives of the heart.
4: The weight experienced as a result of taking biblical principles out of context and/or adding to them in order to have an appearance of righteousness.