Radical Love

It amazes me that God's grace is displayed best in the darkest places of our lives. God's grace as displayed through Jesus, reveals a radical and unchangeable love that is more powerful than sin, brokennes, weakness, selfishness, and rebellion. It is easy to condemn those who have fallen deeply into sin, it is a radical love to accept these people and restore them. Since God by nature is love (1 John 4), then He really can't be any other way. When we look for God to respond in a way that is punishing, disappointed, or angry we have a very distorted picture of God. It truly is good news to know that He loves you right now, whatever your failures or weaknesses. As we begin to have His love revealed, He is inviting us to dive into the depth's of His grace where we will live out all eternity. It has struck me that God is not changing some things in my life, He is transforming me into His very nature. This deep transformation was accomplished through our identification with Jesus on the cross, we are so changed by His love that we now can actually love ourselves. It is legalism and religion that devalues people looking only to their outward performance instead of the heart. If we are truly displaying God's nature, it will result in loving one another. Loving another person is not something you can do from a distance, you must enter into their failures, broken dreams, regrets, and pain in their life. God does not love us from a distance but seeks to know us a deep level, it is us that can prevent Him from knowing us completely. I am convinced that fear is what robs us of knowing and experiencing God's love. You don't have to look far in these times to see the evidence of our fear-based living, the news constantly speaks of recession and ads glorify being able to hide your weaknesses. It is Jesus that invites us to come close with our greatest weaknesses, failures, and broken dreams. Unlike what we may think about Him, He will only give us grace and healing. In all the years of ministry I have never seen Jesus reject someone, the Holy Spirit has spoken to many people over the last 10+ years. Why is it that I still hide at times from this kind of radical and unconditional love? It seems I still have places of fear in my heart but His Word assures me He is bringing me into experiencing His perfect love which casts out fear (1 John 4). As we receive His love for us fear is cast out and we are able to love others with His love. Fear leads us to do crazy, destructive, and sad things to one another. His love is so much greater than your earthly parents for they were not the exact representation of His love. Won't you let Him heal your heart and begin to soar higher in His love.

In His Love,
Bret

Resurrection is coming!!!

No matter what we as believers are going through there is hope because resurrection is coming. One of the saddest things about the teaching in the church that often falls short of the Gospel is that we are not taught our identification with Jesus in His death, burial, and resurrection. On this Good Friday as I am going through a season of death, I realize that my resurrection is coming where I will experience more of His resurrection life coursing through me. I will experience more of His love, His grace, His power, and His goodness than I have in the past. My weakness is God's opportunity, this is a Kingdom view not an earthly worldview. Don't feel sorry for me for my resurrection is coming. Yet we often get close to resurrection but pull out as we enter the tomb and thus don't see resurrection. Jesus chose the cross, we must also choose the cross for the joy set before us (His Resurrection Life flowing through us). It is sad that the church often stands and looks at the Cross and the Resurrection as observers rather than as participants. Isn't this what Communion is all about, is for us to actually be united to Jesus. There is such a cry in my heart to experience Union with Jesus, even though the Cross is right before me. I know deep down inside that on the other side is a greater revelation of His love than I have ever known and it will be worth it. Suffering without purpose is torture, suffering to enter into love is where the joy is. My cry for the church is that we would no longer be observers but participants in this amazing invitation given by the God of unconditional love. God's love is so radical, so deep, so powerful, and so amazing that it will destroy fear and shame. I pray that you would joining me in saying "yes" to His love and being changed by the depth of love that He challenges us to taste (Ephesians 3:14-21). Grace is not tolerance, it is transformation which is only something the God of the Universe can accomplish.

In His Love,
Bret