Dear friends,

I wrote the following article about two years ago for my Hope Chest e-magazine, and thought it might be an inspiration to someone who needs it right now.... I know it has been a good reminder for me today. Let me know what you think!  You can e-mail me at VirginiaKnowles@gmail.com.

Corpus Christi

(Body of Christ)

by Virginia Knowles

Advent 2007

He, eternal and radiant Creator

Became a human mother’s son, a humble babe

Promised and anointed one

Ambassador from Heaven to Earth

Not in resplendent majesty befitting Celestial Royalty

But in an earthly body like ours

A body like ours?  Yes, a body!

A body with eyes to seek out scattered and wounded ones

Eyes that weep, eyes that sleep but do not sleep,

Ever searching, ever watching

Eyes that pierce our straying sinner-souls with gracious gaze

Eyes that shepherd us safely home again

So angels can rejoice with our Father in Heaven

A body with ears to hear quiet sighs

And frantic cries of desperation (Lord, have mercy!)

As well as words profane and cruel, uttered by fools

His ears hear not only what we hear

But the very echoes of our silent thoughts and intentions

He hears this evidence that we are all fools:

We need not only wisdom but redemption

A body with a mind that senses, muses, keenly understands

All beauty he had designed

Ruined by Adam’s Eden fall: Paradise Lost

All that was, he remembers still

And all that will be, he already foresees

Untangles twisted circumstances and chaotic confusions

Even when we know not ourselves,

He  knows and cares and plans: Paradise Regained

Is anything too difficult for him

Whose thoughts are high above the heavens?

A body with a mouth to teach the way of life

Sermons to the simple and to the sophisticated, parables and pearls

Soul seeds to blossom in hearts of those who have ears to hear

A mouth to proclaim truth and justice

Yet speak forth mercy to those who do not deserve it

To answer with probing questions

Warning those Pharisees who use their mouths to snare

A mouth to bless children and all who are old yet childlike still

And this man-child’s mouth thanks his Father

Prays: “Not my will, but Yours be done”

A body with hands: gentle yet tough are those hands

Which created this world we call home

Hands to work hard, stuff of daily life

Built with carpenter’s nails and beams of wood

Hands to heal, stretched forth in victory over pain and decay

Hands to break the meager bread and fish

Multiply in abundance to feed the hungry multitude

Busy hands, yet not too busy to embrace a wee child

To ruffle matted hair, to wash dirty feet

Or to scribble words of pardon in the sand

For a damsel in distress: no stone thrown

And a body with feet, walking from village to village,

House to house, soul to soul

In dusty sandals we mortals are unworthy to untie

Walking on waves amidst the stormy sea

(His feet are not for soil alone)

He traverses the land, announcing the Kingdom of God-With-Us

Among those who do not yet recognize his benevolent dominion

He goes to those who will not come on their own, in mercy

Chases those who run headlong toward the brink of destruction:

Hound of Heaven

Yes, a body!

Yet he did not just live in this body merely as an example

So we could know how to be good

But offered it as a sacrifice because

We could not, would not, attain to any goodness in ourselves

A body crucified, stretched out to die

Pierced with carpenter’s nails on beams of wood

Pierced with spear until blood and water flow

Willingly punished for our iniquities, not his own

(Only a perfect sacrifice can obtain atonement for sins of others)

Then taken down and laid in borrowed tomb, but not for long

Mortal once, yet immortal always, resurrected in power and glory

Walking and talking again among men and women

So their eyes could see, hearts believe

What had been foretold from ages past by prophets of old:

God in a body like ours, yet not like ours, victorious over death!

(O Death, where is your sting?  We are raised with him!)

Yes, a body!

But where is this body now?

The Son ascended again to his Father’s side

Intercedes on our behalf, pleads for his Bride, his Church

Whom he purified with his own blood once for all

Prepares glorious mansions for us, a wedding feast for us

Who deserved his cross and grave and wrath instead

Yet he has not left us bereft as we wait

He has poured out his Holy Spirit: fill us, empower us, guide us

Why? Because we, we who believe and follow

Are now the Body of Christ on earth:

Our eyes shall seek out the lost and guide them home

See, really notice, then meet earthy needs meanwhile

Our ears shall listen to their cries, questions, doubts, confusions,

Confessions, prayers, testimonies at last

Our minds navigate mazes and minefields of life

Solve riddles to serve mankind, strategize, plan

Our mouths proclaim good news, call sinners to repent and believe

Teach the Jesus way, always pray

Our hands serve and heal, wash and feed, build and embrace

(Gentle always, please)

Our feet go out for the King and his Kingdom

Around the globe or down the street

Our body, his body, working together to do as he has done

Laboring with all his strength under his sovereign command

Ambassadors of Heaven to Earth

Corpus Christi

~*~*~

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:24-25

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” Ephesians 4:15-16

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.  And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.  Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church…” Colossians 1:15-24

“And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet.” Hebrews 10:10-13

“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.  Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.  Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” Romans 12:3-13

~*~*

The poem “Corpus Christi” is based on the book The Beautiful Fight: Surrendering to the Transforming Presence of God Every Day of Your Life.  I thought you might enjoy these related web links:

• Gary Thomas, The Center for Evangelical Spirituality web site

• The Beautiful Fight: Surrendering to the Transforming Presence of God Every Day of Your Life at CBD 

• My best picks for spiritual life and counseling books at CBD 
• My review of The Beautiful Fight in the November Hope Chest
• “Corpus Christi” poem on my web site
• Reader comments (including my poem) on Gary’s web site
• Gary's Beautiful Fight video clip
• Sample chapter of The Beautiful Fight  

Gary will be presenting his Sacred Marriage seminar in the Orlando area on Saturday, January 26 at the Maitland Civic Center (sponsored by Orlando Grace Church ) and will speak at Metro Life Church in Casselberry at 10 AM the following day.

“Incarnational spirituality – the living, reigning and ascended Jesus living through us and transforming us into different people – does not exist to uphold a few rules, but rather speaks of a process that creates an entirely new person who sees with new eyes, feels with a new heart, hears with renewed ears, and lives with a new passion.  It is, I believe, the only life worth living.” (19)

“While I applaud the God-given desire to engage our culture, how much better it would be if we were first transformed.  Then we could demonstrate to the world true, God-breathed creativity instead of cleverness, and familiarity with the Trinity instead of an obsession with proving how well we can read the latest cultural trend.  We cannot compensate for being strangers to God by becoming friends with the culture.” (26)

“My most common prayer is this: ‘May the risen and ascended Christ manifest himself in me as I submit myself to be his servant today.'” (39)

“Let us discard the pride, the preening, the bloated arrogance of our opinions.  Let us shun small lives of desperate people who try to make themselves large through frenetic activity and modern gimmicks.  Let us quiet our hearts long enough to experience the restful, amazingly powerful, and compellingly pure passion of Jesus, changing what we see, tuning us to what must be really heard, and helping us to feel what God himself feels.” (44)

“People will regularly disappoint us.  If our hearts aren’t ready for this, we’ll speak only with angry exasperation, our negative words tearing down people for their humanness, instead of using our tongues to cultivate redemptive transformation.” (82)

“For me, hearing God’s voice is one of the most precious parts of being a disciple.  I crave God’s insight into my actions and motives.  I desire with all my heart to know his particular will for me – not some general direction based on certain principles, but his particular application for my particular need.”  (99)

“Another condition for hearing from God is a holy life.  Sin may not block our salvation, but it does tend to stop up our ears.  It leads us down a path of deception and hinders further understanding and direct hearing… If you haven’t dealt with your pride, your own voice and ambition will being sounding suspiciously like God’s.  And if you haven’t gained mastery over your emotions, you’ll mistake your own moods for the Holy Spirit’s confirmation.”  (101)

“Some Christians act as if they are helpless victims of their own thinking, as if they can’t stop certain fantasies, infatuations, negative thinking, rumination on fears, or hateful prejudices.  This simply doesn’t square with a biblical worldview that tells us to “pivot” toward pure thought.  We are to stop thinking about evil and start thinking about what is pure and admirable and excellent.”  (118)

“When we talk about Christ making a real difference with our hands and feet, we must come to grips with the fact that, by God’s decision, we are forceful beings.  We shape this world.  We impact it.  We mold it.  In fact, it is impossible to walk on this earth and not make a difference of some kind.” (122)

“The qualities of a saint come at a premium price.  We cannot wake up one day and suddenly see a saint looking back at us in the mirror.  The tapestry of Christlikeness is laid down stitch by single stitch, as God weaves events, attitudes, relationships and personal affliction through our daily experience.”  (203)

“Transformation is never about winning his favor but rather about revealing his presence.” (233)

Check out Gary's web site, www.GaryThomas.com, which also has articles and other goodies on it. 

I am excited that Gary is presenting his Sacred Marriage seminar in Orlando on Saturday, January 26.  It is being hosted by Orlando Grace Church (www.OrlandoGraceChurch.org/), a congregation our family was a part of for many years.  Unfortunately, that is the same day I am presenting two workshops at a literature seminar -- one on using the Bible as literature and the other on moms using the Read+Reflect+Respond approach in their own lives.  I’m hoping to blitz over to Gary’s conference for the afternoon sessions.  Lord willing, he will also be speaking at my  church, Metro Life (www.MetroLife.org), the following morning.  (You can e-mail me for more information if you are interested in attending either this literature seminar or Gary’s Sacred Marriage seminar on January 26.)
 

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Learn to Discern:

To Know and Do What is Right and True

by Virginia Knowles

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This article is part of a chapter from The Real Life Home School Mom: It’s a Life in ReVision.  As you might know, I just finished a major rewrite/expansion of this book, which I first published in 2000.  For more information on the book, click here: www.VirginiaKnowles.com/TheRealLifeHomeSchoolMom

Learn to Discern:

To Know and Do What is Right and True

            One reason we home school our children is to teach them discernment: to know and do what is right and true!  We want to pass along our faith and family values, and not leave them vulnerable to everything else out there.  We realize that discernment is not just about making isolated moral choices (like what movies are appropriate to see) or following rules to avoid negatives.  It is also living by positive principles set down in Scripture and being able to listen to the Lord for specific life direction in fulfilling the destinies to which he has called us.  We each have to discern not only right from wrong, but the “priority best” for us from among many “good” opportunities.  Here are several ways we can teach our children discernment.

            Teach your children to evaluate what they learn and what they choose  by Scripture. For a Christian, the Bible is the ultimate authority in life – not what culture or experts say.  We should all learn to “set our minds on things above, not on earthly things” and remember that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”  My daughter Mary (age 20) commented after going to a New Attitude conference on discernment, that “gray areas” where the Bible is not specific are not excuses for sloppy thinking.  If we search it out, we can find Biblical solutions for each decision that we face.  James 1:5-8 assures (and warns) us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”  (ESV)  It’s not enough to simply learn the truth – we need to apply it and to continually renew ourselves in it, claiming it as ours in Christ.   “…Test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 (ESV)

            Teach your children the Bible!  Even if you don’t get into complex discussions with your little ones, you can always introduce such basic concepts as “you reap what you sow” (what might happen if you do this…) and “do unto others as you would have them do to you” (how would you feel if…).  Make sure they are especially grounded in the nature of God and the nature of man.  God is powerful, pure, holy, just, good, and kind, while man is naturally deceitful, selfish, unfaithful, and proud.  Knowing this helps us to trust and obey God’s way of doing things, and also to be wary of everything else in the world that has been corrupted by man’s sinful nature.  

            Encourage your children in their own personal walks with the Lord.    Help them to establish a consistent and meaningful devotional time of Bible study, prayer, and worship.  As they mature, look for a deeper understanding of the concepts. Learn to draw out their hearts, and see how their knowledge is affecting their lives, their attitudes, and their choices.  Encourage them to cultivate an attitude of humility and teachability so they can seek wisdom.  

            Teach your children to closely guard their own emotions.   As I have watched the home school movement for the past twenty years, I have been grieved to observe the faith and virtue of countless young people shipwrecked by three very powerful emotions: bitterness toward parents (which results in outward rebellion or passive rejection of their values), pride (they know it all and don’t need any counsel or accountability) and unwise romantic attachments (which can sway someone into thinking or doing things that ought not to be thought or done).  Feelings are sort of like the moon – they have a tidal pull (on our attitudes and choices) and they sometimes eclipse the sun (block our vision of truth), but they should also reflect the sun (show God’s glory in our lives).  You may find appropriate times with your children to share your own experiences of dealing with your emotions so they can remember they are not alone, and perhaps find some strategies for handling their own feelings.  You can also work at communicating regularly and lovingly with your children so you can be aware of the challenges they are facing.  They should know that you are a safe person to talk to, that you won’t be overly shocked when they share something with you, and that you will work through issues with them in a healthy manner that preserves their own God-given dignity.

            Allow for different maturity levels among your children.  Learning discernment is a gradual transfer of responsibility from the parent to child as their ability to reason develops.   A newborn has no discernment at all, but by the time our offspring have reached “adult” age, we expect them to be making prudent choices most of the time.  However, there is no abrupt cut-off at age 18; young adults still need parental input and guidance, although our goal is to launch them into independence.  We all need accountability, even as older adults.  I actually welcome my children making observations about my choices, as long as they are halfway respectful about it.  They might say, “Mom, why are you watching that TV show?  It’s not very edifying!” or “Mom, don’t you think what you just said was gossip?” Fair enough! Our lives are open books, aren’t they?  And speaking of that, you may wish to share examples of how God has guided you through your decisions in life, such as in relationships, finances, schedule, educational options, career, ministries, health care, etc.

            Give your children a vision for the future.  What kind of men and women do they want to be?  Do they realize that the choices and habits they are making now affect their future in vital ways?  I liken this to packing a toolbox.  If a plumber or electrician or carpenter goes off to a job and doesn’t have the appropriate tools (drills, wrenches, nails, etc.) then he is ill-equipped for his job.  If our children go off into life without the tools of diligence, wisdom, purity, respect, and other virtues, they will be ill-equipped to deal with what life throws at them.  So their job is to pack their life toolbox now and prepare for success.  They need these character qualities now, anyway, not just as adults!

            When you do see your children making wise choices, be sure to tell them!  This can help guard them from wanting to give up, and they will be motivated to repeat the good things that you have appreciated in them.

            Remember that you are a gatekeeper.  You decide what comes in and out of your home, and where your children go.   You need to provide wise leadership to your children in choosing friendships, books, music, movies, hobbies, group classes, and other things that may influence their attitudes and choices.   Please remember that not everything that is labeled Christian is reliable or consistent with your family’s standards and values.  There is a lot of religious crud out there!  An author who has written one good solid book might be totally off base in another.  The same thing goes for magazines, musicians, public speakers, etc.   Be aware and beware!  Here are a few tools to help you safeguard your children:

♥       For children’s literature reviews from a “family values” home school mom perspective, visit http://bookangles.com/info/titles.htm

♥       For music and video game reviews, visit www.almenconi.com 

♥       For movie reviews, visit Focus on the Family’s www.pluggedinonline.com

♥       For free Internet filtering, http://www.k9webprotection.com/

            Be the parent!  You have the right to say “no” to whatever you think might harm your children, while at the same time allowing them increasing flexibility to make their own choices under your guidance.  Let your children face the consequences of their choices, especially as they get older.  Experience can teach what lectures often can’t.

            Provide worldview training.  Show how Christian thinking compares with other belief systems and ideologies.  There are many books, workshops, and camps available to Christian families.  Some authors to look for are Dr. Francis Schaeffer, Lee Strobel, David Noebel, R.C. Sproul, and Jeff Meyers.  You could ask one of your pastors to teach a worldview class to home school students or to the church body at large.  Our own church is using The Truth Project DVD series (www.TruthProject.org) produced by Focus on the Family.  Summit Ministries (www.summit.org) also has good materials and events.

            Choose academic resources consistent with a Biblical worldview, such as those which teach creationism.  Be sure to check out the Creation Studies Institute  web site at (www.creationstudies.org).  Answers in Genesis (www.answersingenesis.org) has built a new state-of-the-art Creation Science Museum (www.creationmuseum.org) in northern Kentucky.

            Teach your children to think clearly and thoroughly.  Train them to pay close attention to what they are studying, rather than doing the mere minimum to get through an assignment.  (The Charlotte Mason methods of oral and written narration can help them with this.)  Help them to search out the deeper themes in literature, rather than just recalling details.  Keep track of current events and trends (culture, politics, etc.), and evaluate them in light of the truth of Scripture.  Teach logical thinking skills, such as spotting fallacies in reasoning.  Help them write out a pro-con list and/or brainstorming pages when they are making decisions. 

            Show your children that they can’t always judge a situation or a person by first appearances or impressions.  Discernment requires getting the whole picture, not depending on stereotypes or snap judgments.   We don’t have to be afraid of truth or of stretching our perspective, and we can still learn something valuable even from those who might hold a different view of things than we do.

            Remind your children that being discerning sometimes requires making difficult, inconvenient or unpopular choices.  Encourage them that the eventual rewards (not always immediate) are worth it.  They may have to stand alone when all of their peers (even home schooled ones) are doing something different.  They may have to set aside their own desires to defer to the needs of others.  They may have to delay instant gratification so they can obtain a more lasting or valuable future benefit.

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Other Resources on Discernment

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If you want to hear some awesome messages from the 2007 New Attitude conference, click here www.newattitude.org  and look on the right hand side of the page to download the free audio files.  The speakers were Joshua Harris (“Discernment”), John Piper (2 messages on “Discern What Pleases God”), Al Mohler (“Discern Your Culture”), C.J. Mahaney (“Discern Your Heart” and “Discern How to Apply”), Mark Dever (“Discern Your Doctrine”) and Eric Simmons (“Discern the Graymatters”).  I appreciate their commitment to “embracing humble orthodoxy.”  You can also find blogs and other resources at the same site, and get more information at www.sovereigngraceministries.org.

Pumpkin Seed Press, owned by Robert and Shelley Noonan, has some great resources to help parents teach their children about discernment, especially in the area of purity.  Among these are The Three Weavers, which dads can do with their teen daughters, a study guide for Beautiful Girlhood for preteen and young teen girls, and Beyond Beautiful Girlhood for moms to do with their teen daughters.  I will be reviewing this resources in the September issue.  Pumpkin Seed Press also carries a lot of great books published by others.  Check it out right here!  www.pumpkinseedpress.net/

For information to supplement my brief comments on the Charlotte Mason method, check out these excellent articles by Jeannie Fulbright: http://www.jeanniefulbright.com/Habits.html and

www.jeanniefulbright.com/Narration.html. 

Jeannie Fulbright also writes elementary science books published by Apologia.  My daughter Lydia loves her Botany book so much that she put it in her carry on bag to read in the airplane on the way up to see my mom in May!  When I saw Jeannie at the FPEA convention, I got in line to pass along this amusing tidbit, and a young girl ahead of me was in line to tell Jeannie how much she loved the same book!  She had come to the convention with her mom just to meet Jeannie… I think that says something!

Also while at the FPEA convention, I looked at another really interesting looking curriculum by Classical Academic Press.  The Art of Argument helps students spots fallacies in reasoning.  This book seems better than some of the others I’ve seen. Take a look for yourself at this very lengthy on-line sample:  http://www.classicalacademicpress.com/aa.html

My friends Brian and Amy Smith, parents of eight who now live in Texas, are consultants for Bright Minds, a division of Critical Thinking Press.  They carry a huge selection of thinking skills curriculum, long used by home families (including ours), to help children train their minds to discern.   You can check out their web site at http://www.thinkbrighterthinkbetter.com/ or e-mail them at Brian.P.Smith@earthlink.net)

If you know a young person who is battling drug addiction, please consider referring them to Teen Challenge, a ministry with residential programs to rescue and redeem:  http://www.teenchallengeusa.com/

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A Journal Entry

by Virginia Knowles

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Last month, I shared how I write my observations about life and books in my journal.  I thought you might like to see a journal from a few months back.  I had read a book I would not ever have picked up on my own because my daughter Mary (a 20 year old journalism major) has an interest in the role of women in Islamic culture.  She had read it, and I wanted to see what she was exposing herself to.  It was a challenge to read it with discernment.  There was a lot of muck in it, but it sure did broaden my perspective about Islamic culture as well as our own.  I do not recommend that you all read it, and for this reason I am not even naming the book or the author.

April 19, 2007

This morning, between laundry, reading to the children, playing the piano, holding a clingy Melody, and whatever else, I squeezed in about 80 pages of the book Mary had been reading about women in Iran.  I have, of course, mixed feelings.  I appreciate the emphasis on human dignity and liberty, the insight into themes of literature, the rich writing style.  But Christ-filled it is not.  In other words, it reflects the Creation (beauty, dignity, imageo deo) and the Fall (Islamic Republic and, ironically, the immorality it seeks to expunge) but not Biblical redemption.  Its redemption is to throw off restraint, not to be set free from sin.  Western culture is not salvation.  Neither is unfettered thought.  But this does provide insight into a world to which I would hope to bring Jesus' grace and see it taken seriously, despite all of the competing calls of "different belief systems."  And it does make me think about what is important for me to teach my children.  Is it a life of rules?  No, though rules are necessary.  I do not want to raise moralists, but those who live by the cross.  I do want to teach dignity -- walking worthy -- fulfilling the potential that God has sparked in each of us -- excellence, not mediocrity -- being a gentlemen, a lady, and not ashamed of those roles -- kindness toward others, even when we disagre -- having a contempt for contempt (as Gary Thomas would say).  I do not want my girls to be feminists, nor my boys to be chauvinists, and keenly see the risk of that happening.

I also see how unsophisticated my own writing is.  How can a woman for whom English is a second language have such a brilliant command over it?  The turn of phrases, the flash of insight, just the eloquent words to communicate with startling clarity. 

Also, the role of women, the standards of modesty, et al…   What is reasonable in modest apparel?  I have changed much in the past four years -- much more flexible.  And what of education and jobs for women?  I see how this book reflects many of our culture’s attitudes and desires -- how they would see our traditional views as repressive.  Are they?  We can have firm godly standards for purity without being too stringent.  There is such a thing as chastity.  And there are times, I believe, to intervene in unhealthy relationships.  I have a responsibility to my daughters to help them interpret and adapt to their own sensibilities what is the prudent course of life. 

My heart's desire is to point each of my children to the Savior, not in a simplistic sense, but to see the fullness, the richness of our spiritual heritage and destiny.  A shallow creed, a shell of public behavior -- neither has the holding power that calls to us from the deeper life of the creative, redeemed and indwelled spirit which God has given us.  Thus, home schooling, not so much to escape the negatives (mere sheltering) but to fill with the lovely, true, noble, excellent -- to ignite the fire of passion to discover God's works and ways in this world.  Not to just extinguish bad behavior, but to nurture the desire to actively do good to others and make a Christ-like impact on culture.

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The New Testament on Discernment

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Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.  Romans 12:2

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.  “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.   1 Corinthians 2:12-16

Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.  Ephesians 5:8b-10

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.  Philippians 1:9-11

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  Philippians 4:8

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  Colossians 3:2

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.  Hebrews 5:11-14

Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.  James 3:13-18

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  1 Peter 1:13

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Psalms and Proverbs on Discernment

(English Standard Version)

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The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.  More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.  Psalm 19:7-14

How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.  Your word is a lamp to my feet and light to my path.  Psalm 119:103-105

To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth—Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.   Proverbs 1:2-7

My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path; for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; discretion will watch over you, understanding will guard you, delivering you from the way of evil, from men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.   Proverbs 2:1-15

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.  Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.  Proverbs 3:5-8

The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving.  Proverbs 14:8

The discerning sets his face toward wisdom, but the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.  Proverbs 17:24

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Quotes on Discernment

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I have found some great quotes about discernment, mainly on the web, but also from books I’ve been reading.   You might want to use some of these for your children’s copywork assignments. Here are some that I thought might be edifying…

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“We must not trust every word of others or feeling within ourselves, but cautiously and patiently try the matter, whether it be of God.  Unhappily we are so weak that we find it easier to believe and speak evil of others, rather than good.  But they that are perfect, do not give ready heed to every news-bearer, for they know man’s weakness that is prone to evil and unstable in words.  This is great wisdom, not to be hasty in action, or stubborn in our own opinions.  A part of this wisdom also is not to believe every word we hear, nor to tell others all that we hear, even though we believe it.  Take counsel with a man who is wise and of a good conscience; and seek to be instructed by one better than thyself, rather than to follow thine own inventions.  A good life maketh a man wise toward God, and giveth him experience in many things.  The more humble a man is in himself, and the more obedient towards God, the wise will he be in all things, and the more shall his soul be at peace.” Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, Chapter 4

“The supreme end of education is expert discernment of all things - the power to tell the good from the bad, the genuine from the counterfeit, and to prefer the good and the genuine to the bad and the counterfeit.”  Samuel Johnson, English poet and critic

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing had happened." Winston Churchill

"Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted in spite of your changing moods." C.S. Lewis

“When a man is getting better he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still left in him.  When a man is getting worse he understands his own badness less and less."  C.S. Lewis

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My Middle School Misery – From a New Perspective!

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I know that my puny experiences are nothing compared to the great saints of the faith, but to help you understand the process of looking back with the perspective of truth and grace, I would like to share with you an example from my own life thirty years ago. 

San Carlos, California.  April 1977.  I had just announced that our family was moving to Baltimore.  A red headed chick named Kathleen burst out, “Yay!  Now we won’t have to pick her for our teams in gym class anymore!”  I’ve laughed about that many times since then, but oh, there was also still a chronic sting from the constant and cruel peer rejection that I suffered for so many years.  I’m sure many of you can relate.   Middle school kids can still be vicious.   Maybe this happened to you.  Maybe you treated other kids like that.  Or maybe you have seen peer problems affect your own children.  I know many families who have sent their kids to public school until the start of middle school – and then pulled them out!  Middle school misery is real. 

Well, I was one of those middle school outcasts.  I dressed and acted weirdly.  I talked too much (and still do).  I played chess at lunch time in the school library with the other outcast nerds, or we hung out at the nerd bench in the playground.   I had one dear Christian friend named Donna.  We were, to put it plainly, social rejects -- and it hurt!  So where is the grace and truth in that?  Where is the grace in “Yay!  She’s out of here and good riddance!” 

As I reflected on this recently, the amazing truth suddenly dawned on me: How kind the Lord was to rescue me up out of that place and give me a fresh start!   In his sweet sovereignty, he moved me, a newly-saved but unchurched young teen, all the way across the country to Baltimore to plant me in a nurturing congregation where folks loved me and discipled me – and didn’t care whether I could play sports or not!   A sweet girl named Anne, who sat next to me in chorus class in my new school, invited me to church, and her parents faithfully drove out of their way two or three times a week to come pick me up.   I had the opportunity to speak with Anne and her mother a few months ago and profusely thank them for their kindness which totally transformed my life.  By the time I moved to northern Virginia a mere two years later, I had a whole bunch of great Christian friends, and I could hold my own much better among my peers at school.   Most importantly, I now had a solid foundation in Scripture, prayer, and missions.

I also see how kind God was to birth klutzy little me into a hyper-creative family that skipped sports, dumped the TV for six years, and put heavy emphasis on books, writing, art, drama,  music, and gardening.   Thanks, Dad and Mom!  Those creative pursuits all still serve me well as a home school mom.   (Yes, I still need the exercise that sports could have given me, despite all of the joint injuries I endured in those pesky gym classes!  That’s another truth I have to face, like it or not!   And we are trying to help our kids venture into the world of healthy exercise and good sportsmanship.  You will find most of them on the soccer field Saturday mornings at Metro Life Church.  My husband Thad and my 18 year old daughter Julia are coaches, and five of our other children are players.  This soccer program emphasizes teamwork and fun rather than athletic prowess, but of course we still deal with the “unfair” stuff that kids naturally feel.) 

Another benefit I received from my own childhood experience is an increased sensitivity to the 20 middle school students in the co-op English class that I teach.   Each week, using literature, writing, logical thinking skills, and other language arts topics, I seek to give them solid life lessons to chew on.   We recently finished studying Mildred Taylor’s novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry about racism in Mississippi in the 1930s.  Many of the other parents have told me how much they appreciate getting to address this issue; having suffered even a comparatively mild case of peer injustice, I personally think it is vital in learning to treat others with dignity.  We have also just started a literature unit with a missions theme, and kicked it off by playing a CD with music by Keith Green, who died 25 years ago in a plane crash.  Last fall, we read Longfellow’s poem “The Village Blacksmith”, which I have included in this newsletter.  I want to fortify these precious students for the trials they will face in life, to help them discern truth and grace, and to motivate them to “speak the truth in love” to the people around them.   I know this sounds somber, but we laugh a lot in class.  A merry heart is good medicine!   My daughter Lydia, who is 12, is writing an essay for class on why children should read classic literature.  I'll try to send it out soon, when she is done with it.  She's turning it into a very creative PowerPoint presentation, too, since all of the students are presenting speeches based on their persuasive essays.  This should be very interesting.  Lydia has really blessed my heart recently with her prayers and Biblical encouragement.  I can see how the Lord is using some challenging times to teach us all, and I'm glad she is so open to learn vital lessons at this age.   

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I can now see how the Lord has redeemed my middle school misery for his glory.  Instead of rejection, I now see his Tender Loving Care.   I hope this simple vignette has been helpful to you and your children in some way! 

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As a side note, when my family moved to northern Virginia in 1979, I started attending the Saturday Night Alive worship services hosted by a local church.  Pastor Benny Phillips had immeasurable impact on me and my relationship with my parents, so I was delighted to find out several years ago that he had moved here to the Orlando area to join the staff at Metro Life Church, where we now attend. Benny and Sheree Phillips are the seasoned home school parents of seven young adults and teens, as well as grandparents of six little ones.   I’m especially glad that now they get to influence my own children – and Thad and me as parents!   Benny recently preached two sermons on Biblical parenting entitled “Developing a Spiritual Passion.”   I know these will be so helpful to some of you.  You can listen to them on-line and view the notes by clicking here www.metrolife.org/html/messages.html and selecting the dates 3/18/07 and 3/25/07.   Do listen and be blessed!

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The Village Blacksmith

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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This poem is one that every child should read.  Not only does it provide a glimpse of early American times, but it also speaks of how our character is forged on the anvil of life.   Your children will face adversity – why not prepare them well for it through the literature that you choose in your home school?

The Village Blacksmith

By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Under a spreading chestnut-tree

The village smithy stands;

The smith, a mighty man is he,

With large and sinewy hands;

And the muscles of his brawny arms

Are strong as iron bands.

His hair is crisp, and black, and long,

His face is like the tan;

His brow is wet with honest sweat,

He earns whate'er he can,

And looks the whole world in the face,

For he owes not any man.

Week in, week out, from morn till night,

You can hear his bellows blow;

You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,

With measured beat and slow,

Like a sexton ringing the village bell,

When the evening sun is low.

And children coming home from school

Look in at the open door;

They love to see the flaming forge,

And hear the bellows roar,

And catch the burning sparks that fly

Like chaff from a threshing-floor.

He goes on Sunday to the church,

And sits among his boys;

He hears the parson pray and preach,

He hears his daughter's voice,

Singing in the village choir,

And it makes his heart rejoice.

It sounds to him like her mother's voice,

Singing in Paradise!

He needs must think of her once more,

How in the grave she lies;

And with his haul, rough hand he wipes

A tear out of his eyes.

Toiling,--rejoicing,--sorrowing,

Onward through life he goes;

Each morning sees some task begin,

Each evening sees it close

Something attempted, something done,

Has earned a night's repose.

Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,

For the lesson thou hast taught!

Thus at the flaming forge of life

Our fortunes must be wrought;

Thus on its sounding anvil shaped

Each burning deed and thought.

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A Personal Story of Heartache and Healing

by Debbie Klinect

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Many of you may have already seen this story in Debbie’s e-mail newsletter, Along the Journey, or in Lois Breneman’s Heart to Heart e-mail newsletter.  Debbie has been a very dear friend of mine for many years, and we are privileged to be in the same church as one another.  She and Kurt have three adult children, as well as the three younger ones whom she home schools.  They have had numerous medical crises with their children through the years, so she is no stranger to adversity.  Debbie is the one who lent me her copy of the aforementioned Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God book.  I think you will be blessed by her testimony, which I am using with her permission. 

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Death is swallowed up in victory.

O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?

This month I have felt the Lord wanting me to share a very personal experience with you.  It is my hope and prayer that you will see God’s love, His Sovereignty, and the power of forgiveness as a result. 

Since last August we have been called upon by three parents who have lost children to one form of death or another.  See, the reason we have been called is that we know what these dear people are going through.  Here is our story.

In January 1983 I had two sons, Chris had just turned three years old and Charlie was 20 months old.  I was going to my first ever ladies retreat and so my husband took the boys and went to stay with his parents for the weekend.  Kurt’s sister had called to see if she could pick up the boys to go to her house to play with her son.  Later Kurt’s mom went to run some errands and to pick up the boys on her way home.  Back then, infant car seats weren't law yet, but we did have them for each of the boys.  I don’t know why the car seats weren't taken out of Kurt’s car and put into his mom’s car but they weren't.  Kurt’s mom had put the boys in the back seat of her car in the regular seat belts and started for home, forgetting to lock the doors.

My Charlie, a VERY curious little toddler, noticed everything, especially if it was different from what he had seen before.  On the way back to the house, Charlie undid his seat belt.  Instead of pulling off to the side of the road and buckling him back in, Kurt’s mom told him to sit still and that they would be home in a bit.  Charlie didn't listen to her and pulled on the door handle.  They were going around a bend in the road at the time and this force threw Charlie’s little body out of the car and into the path of an oncoming car.  He was hit in the back of the head, thrown 400 feet, and died immediately.  Kurt was called to the hospital to identify his son and then had the heart wrenching job of coming to get me and tell me that our son was now with the Lord. 

You can imagine that we went through many emotions.  On my part, I have to tell you that to start out, I was very upset that my husband didn't honor my request and stay at our house with our sons.  For months I had to deal with the grief, but also the anger I felt toward Kurt and his mom.  Then one day the Lord was very kind and showed me a scripture that changed my life forever.  In Mark 11 verse 25 it says “and whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in Heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

I had been raised in the church and came to know the Lord as my personal Savior so I knew I was a sinner and needed the Lord’s forgiveness.  I so wanted to be with Jesus when I died and I knew I had to face my anger and hatred toward my husband and his mom and truly forgive them with all my heart.  My prayer was, “Father, you know how my heart hurts.  You know how I feel toward my husband and mother-in-law.  You also know that I can't love them on my own.  Lord, I forgive them for their part in Charlie’s death and I ask that YOU love them through me.”  The Lord was so faithful to take that heartfelt prayer and He turned it around to be something very beautiful.  I am very close to my mother-in-law today and Kurt and I just celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary together as a very happy couple. 

We are a part of a wonderful church body and through the years we have been taught about God and His sovereignty.  All things are under His control and for his purpose and glory.  I know Charlie’s death was not a mistake.  There is a quote that says, “Nothing happens without first going through the hands of God.”  Look at the life of Job.  He had every reason to be angry at a lot of people, including God.  But he was faithful and in the end knew that God was greater than anything and knew more than we could possibly know.  The Lord has a plan and even though we think we should know what it is, I know I’ll never see the whole picture that He does.  It is just my responsibility as His child to love Him, obey His word, and to live peaceably as possible with those around me (Titus 3:2). 

For those of you who are mourning the loss of a loved one, I pray that the Lord will comfort you this Easter season.  For God knows your heartache on a personal level your heartache too.  He gave His own Son to die a horrific death for you.  But I want you to remember that in Christ we have hope.  We have eternal life, and those who have gone before us are already there with the Father waiting for us to join them, in God’s time. 

For those of you who have had terrible things happen against you, it is my prayer that you will see that even in your heartache, God is there.  He is waiting for you to come to Him and to forgive those who have hurt you, and I promise you, He will cleanse your heart and give you a peace beyond anything you have ever known, as He has done in my own life.

Jesus went through so much more pain and sorrow than we will ever go through.  His pain is far greater than anything we will ever experience.  His LOVE is bigger than the highest mountain or deeper than the deepest sea.  He wants you to live with Him and in the fullness of Him.  Easter is about God’s love for us, His forgiveness and restoration.  I hope each one of you will be able to celebrate this season with the greatest joy knowing God’s love for you. 

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Note: You can visit Debbie’s web site at www.alongthejourney.net to sign up for her e-mail newsletter.  Her oldest son, Chris, is an Air Force fire fighter, and has just received a particularly hazardous “in the sand” assignment in Iraq.   Keep them all in your prayers!

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The End

By Amy Carmichael

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Will not the End explain

The crossed endeavour, earnest purpose foiled,

The strange bewilderment of good work spoiled,

The clinging weariness, the inward strain,

Will not the End explain?

Meanwhile He comforteth

Them that are losing patience; ‘tis His way.

But none can write the words they hear Him say,

For men to read; only they know He saith

Kind words, and comforteth.

Not that He doth explain

The mystery that baffleth; but a sense

Husheth the quiet heart, that far, far hence

Lieth a field set thick with golden grain,

Wetted in seedling days by many a rain;

The End, it will explain.

[Amy Carmichael was an Irish missionary to India who experienced much hardship as she rescued children from depravity and poverty.  The last two decades of her life she was crippled from an injury, but she still ran the Dohnavur orphanage from her bedroom.  I have a feeling that when we all get to Heaven, the End of her story will be a glorious one!]

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A Final Note

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Elyse Fitzpatrick, in her excellent book A Steadfast Heart, encourages us, “Because of our sinful nature, without God’s mercy in our lives, we all belong in caves and holes in the ground, not in fine palaces embellished with beautiful fabrics and fragrant blossoms.  It’s surely his mercy that we find ourselves, from time to time, in hardship and pain, discovering the great treasures of accurate understanding and the beauty of his merciful character.”

Dear friends, if you are trying to make sense out of the twists and turns of life, I would say to you: Embrace your trials and pain as God’s ministering servants to purify and strengthen you.  His holy kindness draws us to repentance so that we can be restored to the heritage of blessings He has planned for us.   As you put your trust in Him, the Lord will pour out His love and mercy in unexpected places.  Be prepared to turn around and comfort others with the comfort you have received.   Go forth in truth and grace!

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Is the Cross a Way of Life for You?

by Virginia Knowles

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When I recall the death and resurrection of Jesus, I don’t think of just a historical fact or an inspiring story of love and devotion.  If Jesus died to pay for my sins, then he has every right to all of me. The cross of Christ is a call to a new way of life: the way to reconciliation and fellowship with the Father, the way to a liberated life, the way to follow Jesus, and the way to reach the world.  Is the cross a way of life for you?

The Cross is Our Way to

Reconciliation and Fellowship with the Father

We humans have all sinned and fallen short of God’s standards (Romans 3:23).   The penalty for this sin is death – not only physical, but spiritual (Romans 6:23).  Sin alienates us from God and creates a barrier between us and him.  No person can break through it using his or her own efforts to be good.  Jesus, the perfect son of God, took our punishment on the cross so that we could enter into a relationship with the Father.  Without this sacrifice, we would have no hope at all.

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.   Ephesians 2:13-16

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”    John 14:6 

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God,  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Hebrews 10:19-22 

See also Colossians 1:19-22, Colossians 2:13-15, Hebrews 9-10.

The Cross is Our Way to the Liberated Life

The cross that brought us into the presence of God also enables us to walk step by step toward in victory.  It didn’t just set us free from the penalty of sin, but from the power of sin too.   We can’t just say, “Oh, Jesus forgives my sin, so I can do what I want now.”  Instead we say, “Wow! Jesus forgives my sin, and since he bought me with his blood, I want to live in a way which pleases him.”  When we live by the cross, we want to take off the filthy rags of sin, and be clothed in the righteousness of Christ.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.   Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV

We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.  For one who has died has been set free from sin.  Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.  We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.  For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.  So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.  Romans 6:6-12

I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.   Galatians 2:19b-20

See also 1 Peter 1:13-19.

The Cross is Our Way to Follow Jesus

The cross is our invitation to follow Jesus Christ.  Not only do we want to stop sinning, but we want to start doing something purposeful, something radical.  We stop living to please ourselves and get our own way, and we start seeking out what God wants us to do.  This is not an option, not an extra that is to be pursued only by the “serious” or “pious” among us.  He did not come to be part of our life, he came to be our life.  Is he at the center of all you do and say?

And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  Luke 9:23 ESV

Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.  Luke 14:27 ESV

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.  Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:7-14

See also Galatians 6:14, Philippians 2:4-11 and Colossians 3:2-4.

The Cross is Our Way to Reach the World

When the cross of Christ becomes the most important thing in the world to us, we realize that we must share it with others.  Why keep the good news to ourselves?  As we realize that people are hopeless without Jesus, that they will spend eternity without him, then we are filled with a burning desire to bring them into the salvation that we have.  Can you imagine spending eternity in a glorious Heaven with your gracious Creator, who loved you so much that he died for you?  Then bring a friend along!  It’s the only thing you can take with you!

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.  For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  1 Corinthians 2:1-2 ESV

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 28:18-20

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;  always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.   For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.  So death is at work in us, but life in you.  Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.  For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.  2 Corinthians 4:8-15 (ESV) 

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My challenge to you is this: Is the cross a way of life for you?   Have you been reconciled to God through the blood of Christ?   Are you seeking to live a life that pleases him by putting off sin and putting on righteousness?  Have you devoted your life to sharing the Gospel with others?  The paradox is that when we take up the cross of Christ, we are taking up the abundant life!

    Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  Matthew 10:39 

    For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.  2 Corinthians 1:15

 I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.   John 10:10b

(All Scriptures are listed in the English Standard Version)