Enjoy the Journey
My last post, Total Totality, told how mankind is God’s glory. I started out with Romans 3:24 “Jesus Christ is proof of God’s grace gift; he redeemed the glory of God in human life…” This morning I was with a group talking over the James 1 and John 1. I really enjoy hashing out scripture with others. I hear others and what they are thinking and working through. I am reminded of the story of the 12 blind guys describing an elephant feom their vantage point. It takes multiple views to get a full picture not necessarily a perfect picture but a better picture than one going at it alone.
James 1:22-25 Mirror Word
22 Give the word your undivided attention; do not underestimate yourself. Make the calculation. There can only be one logical conclusion: your authentic origin is mirrored in the word. You are God’s poem; let his voice make poetry of your life! (The word, akroate, means intent listening. James is not promoting the doing of the law of works; he is defining the law of perfect liberty. Doing the word begins with your undivided attention to the face of your birth. A doer of the Word, poetes, means poet. Make the calculation, paralogizomai, from para, a preposition indicating close proximity, union, and logizomai, to reckon the logic in any calculation.)
I really like the language “do not underestimate yourself. ” and “there can only be one conclusion: your authentic origin is mirrored in the word. You are God’s poem; let his voice make poetry of your life! ” Of your life! I was talking with a friend who was down on himself after 10+ years of making music and being involved in ministry he was feeling burnt out and looking to gey a vocation. We talked and I realized that he was compartmentalizing his life. I have been seeing things differently than I used to. In evangelical and charismatic teachings it was always taught to me:
1. God
2. Family
3. Ministry
4. Job and whatever else
But….
We are His glory, our lives are an expression of His glory. I don’t just do this when I am creating or singing or ministering! That’s me all the time, His Glory! In my ups and in ny downs, in my success and failure, I am His glory. I am, mankind is, His poetry. We are his artwork! Our lives are the paint on an eternal canvas. There is beauty in us beyond our comprehension. Take the Mona Lisa vas an example. If you were to look at it without knowing the painter who made it it would just be old paint on an old canvas. It’s the artists touch and renown that gives it its value. The artist/creator defines it.
Mankind is defined by its creator. Your creator is God of the universe. His act of creation defined you! You are his masterpiece. You are his poem.
23 The difference between a mere spectator and a participator is that both of them hear the same voice and perceive in its message the face of their own genesis reflected as in a mirror;
When you understand who you are, when your identity is revealed, the revelation changes your perception of everything. You are God’s poem. You are a direct result of His creation (pre-dirt). 2nd Corinthians 5:17 < <In the light of your co-inclusion in his death and resurrection, whoever you thought you were before, in Christ you are a brand new person! The old ways of seeing yourself and everyone else are over. Acquaint yourself with the new!
(Just imagine this! Remember we are not talking law language here! The ‘If’ in, “If any man is in Christ” is not a condition, it is the conclusion of the revelation of the gospel! Man is in Christ by God’s doing [1 Cor 1:30 and Eph 1:4]. The verses of 2 Corinthians 5:14-16 give context to verse 17! >> In Him you are a new person a new masterpiece! There is nothing left from the delusions and lies of your past you!
24 they realize that they are looking at themselves, but for the one it seems just too good to be true, he departs (back to his old way of seeing himself)
It is not to good to be true! You can never over exaggerate or underestimate God. You are His masterpiece! Don’t forget that!
25 The other one is mesmerized by what he sees; he is captivated by the effect of a law that frees man from the obligation to the old written code that restricted him to his own efforts and willpower. No distraction or contradiction can dim the impact of what he sees in that mirror concerning the law of perfect liberty (the law of faith) that now frees him to get on with the act of living the life (of his original design.) He finds a new spontaneous lifestyle; the poetry of practical living. (The law of perfect liberty is the image and likeness of God revealed in Christ, now redeemed in man as in a mirror. Look deep enough into that law of faith that you may see there in its perfection a portrait that so resembles the original that he becomes distinctly visible in the spirit of your mind and in the face of every man you behold. I translated the word, parakupto, with mesmerized from para, a preposition indicating close proximity, originating from, denoting the point from which an action originates, intimate connection, and kupto, to bend, stoop down to view at close scrutiny; parameno, to remain captivated under the influence of; meno, to continue to be present. The word often translated as freedom, eleutheria, means without obligation; spontaneous.)
I’m going to repeat myself, It is not to good to be true! You can never over exaggerate or underestimate God. You are His masterpiece! Don’t forget that!
So you are His masterpiece. Every part of your life is included. Your eating, sleeping, ministry, worshipping, family time, working, are all part of you being His glory. Being found In Him defines you. Being In Him completes you and fulfills you. The walking out of your daily life is a journey into being His glory. There is no price you have to pay to enter. There is no conditions to meet. He has done it, paid the price of admission fully. Live your life in that reality.!
Life is a journey, go live it!
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Total totality!
Your life is your prayer in totality!
From praying, talking, eating, working, playing, sleeping, pooping, etc. It is all prayer.
Romans 3:24
Jesus Christ is proof of God’s grace gift; he redeemed the glory of God in human life; mankind condemned is now mankind justified because of the ransom paid by Christ Jesus!
(He proved that God did not make a mistake when he made man in his image and likeness! Sadly the evangelical world proclaimed verse 23 completely out of context! There is no good news in verse 23, the gospel is in verse 24! All fell short because of Adam; the same ‘all’ are equally declared innocent because of Christ! The law reveals what happened to man in Adam; grace reveals what happened to the same man in Christ.)
And
1 Corinthians 2:7
We voice words of wisdom that was hidden in silence for timeless ages; a mystery unfolding God’s Masterful plan whereby he would redeem his glory in man.
In the above verses it states that mankind is his Glory. We are His glory! Our lifes are living prayers towards Him. It is the realignment of our very being to our original identity and redeemed innocence. His DNA was in us pre-dirt. Mankind has succumbed to living a lie that we are less than His sons and daughters. Wake up people! We were never not His kids! (For those of you who need help, we are and always have been His sons and dsughgters from before the world was created.) Daddy has been trying to reconcile our hearts and minds to that fact.
Have you ever heard of the term kinsman redeemer?
A kinsman redeemer can be defined as; The relative who restores or preserves the full community rights of disadvantaged family members. let’s make up an example. Your brother or sister has a family, they were sold into slavery because of a debt they could not repay. You as the closest living relative would have the first rights or option to pay the debt for their family and restore them. The payment you provide to redeem them had absolutely nothing to do with what they did or could do. It was a free gift that only qualifier was realtion or DNA.
I know many hold to the idea of adoption into Christ.
Ephesians 1:5
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
He is the architect of our design; his heart dream realized our coming of age in Christ. Adoption here is not what it means in our Western society, it is a coming of age, like the typical Jewish Barmitsva. (See Galatians 4:1-6) adoption should be translated as coming of age, stepping into adulthood or maturity. I have always looked at it as adoption.
“Adoption” infers not a natutal born full blooded child. But that is a deception a lie! If we were made in His image (Gen 1:26) pre-dirt we were never not His child. We were never less than His image.
1) We are made in His image
2) We were created pre-dirt
3) We are His sons and daughters
4) We are His Glory
5) The totality of our lives is prayer
6) It is a free gift nothing man does can gain it outside of free grace
We glorify God by just being. As I stated in the beginning. Your life is your prayer in totality!bFrom praying, talking, eating, working, playing, sleeping, pooping, etc. It is all prayer.
We were created to be his family. He is love. The only view he will ever have of you is that of a blameless son our daughter. He is outside of time and space. He never had a plan B! Adams fall was a given not an oops. The trinity did not have to draw straws to see who was going to come down an clean up Adam’s mess. Jesus willingly came down Incarnate to be a man with us forever. By dying on the cross we were crucified, died, buried, and ressurected with Him. Through doing this our original identity and redeemed innocence was restored. This was not some penal substitution from a wrathful God. It was a all loving God redeeming us as His sons and daughters.
I will get into wrath another time, still working the language out on that.
Your life is His glory, your life is a prayer! You are His natural/spiritual born sons and daughters!
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Contradictions and vessels made of whatever…
This is must watch I can’t wait for the new updates in the Mirror Word. This seriously changes or gives new light onto my old contradictions and angst to this.
Earthen vessels made of clay and wood are not inferior vessels they are just different. their uses may be different but this does not mean inferior. Don’t strive to be something different then you are.
Paul never said, “If we deny God, he will also deny us!”
In the context of extreme contradiction, truth triumphs!
God cannot be untrue to himself!
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Shirley oh surely the reflection reminder…
I have always looked at Psalm 23 as the conforting verse or the Sunday School chapter. “Look, we have a good shepherd” kind of a chapter. But it really speaks identity to me now.
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.
In Him I am found, I am who he says I am and he really likes me!
2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.
A different wording-take Mirror word style:
Looking into the waters of reflection (still waters) we are suddenly reminded of who we are seeing by seeng our reflection (my original identity and redeemed innocence) (2 Cor 3:18 James 1:23-25)
3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.
He is my source and I am His glory!
4 Even when I walk through the darkest
valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
The revelation of He in me completes me.
5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies.You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.
Just WOW, you seriously dote over me!
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life,and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
So you define me, complete me, and take care of me FOREVER!
YEAH I could really like this!
That’s all for now…
AWESOMENESS!
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Who do you see when you look into the mirror?
My identity can only be defined by what God says about me… He defines me and what he says of me is awesomeness!!
What he sees in me is HIM! He created me pre-dirt with his DNA. I have His DNA!! I was made in His image!
What’s true of Him is true of me!!
2 Corinthians 3:18
The days of window-shopping are over! In him every face is unveiled. In gazing with wonder at the blueprint likeness of God displayed in human form, we suddenly realize that we are looking at ourselves! Every feature of his image is mirrored in us! This is the most radical transformation engineered by the Spirit of the Lord; we are led from an inferior mind-set to the revealed endorsement of our authentic identity. Mankind is his glory!
John 1
12 Everyone who realizes their association is IN HIM, convinced that he is their original life and that His name defines them, in them he endorses the fact that they are indeed his offspring, begotten of him; he sanctions the legitimacy of their sonship.
13 These are they who discover their genesis in God beyond their natural conception! Man began in God. We are not the invention of our parents
14 Suddenly the invisible eternal Word takes on visible form! The Incarnation! In Him, and now confirmed in us! The most accurate tangible display of God’s thought finds expression in human life. The Word became a human being; we are His address; He resides in us! He captivates our gaze! The glory we see there is is not a religious replica; He is the authentic begotten son! The glory (that Adam lost) returns in fullness! Only grace can communicate truth in such a complete context!
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“You have forgotten who you are!”
Disney movies have spoken to me; “The Lion King“,” “Mulan,”Mulan 2 “A Bugs Life,” and so all have messages with in them. Watch the section of the Lion King.
Now after watching it read the verses below:
2 Corinthians 3:18
The days of window-shopping are over! In him every face is unveiled. In gazing with wonder at the blueprint likeness of God displayed in human form, we suddenly realize that we are looking at ourselves! Every feature of his image is mirrored in us! This is the most radical transformation engineered by the Spirit of the Lord; we are led from an inferior mind-set to the revealed endorsement of our authentic identity. Mankind is his glory!
James 1:23-25
They realize that they are looking at themselves, but for the one it seems just too good to be true, he departs (back to his old way of seeing himself) and immediately forgets what manner of person he is; never giving another thought to the one he saw there in the mirror.
The other one is mesmerized by what he sees; he is captivated by the effect of a law that frees man from the obligation to the old written code that restricted him to his own efforts and willpower. No distraction or contradiction can dim the impact of what he sees in that mirror concerning the law of perfect liberty (the law of faith) that now frees him to get on with the act of living the life (of his original design.)
He finds a new spontaneous lifestyle; the poetry of practical living. (The law of perfect liberty is the image and likeness of God revealed in Christ, now redeemed in man as in a mirror. Look deep enough into that law of faith that you may see there in its perfection a portrait that so resembles the original that he becomes distinctly visible in the spirit of your mind and in the face of every man you behold. I translated the word, parakupto, with mesmerized from para, a preposition indicating close proximity, originating from, denoting the point from which an action originates, intimate connection, and kupto, to bend, stoop down to view at close scrutiny; parameno, to remain captivated under the influence of; meno, to continue to be present. The word often translated as freedom, eleutheria, means without obligation; spontaneous.)
We have forgotten who we are! We are all created in God’s image (Gen 1:26). We all have our start IN HIM. Our original DNA is HIS. Through the cross we have the ability to have our spiritual DNA restored. He is in us! He is the I am in me!! He is not far from me/you!
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Darkness of ignorance, Where are you getting your identity?
I read this, this morning. Francois Du Toit had posted it on Facebook. Where are you getting your identity? Is it an accurate identity or a skewed one? If it is not founded on God’s definition of you it probably is skewed.
People are not born Christians, yet every person ever born comes from God! God says in Jer 1:5 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb!”
We are God’s idea: we began in God! We are born into a world where we are bombarded with many diverse cultural and traditional mindsets, most of which directly stems from the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil system, which is the fallen mindset system which says you are not…you have to strive to become! People who do gross things do it from believing a lie about themselves and not knowing the truth of their incredible design as image bearers of God! James says in Js 3:9, We can say beautiful things about God the Father but with the same mouth curse a man made in his mirror likeness. The point is not what the man did to deserve the curse! A doctor doesn’t slap his patient and command him to stop coughing! You may have the flu but you never become the flu!
True worship is to touch someone’s life with the same devotion and care you would touch Jesus himself; even if the other person seems a most unlikely candidate.
Multitudes of people are living in the darkness of ignorance, not knowing the truth of the integrity of their design and their redeemed value and innocence! The adventure of the Christian life is to declare what we have discovered to be true about every single person! Jesus says that when we discover that the son of man is indeed the son of God then the gates of hades (not to see) will crumble and the prisoners of darkness will be free to discover themselves in him!
Truth does not invite dispute, doctrine does!Truth awakens resonance!
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Colossians 3 (Mirror Word)
1 You are in fact raised together with Christ! Now ponder with persuasion the consequence of your co-inclusion in him. Relocate yourselves mentally! Engage your thoughts with throne room realities where you are co-seated with Christ in the executive authority of God’s right hand.
2 Becoming affectionately acquainted with throne room thoughts will keep you from being distracted again by the earthly (soul-ruled) realm. (Set your minds upon the things that are above and not upon the things below! See note on Rom 1:18, the word katecho, to echo downwards is the opposite to anoche, to echo upwards, Rom 2:4 and Rom 3:26. Also 2 Cor 4:18 We are not keeping any score of what seems so obvious to the senses in the natural realm, it is fleeting and irrelevant; it is the unseen eternal realm within us that has our full attention and captivates our gaze! A renewed mind conquers the space that was previously occupied by worthless pursuits and habits.)
3 Your union with his death broke the association with that world; see yourselves located in a fortress where your life is hidden with Christ in God! (“In that day you will know that I am in my father, and you in me and I in you.” [Jn 14:20] Occupy your mind with this new order of life; you died when Jesus died, whatever defined you before defines you no more. Christ, in whom the fullness of deity dwells, defines you now! The word, “hidden” can also be translated, secret; the secret of your life is your union with Christ in God! [See Col 2:9, 10] “Risen, then, with Christ you must lift your thoughts above where Christ now sits at the right hand of God, you must be heavenly minded; not earthly minded, you have undergone death, and your life is hidden away now with Christ in God. Christ is your life, when he is made manifest you are made manifest in his glory.” — Knox Translation)
4 The exact life on exhibit in Christ is now repeated in us. We are being co-revealed in the same bliss; we are joined in oneness with him, just as his life reveals you, your life reveals him! (This verse was often translated to again delay the revelation of Christ to a future event! The word, otan, often translated as “when” is better translated as “every time.” Thus, “Every time Christ is revealed we are being co-revealed in his glory.” According to Walter Bauer Lexicon, otan is often used of an action that is repeated. Paul declares our joint-glorification in Christ! We are co-revealed in the same bliss. [See 1 Cor 2:7-8, Rom 3:23-24, Rom 8:30, 2 Pet 1:3.] In him we live and move and have our being; in us he lives and moves and has his being! [Acts 17:28])
5 Consider the members of your body as dead and buried towards everything related to the porn industry, sensual uncleanness, longing for forbidden things, lust and greed, which are just another form of idol worship. (Idol worship is worshipping a distorted image of yourself!
6 These distorted expressions are in total contradiction to God’s design and desire for your life. (The sentence, “upon the sons of unbelief” was added later in some manuscripts.)
7 We were all once swept along into a lifestyle of lust and greed.
8 But now, because you realize that you co-died and were co-raised together with Christ, you can flush your thoughts with truth! Permanently put these things behind you: things such as violent outbursts of rage, depression, all manner of wickedness, slander (any attempt to belittle someone else and to cause someone to receive a bad reputation, blasphemos), and every form of irregular conversation. (The lifelong association with sin is broken; the dominion of the character of God is revealed again in ordinary life.)
9 That old life was a lie, foreign to our design! Those garments of disguise are now thoroughly stripped off us in our understanding of our union with Christ in his death and resurrection. We are no longer obliged to live under the identity and rule of the robes we wore before, neither are we cheating anyone through false pretensions. (The garments an actor would wear define his part in the play but cannot define him.)
10 We stand fully identified in the new creation renewed in knowledge according to the pattern of the exact image of our Creator.
11 The revelation of Christ in us gives identity to the individual beyond anything anyone could ever be as a Greek or a Jew, American or African, foreigner or famous, male or female, king or pawn. From now on everyone is defined by Christ; everyone is represented in Christ. (In seeing him not just recorded in history but revealed in us, we discover the face of our birth as in a mirror! [Jas 1:18])
12 You are the product of God’s love; he restored you to his original thought. You belong to him exclusively. It is like changing garments. Now that you have gotten rid of the old, clothe yourselves with inner compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, (Just like you were once identified by your apparel, the characteristics of these qualities define you now.)
13 upholding one another in positive expectation. If anyone finds fault with another, restore that person to favor, remembering how the Lord’s forgiveness has transformed our lives.
14 Wear love like a uniform; this is what completes the picture of our oneness.
15 Appoint the peace of Christ as umpire in your hearts. We are all identified in the same person; there is only one body. We are born to be a blessing and exhibit his benevolence.
16 Christ is the language of God’s logic. Let his message sink into you with unlimited vocabulary, taking wisdom to its most complete conclusion. This makes your fellowship an environment of instruction in an atmosphere of music. Every lesson is a reminder, echoing in every song you sing, whether it be a psalm (raving about God in praise and worship accompanied by musical instruments) or a hymn (a testimony song) or a song in the spirit (a new spontaneous prophetic song). Grace fuels your heart with inspired music to the Lord.
17 Your every conversation and the detail of your daily conduct reflect him; his name and lordship define your lives and inspire your deep gratitude to God the Father for his grace.
18 His peace is the umpire of your every relationship, especially in the family! Wives, place yourselves in the intimate care of your husbands, acknowledging the lordship of Christ in them.
19 Husbands, love your wives tenderly. Do not exasperate them.
20 Children, you display the Christ-life in the way you respond to your parents, keep them glowing with joy, they reflect God’s delight in you. (“Parents, don’t come down too hard on your children or you’ll crush their spirits.” — The Message.)
21 Parents are responsible for the atmosphere at home; avoid vibes that dampen the child’s spirit.
22 If you are employed by someone, even having to work like a slave, remember your hearts are intertwined in devotion to God. Don’t just look busy when you are being watched, show the same diligence behind your bosses back.
23 Whatever you do, picture Christ in the person you are doing it for; it makes such a difference when you put your heart into it.
24 God is no man’s debtor; you are employed under the Lordship of Christ.
25 To live contrary to the life of your design is to injure yourself; your job description does not define you, it doesn’t matter who you are. Unrighteousness carries its own consequence and it is not a respecter of persons.
by Mirror Bible – mobile app. http://www.mirrorbible.com
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UNION BEFORE DIRT – Francios Du Toit
To make all men see! That is the Gospel, the good news. The message is for all and that message is what he believes about you. What he believes about you is what matters. He set your identity before there was dirt. That view is and will always be of you forgiven and righteous. Standing as his son and or daughter, a joint heir with my big bro Jesus!
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Philippians One
Philippians has always been one of my favorite books of the Bible. I have usually read in in the NIV or NAS the Mirror Word version brings it to life even more. Francois Du Toit translates it not only accurately but it is poetic. Paul, even though he was under house arrest comes across with authority and strength. He writes not out of his circumstance but in his identity. Paul was once a persecutor of the Christians but now was the poster child for Christ. After his Emaus road conversion he changed his path 180 degrees. He was transformed from the inside out. He moved out of strength because he now knew his original identity. He knew who he was. He was no longer defined by what man thought of him or what he did or achieved. His identity was now defined by his relationship “In Christ.” He moved out of a place of knowing who’s he was.
2 Timothy 2:9-11
9 I might be in bonds, but the Word of God is not. (It might seem to some that my suffering contradicts what I preach, but it cannot! My ministry is measured by the word not by my circumstances. See Col 1:24)
10 This gives me more than enough reason not to quit. I desire for everyone to discover the fact that the life of their design is redeemed in Christ Jesus; this is the timeless intent of God. (The word eklegomai, ek, source, origin, and legomai from logos, word, thus the life of our design.)
11 The logic of God endorses our faith: we were included in his death and are therefore equally included in his resurrection.
Paul is moving and doing not out of a works or law mentality, instead he is not moved but compelled to share his experience, his joy, the revelation of who God says mankind is. Mankind was made in God’s exact image. We were made to be sons and daughters (immediate family). We are not pets or the black sheep of the family! We are his first born children.
My favorite verse in this chapter is the 21st. I have learned it as For me to live is Christ, to die is gain. In the Mirror Word it is Christ defines my life; death cannot threaten or diminish that.” I love the Christ defines me part. I cannot define myself let alone God yet he is the only one I want defining me! His only thouht of me is outside of time and space, there is no distance or delay and that view of me will be eternally as a righteous son.
Martyn Lloyd Jones was often heard saying “What’s true of Him, is true of you.” A paraphrase out of 1st John.
Philippians 1 (Mirror Word)
1 Paul and Timothy address all the saints in Christ Jesus in Philippi, including your leadership team, both the overseers and the deacons. (Overseer, episkopos, from skopos, “scope” to see the overall picture, diakonos, from diako, to run errands, to pursue; see Phil 3:14 )
2 The Father’s favor joins our lives inseparably in the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
3 The thought of you always inspires me with joy and gratitude to God.
4. Praying for you is certainly not a job it is more like poetry; I joyfully anticipate the outcome of my prayers for you!
5 Our blissful participation in everything that the gospel communicates does not age. The freshness of our first encounter continues to this very day.
6 I possess an inward certainty about you, confident that he who is the initiator of the good work within you is also the one who executes its completeness as mirrored in Jesus Christ, who is the light of day. He is the fullness of time. (Initiator, enarche, to rehearse from the beginning. See Eccl 3:15, “that which has been is now; and that which is to be has already been!”)
7 I am not being presumptuous to be this persuaded about you. In the context of our redeemed innocence I cannot think of you any differently; I have you in my heart! Your committed friendship in my imprisonment is of great encouragement to me in our combined defense and confirmation of the gospel. We are in this together! We are joint participants in the same grace. My grace is your grace.
8 God knows my intense longing for you! It is with the tender affections of Jesus Christ!
9 It is my desire for each one of you, that the realization of love’s completeness in you will increasingly burst through all boundaries, and that every sphere of your relationship with others will be greatly impacted by your intimate acquaintance with love. (The word agape is a compound word from ago, which means to lead as a shepherd leads his sheep, and pao, which means rest! His love leads me into his rest; into the full realization of his finished work! Agape is Psalm 23 in one word. “By the waters of reflection my soul remembers who I am.”
10 I urge you to examine this agape-love with the utmost scrutiny, just like when a diamond is viewed in the full sunlight to prove its flawless perfection. I dare you to take love to its ultimate conclusion! There is no offense in love, as evidenced in Jesus Christ who is the light of day. (If the diamond is flawless to begin with, every possible test will prove its perfection; how someone might respond to love’s initiative is not the point, love’s ultimate test was concluded on the cross. Truth does not become true by popular vote; someone’s ignorance or indifference cannot change the truth.)
11 You have been fully furnished with the harvest of your redeemed innocence and righteousness which Jesus Christ labored for! This is what the glorious intent of God is all about! His applause endorses the success of the cross!
12 I wish to encourage you dear friends that the opposition that I face, which was meant to defeat the gospel has only served to advance it!
13 The prison has become my pulpit! All the soldiers in the Governor’s guard and everyone involved in the palace have learnt about my message. They know that I am not their prisoner but that I am enclosed in Christ.
14 My imprisonment has also persuaded many believers in the Lord to speak the word with fearless courage.
15 Some slander the message and others speak with passion and delightful certainty.
16 There are those who wish to get mileage out of my predicament for their own agenda.
17 Others again are totally love driven and in full support with me in my defense of the gospel!
18 I am thrilled! Christ is the topic of conversation everywhere! Even the negative publicity continues to advertise him!
19 I can just see how the Spirit of Jesus Christ, like a conductor of music takes all of this together with your prayers and turn it into a concert that celebrates salvation! (The word, epichoregeo, comes from epi, a preposition of position, over, in charge, + chorus, choir, orchestra, or dance + ago, meaning to lead as a shepherd leads his sheep; thus, the leader of a dance or the conductor of music.)
20 My thoughts are not trapped in my head! They roam free in expectation that I will not be ashamed by any contradiction! My immediate circumstances do not distract from my message! I am convinced that our conversation now and always will continue to give accurate account of the magnificence of Christ. The message is incarnate in me; whether I live or die, it makes no difference. (The word, apokaradokia is a compound word with 3 parts, apo, away from, kara, head and dokeo, thought. The word parrhesia, from para, a preposition indicating close proximity, a thing proceeding from a sphere of influence, with a suggestion of union of place of residence, to have sprung from its author and giver, originating from, denoting the point from which an action originates, intimate connection; and rhesia, conversation.)
21 Christ defines my life; death cannot threaten or diminish that.
22 To be alive now is to feast on the harvest of your faith! I cannot tell when I shall lift up the anchor of the flesh and sail away! It doesn’t really matter to me. (The word, aihreomai, from airo, to lift the anchor and sail away.)
23 I am often torn between these two thoughts. I have this strong yearning to step out of the confines of this body into the immediate embrace of Christ! Can you imagine the awesomeness of that!
24 Yet this gospel has my arm twisted and locked behind my back; I am therefore determined to remain in the body for your sakes. (The word, anagke, suggests to have the arm twisted and locked behind one’s back. See 1 Cor 9:16.)
25 I am certain that my time with you will inspire the happy progress of your pioneering faith!
26 The joy of our union in Christ knows no limits! We have so much reason to celebrate! I can just imagine the eruptions of bliss should I be there with you right now in person!
27 The one essential thing that would fully engage the focus of your earthly citizenship is the fact that your daily conduct communicates like value and gives context to the gospel of Christ! So whether I am present with you to witness your steadfastness with my own eyes, or absent, our spiritual union and single mindedness will be equally evident. (The word monon, points to that which is singled out as most essential; the word axios, means, having the weight of another thing of like value, worth as much. Psyche, Greek, pshuche, suggests consciousness, mental attitude, awareness. Paul desires to express an inseparable togetherness; sunathleo, athletic contest. Bicycle racing uses the term peloton; where the riders are strongest and fastest when they ride in the so-called “peloton”, which is a densely packed group of riders, sheltering in each others’ draft. In a mass-start race, most of the competitors usually end up in one large peloton for most of the race. The word is French, from a term that means rolled up in a ball.)
28 Your brave fearlessness in the face of every kind of obstacle is a sure sign to those who oppose you that their efforts are futile. Your triumphant attitude makes salvation even more apparent. (There is no counterfeit; God has no competition! Religion’s self-help programs of salvation do not threaten him!)
29 Because of the grace that you are gifted with in Christ, whatever you might suffer on behalf of him can never distract from what faith knows to be true about you!
30 Our faith is on exhibit in the same public arena; we are not spectators of one another’s endurance, but co-witnesses thereof. We mirror one another triumphantly. (The word, agon, refers to the place of contest, the arena or stadium.)
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