Get Up And Dance

I have long felt the urge to dance with life. I’m not sure if it is a sad commentary on the state of modern Christendom or of spiritual deficits in my own life, but the first time I found the desires for an authentic life articulated in the way that most closely fit my own was from a source outside the church. In fact, it was from one outside the faith.

As I read Henry David Thoreau’s, Walden Pond, the irony of the fact that he wasn’t a Christian didn’t stop me from hearing the clarion call from within my own heart to experience the deepest and fullest that life has to offer. His desire to “suck the marrow from life” described my own zest for living. What Thoreau thought he could find in nature, I knew could be found in Jesus Christ.

Imagine a life in which the fire of God so consumes you that you lose all inhibitions; a life in which you charge forth confidently into every day with the assurance that God will guarantee your success that day. This life isn’t imaginary, it’s real! When we live from the blazing glory of His love for us, that is the life we can live.

Tony Campolo once said in a speech, “Most of us are tiptoeing through life so we can reach death safely. We should be praying, ‘If I should wake before I die.’ Life can get away from you. Don’t be satisfied with just pumping blood.” There is an abundant life for the taking for those who have the assurance of God’s unconditional love and commitment to those on whom He has set His passion.

When consumed with the fire of God’s love you can say with the Psalmist, “Our God is forever and ever; He will guide us until death” (Psalm 48:14). With the confidence of David when he was surrounded and outnumbered in battle by the Philistines, we can shout to the world with assurance, “This I know, that God is for me” (Psalm 56:9)!

What is the key to living out of this fire, this Divine force which empowers us to rise above the mass mediocrity of the modern church? How can we reclaim our God-given position of the supernatural life which is our birth right? How can we be in this turbulent and transient world and still live in a way which demonstrates that we are firmly anchored in the Eternal?

The answer, of course, is Christ. The answer is always Christ. Knowing who we are in Him and who He is in us is the cornerstone upon which everything else in life is set. Knowing our union with God through Christ is paramount to the abundant life. However, one question I am continually asked is, “How do we consistently abide in Christ, allowing Him to live His life through us?”

The question is loaded in one sense because it easily lends itself to an answer which delineates particular steps one may take to abide in Christ. We must tread carefully when we approach the word how in the Christian walk lest we drift from the Who, namely Jesus Christ — the Source and Center of an authentic Christian lifestyle. How isn’t unapproachable under grace, but should be attended to with caution.

We are getting dangerously close to legalism when we begin to list steps for a life of faith. While it is true that the Apostle Paul clearly laid down “the how” of day to day living, he only did so after clearly establishing the foundational truths of identity. For instance, his letters to the church at Corinth are filled with instruction about how to live, but the very first words he wrote pointed to the identity they already knew. (See 1 Corinthians 1:2-9) Only on that foundation were the practical applications for life made.

Even when the steps aren’t intended to be taken in a legalistic way, people interpret information through their own unique paradigm. If their grid is one of legalism, great momentum works against a clear understanding. We know we are being pulled away from grace by the undertow of legalism when we become more engulfed in “ought to” than “want to.” Law scolds people into submission, but offers no strength by which they can respond. Grace always encourages and energizes us to live the life to which God has called us.

Abiding in Christ isn’t achieved by successfully following certain steps. It is an act of faith by which we simply choose to believe that He is our life, that He will express Himself through us, and then acting as if He is doing that very thing at this very moment. Abundant living isn’t found in a plan, but is found in the Person of Jesus Christ. That fact can’t be overstated or emphasized enough times.

The Danger of Drifting

My wife, Melanie, and I love to sail. Years ago we took classes and were certified to skipper a sailboat. One of the things we learned was to determine our course using a protractor and a chart. One important thing about sailing is that if you plan to go a long way, you’d better be sure you aren’t off course a few degrees when you begin. If you are, you’re going to end up in big trouble later. A few degrees off course in the beginning doesn’t look too serious, but the problem is that, the longer you sail, the further you move away from your intended destination.

It doesn't seem to make a big difference if you’re off course a little when you start, but as you move along your journey, you get further and further away from where you wanted to go. The same is true in our grace walk. When our eyes were opened to the gospel and we began to follow Christ, that wasn’t the finish line, but was the starting point of our journey.

Paul begins all his epistles with the word "grace" because that is where we have to start if we want to end up where our hearts long to be and where our Father has determined to be our destination. If you start your Christian life at the point of grace and you move forward, charting your course by grace, you will move further and further into the waters of abundant living.

If, on the other hand, you start from a place of grace, but you begin to drift toward legalism, you will most certainly end up in a place of frustration and defeat in your life. Many have started well, but drifted away from a grace walk and have found themselves in the troubled waters of legalism.

I actually got lost at sea once because I got off course. We were in the British Virgin Islands and my plan was to go around the tip of Virgin Gorda from one side of the island and stop at a beautiful bay on the other side. It didn't work out that way and for hours and hours we saw no land at all. When I finally spotted land again, I couldn’t figure out where I was because I had completely lost my bearings. Eventually, I made contact with a cruise ship whose captain sent the Coast Guard to rescue us.

I started well, but drifted off course. The same thing has happened to many who follow Jesus. A man at the conference where I spoke this past weekend said to me, "I didn't have to be taught grace when I first trusted Christ. That's how I naturally lived. I had to be taught legalism. Then the things I had done in the beginning because I wanted to became things I should do and that's when it all unraveled."

He's right. It made me think of Paul's words to the Galatians when he said, "You started out well. How has hindered you?" Staying on course with grace must be intentional because the current of religion always pushes against grace. Let us set our course by the love and grace of the Father and be careful not to drift away from Him into a religious lifestyle.

It can't be stated any better than the writer of Hebrews said it: "We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away" (Hebrews 2:1).

Did Jesus Come To Change God's Mind About Us or Our Minds about God??

Since Adam sinned in The Garden, man has had a distorted understanding of who our Father is, thinking Him to be a harsh Judge instead of a loving Father. But sin didn't change God. It changed man. Jesus came to set the record straight and help us get our minds right about the Father. He didn't come to change what God the Father thinks about us, but came to change what we think about Him.

Hebrews 1:3 says, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory. The word "radiance" is the Greek word apaugasma and literally means "out-raying" as in the way the rays of the sun shine out from its surface. The word "glory" is the Greek word doxa and means "opinion." (For example, when we sing "The Doxology," we are singing a word (Logos) about our opinion (doxa) of God.)

So the Bible tells us that Jesus is the out-raying of God's opinion. Opinion about what or whom? About us and what He thinks of us! Jesus came to be the exact expression of the Father's opinion of you. Everything we claim to know about God our Father needs to be Christological - centered in Christ Jesus and what He has revealed to us about the Father.

Don't let anything other than Jesus Himself be your source for understanding who the Father is. "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world" (Hebrews 1:1-2).

Jesus came to show us the Father and what He has shown us perfectly and clearly is that our Father is Love. That's it. Nothing more. Nothing less. Every other doctrine or viewpoint we may develop must be grounded in that reality. Whether it's His justice or His mercy, His wrath or His patience, His strong sovereignty or His still small voice . . . you name it. It all must be understood in the light of the fact that He is Love or we will inadvertently stray away from a biblical theology into the smog of a human wisdom polluted by religion.

How Important Is Persistence In Praying About A Matter?

I used to believe that it increased the likelihood of having my prayers answered if I prayed constantly about the thing that concerned me. I thought the longer I stayed on my knees about it the better off the outcome would be. I don't believe that anymore. God doesn't need me to convince Him to act on my behalf. Jesus once told a story that illustrates the heart of the Father toward us:

Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ For a while he was unwilling, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly (Luke 18:1-8).

Isn’t Jesus telling us all that we need to keep praying and praying and praying without giving up on the Father answering our prayer? I think this view misses the point. Jesus is using an unrighteous man as His example in this story. Jesus stresses twice that this judge “did not fear God nor respect man.” He wasn’t a loving, caring man at all. He was indifferent to the needs of the supplicant and had to be worn down by persistent begging.

The truth Jesus wants us to see is that we are not to think of God that way! In this story Jesus was doing what He did so many other times, and that is to make an argument through contrast. We are missing the point if we think God is like that judge, unconcerned with people’s needs and only responding if we badger Him into it. No, Jesus’ point is, “If even an unrighteous, uncaring judge can be persuaded to act for you, how much more will the perfectly loving and good God respond to our heartfelt cries!” He isn’t telling us that we have to pray tremendous lengths of time to persuade our Father. What He is saying is that anytime and every time you pray, you can have confidence that He hears and will answer. All the time you can pray knowing that He loves you and isn’t holding out on you until you prove your sincerity by time and effort in prayer. God isn’t a Judge who needs to be persuaded. He is a Father is eager to answer you and to show you His love!

We reverse it in our minds sometimes, and believe that God doesn’t care. We think, “If we can just get enough people praying, and can log enough time in prayer, then maybe we can cause God to do something He really isn’t interested in doing. If He’s not now on our side, maybe we can win Him over through sheer effort and persistence.”

But the truth of grace is just the opposite. We don’t have to persuade a reluctant, unconcerned God. It’s the other way around. God is the seeker. He is the primary lover. God is always the initiator, so in reality the way it works is this: When the Lord gets ready to do something, He often moves the hearts of His people to pray. He moves us to pray, and we might be moved to invite others to join us in prayer. Then they can share in the process and become a part of the answer as well. When we become involved in prayer, God allows us to participate in what He’s doing in this world.

Back to the story Jesus told of the unrighteous judge: It’s important to note that in the story he told, Jesus had the supplicant appealing to a judge for help. He wanted us to see that our Father isn’t like the person depicted in this story. The judge was reluctant to answer, but our Father isn’t.

How we view God has everything to do with what expectations (faith) we have when we come to Him in prayer. I’ve already said that Jesus was using contrast to show the difference between our situation when we ask God for something and the situation of the widow in His story. There can be a difference in our expectation and approach when we come to Him because of the difference in the identities of the one the widow was beseeching and the One we are asking for help.

She was talking to a Judge. You aren’t. You are talking to your Father. That difference cannot be overstated. God isn’t a Judge who is sitting in heaven with a judicial mindset toward you that causes you to have to appeal to Him as you would ask a human judge to show you mercy and to grant your petition to the court.

Our God’s relationship to you isn’t judicial. It is relational. He is your Father and He delights in responding to our heartfelt requests. You can approach Him with the full knowledge that He doesn’t have to be persuaded to act in your best interest. His role in your life is based on His loving character. That fact gives you reason to know that you don’t have to beg Him. You don’t have to get enough people to convince Him the way somebody might show up in court with a petition signed by a multitude of people to convince the judge to rule in their behalf. Your Father is already on your side and is eager to bless you in every way. The story of the widow and the judge doesn't teach the lesson many of us have been told. In fact, it teaches just the opposite.

Radically Better Conference in Atlanta

Thanks to Paul for putting this together, to Joel for recording it and to those who contributed by being recorded. It was really good for us all to be together!

Interview "Grace on Trial"

http://www.ptm.org/av/audio/Interviews/Steve%20McVey%20Intv.wma

Check out this interview I recently did with my friend, Greg Albrecht, of Plain Truth Ministries. The theme is "Grace On Trial." Greg's a great grace guy who I really respect a lot.

Radio Interview

Here's a radio interview I did this week with Neil Boron on WDCX in Buffalo, New York.

When You're Afraid About A Decision You Have To Make

“Please pray for us that we will know the right decision to make,” Larry asked the small group who met in his home. “We believe that taking the job I’ve been offered in Dallas is the right thing, but we want to make doubly sure we aren’t missing God’s will. You know how deceptive the devil can be. I don’t want to be misled by him. The way he deceives us sometimes is so insidious. I don’t want to be fooled. We know he is cunning and we really want to hear from God on this situation.”

As Larry talked, it began to sound like this time had been set aside to honor Satan himself. More was said about the devil’s ability to mislead us than was said about anything else. Of course, there is no doubt that Larry’s sincere desire was to know and do God’s will, but listening to the way he talked, you’d think that the ability of the enemy to deceive us is greater than God’s ability to keep us in His will.

Larry isn’t different from many Christians today who live a life filled with fear that they’re going to do the wrong thing. They tip toe through this world like a scared little girl in a haunted house. I meet them all the time. They say, “Steve, pray for me. Pray that I won’t miss the will of God.” Or, “Satan is so powerful and so deceptive. Pray for me. I don’t want to miss the will of God.” Or, “I want to stay in the center of God’s perfect will. I can be deceived and can make a mess of my life if I go out there apart from God’s will.” They go on and on about the ability of the enemy to deceive them. They’re so scared that they’re going to miss God’s will, that when they do make decisions, they’re always timid and tentative and unsure.

When it comes to making decisions regarding God’s will, many seem to abandon faith altogether. Instead, they express great fear that they’re going to miss it. Their fear so handicaps them, that they sometimes do practically nothing of any real spiritual significance. They’d rather do nothing than take the risk of making a mistake.

Don’t be paralyzed by analysis paralysis. Don’t come to the place of no further progress in your grace walk because of your fear you might make a wrong choice. Do you want to know and do God’s will? Then trust Jesus Christ. Appropriate Jesus Christ as your life, and then … decide! And move forward in faith — not in apprehension and fear, but in faith — saying, “Lord God, thank you that you are my life, and I will trust you to live through me.”

Make your decisions on faith, not fear, and rush into them with confidence that Jesus will enable you to

A Legalist's Guide To Worship: Basic Mechanics 101

When The Lights Go Out

When my four children were small, occasionally the electricity would go off in our home at night. If they were still awake, I would hear a unified chorus cry out, “Daddy!” Melanie and I would walk through the dark rooms and collect them one by one and bring them back to our bed, where we would lie down with them. With all six of us in one bed, we would put our arms around the children and assure them that we were with them. Without fail, in a short time they would all fall asleep, secure in the fact that we were there, holding them in the dark.

Your Heavenly Father is always there for you when the lights go out in life. He has you in His arms. He is with you when you are in the dark. When you are afraid, you can feel His love and know that He cares for you. (See 1 Peter 5:7) You may be assured that, although it might be pitch black around you, the sun will shine again. Until then, just rest in Abba’s arms, knowing that He will never let you go.

When you standing in the middle of troubling and confusing circumstances, choose to continuously think about the reality of the love of Christ for you. Through the eyes of faith, envision Jesus wrapping His arms around you. He hugs you and softly whispers to you, “It’s okay. I’m here. I love you and promise you that everything is going to be okay. Just stay here in my arms. I’ll take care of you.” Nothing in life provides a greater sense of peace in the face of personal sorrow than knowing that we are being held in a never-ending heavenly hug. In his arms, we find a “peace that passes understanding.”

Do you believe that your Father is for you and that He will deliver you through your trials safely to the other side of the circumstance? When you embrace the truth that He does deeply love you, in spite of any painful things that may come into your life, you will find yourself moving further along the road toward deeper intimacy. If you doubt your Father’s love because of painful events you have experienced, renew your mind with verses from the Bible that assure you of His great love. For instance, the Apostle Paul wrote:

For I am persuaded that neither life, nor death, nor …… shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 8:38-40).

Look at that passage again and note the things listed that have threatened your awareness of the love of God. Knowing His love is the only thing that will sustain you through the crisis of life.

In a hymn he wrote in 1876, George Robinson said:

Things that once were wild alarms cannot now disturb my rest;
Closed in everlasting arms, pillowed on the loving breast.
O to lie forever here, doubt and care and self resign,
While He whispers in my ear, I am His, and He is mine.
While He whispers in my ear, I am His and He is mine.

Don't beat yourself up if you aren't moving through your personal crisis in the best possible way. Many great Christians have gone through trials without keeping their head held high and their feelings staying strong all the way.

Look at what Paul said in 2 Corinthians 2:8-9 about how he went through the trials he faced when he was in Macedonia:

"We don't want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us in Asia province. It was so bad we didn't think we were going to make it. We felt like we'd been sent to death row, that it was all over for us." (The Message)

Does it sound like he was sailing through his troubles with a conscious and constant sense of victory? We always have victory but we don't always feel that way.

If you had been able to talk to the Apostle Paul, what would you have told him? Would your advice have been for him to give up faith? To shame him for thinking and feeling like he did? I suspect that your answer to him would have been to show him grace, to encourage him by reminding him that it would all be okay in the end. You wouldn't put him down for having normal human emotions in the circumstances he had to face.

Now, here is a big step that you can take to help yourself. Treat yourself the same way. That's right -- show yourself the same grace you would show to somebody else. It's amazing how gracious we can be with other people when they go through hard times and express negative thoughts or feelings. Then we turn right around and don't cut ourselves one ounce of slack when we are in similar situations. Don't do that to yourself.

Your Father is a gracious God to all His children. It's okay if you don't handle your situation perfectly at every instant. Look to Him and give yourself grace when you don't move through your situation with exact perfection.

(This article is an excerpt from my book, Journey Into Intimacy. For more information on the book, click here: http://gracewalkresources.com/item.asp?cID=0&PID=525