ABC’s of Value & Worth

The Apostle John sketches out a panoramic perspective of growth as Christians in 1 John 2:12-14, “beloved children,” “young adults” and “fathers.” All three are crucial and deepen over a lifetime, although I want to bask only in this first one now. For this 1^st stage, John suggests a spiritual DNA with three essentials for healthy growth. (1) Accepted/ Affirmed because of His full forgiveness (“your sins have been forgiven”); (2) Belonging because of the Father’s initiating “first-love” (to “know the Father”) (3) Competence as Jesus begins to train and outfit us with all we need to partner with Him on His epic adventure (“on account of His name”). I call this God’s ABC’s of identity, value/worth.

1. Accepted/Affirmed: Fully & Finally Forgiven: Forgiveness is remedial, removing every barrier that blocks relationship with the Father. We owed God an unpayable debt for the sins we committed. Christ has taken all of these upon Himself (“Himself for me”), along with all our guilt and shame, past, present, and future. If our life is not firmly grounded in this rock-solid assurance, we develop elaborate defense and coping mechanisms to block out pain and gain a fragment of counterfeit acceptance and significance. These false strategies block authentic life.

2. Belonging: Beloved & Blessed Child: You were born to be loved by your heavenly Father. “Í see and adore you,” reassures Your heavenly Father.” “You matter to Me.” “I prize you.” “You are loveable!” The old is gone; the new is here (2 Corinthians 5:17), even though we are still very much in-process. It’s breathtaking how much the Father loves you! We are our Father’s beloved and blessed child, His very favorite because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). We are now home in His presence, the home we have always looked for. Without this absolute, unswerving assurance of His willing choice, we will go about our lives with a futile striving to prove our value through what we do.

3. Competent: Jesus Calls Us to Explore with Him: Jesus is the great Explorer and doesn’t like to work alone. The King of kings recovers His territory as He partners with us to explore and conquer. Step beyond the confines of what we feel we can control. Develop an environment with “high learning, low shame,” which encourages each to step out…even if a bit terrified! This demands risk-taking, adaptability and ingenuity, flowing out of complete trust to explore both internal and external change. “Am I enough?” “Do I have what it takes?” “Am I worthy?” Jesus replies to our eager hearts, “Yes…and only in and with Me!”

Soak now in the ABC’s of identity resting in our Team-of-Three. Slow, incremental growth is normal in some seasons of life so be patient!

This came from my book, Foundation Stones. I also have a web-site with tools, books and "more than Bible studies" that have helped me to live out of this spiritual DNA, www.JimFredericks.com

Embracing God’s “No!”

Some of our earliest spiritual memories are often God answering our prayers with a clear “yes!” God uses these “yes” experiences to teach us to enjoy His presence. God’s early “yes’s” still resonate loudly with me. Recently I was reminded of my formative years and God’s “no!” It was so difficult for me to embrace His “no” with similar joy and gusto. Yet I now know God’s “no” is equally crucial, unless we want to stagnate in the “beloved child” developmental stage without moving beyond.

Early in my Christian life, I read solid Christian authors who exposed me to how crucial it was for me to deal radically with my self-life. Oh, for sure my pathway was littered with failures. I yielded my heart though to wholehearted allegiance to my heavenly Father. The “cost of discipleship” loomed large. Say no to my flesh-life. Work hard to monitor my thoughts. Still, embracing God’s “no” was tough for me!

In this first year, I journaled in my Bible some of these epic moments of decisively yielding myself to Him. As I reread these recently, nine months after I came to Christ, I wrote this. “Today I died. Praise the Lord. I see that…all things have become new.” Even today, as I tap into that definite, all-in abandonment to God as I knew Him, I again feel the spiritual rush. What a lifetime of joy and satisfaction awaited me from this point on…or so I thought! Seven months later I vowed the same. Perhaps it did not take for me. Two months later, I denied all my self-absorbed life. Two years later, I admitted failure again, and wrote a longer, more decisive commitment. I think you get the picture!

God did yearn for my decisive choices to give Him my wholehearted allegiance. My passive mentors, however, taught me incorrectly that this was a one-time yielding. It’s not. It’s repeated as often as we struggle to yield an area or we wrestle on our journey to walk out allegiance in obedience that cuts across the grain of our self-life. Peter gives us Jesus’ model for how to enter into His freedom (1 Pt 4:1-2). Do we grasp that God’s “no” in prayer and prohibitions are all for our very best?

Begin now to develop a passion to grasp God’s “no” as fully as His “yes.” To add hope, Sunday I heard a message on God’s “no” that eloquently explained how tough it is. I realized afresh how God’s “no” now releases joy in me…most of the time…when I’m spiritually sane! As I look back, I wish I had been taught how good God really is. Since goodness is a part of His essence, He can only do what is good. Both His “yes” and His “no” flow out of His generous goodness. Yet with a high cost! Romans 6:3-4 begins with the cost, death leading to life. Do you currently have any arenas where you wrestle to yield to God?

This came from my book, Foundation Stones. I also have a web-site with tools, books and "more than Bible studies" that have helped me to live out of this spiritual DNA, www.JimFredericks.com

What Has Gone Wrong?

Eden was what most everyone looks for today: a great place to live, intimacy with the perfect mate, good things to occupy our time, value/ worth from a significant person, and a job that fits our makeup. Bliss. Unclouded relationships. Purpose. Affirmation. Satisfaction. Nakedness without a shred of shame (Genesis 2:25). Paradise on earth!

Yet today our world bears little resemblance to Eden as God created the world to be. We feel the universal struggle between light and darkness, good and evil. We wonder who we are. What we do doesn’t appear to make much difference. What we enjoy seems unattainable or fragile. We become frustrated, frantic, despairing. What’s gone wrong?

God gave one simple test of love and obedience (Genesis 2:16-17). Satan, disguised himself as a serpent, attacked Eve and Adam at this point of allegiance in a four-fold attack in Genesis 3. All creation was forever different. And he attempts to trip us up today in the same way.

Step 1: Deception (3:1b): Deception is a rotten lie at the core, coated on the outside with a semblance of truth, like a barbed fishhook covered with alluring bait. It’s Satan’s style. God begins with His generous bounty, adding only one specific, protective prohibition (2:16-17). The serpent reports vast prohibitions while ignoring God’s profuse provision. He subtly undermines the goodness and generosity of God by taking a semblance of Reality and masking it with his crafty deceit. The battle still rages today as Satan subtly twists truth: “Did God really say…?”

Step 2: Debate (3:2-3): Then the enemy coaxed Eve to debate with him in isolation from God, in her aloneness. First, Eve diminished her God-given freedom (focused on the one limit rather than her vast freedom). Then she added to the limit (God did not say “don’t touch”). Finally, Eve minimized the certain, but negative consequences (God said, “you will surely die”). Satan uses the same ploy with us today.

Step 3: Denial (3:4): Now the serpent directly denies the truthfulness of God’s Word with a frontal attack, calling God a liar.

Step 4: Defaming (3:5): The serpent’s words are totally true, yet completely false. As we compare God’s statement in Genesis 3:22, the words are full-on deceit, twisting God’s intent as God only prohibited gathering knowledge separate from Him. Yes, their eyes will be opened to know good and evil. Knowing apart from God though is devastating!

This rebellion resulted in the Fall of all creation since God delegated His authority to humanity to rule with Him. Because of “solidarity,” we are now born in the shattered image of Adam (see 5:3). This results in the devastation we experience today.

 

Jesus is the only way back.

This came from my book, Foundation Stones. I also have a web-site with tools, books and "more than Bible studies" that have helped me to live out of this spiritual DNA, www.JimFredericks.com

God's Original Eden-Intent for Me

What Is God’s Original Eden-Intent for Me?

 I wish I had known...

 

...early in my Christian life what I see now. I began asking myself: “Where can I go to discover God’s original plan for my life before sin came in?” I discovered only two: Genesis 1 and 2 before sin came into the world, and the life of Jesus, who walked out ideal humanity. As I soaked in these Scriptures, I began to see humanity in a fuller, more radiant light. What seed-thoughts of God’s original Eden-intent do you see in Genesis 1:26-28? I see three aspects of my identity.

1. Belonging: Secure Relationship: God said let “us make man in our image,” designing us for relationship, like Him. The Triune God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) enjoy an eternal, perfect, and self-giving relationship with one another, before time, now and forever. God designed us in this image. We will never become lit’l gods, although we are like Him as no other created being, uniquely reflecting important aspects of God. This Community-of-Three fashioned us as His friend for intimate relationship, to be an object of His love, to be free to choose and to love Him back. Reality begins here. Something deep within us longs to return “home” since He made us in the image of perfect relationship.

2. Competence (mission): Significant Purpose: Our Maker also created us for purpose. God created us as image-bearers to partner with Him as His co-regents, reigning with His blessing and authority, wisdom and power (“let them rule over”). The image and likeness is dynamic. God has given us authority to partner with Him now in His God-assignments. Explore and serve as His feet and hands, His voice and touch. God assigned us to reign in life, yet not independently. He is the Giver, designing us in His image to serve. He sends us to cultivate our unique world of people and to radiate His light. As we align with Him in our private/work lives, we partner in His plans and collaborate with Him.

3. Acceptance: Sincere Affirmation: God designed us to be blessed or fully accepted by Him, and to pass the same on to others (Rom 15:7). This honest and authentic blessing expresses unconditional acceptance. Blessing throughout Scripture includes communicating the unimaginable worth of those made in God’s image and likeness. This releases life and power, bringing His Father-heart great pleasure as we fulfil His calling.

With Adam’s first breath, he gazed directly into the face of God (Genesis 2:7). Since the Fall, we now seek to fulfill these legitimate, God-given needs in illegitimate ways. However, “in Christ” God restores these ABC’s of identity for His crown-jewel, restoring spirituality, calling us to belonging and purpose, releasing true beauty, partnering in His battle for justice. Our hearts yearn down deep for this!

This came from my book, Foundation Stones. I also have a web-site with tools, books and "more than Bible studies" that have helped me to live out of this spiritual DNA, www.JimFredericks.com

What Is God Like?

Close your eyes and ask yourself the question in the heading.

No question in life is more essential. Our life flourishes or is impoverished based on our mental picture of God. No person or people have ever risen above their God-concept. Let’s return to the beginning to get in touch with His original revelation of Himself in Genesis 1. In 1:26, Scripture uses the plural words “us” and “our” to describe God. At His core, this one God is a Plurality-in-Unity, which fries my mental circuits. However, what is clear is that God is relational at His core from before time began.

What else do we see in seed form from the creation account in Genesis 1:3-25?

 

Read this section several times with this statement fixed in your mind: “Creation reflects its Creator.” What do you personally see in Genesis 1 that reflects God? Before continuing, first jot down some thoughts because active learning accelerates growth.

God is good: Six different times Genesis states: “And God saw it was good.” Why do you suppose God repeated this refrain each day? God settles something essential about His character from the get-go. We need never doubt again. God is good (this includes His love, mercy, compassion, grace, kindness, goodness, tenderness, just to mention a few characteristics of His goodness). Everything God thinks or could think is good. God can only do good because He is good. Every good thing we have comes from the loving, gracious, caring hand of our Father. This describes our God! He is on our side, constantly looking to do us good.

God is great. God is prior to, and independent of all He creates. The true and living God speaks a free and sovereign command and it happens. “And God said, ‘Let there be’…and it was so.” He has the ability and power to bring anything and everything to pass that is consistent with His character. This suggests that God is great. He is unlimited. The God of the Bible is the Sovereign King of the universe, Maker of all. He can do whatever He chooses, whenever He chooses, however He chooses. All creation is, therefore, dependent on God and will one day answer to our Creator. Begin all our thinking with Him.

God is generous. The variety and vastness of creation suggests that God is outwardly focused, overflowing with generosity. God chose to create. He was not pressured. No one twisted His arm. God freely and generously gives to bless by filling people with His own life. It’s who He is, overflowing abundance. God found great pleasure in creating us.

Our relational God is the good Father, the great King and our generous Husband. What is your connection to this relational God?

This came from my book, Foundation Stones. I also have a web-site with tools, books and "more than Bible studies" that have helped me to live out of this spiritual DNA, www.JimFredericks.com

Jesus Is Incomparable!

I began reading the Bible that first summer, or more accurately, devoured it. I could not get enough! It was all new! And Jesus stood center-stage. The unfulfilled longings in my heart now had answers and a face, Jesus.

I knew very little about Jesus when I committed my life to Him at twenty-five. As I read the New Testament (NT), though, I began to see the most attractive and remarkable man I had ever encountered! And to know this person desires relationship with me increased my longing. The depths of Jesus Christ our Lord are so vast, I’m glad God usually teaches us through “layer learning.” We learn one aspect that is completely true, yet only a portion of the fathomless layers of the fullness of Christ.

Early-on I somehow learned that Christianity is all about relationship, my relationship with God and with His people and the lost world. Over time, this introvert learned to draw life and vitality through life-influencing interaction with people. So as I read through the Gospels, I began to model my life after Jesus. An important aspect of God’s plan for the ages is to make me more like Jesus (Romans 8:29). And as I read the Gospels, I saw the incredible way Jesus related to those in need.

An ancient myth relates that one fleeting glimpse of this mythical figure in the woods, and a person would spend a lifetime for just one more glimpse. Jesus is no myth. Though one glance at Jesus, rightfully seen, and we will invest the rest of our lives getting to know Him better. And Jesus rushes to reveal Himself to us (John 14:21). Allow a picture to form in our mind of the life-giving abundance of the True Vine (John 15). Let the Spirit awaken within us such a deep longing for Jesus that we turn from all else to admire and embrace Him. Jesus won us a perfect right standing before God. We are “in Christ” through faith in His life and death, His resurrection and ascension. Jesus gives us His very own life, life with an eternal quality, life together with His Father, the only life Jesus has. His aim? To make us fruit-bearers who bring joy to others.

Implicit in the figure of the True Vine in John 15 is full and abundant provision for life and fruitfulness for my branch-life, as I draw on it. He initiates and I respond, “Yes, sir!” No poverty exists in the vine, or could exist in the True Vine. A vine provides everything a branch needs to fulfill its life-purpose. The very life of the vine surges through the branches (perhaps a subtle image of the Spirit’s ministry in John 14-16). This eternal life produces delicious, juicy, sweet fruit for the owner of the vineyard. Pick up a luscious cluster of grapes at the store. Eat them leisurely as you read John 15:1-17 and reflect on the True Vine.

This came from my book, Foundation Stones. I also have a web-site with tools, books and "more than Bible studies" that have helped me to live out of this spiritual DNA, www.JimFredericks.com

Launching My Journey

On this blog-site, I want to share a number of basic ideas that helped my launch my now forty-five year journey with Jesus from a healthy platform. My hope and prayer is that these are valuable for you wherever you are on your journey. Then pass them along to others.

Since reflecting back on the first two years of my Christian journey birthed these blogs, let me begin where it all began with me.

My mom insisted I went to church until turning thirteen. Nothing in church intersected my life so at thirteen I became a “CEO” Christian (“Christmas & Easter Only”). By my mid-twenties, I struggled mightily with purpose in my life. I did not like who I was and escaped mostly through alcohol and cards. I had no idea where I came from, where I was going or what purpose I had on the way. At times when I was quiet and reflective, despair hit me with gripping darkness.

I was working in an accounting firm in Colorado Springs in my mid-twenties. An older lady who was like a second mom to me was dying of leukemia. I visited her in the hospital one day at my lunch break. Never having been around a dying person before, the awareness of death shook me to my core. After the visit, I drove my red Fiat-124 rag-top convertible back to work and a violent hail-storm threatened to destroy it. I quickly pulled under a large tree for protection.

Surrounded by nature’s fury as I sat alone, the deep feelings of my imminent loss hit me hard. I prayed…perhaps my first prayer ever. I was an agnostic, unsure if God even existed. Yet I prayed: “If you will heal her and save her life, I will serve you.” In a flash, the thought rushed unbidden into my mind. “Jim, if you think there’s even a possibility of such a God existing, what are you doing bargaining with him?” Then my second prayer. “If you make yourself real to me, I’ll serve you.” Nine months later, in the attic of my in-laws’ farmhouse in Haven, Kansas, God answered this prayer. My response: “Jesus, I don’t know very much about You. I do know I can’t lead my life the way I want. Here is my life just as it is, and I’ll take your life back in return. I’m all Yours.”

That simple prayer of all-in allegiance to Jesus as I knew Him at that specific moment was the pivot point of my life. I later realized that in that instant, I passed out of death into life. The Bible began to make sense to me for the first time. As I learned more about Jesus, I responded with a consistent, “Yes, Lord!” I enjoyed hanging around Christians, not as a have-to like during my childhood, but as a get-to.

Life made more sense. “The way in is the way on!” So I can look back and see how God guided me into at least three healthy, foundational beliefs. (1) God wooed me and I responded. (2) I was certain I could not run my life myself. (3) I was all-in with Jesus, best I knew, from the get-go. I wonder what would happen if we all laid these three simple responses into our daily lives.

 

This came from my book, Foundation Stones. I also have a web-site with tools, books and "more than Bible studies" that have helped me to live out of this spiritual DNA, www.JimFredericks.com