Primal R-B-I Groups

At our core, we are a relational people of God’s presence with His Word as revealed by His Spirit as our authority. God’s plan calls His people to something beyond ourselves. Since God is the original primal group of three, we gather together in primal groups of three or four for healthy training and transformation, and scatter to give it away to others. Like Jesus practiced, Paul explains these three essentials of small group dynamics to the three-week old believers in 1 Thessalonians.

Relational connection (1:6a,“You became imitators”): Young Christians need authentic, though imperfect, models of what this Christian life looks like embodied in real life (incarnational). We need to feel the total acceptance and candid honesty of Jesus through a flesh-&-blood person who can touch us with God’s love and joy, grace and peace. The Spirit of God equips us as we journey as closely knit “primal groups” on mission together. We learn as we candidly open ourselves up to know and to be known, sacrificially serving the best of others.

Biblical responsiveness (1:6b, “… you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit”). The Spirit uses both community and the Bible to mature us. We study in private to bring this fresh fruit to the community. And the more experienced come alongside to help the less experienced. Experiencing promised freedom comes through the pathway of knowing/doing His Word (the design of the “Compassions” facilitates this). Do the two-step with a Scriptural text in interactive, community-based learning. Ask “What? and “Now what?” What does it mean? Now what is my response to this revelation? Paul taught these young believers to be do-ers of the Word from the start. Spiritual experience arising out of the Word inspired by the Spirit connects faith to our whole lives. Tap into the variety of insights each unique person has. Now the Spirit teaches us to see the world and our lives more like God.

Intentional mutual-ministry (1:7, “the Lord’s message rang out…”): From day one, these young believers possessed an eager, joyous, almost happy-go-lucky expectancy as they put their faith into daily practice. We become disciples (learners) by obeying so we can make and multiply disciples by intentionally passing along to others whatever we have experienced. Like Jesus, they rested in the Father’s first-love, heard His voice and did it. The 1^st century church was intentionally busy about the “Family business,” a worshipping people in mission. Wherever these believers went, they told others about what they had experienced. This sense of Spirit-led spontaneity with intentionality frees us to “do for one what we would like to do for many,” passing on our small bit.

This is Reflection #34 in 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

The Incarnation of Jesus: Jesus Embodied Authentic Life

What was your initial response when you previously read my words describing God as “Trinity” and read “incarnation” above? Puzzlement! Confusion! Impossible to understand! Impractical! Theological lint! Or perhaps accurate, but having little essential connection with daily lives.

The only complete revelation of life is through a life. God must come as man to bring His eternal life all the way to us. Theologians use the word incarnation, that is, God becoming fully man (“infleshing”) without ceasing to be God. Jesus came to earth as the unique Son of His Father. He is fully God, unlike us, yet also fully man, like us, oh mystery. Why the incarnation, the Son of God, leaving heaven to become man? In short, Jesus wanted to be with us and to share His life with us. And He didn’t come alone. Jesus brought His relationship with his Father to us.

I began to see from Scripture that the Trinity and the incarnation together are the only adequate viewpoint from which to grasp an accurate, high view of redeemed humanity. This lens (mental map or worldview) now influences how I look at every aspect of Christianity, from doing church and family, to evangelism and discipleship, and extending to every aspect of my life. Marvel as you read John 1:1-18.

1. In the incarnation, God clearly displayed that the One God in the OT has always existed as plurality, one God in three persons, called Trinity (1:1). Jesus is the “Word,” who was with God and is very God before time.
2. In the incarnation, Jesus became flesh and blood to become the perfect sacrifice for our sins and to restore us to the Father’s heart (1:4-5+9-13). Jesus brought the same life as the Father. This life is the light of all men, having the power to dispel darkness in our inner lives. In the First-Adam all die; Jesus, the Last-Adam, brought life as a life-giving Spirit (1 Cor 15:22+45). Calculate the high value that the Father places on humanity by weighing the value of His payment to redeem us, the painful death of His unique Son.
3. In the incarnation, Jesus comes as the Model Man, the Second Man (1:14; 1 Cor 15:47), the first real man since Adam’s Fall in Genesis 3. He embodied what authentic human life looks like. The life of Jesus in the Gospels reveals God’s creation intent for humanity, living a life like Jesus.
4. In the incarnation, Jesus “explained” who His Father is (John 1:18). Jesus is the “radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being” (Hebrews 1:3). If we have really seen Jesus as He truly is, we have seen the Father (John 14:9). Fully God; fully man; restoring man back to God’s Eden-intent, home in our good Father’s presence.

This is Reflection #33 in 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

The Relational Trinity

Early-on in my Christian life, I was taught a solid view of the Trinity, although attempting to mentally grasp it bankrupted my human logic. The Bible teaches that the Trinity is one in essence or nature, although existing as three separate, yet completely equal and divine persons (possessing unique God-life). The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are each unique persons. All partake of the same infinite, eternal, uncreated God-nature, co-equal in every way. At the time, I tucked this belief in the back of my mind with little impact on my day-to-day life. Yet now I see this Three-in-One Reality as the central concept in all of Scripture, the single-most integrating truth in all of revelation. This is the image in which all humanity has been created to be His intimate allies.

 

As I began to look at life through the lens of Genesis 1 and 2, the Spirit of God revealed what I had minimized for decades! This one God is relational at His core, existing in community life as“Us” before creation (Genesis 1:26-28). God is relational Community, freely giving co-love to one another, living authentically in harmony with Himself. He is altogether loveable and attractive, always doing what is right and good because He is right and good. The Trinity is our model for community.

 

The Trinity discloses the fullness of life in eternal relationships and never-ending community. In attempting to bend our minds around the Trinity, at the very least the relational Trinity is equally God in an indivisible unity with the incredible diversity of the Father, Son and Spirit. Both/And/And! So three, inseparable, indivisible, essential concepts from Scripture form our understanding of God as relational Trinity. Equality. Diversity, Unity. All three are non-negotiable.

• Equality – all three Persons are equally and eternally divine in essence, glory, power and attributes, yet not excluding a difference in order or roles.
• Diversity - God exists eternally as three distinct Persons in intimate, cooperative relationship with each other.
• Unity - one and only one true and unique God exists, complete in every way. The equality and diversity in this Community-of-Three exists in united essence. His “Us-ness” is Equality-&-Diversity-within-an-incredible-Unity.

Let’s also  not forget how radical the concept of Trinity was to Jesus’ followers, all Jews. It scandalized their Jewish upbringing while ravishing their believing hearts. These early disciples experienced God’s Three-ness, struggling to make sense of it, like we do today. Yet this inability to categorize did not interfere with their intimate experience of this relational Reality, the image in which God fashioned us.

This is Reflection #32 in 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

I also blogged additional thoughts on this transcendent, yet foundational, Reality standing at the center of the universe in another blog called http://beholdingthetrinity.blogspot.com/

Keeping Short Accounts with God & Others

When I sin against another on my journey of life, how do I respond? Don’t ignore it, brush it off, or minimize our sin. Own it…quickly. All sin is first and foremost against God so keep short accounts with both God and with others. Rush to God and deal with it quickly. Why attempt to excuse it and hang on to the death-like results from sin anyway?

Even with the tremendous resources in the Triune God, we are still in-process. We possess a “shadow-side” that blocks the light of God’s love at times. Still, don’t buy into the devil’s deceit since “there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Our Team-of-Three never winks at a response that dims His image in us, no matter how “small” to us. We are too precious to our Father to allow us to settle. God is also never surprised, making provision before we even sin to forgive that specific sin and to deal with the root cause (1 John 1:9).

Most all sin is an illegitimate way of meeting legitimate, God-given needs, a counterfeit. Confess means to say the same thing about our act of sin as God does. Sin grieves God, injures us, undermines relationships within community and clouds our testimony in the world. In short, sin stinks! Because of His character (“faithful and just”), when we make a clean breast of our sins, God (1) forgives our sins, and (2) deep cleanses us at the core level of all our wrongdoing. So boldly approach God with transparent honesty in every event. He stretches out His arms to welcome us in. Don’t hide! Instead prosper (Proverbs 28:13)!

Then we ask the person we sinned against to forgive us, unless this could be harmful to him/her. As Christ has forgiven us, taking on our debt and bringing it to the cross, so we ask forgiveness of those we sinned against. Jesus illustrates through a story how essential this is for growth. As central as worship is, Jesus tells us we cannot worship rightly unless we seek to be reconciled with those who have something against us. Of course, only one side lies within our control…asking the other to forgive us. We come to them with godly sorrow, grieving for how we hurt them (2 Corinthians 7:10). If the other also responds, the circle of life is then reunited, restoring fuller unity to the body (John 17:20-23). However, this begins with you. Go quickly. Keep short accounts.

In many offenses, both parties may have responded improperly. Ask forgiveness for all your part, but only your part. Their part is not your responsibility, at least not now. What if the other refuses to listen or be reconciled? That is God’s responsibility; fully take care of your contribution and leave the rest to God. God is serious about growing you. And He will also deal with the other in the best way for growth.

This is Reflection #31 in 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

Four Sources of Trials

If a man tied us down, flashed a bright light in our face, slashed us with a knife and took all our money, what do we call him?

 

It depends on whether it happened in a dark back alley or in an operating room. One is a thief trying to destroy us and the other is a doctor working for our best.

If we see trials akin to a back alley, we may question God’s heart: “When a trial hits me, how do I know God isn’t angry and just punishing me?” Satan’s henchmen enjoy pushing us around to separate us from our unchanging help, God Himself. Lean in close to God like David in Psalm 13:1-2 (“How long, O Lord…?”) and Jesus in Gethsemane (“Father, take this cup of the cross from me, if possible”). Awareness of these four sources of trials has helped me navigate rough waters…if I don’t linger too long on the “WHY?” but move quickly to “WHO?”

1. Jonah Trials: we may suffer for our own disobedience to God’s spiritual and natural laws and for our sins and stupidity.
2. Satan’s Trials: Christians may also suffer because of faithfully following Jesus without compromise, doing good in a world with a serpent/dragon/roaring lion seeking to devour us.
3. Genesis 3 Trials: we all suffer as human beings because we live in a fallen world alongside fallen humanity.
4. Job Trials: Christians also experience trials directly initiated by God to train us as His child for our highest and best.

The first two sources have different responses: repent and rebuke; simply receive the last two. Think of trials as a workout to become a top-tier athlete. God’s plan purposely bends us and shapes us so we are changed by His love into the image of His Son, Jesus (Rom. 8:29). God uses the kind of things we would never choose to bring about good in our lives. God is good and so can only do good, though it may not always seem so.

When a “tornado” storms into your life, how will you respond? “Lord, help me to actively lean into Your loving presence while also honestly facing the devastation of the turmoil swirling around me.”

• This avoids the pitfall of denial (“It’s not really so bad.”)
• Also of a victim/martyr spirit (“I always get the short end.”)
• Also of discouragement/depression (“What’s the use in trying.”)
• And it avoids the pitfall of passivity leading to disengagement (“Well, there’s nothing I can do anyway.”)

The Thessalonian believers were only 3-weeks old when his enemies drove Paul out. He wrote back to them, reminding them of what he had already taught them on trials (1 Thess. 3:3b-4). So take one difficult trial from your past. Spend time to “Treasure Hunt,” mining God’s good He brings out of the bad. Then reframe the painful event with God’s light.

This is Reflection #30 in 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

A Healthy Perspective on Tough Times

 

Over the years, I have grown certain that every circumstance in my life is an invitation to grow from a loving God. Trials are “super-charged” with rich possibilities to break long standing habits. First and foremost, trials illuminate the “gaps” in my life so I might partner with God to transform my mind (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23).

 

First, the “gap” between what God is really like and my perception of Him. Second, between how God knows me and how I see myself. Third, between how God sees His world of people and how I see them so that I might better serve those around me. Put eggs, potatoes and coffee beans into hot water; eggs harden, potatoes soften, and coffee beans release flavor into the hot water. Heat reveals what’s inside. James 1:2-18 is a great place to begin seeing God’s invitation to full life in tough times.

1. Trials invite me into great joy as I face them squarely (not the trial itself, but the opportunity for change latent within as we turn to God), 2.

2. God releases an ability for me to wait long enough in the heat of the testing of my faith for Him to further His work of maturing me, 3-4.

3. Trials display “gaps” in my life so in faith I will ask my generous Giver for practical wisdom to discern the source of the trial and my response to close these “gaps,” (four sources of “crisis of faith”), 5-8.

4. Trials come impartially and uniquely to all, 9-11.

5. After standing through the trial, “treasure hunt” within the trial to discover God’s crown of life and then reframe the event with this good (Heb. 12:2b; Rom. 8:28), 12. Trials are temporary; the results eternal.

6. Never blame-shift, especially toward God since He is not in the tempting-business, 13. We empower trials as we set our focus on them.

7. Under pressure, my self-life is forced out of hidden darkness into the open. Now I have the choice to stop my self-life from birthing more sin and deathlike events in me since God wastes nothing, 14-15.

8. Trials are fertile soil for the Evil One to deceive me, unless I hang onto God’s goodness with one hand (“good & perfect”) and His greatness with the other (He sovereignly “chose,” 18), 16-17.

9. Expect God to birth fresh life in me through His Word (so dive into your “deep wells” of Scripture during these fluid times), 18.

Trials are super-charged. They are pregnant with opportunities for change…and also with the danger to spiral down if we focus on ourselves or our turmoil (these two words are combined in the Chinese word for “crisis”). Develop godly passions, aligning with the “expulsive power of a new affection.” What does God want to gift you with through these tough times? Lean into Jesus now. Learn to navigate in the calm.

This is Reflection #29 in 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

A Golden Key for our Lifelong Journey

C.S. Lewis calls change our “golden key” to unlock treasures on our journey in life. Since we all are still very much in-process, we must change if we are to grow and not settle. My Christian life began by stepping through a gate by faith, leading to an upward journey (Matt. 7:13-14), with twists and turns and plateaus.

Later on my journey, I came to another narrow gate where God posed the same question: “Will you trust Me in this ‘crisis of faith’ or settle for the broad pathway?” If the answer is “yes,” we push through the gate and continue to ascend on our journey. If “no,” the pathway winds back for a while on a broad path until we find ourselves at the same gate again. I’m a pragmatist. A loving, patient God does not back off necessary change in me. Life is easier if I say “yes” the first time instead of going through pain again.

Every “crisis of faith” includes endings of good things we wish to hold on to and a time of transition before getting to the better new beginnings. You will shortly learn that good things can become enemies of the best. And God never allows too much in our lives, even when it feels like it (1 Cor. 10:13).

On our journey, how will we know which choices to make to keep in step with the Spirit? Let me give a three-fold lens. First, Jesus is the Model Man, the Second Man (1 Cor. 15:4). Do what He does.

 
First, Jesus is the Model Man, the Second Man (1 Cor. 15:4). Do what He does.

• Forgive others as Jesus forgives us (Eph. 4:32).
• Accept others as Jesus accepts us (Rom. 15:7), although accepting does not necessarily mean approving all they do.
• Love others the way He loves us (1 John 4:19).
• Show mercy, not judgment, like Jesus does to us (Jm 2:12-13).

Second, Jesus instructs His people to treat others like we would like to be treated (Matt. 7:12). Ask, “How would I like another to treat me in a similar situation?” Then treat them with a similar respect and care.

Third, in 1 Corinthians Paul gave the 1^st century believers four questions as general tracks to run on in “grey areas.” In these questionable areas, we make choices where no clear Scripture directly applies. Paul begins with our vast freedom in Christ, not limitations.

1. All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable (1 Cor. 6:12a). Ask: “Is the choice beneficial for me/others?”
2. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything (6:12b; 10:23a). “Will I be brought into bondage?”
3. All things are lawful for me, but not everything builds up (10:23a). “Does this choice build up me and others?”
4. “Will my choice accurately reflect God’s glory?” (1 Cor. 10:31).

This is Reflection #28 in 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