The Latest Happenings

This past week our Bracebridge men's group watched an outstanding video by Louie Giglio called "How Great Is Our God!" He shows how planet earth is like a small golf ball compared to other huge planets in the knowable universe. And we are just one person out of 7 billion on this small golf ball.

He points out that our sin and our pride puff us up to believe that we are big and that the world revolves around us. The truth is that we are small and that God is not only bigger than planet earth, but bigger than all the universes that He created.

With that perspective and clarity, Louie then shares the surprise ingredient in our body that "holds us together." It is called "laminin". It is amazing to learn the the molecules that physically make up laminin form the shape of a cross. So, while God is bigger than all the universes, his cross is inside every one of our cells holding us together. His cross lives in us, giving us strength to "walk and not be faint."

We can have faith and trust in our Big God to help us on our journey. Why? Because His cross is over all the universes, over all history and also inside each one of us giving us strength every day. What a great thought!

I recently read John Stotts' book "Why I Am A Christian."
He shared a number of insights and I list them below:

He is a Christian because:

1. God, the "Hound of Heaven" relentlessly pursues us because he loves us.
2. Jesus claims are true. His claims have authority, yet humility.
3. Jesus' death on the cross is key because on the cross he took our place, bore our sins, paid our debt and died our death for our sin.
4. Jesus offers glory and cleansing in place of shame, depravity and defilement.
5. Jesus is the key to freedom - his crucifixion frees the past, as the living God he frees the present, and as the coming God he frees the future.
6. Jesus meets our need as humans for transcendence, significance and community.
7. God is revealed only by Jesus if we are open and humble enough to receive his authoritative truth.

Stott expands on these ideas in a clear, direct and helpful way. A book worth reading.

Dallas Willard in his book "Knowing God Today" says that we can not only know God, but that knowing God is the key to spiritual life.

Let me share some of his thoughts from Chapter Six - "Knowledge of Christ in the Spiritual Life".

Christian faith is not religion, just as God's revelation is something very different from religion.

Jesus was misunderstood. People wanted him to bring some gigantic event in some special place. Instead he brought himself so that we could have an interactive relationship with him. This interaction is God's gift of himself to human beings.

What do we need to partake in this relationship?

Total surrender. We need complete humility to turn from the belief that we are independent, competent and capable of managing everything on our own. We need to submit our pride and receive God's gift by welcoming God into every dimension of our life and character.

Secondly, we need total transformation of who we are on the inside to take on the character of Christ through living with him day by day and hour by hour - invoking God's presence in everything we think, say and do.

So, knowing God is not about religion, but it is about allowing God into our hearts and minds so that we can be transformed by his love and will for our lives. While eternal life is the eventual promise, the opportunity right now is to enter the KIngdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:20) by being interactively engaged with Jesus in the present.

People like Brother Lawrence - Practicing God's Presence, and Frank Laubach - Letters by a Modern Mystic, show us how some have engaged the Lord constantly. Laubach describes it this way, "This spirit which comes to a mind set upon continuous surrender, this spirit is timeless life."

May I refer you to Chapter 15 in My Training Manual that you will find at lovehealstv.com. There you will find a chapter called "Partnering With Jesus For Life." See how you too can invite Jesus into your thoughts for an abundant and joyous life.

A woman came to see me and she had been experiencing fear of darkness for 70 years. After a one and one half hour session of Christ Centered Inner Healing the fear was gone. She reports that she can now go into a dark place alone with no problem. Thank you Jesus.
If you have fear, you should try inviting Jesus into the fearful thought and ask for Him to reveal His Truth to you.

Also go to lovehealstv.com and look up the article on how to deal with fear.

May you too experience freedom,

Blessings,
Alf Davis