January 31st, 2023
The Secret Life of Believers
Here’s my own personal observation of the life and times of contemporary theology. Over the years there has always been, a steady stream of the latest and greatest new revelation about Jesus and what that means for the church. It always came with fresh hope and belief that now perhaps the people of God would flourish, rise up and establish the Kingdom on earth.
What this appears to be looking back? They were simply fads. Hyped like the WWF and full of gregarious personalities as well! Theological fads soon to pass and fade over time … Leaving people stranded on the island of doubt and at least the loss of hope.
This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, “We will not walk in it.”
No, I don’t think they will walk in it, not exciting enough nor does it meet their personal ambition for power. Now you won’t hear people say that but based on what they follow which is a mixture of OT and NT, contemporary thought, self-help and I need personal empowerment thinking driven by a steady diet of do more-be more church that just simply creates lack. That is Bad Religion!
Having my heart and life pulled so many different directions over the years there was point where more was the enemy! I quit that bad theology and said to myself I serve a God a God that calls his building of a life a solid rock. Thus, the quest, On Christ the solid rock I stand all else is but I am going to change the hymn’s words, is shifting sand! Enough is enough so by listening to Holy Spirit, scripture, trusted mentors and a cry for the ancient path good way insights I arrived at this method to help me stay sound theologically.
It works like this, I overlay the template of the historical Jesus, incarnated into history and through His life and teachings as summed in the Gospels, the death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and pentecost and then overlay them on the entire bible, Old Testament and New Testament. Using this template of Jesus work and life to interpret the past (OT) and then the future (NT, epistles) and then the life and theology of the church through the centuries in order to accurately assess if what I am hearing and seeing is truth.
Pretty simple for me, if it doesn’t connect and correlate with the historical actions and teachings of Jesus, I toss it out. So, the finished work of Jesus is the center piece of my theology and belief system. Everything before and everything future is fact checked by this moment in history. Pretty good practice and it saved me some pain through the years. I like it and it works for me.
For instance, when Jesus sat down on that sacred mountain over two millennium ago and taught prayer as hidden, away from others, that it’s in secret. (Matt. 6:5-13) he then teaches a prayer model on how we pray, yep you guessed it, Our Father who art in heaven … The Lord’s prayer is now practiced primarily at church services. And I believe that as a community of believers, in praying the prayer; it’s poignant, powerful and important but what about our secret/sacred moments? How more emphatic and simple could this be, pray in secret and I will reward you, openly!
What are we missing out on when we forget the practices of the secret life of the believers?
Well, a lot.
Jesus in fact teaches 3 practices/disciplines (prayer, fasting, alms giving) that are not to be public, but secret. Let me mess with the wording, secrecy is the discipline and prayer, fasting and alms giving are its practices. And what is His promise that comes from the discipline of secrecy? I will reward you openly. That didn’t say publicly it said out in the open where you can see. Why? There is nothing that grows my faith more than the reward of seeing an answer of a prayer that was a matter known only to me and Him.
And why again? That’s how Jesus taught us to pray.
Jesus teaching in Matthew 6 leads to a discipline, secrecy and that is not a new law, but a discipline I practice that prepares me, to act whole heartedly in my love of God and others.
Like this, Colossians 3, I have died and my life is hidden in Jesus and when he appears I will appear with him. (Paraphrased).
-Paul
You can listen to the message series online at www.hopeplainview.com or Hope Community Church Plainview App.
What this appears to be looking back? They were simply fads. Hyped like the WWF and full of gregarious personalities as well! Theological fads soon to pass and fade over time … Leaving people stranded on the island of doubt and at least the loss of hope.
This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, “We will not walk in it.”
No, I don’t think they will walk in it, not exciting enough nor does it meet their personal ambition for power. Now you won’t hear people say that but based on what they follow which is a mixture of OT and NT, contemporary thought, self-help and I need personal empowerment thinking driven by a steady diet of do more-be more church that just simply creates lack. That is Bad Religion!
Having my heart and life pulled so many different directions over the years there was point where more was the enemy! I quit that bad theology and said to myself I serve a God a God that calls his building of a life a solid rock. Thus, the quest, On Christ the solid rock I stand all else is but I am going to change the hymn’s words, is shifting sand! Enough is enough so by listening to Holy Spirit, scripture, trusted mentors and a cry for the ancient path good way insights I arrived at this method to help me stay sound theologically.
It works like this, I overlay the template of the historical Jesus, incarnated into history and through His life and teachings as summed in the Gospels, the death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and pentecost and then overlay them on the entire bible, Old Testament and New Testament. Using this template of Jesus work and life to interpret the past (OT) and then the future (NT, epistles) and then the life and theology of the church through the centuries in order to accurately assess if what I am hearing and seeing is truth.
Pretty simple for me, if it doesn’t connect and correlate with the historical actions and teachings of Jesus, I toss it out. So, the finished work of Jesus is the center piece of my theology and belief system. Everything before and everything future is fact checked by this moment in history. Pretty good practice and it saved me some pain through the years. I like it and it works for me.
For instance, when Jesus sat down on that sacred mountain over two millennium ago and taught prayer as hidden, away from others, that it’s in secret. (Matt. 6:5-13) he then teaches a prayer model on how we pray, yep you guessed it, Our Father who art in heaven … The Lord’s prayer is now practiced primarily at church services. And I believe that as a community of believers, in praying the prayer; it’s poignant, powerful and important but what about our secret/sacred moments? How more emphatic and simple could this be, pray in secret and I will reward you, openly!
What are we missing out on when we forget the practices of the secret life of the believers?
Well, a lot.
Jesus in fact teaches 3 practices/disciplines (prayer, fasting, alms giving) that are not to be public, but secret. Let me mess with the wording, secrecy is the discipline and prayer, fasting and alms giving are its practices. And what is His promise that comes from the discipline of secrecy? I will reward you openly. That didn’t say publicly it said out in the open where you can see. Why? There is nothing that grows my faith more than the reward of seeing an answer of a prayer that was a matter known only to me and Him.
And why again? That’s how Jesus taught us to pray.
Jesus teaching in Matthew 6 leads to a discipline, secrecy and that is not a new law, but a discipline I practice that prepares me, to act whole heartedly in my love of God and others.
Like this, Colossians 3, I have died and my life is hidden in Jesus and when he appears I will appear with him. (Paraphrased).
-Paul
You can listen to the message series online at www.hopeplainview.com or Hope Community Church Plainview App.
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