Spiritual Formation (Spiritual Reading part 1)

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♫ I am a friend of God

I am a friend of God

I am a friend of God, He calls me friend ♪ (Houghton 2004)

“… encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,”… (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Hebrews 3:13)

            For close to 1,985 years there have been Christians trying to follow Jesus.  Throughout those years, many Christians have left their writings, telling of their Spiritual Formation; although we may not agree on some issues, their writing can still inspire and instruct our lives today.  Without neglecting the nourishment that comes from personal time in the word of God, let us explore some of the writings that have come down to us from these Christians.  Many of them never knew what a car or an airplane was, some of them would not understand the internet; but they knew what it was to try to live their lives for God.

            Gregory of Nyssa was a Christian who lived during the fourth-century AD, and was known for his work, The life of Moses.  In this he wrote that Moses was God’s friend and serves as an example for us to copy (Gregory of Nyssa, 136).  Consider this passage:

… it is time for you, noble friend, to look to that example and, by transferring to your own life what is contemplated through spiritual interpretation of the things spoken literally, to be known by God and to become his friend.  This is true perfection: not to avoid a wicked life because like slaves we servilely fear punishment, nor to do good because we hope for rewards, as if chasing in on virtuous life by some business-like and contractual arrangement.  On the contrary, disregarding all those things for which we hope and which heave been reserved by promise, we regard falling from God’s friendship as the only thing dreadful and we consider becoming God’s friend the only thing worthy of honor and desire (Ibid. 137).

Although specifically Gregory was focused on Moses’ friendship with God (Exodus 33:11), we also hear Jesus’ words, “You are my friend, if you do what I command you” (John 15:14).  Motivation is a powerful tool and Gregory points out that there can be wrong motivations regarding our friendship with God.  The scriptures say that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7), but Gregory did not think that fear of punishment was an adequate motivator for seeking God’s friendship.  Instead, friendship with God was the only thing worth seeking and this not merely motivated by hope of gain, but because it can lead to what Gregory called the perfect life.

            

            Perhaps, you can reflect on this thought of God’s friendship as you also reflect on “[God] who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, 2 Timothy 1:9). Consider reading the Life of Moses by Gregory of Nyssa and next week, we’ll look at another Christian’s writings.

Written by Pastor Ozzy

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Works Cited

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

Houghton, Israel. 2004. "Friend of God." Live from Another Level.

Nyssa, Gregory Bishop of. 1978. Gregory of Nyssa. New York: Paulist Press.

Spiritual Formation (Reading Scriptures part 3 of 4)

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He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake. (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Ps. 23:3)

But Hannah replied, “… I have poured out my soul before the Lord. (Ibid. 1 Sam. 1:15)

            One of the questions that the early church asked in recognizing which writings were Scripture [i.e., Bible] and which were not, was whether or not a text had life-transforming power (From God to Us How We God Our Bibles, Kindle location 1319).  In one sense, they were asking the texts, did they contain truth and did that truth set them free (John 8:23).  The next step in this ancient Bible reading practices involves this question; however, it is us asking the text or the truth of the text to set us free.  In other words, we shape our prayers to God through the freedom brought through the texts.

            In the first part of this series we listened to the text of Psalms 66:16, “Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul” (NASB).  If you went through step two, described in last week’s blog meditation, then you should go back and apply that lesson to Psalm 66:16 also.  Now we pray as we read the Scripture.  Ask the Holy Spirit to steer feelings that arise in your soul from the Scripture.  When they spring up, offer them back to God as the Spirit leads.

 

For example, Ps. 66:16 contains the words, “fear God”, what emotions or ideas do these words produce in your soul?  This can be a profound or powerful idea.  Remember the children of Israel at Mount Sini, in fear of God they cried for Moses alone to speak to them (Ex. 20:19).  In Deuteronomy, there is a command to, “… fear the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and love Him…” (10:12).  Jesus, who reconciles us to the Father and shows us the Father’s love also says to fear Him (Matt. 10:28).  Ask the Holy Spirit, what does it mean to fear God in the way the Scriptures teach?  Offer it as a prayer, asking Him to instruct your heart, your mind and, your soul to fear God in this way.  However, do not neglect the second part of the verse, where the Psalmist is excited to tell of what God has done in his soul.  What has God done in your soul?  Perhaps ask for the opportunity to tell someone what God has done in your soul.

Scripture is a powerful tool that God uses in our lives.  Praying and being attentive to how the Holy Spirit can lead you through the Scriptures can remind you of the power found in the Word of God.

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible, Heb. 4:12)

[Next week: Hearing from God]

Written by Pastor Ozzy

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

Norman L. Geisler and William E Nix. 2013. From God to Us How We God Our Bibles. Matthews: Bastion Books.

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Spiritual Formation (From church to individual)

“…let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together…” (Heb. 10:24 -25a NASB).

“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 NASB).

           

            Perhaps you've heard of the blind men and the elephant parable from India.  In this parable one blind person touches the elephant’s trunk and concludes that an elephant is like a snake.  Another touches the elephant’s ear and concludes that an elephant is very thin and flimsy.  Another touches his leg and concludes that an elephant is very large and thick.  The point is that each is only understanding one part of an elephant but missing the bigger picture.  An elephant is more than a trunk, ears, tusks, legs, body and a tail; moreover, the whole is the sum of the parts.  In a similar way, we cannot be formed into Christ by only focusing on one part of our lives.  Also, we cannot keep beating the drum on why the Christian life is meant for community.  Hopefully, you've seen this truth from scripture and the witness of Christians that have gone before us.

            Paul’s illustration of the Church being a body in 1^st Corinthian 12, is an easy picture to understand.  The body is made of different parts, i.e. hands, eyes, ears, mouth, nose and so on.  The Church is made of people who are different and gifted in different areas for ministry.  An eye cannot say to a hand, I don’t need you and in the same way, one Christian cannot say to another, I don’t need you.  An eye cannot say that because they are not a hand, they are not part of the body, in the same way, a Christian cannot see another Christian using their gifts and conclude that since they are not gifted the same way, they are not part of the Church.  Therefore, it is not a complicated metaphor, the only question is, will you obey the scriptures?

            However, our formation is a personal and individual venture as well.  The prophet Hosea describes the people of his day as egocentric vines (10).  There they are said to produce the fruit themselves and when that fruit increased so did their faithlessness and idolatry (v. 1 & 2).  In contrast to that, Jesus describes Himself as the true vine and his followers as the branches.  It is only through His support and nurturing that we can produce fruit and apart from Him we can do nothing.

            Therefore, over the next several blogs, we’ll turn our attention to what it means for Christ to be our vine and for us to be His branches.  Reflecting on the example of the elephant parable, would it be correct to state that part of an elephant is similar to a snake?  However, that is only one part of many.  Similarly, the goal of spiritual formation is not just for one part of ourselves, but all of ourselves to be transformed into Christlikeness.

Written by Pastor Ozzy

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

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Spiritual Formation (Presence of God part 2)

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[Preface: In this entry, we will look at Jesus as our example; when Paul writes regarding Christ being formed within a believer, he is talking about the same attitudes that were present in Jesus’ incarnation.  This entry will focus on Jesus’ relationship with the Father during the incarnation.  Therefore, it will not contain a full treatment of the relationship between the Father and the Son within the Trinity.]

In the days of His flesh, He [Jesus] offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety.  Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered” (Heb. 5:7-8 NASB).

Last week there was a challenge to be aware of the presence of God in every moment, with the hope of raising the awareness of His presence not only in “religious experience,” but in the ordinary and commonplace.  Within an average day’s routine, when waking from sleep, preparing for the day, commuting, working, resting, eating and everything else that happens.  Consider what David wrote regarding his daily life, that God knew his sitting and rising, his thinking, sleeping and all his activities (Ps. 139:2-3).  This could make us understand that all our life is for the Lord and not just parts of our lives.  Moreover, since the goal of Spiritual Formation is having Christ formed in us, then Jesus serves as an example for us regarding awareness of God’s presence.

    Although having a unique relationship with the Father, as quoted above Jesus still learned from his experiences.  In an episode from Luke, we see a twelve-year-old Jesus in the Temple, sitting with the teachers and possessing some incredible level of understanding. Yet that story ends with the statement that He continued to increase in wisdom (2:46-52).  I.e., He kept learning.  Whatever came with being God in human form, also came with being human.  This is something we must not miss.  What was Jesus doing in the wilderness before the temptation (Mt. 4:1-11, Mk. 1:12-13, Lk. 4:1-13)?  He was fasting in solitude, two disciplines that we’ll cover in future blogs.  The author of Hebrews writes of Jesus, “…who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (4:15 NASB).  Take note then of Jesus’ words from a few years later, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38 NASB).  Jesus learned the importance of the presence of God and then could declare that He knew the will of the One who sent Him.  Therefore, our own practicing the presence of God is vital to Christ being formed within us.

Written by Pastor Ozzy 

1995. Holy Bible: New American Standard Bible. LaHabra: The Lockman Foundation.

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