NOHUMDRUM88

ADVENTIST ALIVE

CROOKED PATHS MADE STRAIGHT


It is difficult for some to accept that some of us have relatives that have given their lives in the promotion of a gospel that is crooked and did not come from God. Adventism is such a warped gospel that many indoctrinated into its illusions are not able to see truth when it presents itself to them. But the good news for the Christian workaholic, performance addict or practitioner of ‘practical Christianity’ is that you have a Sabbath rest in Jesus where you can be yourself by doing nothing. That is, doing nothing more than agreeing that Christ is your life and your Rest and relaxing into that Reality and uncontrived fruitfulness.

SABBATH REST IS CHRIST

‘For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience’ Heb 4.8-11 NIV.

It's disobedient not to enter the rest of Christ our life.

CONTEMPLATION AND FRUITFULNESS

Doing nothing other than rest in Christ feeds our being and allows our real self in Christ to surface and rise above the hubbub and irritation of daily existence. Out of this union with God - that we did not accomplish or earn – our real self emerges as branches and fruit of the vine who is rooted in our Father. This is the source of our life and our ability to impart spirit and life as opposed to mere busyness and activity. There is little more irritating than mindless busyness and nothing more dispiriting than Marthadom as Christianity.

PLANTED IN LIFE IN CHRIST

If the trinity is the womb of the universe our life in Father is the soil of our being. In Jesus you and Father are one. In Father you are a conduit of His life. In the I AM of yourself you are profoundly life-giving filling a gap in the world that God meant to be filled by you.

The issue of the ages is union versus separation. Satan voiced this issue when he asked, ‘Are you the Son of God.’ The truth of the ages is that Jesus is in His Father and we are in Him. As one with great insight has said, ‘Assuming separation as the basis of our religious life is the great darkness.’ But living in the union already ours is the light of life.

VIRTUE SIGNALLING BE GONE

The rest our heart enjoys when we know we are one with God and received into His presence is the peace that surpasses all understanding and analysis.
Gone is the need to demonstrate our godliness to self and to others. Dissolved is any thought of paying back Jesus for the trouble of His cross. Annulled is the need to pose as god and solve every the problem that defiles the world and robs it of peace and justice. Your rest and focus is that the Spirit of Christ will direct what you are to be doing as yourself.

The core of rebellion, unbelief and religion is separation from God. But we have been made one with God in the at-one-ment. Let’s embrace our inheritance. When Christ is your life you are both rest and life without limit.

ISHMAELS

Now in union with God as a son/daughter you will be doing only what Father means you to be doing and doing it in a way that charges your actions with the spirit and life of our Father because you are sons in spirit and in truth rather than living in the attempt to manufacture worthiness and sonship. Part of the prize is being liberated from the influence of those whose life is a series of Ishmaels –abortive attempts to bring to pass the will of God by human effort. When Christ is our life we are who we are and always doing what Jesus means us to be doing both spontaneously and in our planning. We are daughters and sons of God and members of the Holy Family.

THE WHO OF FRUITFULNESS

Francois Du Toit writes, ‘
Life is not about what you do, it is about who you are. Your career, job-description or achievement can never give you a greater sense of worth and contentment than the simple awareness of who you are, mirrored in Christ. Nothing you could wish to have or achieve or become, can define you more accurately or add more value to your life.’ From 'God Believes in You' - available in print and on Kindle.