The Affection of Christ Jesus.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

I’m still amazed how the Lord takes us to greatest lengths to teach us the simplest of things. It wasn’t until people I loved started to walk out of life that I began to understand the depth of Paul’s comments. It took a whole summer 7,500 miles away for the Lord to work out the kinks in my own heart before I could begin to understand. And it took a conversation over a delicious burrito for this concept to sink in.

To long for someone with the affection of Christ Jesus.

These few verses have changed my definition of longing and affection. I used to think these words were uttered when you loved someone in the “I want to spend the rest of my life with you” kind of love. But, I think it’s more than that. It goes beyond telling someone you love them. It’s a lifestyle. A mindset. It comes from being humbled in the presence of the Cross and the greatness of our Lord, Jesus. It’s so easy to have affection toward someone when they have it back, if they’re easy to love, if they look like you, do the same things you do, or believe the same things you believe. But, what about the ones who are unlovable? What about those who are unfaithful? The unforgivable?

But, looking at the passage, I see how Paul has thrown aside petty differences and trivial disputes. We are partners in the gospel. Each of us forcefully advancing the Kingdom. Each of us striving for the same goal. We are all trying to bring as many with us through the pearly gates when the clock hits zero.

When you meet with Jesus and you begin to see how he loves and how he gives and how he cares, this deep affection builds in the bottomest part of your heart. People aren’t just people, but partners. Fellow warriors. Fellow lovers. You begin to see them as Jesus does and the pettiness falls away and you find yourself wishing the best for them. Their success is your prayer. Their joy becomes your own. All of sudden you want them to figure it out. To meet Jesus. Prayers extend beyond yourself and you’re right in the middle of their life. This affection blossoms and you realize you might just die for them like Jesus did for us.

His affection for us is so big. Our attitude should be the same as that of Christ.

-junglejon

Jesus is like…

Jesus is like Michael Phelps, He always wins in the end. (By Bobby McKnight)

-junglejon

Can I be a Christian Without Being Weird?

The title of a book I was given when I was in the eigth grade. Well, is it possible? I mean, being a Christ follower and not being weird?

Just a few weeks ago, I was at a local worship service and the speaker was going on and on about how Christians are weird and how we are supposed to be weird. I was immediatey drawn back to the time when I was given the book I just mentioned. I know for a fact, when I was in eigth grade, I DID NOT want to be weird. I had enough problems on my plate and being weird was something I had a dislike for. It kind of reminds me of the kid who brings his rock collection to summer camp. (Sorry if you’re that kid.)  Let me tell you, no one wants to be weird.

When I look at the life of Jesus, I can say maybe he was a bit crazy, but I don’t think he fell under the category of weird. He was excellent. Everything He did, he raised the standard. He said things like “turn to the other cheek” or “walk the second mile” or “give up your shirt too.” I see a trend here, he is raising the standard previously set by the law.

I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Not one letter will be removed from the law. This post is not about the law but being excellent. I don’t think Christians are weird. Christians are not supposed to be. We are supposed to be excellent like Jesus.

Dear Middle School Students,

Loving Jesus does not make you weird. It makes you excellent. So strive to be excellent in eveything you do. You carry the banner of Christ with you wherever you go. Anything less then excellent reflects on our Savior. You’re not weird. Don’t let anyone tell you that. Excellent. (And leave your rock collections on the shelf when summer camp calls.)

-junglejohn

Do it all again?

If Jesus personally approached me with a choice and asked me, “Jonathan, knowing what you know now, would you take baptizing my children or a past relationship back?”

I would take baptizing seven students every time.

-junglejon

Good. Evil. And Perceptions.

I just finished reading The Shack. It was what I needed. I guess it helped me realize I wasn’t crazy and all the things I have been posting here weren’t mumble-jumbled nonsense. It spoke to a lot of the things I have written and even followed some of the same thought patterns and processes I traveled through to reach these conclusions.

What happened almost nine months ago I considered “not good.” (I know you are all smart people. I hope I make some sense in the next few sentences.) If we define evil as the absence of good and following this same conclusion, I considered what happened as evil. In doing so, my perception of people, places, families and ministries (even states) took on the characteristics of what I considered not good. Or evil. Through this lens, people I love and care about suddenly became instruments of evil, hurt and pain. They were no longer children of God, but people who needed judgment. (I am certainly not proud of my thoughts or actions. I’m just being honest.) Then I realized my perception of what was truly good and what was truly evil isn’t necessarily true.

Let’s explore an example. In light of the quickly approaching college football season, I would like to take a look at the number one team in all the land. The Georgia Bulldogs. Yes, we are number one, but exploring the process which led to our heightened status must first be examined. For years UGA has played football the same way. We have run the same defense and the same offense under the same coaching staff. And it was good. We have been highly successful in the last 8 years or so. Last year, a good thing became not so good. It quickly became apparent something needed changing after the romp in Neyland Stadium. The team was flat. The fans were flat. The coaching staff was flat and the season was approaching a disaster. So, we changed. The defense lit the fire all of a sudden a soft zone became blitzing mayhem. Bump and run turned into knock your block off and red became black. Now we sit on the verge of a national title. The point here is not Georgia football, but realizing something that’s good today might not be good tomorrow.

I considered everything that happened not good, or evil, and all those involved as accomplices to this evil. But, just because it wasn’t good for me, doesn’t mean it was inherently evil. I have to ask my myself, “What is good?” Well, enything that makes me happy, makes me smile, feels good, or doesn’t cause me harm. Now, just look at this last statement. I see one constant, the word “me.” My definition of good is a selfish one and is certainly not accurate. It certainly wasn’t good for me, but it might have been good for the other folks involved. Is it right for me to want “my good” over “their good?” I’m hearing a resounding, “no.” Follow me through this next part. Let’s say, one person gets saved through “their good” which wouldn’t have happened had I held on to “my good.” Now, “my good” would have hindered the salvation of one, which is certainly not good. (Sorry for all the “goods”.) The question which rises out of this is which is truly good, “my good” or the salvation of one? I think the answer is obvious. It has become painfully clear what I wanted was for “my good” to take precedence over the good of others which is completely contrary to Jesus and his death on a cross.

Even as I write this, it becomes apparent what “denying yourself and taking up the cross” truly means. It’s not about what makes me happy or what is good for me, but about the cross and the love shown there. If “my good” hinders its beauty, then strip me of it. Take it away. Make me nothing if it means the salvation of one. Because salvation and redemption and reconciliation are truly good.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

It’s not about me. When it’s all said and done, the only thing that matters is who will be counted among the faithful. If I can let go of something wonderful so someone else might walk the streets of gold, then so be it.

-junglejon