Jimmy Davis's Blog, page 7
May 2, 2011
A New Passion: My Eyes Are Dry
Jesus not only secured the New Covenant promise of a New Purity for us through his blood (Luke 22:20), he also guarantees us the promise of a New Passion: "And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26).
Through Jesus we get a heart transplant. He takes away our stone-cold, me-first hearts, which have no passion to love God and others. In place of that heart of stone, God gives us a tender heart of soft heart that beats with a pure passion that looks to God and others and says "You first."
God has recently exposed the coldness of my heart . . . again. My hardness of heart toward God and others is a sign that I'm not believing the gospel.
Here's another song I've been singing that helps me repent of my hardness of heart to the Father and ask him to soften up my heart by reminding me of the work of the blood of his Son and the power of his Spirit in me when I believe the message of the cross (Galatians 3:1-5, 5:6).
[To learn more about this and three other promises of the New Covenant, read Chapters 2 and 6 of Cruciform: Living the Cross-Shaped Life .]
Through Jesus we get a heart transplant. He takes away our stone-cold, me-first hearts, which have no passion to love God and others. In place of that heart of stone, God gives us a tender heart of soft heart that beats with a pure passion that looks to God and others and says "You first."
God has recently exposed the coldness of my heart . . . again. My hardness of heart toward God and others is a sign that I'm not believing the gospel.
Here's another song I've been singing that helps me repent of my hardness of heart to the Father and ask him to soften up my heart by reminding me of the work of the blood of his Son and the power of his Spirit in me when I believe the message of the cross (Galatians 3:1-5, 5:6).
[To learn more about this and three other promises of the New Covenant, read Chapters 2 and 6 of Cruciform: Living the Cross-Shaped Life .]
April 30, 2011
A New Purity: Create In Me A Clean Heart
With his blood Jesus secured the promises of the New Covenant for his people (Luke 22:20).
One of those promises is a New Purity: "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you" (Ezekiel 36:25).
Lately, God has exposed some uncleanness, some idolatry, in me. Perhaps he's doing the same in your life. Now, if you're like me, you wonder "If I've been cleansed, why do I still have these idols, all this nasty uncleanness in my heart, head, and hands?"
The truth is, I have been cleansed (1 Corinthians 6:11; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 10:22), I am being cleansed (1 John 1:7-9), and I will one day be completely clean forever (Revelation 21:27).
I live in that "already but not yet" chapter of the Story in which I am already clean, but am not yet finished being cleaned. I'm reminded of what Jesus said to Peter that same night he said that his blood would pay for the promise of a New Purity: "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean . . ." (John 13:10). I have been cleaned from sin and idolatry once and for all, but I still pick up sin and idols like feet collect dirt and dung on a dusty road in first century Jerusalem.
That means I'm in constant need of continued cleaning, as these verses suggest:
"Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work" (2 Timothy 2:21).
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded" (James 4:8).
But my pursuit of cleanliness is to be based on the promise that I am already clean, that I already have a New Purity because of the blood of Jesus:
"Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1).
So, here's a prayer that I will use to help me pursue purity based on the promise that I am pure. It's Keith Green's version of "Create In Me A Clean Heart," a song based on Psalm 51:1-13:
One of those promises is a New Purity: "I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you" (Ezekiel 36:25).
Lately, God has exposed some uncleanness, some idolatry, in me. Perhaps he's doing the same in your life. Now, if you're like me, you wonder "If I've been cleansed, why do I still have these idols, all this nasty uncleanness in my heart, head, and hands?"
The truth is, I have been cleansed (1 Corinthians 6:11; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 10:22), I am being cleansed (1 John 1:7-9), and I will one day be completely clean forever (Revelation 21:27).
I live in that "already but not yet" chapter of the Story in which I am already clean, but am not yet finished being cleaned. I'm reminded of what Jesus said to Peter that same night he said that his blood would pay for the promise of a New Purity: "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean . . ." (John 13:10). I have been cleaned from sin and idolatry once and for all, but I still pick up sin and idols like feet collect dirt and dung on a dusty road in first century Jerusalem.
That means I'm in constant need of continued cleaning, as these verses suggest:
"Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work" (2 Timothy 2:21).
"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded" (James 4:8).
But my pursuit of cleanliness is to be based on the promise that I am already clean, that I already have a New Purity because of the blood of Jesus:
"Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1).
So, here's a prayer that I will use to help me pursue purity based on the promise that I am pure. It's Keith Green's version of "Create In Me A Clean Heart," a song based on Psalm 51:1-13:
April 23, 2011
That's My King!
Happy Easter from the Cruciform Life Blog!
If you've never seen this video production of S. M. Lockridge's sermon, you owe it to yourself to take 3 minutes out to let the late reverend stir you to worship the risen King Jesus.
If you've never seen this video production of S. M. Lockridge's sermon, you owe it to yourself to take 3 minutes out to let the late reverend stir you to worship the risen King Jesus.
April 20, 2011
Dr. Michael Wittmer Endorses Cruciform
Dr. Wittmer's book
Heaven Is A Place On Earth: Why Everything You Do Matters To God
has had a big impact on my thinking about the Cruciform Life. So, having his endorsement for my book is quite an encouragement to me. Here's what he had to say:
"The cross is both the heart of Christianity and its least popular feature. We naturally shrink from carrying our cross, but as Jimmy Davis explains from hard-won experience, that is the only way to experience the salvation that God has planned for us. Dying with Jesus is the only path to life, and this book ably shows you how it's done."
To learn more about Dr. Wittmer and his books, check out his blog, Don't Stop Believing .
"The cross is both the heart of Christianity and its least popular feature. We naturally shrink from carrying our cross, but as Jimmy Davis explains from hard-won experience, that is the only way to experience the salvation that God has planned for us. Dying with Jesus is the only path to life, and this book ably shows you how it's done."
To learn more about Dr. Wittmer and his books, check out his blog, Don't Stop Believing .
Refreshed Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Yep, here I am again. In one of those "rock and hard place" seasons, wondering how to be refreshed in the desert. And then I was reminded today that God and I have had this discussion before. So here it is, from my old blog over three years ago. Reading this encouraged me to keep my eyes on Jesus, even and especially when I'm feeling "stuck." A good reminder during Holy Week.
Refreshed Between A Rock And A Hard Place
I often feel caught between a rock and a hard place. In fact, some weeks it seems that I merely step from one rock to another hard place, wondering when the tough times will pass so that I can experience those "times of refreshment from the Lord" (Acts 3:20). But God promises to refresh me in and from those places. Strange. I don't know that I've often expected refreshment in, and especially not from, hard circumstances, difficult relationships, or the agony of waiting.
A couple of days ago I was feeling caught in one of those "rock and hard place" days. I came back to the office after lunch, feeling the anxiety building up inside, and was reminded to pray my midday Psalm. The scheduled Psalm was 114 which highlights the power of God as it was displayed through the wilderness wanderings of His people after the Exodus. Talk about some hard places! The Psalm concludes with these verses: "Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water" (vv. 7-8).
The psalmist is most likely alluding to those moments when God's people found themselves on " thirsty ground where there was no water" (Deuteronomy 8:15). The people complained to Moses, Moses cried out to God, and God provided fresh water from the side of a rock (Exodus 17:1-7; Numbers 20:2-13). As I meditated on these verses the Spirit seemed to be saying, "You don't have to wait until the hard times are past to find refreshment. I can satisfy your thirsty heart from the rock and in the hard place. When I am present in those places (and I Am), you can find refreshment for your soul." I was then reminded that just the week before He had me meditating on Exodus 17:1-7, the time God told Moses to strike the rock and watch the water flow. God told Moses in verse 6, "Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink." The key to the rock providing water was not the pounding of Moses' staff but the presence of the Standing God.
Not even a moment after the Spirit opened my eyes to see that wonderful truth, He turned my heart toward Christ. I envisioned Him on the cross, standing on that nail in His feet, pouring out His life for me. I thought about the soldier's spear that made blood and water flow from the side of the Rock of my Salvation (John 19:34). I was filled with new confidence and comfort that my God was present in the hard places in my life, and that He indeed is the One who "turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water."
Refreshed Between A Rock And A Hard Place
I often feel caught between a rock and a hard place. In fact, some weeks it seems that I merely step from one rock to another hard place, wondering when the tough times will pass so that I can experience those "times of refreshment from the Lord" (Acts 3:20). But God promises to refresh me in and from those places. Strange. I don't know that I've often expected refreshment in, and especially not from, hard circumstances, difficult relationships, or the agony of waiting.
A couple of days ago I was feeling caught in one of those "rock and hard place" days. I came back to the office after lunch, feeling the anxiety building up inside, and was reminded to pray my midday Psalm. The scheduled Psalm was 114 which highlights the power of God as it was displayed through the wilderness wanderings of His people after the Exodus. Talk about some hard places! The Psalm concludes with these verses: "Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water" (vv. 7-8).
The psalmist is most likely alluding to those moments when God's people found themselves on " thirsty ground where there was no water" (Deuteronomy 8:15). The people complained to Moses, Moses cried out to God, and God provided fresh water from the side of a rock (Exodus 17:1-7; Numbers 20:2-13). As I meditated on these verses the Spirit seemed to be saying, "You don't have to wait until the hard times are past to find refreshment. I can satisfy your thirsty heart from the rock and in the hard place. When I am present in those places (and I Am), you can find refreshment for your soul." I was then reminded that just the week before He had me meditating on Exodus 17:1-7, the time God told Moses to strike the rock and watch the water flow. God told Moses in verse 6, "Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink." The key to the rock providing water was not the pounding of Moses' staff but the presence of the Standing God.
Not even a moment after the Spirit opened my eyes to see that wonderful truth, He turned my heart toward Christ. I envisioned Him on the cross, standing on that nail in His feet, pouring out His life for me. I thought about the soldier's spear that made blood and water flow from the side of the Rock of my Salvation (John 19:34). I was filled with new confidence and comfort that my God was present in the hard places in my life, and that He indeed is the One who "turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water."
April 19, 2011
Terry Delaney Reviews Cruciform
An excerpt: "Jimmy Davis offers us a wonderful exhortation to live a life that is identified as 'other worldly' because of Christ. As believers, we want to stand out. As followers of Christ we should stand out. These eight chapters will offer much insight into what this really looks like in today's world."
Read Terry's summary, review, and recommendation of Cruciform at his website Christian Book Notes . Check back with Terry often for quick looks at other Christian books.
Read Terry's summary, review, and recommendation of Cruciform at his website Christian Book Notes . Check back with Terry often for quick looks at other Christian books.
April 18, 2011
We're Made To Relate And Rule
In Chapter One of
Cruciform
I show from Genesis 1 and 2 that "Adam and Eve were made to relate and to create, just like the inherently communal and creative God who made them. They were created in the image of God for relationship as his beloved son and daughter and also rulership as his blessed servants" (page 14). I go on to say that we were all created to "be someone special" in God's community and to "do something special" on God's mission.
Here are a couple of quotes from others that explain more of what I mean:
"I long for a quality of relationship and a level of impact that no human being can ever provide. I was built for infinite love from Someone who needs nothing in return and for eternal impact through Someone whose purposes are supremely important. Only God can supply what my soul most deeply desires . . . Without Someone who cares and something to do that matters, life is an unspeakably cruel experience to be avoided, distorted, or denied."
Larry Crabb , Inside Out , page 89.
"In the broadest terms, what does every human being desire? The answer can be put very simply—love and honor . . . We all long for union and connection, a taste of being drawn to another and intertwined in his soul, so that we are known and fully received in spite of the deformities of sin. We also long to enter the other and the world with the kind of presence and power that sees beauty and goodness grow as a result of our existence . . . The two central passions of the heart are a desire for connection that does not consume or destroy the other . . . and a hunger for impact that leads to greater beauty and justice."
Dan Allender , Bold Love , pages 209 and 212.
Here are a couple of quotes from others that explain more of what I mean:
"I long for a quality of relationship and a level of impact that no human being can ever provide. I was built for infinite love from Someone who needs nothing in return and for eternal impact through Someone whose purposes are supremely important. Only God can supply what my soul most deeply desires . . . Without Someone who cares and something to do that matters, life is an unspeakably cruel experience to be avoided, distorted, or denied."
Larry Crabb , Inside Out , page 89.
"In the broadest terms, what does every human being desire? The answer can be put very simply—love and honor . . . We all long for union and connection, a taste of being drawn to another and intertwined in his soul, so that we are known and fully received in spite of the deformities of sin. We also long to enter the other and the world with the kind of presence and power that sees beauty and goodness grow as a result of our existence . . . The two central passions of the heart are a desire for connection that does not consume or destroy the other . . . and a hunger for impact that leads to greater beauty and justice."
Dan Allender , Bold Love , pages 209 and 212.
We're Made For "3 Distinct Relationships"
"In short, to the extent that we misunderstand the story of creation we will also be confused about the gospel . . .
God has given us our godlike capacities for language and reflection so that we might enter in three distinct relationships. It is these three relationships that are damaged by sin and restored in salvation . . . God created us in his image so that we might enjoy personal fellowship with him . . . so that we might enjoy personal fellowship with others . . . so that we might enjoy a right relationship with the rest of creation . . . God intends people to use their godlike capacities in three ethical functions, or relationships. Thus to be human is to be in proper relation with God, other people, and the world.
Sin has marred and well-nigh destroyed these relationships, but in Christ, the perfect human, they are restored . . . Through his work on the cross Christ removes our sin and guilt and so repairs our relationship with our heavenly Father . . . with each other . . . and our relationship to his world . . . each of these relationships is restored as we increasingly grow into the image of Christ."
Michael E. Wittmer , Heaven Is A Place On Earth , page 53.
"[T]he three fundamental relations of all human life [are]: (1) our relation to God, (2) our relation to man, and (3) our relation to the world . . . For our relation to God: an immediate fellowship of man with the Eternal, independently of priest or church. For the relation of man to man: the recognition in each person of human worth, which is his by virtue of his creation after the Divine likeness, and therefore of the equality of all men before God and his magistrate. And for our relation to the world: the recognition that in the whole world the curse is restrained by grace, that the life of the world is to be honored in its independence, and that we must, in every domain, discover the treasures and develop the potencies hidden by God in nature and in human life."
Abraham Kuyper, Lectures on Calvinism , pages 19 and 31.
For my take on these 3 relationships and a simple diagram that illustrates them (made by my friend Denton), read Chapter One of Cruciform: Living the Cross-Shaped Life .
God has given us our godlike capacities for language and reflection so that we might enter in three distinct relationships. It is these three relationships that are damaged by sin and restored in salvation . . . God created us in his image so that we might enjoy personal fellowship with him . . . so that we might enjoy personal fellowship with others . . . so that we might enjoy a right relationship with the rest of creation . . . God intends people to use their godlike capacities in three ethical functions, or relationships. Thus to be human is to be in proper relation with God, other people, and the world.
Sin has marred and well-nigh destroyed these relationships, but in Christ, the perfect human, they are restored . . . Through his work on the cross Christ removes our sin and guilt and so repairs our relationship with our heavenly Father . . . with each other . . . and our relationship to his world . . . each of these relationships is restored as we increasingly grow into the image of Christ."
Michael E. Wittmer , Heaven Is A Place On Earth , page 53.
"[T]he three fundamental relations of all human life [are]: (1) our relation to God, (2) our relation to man, and (3) our relation to the world . . . For our relation to God: an immediate fellowship of man with the Eternal, independently of priest or church. For the relation of man to man: the recognition in each person of human worth, which is his by virtue of his creation after the Divine likeness, and therefore of the equality of all men before God and his magistrate. And for our relation to the world: the recognition that in the whole world the curse is restrained by grace, that the life of the world is to be honored in its independence, and that we must, in every domain, discover the treasures and develop the potencies hidden by God in nature and in human life."
Abraham Kuyper, Lectures on Calvinism , pages 19 and 31.
For my take on these 3 relationships and a simple diagram that illustrates them (made by my friend Denton), read Chapter One of Cruciform: Living the Cross-Shaped Life .
April 11, 2011
We Have A Winner!
Well, actually, we have TWO winners. I decided to give away two books rather than one.
Our winners are . . . drum roll please . . .
David Taylor
and Seth Pye
Congratulations David and Seth! I'll send you an email to get your mailing adresses.
And thanks to the rest of you for "liking" our fan page and subscribing to our blog. Stay tuned for more good stuff from The Cruciform Life Blog!
Our winners are . . . drum roll please . . .
David Taylor
and Seth Pye
Congratulations David and Seth! I'll send you an email to get your mailing adresses.
And thanks to the rest of you for "liking" our fan page and subscribing to our blog. Stay tuned for more good stuff from The Cruciform Life Blog!
April 8, 2011
FREE Book Giveaway!
I'm giving away a FREE, signed copy of
Cruciform: Living the Cross-Shaped Life
! Just go to the
front page
of the Cruciform Life website and follow the instructions there. Winner will be announced Monday, April 11th!
