Greetings friends! We may have heard the saying, “Patience is a virtue!” Or, “Good things come to those who wait.” Of course, for patience is listed as a fruit of God’s divine Love: “Love is patient” (1 Cor.13:4). If patience is virtuous, them impatience is meanness.

“The Seven Virtues” – Patience (Temperance) at Front Second Left. Chapel in Sant’Eustorgio Church in Milan, Italy. (Wiki Commons)

How many times in a day or week does setbacks (of whatever kind) affect us and makes us upset, and even angry because we don’t have the patience to be cool, calm, and collected? Impatience leads to emotional stress which takes its toll upon our health and well-being. One of the root cause of depression is the lack of patience to deal with stressful situations. So we get upset easily. Life will always bring many demands upon us, and unless we are prepared for them, especially emotionally, we will live in the cycle of impatience and impulsiveness and become inadvertently unkind to ourselves. So, we can see that patience brings tons of virtue into your life – if you know how to practice it. Let’s talk patience today!

Here’s what we don’t fully realize about the subject, impatience is a meanness we impose upon ourselves, rather than someone else inflicting it upon us. We are the practitioner of impatience which makes us act rashly – it’s like shooting ourselves in the foot – pardon the pun! And, of course, it affects our relationship with others. How many times have we jettisoned something good for our lives because we lack the patience to act rationally, and stay the course. Sadly, most people try to justify their actions, and they are none the wiser. So they enter into this vicious cycle of exasperation and emotional roller coaster.

Be kind to yourself today, and let the virtue of patience shine into your life. We will face trials and tribulations and will make mistakes along the way, so be patient with yourself. Learn how patience can give you a well-deserved rest from the cycle of impatience you may find yourself. Today I will share with you just one point that can turn your life around so that patience can dominate your life like never before. But first things first. This is a vicious habit that has held untold numbers of people captive for most of their lives. So, you have to keep an open mind, and be willing to change. Here’s the one point we must observe: WAIT! Yes, wait! Patience is having the capacity to wait. Impatience means you’re incapacitated in this activity of waiting. Listen to what the Bible tells us, “Wait on the Lord!” (Psa. 27:14). It’s a very simple and straight forward call to a reality believers will always face. It’s a statement of reality we cannot dodge in our relationship with the God who Loves us unconditionally.

But what are we waiting on the Lord for? And that my friends is the right question when we consider this vital topic about patience and waiting. We “wait on the Lord” to deliver us according to His promises. In another passage from the Psalms, it says, “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him” (Psa.37:7). We find “rest” in the Lord’s promises which gives us patience. His promises are based on His Love for us. The Psalmist writes, “He remembers His covenant forever, the Promise He made, for a thousand generations” (Psa.105:8), The story of the Bible is one of His people patiently waiting on Him to deliver them according to His promise. Waiting is futile if it is an end in itself. On the other hand, if we are focused merely on the mundane dreams of this life, of what value is that? Jesus said, “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul,” or his true destiny, his divine calling? All God’s promises originate and spring from the covenant promise ratified in Jesus’ blood. Jesus is the Mediator of the new covenant promise. (Heb.8:6; 9:15) To view the many promises of God, you may go to this helpful web site: www.scripturepromises.com. Or, you can go to a Christian bookstore and find a book on the subject of God’s promise. In this web site, you will find God’s promises for every need to help you in your faith-walk. It is by no means exhaustive, but it is a good starting point. Peter was inspired to write, “He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you might be partakers of the divine nature having escaped the corruption that is in the world by sinful desires” (2 Pet.1:4). When we partake of the divine nature through Jesus we enter into the eternal Love relationship of the Father and Son, and through the Spirit God showers His Love upon us. (John 17:23-24; Rom.5:5) That’s worth everything waiting for.

Moses Viewing The “Promise Land.” The Nation of Israel Was Born Out of Promise God made To Abraham. Illustration from the 1890 Holman Bible. (Wiki Commons)

We live in a world of instant gratification where waiting and patience is almost a nonsensical word. How unfortunate! We want things done yesterday, not now! Think of the modern day cell phone. What is its most attractive feature? Isn’t it the ability to give instant access to people and information, or many other features for that matter? There’s nothing wrong with obtaining information, but success will come to those who knows how to decipher information relevant to the present as it relates to their purpose. Success is about using the right information at the the right time for the right purpose. We can be distracted and deluged by information overload. We don’t know how to live with it, let alone what to do. If we are not vigilant, we can get caught up in this insidious appetite for instant gratification. The Bible says, “In your patience possess your souls” (Luk.21:19).The key is to know your place and purpose in life, and never deviate from it, but “patiently wait on the Lord” to take us forward in His Love. Listen, Paul said, “Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything, tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done” (Phi.4:6). Yes, millions of people are lost in this world of information overload, and without guidance they are heading in directions which lead to dead-ends and cul-de-sacs.  

I’m no different from you. I have suffered at the hands impatience for too long, and have broken dreams to show for it. We are all in this together. I have spoken much about the “Triune Life” in my blogs. It teaches me never to look inside myself for answers, because the answers which bring true success and happiness is not found in the human heart. The “Triune Life” means a collaborative life we live with the Father, through the Son in the Spirit’s move in our lives. The Spirit who dwells in us reveals the will of the Father and Jesus in our lives as John affirms clearly: “He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak and declare the things to come” (John 16:13-15; 2 Tim.2:25-26). It’s a life of faith through which we process information about God, His promises, neighbor, and self. That’s the “Triune Life,” it’s based on the miraculous activity of the Spirit of God in your life and mine. How does it happen – all it takes is to receive Jesus and confess Him as your Savior who has rescued you from the devil who held you captive in sin all your life. (Matt.4:1-11) He frees us to live the “Triune Life” so we can claim His promises which brings true life. (1 Tim.6:19)

If you were to read an article on patience from a secular source, or hear a talk on the subject, you will find it points you to resources that’s humanistic in its philosophy and application – how to handle setbacks, count to ten before a decision, deep breathing, persistence, be calm, turn anger off, positive thinking, meditate, etc, etc. You will not find a write-up like this one because it’s not asking you to search for your own answers in yourself, or from secular sources, but where true answers have been, and will always remain – in the Spirit of God. This is what the collaborative life in the Trinity means.

So, we see patience is about waiting, and waiting is about holding onto God’s promises for us. We will call this the patience slogan – “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently on the Lord!” (Psa. 37:7). It’s very direct, and simple to understand.

Jesus gave a parable showing how people respond to God, and provides four different people types in life. (Luk. 8:4-15) Let’s quickly look at this parable in the context of our patience slogan: “Wait on the Lord.” Jesus uses the metaphor of soil types to represent people, and the seeds sown upon them to represent their response in life. The seed is God’s word. The first soil type is an unploughed field like a path, where the seeds fell but fails to germinate and is eaten by birds. Jesus said, they “are those hear the word but the devil comes and snatches it from them so they won’t believe and be saved.” In other words, they are just outright doubters. The second soil type has many rocks and stones so there’s not enough moisture where the seed can take root and grow. Jesus said they “are those who receive the word with joy, they believe for a while, but in times of testing, they fall away” because they have no roots. These people stumble easily under pressure. The third soil type had many thorns and weeds which choked the seeds to death. Jesus said they “are those who hear, but as they go their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature,” but die. They are people who are easily tempted and led away by their desires for material stuff. The fourth soil type is where seeds fell on good, rich soil and grew into a tree which produce a bumper crop. Jesus said they “are those with noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and through patience produce a harvest” of peace, joy, abundance, and Love. They are the people who have the patience to “wait on the Lord” to show them the way to go. Notice, the main element in the good soil is patience. The question is, which type are we?

The Parable of The Sower. Brooklyn Museum – James Tissot. (Wiki Commons)

Patience has to be grounded in faith. The Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6). Through faith we overcome our doubts which the devil feeds upon, and we anchor our lives upon the promises of God. This is the living faith of Jesus. It is the Spirit who lives and moves in us who brings this kind of faith to life. Paul said, “The life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who Loves me, and gave Himself for me” (Gal.2:20). So straightaway we see that if doubt can be instilled by the devil to make us impatient and not “wait on the Lord,” then the Spirit can likewise fill us with the faith of Jesus to make us patiently wait for the Spirit’s move. As I have often said in my blog, the “Triune Life” we live is a miraculous life made possible in the Spirit who move in our lives.

James says this about the trials of life and how faith and patience have their place in our lives, “The trying of your faith produce patience. Let patience finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (Jam.1:3-4). So, faith  energizes patience in us to produce an outcome we see in God’s promises. Imagine peace of mind, imagine confidence and assurance, imagine a joy that’s out of this world, imagine enduring hope, contentedness, abundance, and generosity. These are things money cannot buy. These are conditions included in God’s promises for His people. They are produced only by living in a certain way. When we rest our lives on God and wait on Him, He promises to show up for us every time. The Bible says, “Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed” (Psa.25:3a). God says, “Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be disappointed” (Isa.49:23b).

Although the many promises of the Bible may be general in its application for all, there is a promise that’s specific for you as a person, as God’s child. All our children have birthdays, and we treat them uniquely because they are all different and special. God does the same to each and every human. He gifted us differently because we have dreams that are unique to each of us. All our dreams are merely reflections of the greatness of God and His magnanimous Love for us. Think of the story of Joseph, the son of Jacob. As a boy God gave him a dream so grand it would blow anyone’s mind if he knew what it meant. The dream was a promise from God. God had planned for Joseph to become the leader of the nation like America is to the world today – that’s what Egypt was to the ancient world. He was going to save the known world at the time from a worldwide famine. But did God tell him the meaning of his dream? No, he was given symbols, signs, dreams, and metaphors, but Joseph did not know its meaning exactly, and how and when it would pan out. Sometimes, if not many times, we are not ready for the things we desire in God’s plan for us, and so the reason for “waiting” (patience) is so He prepares us before He orchestrates its fulfillment. The Bible says it like this concerning your personal destiny, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Eph.3;20). The road which leads to that beautiful place is called patience. Arnold H Glasgow said, “The key to everything is patience. You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not by smashing it.” What this tells us is, His dreams for us is beyond our wildest imagination that if He told us when we are not ready for it, we will probably not believe it because it is too good to be true. And we have heard it said that if something is too good to be true, it probably is. But it is indeed true, because it’s God’s promise, not man’s.

You will recall that Joseph was sold a slave by his brothers at the tender age of seventeen. He was sold in the slave market of Egypt, but what kept him going through the thick and thin of life was his dream. Though he did not know its true meaning, he knew it was something from God, and it was good and it captivated his imagination. He went through many trials and tribulations, even being unjustly thrown in prison. Joseph’s faith never wavered, for he rested his hopes in his dream – God’s personal promise for his life. It was not until Joseph appeared before Pharaoh to interpret his dream, that his own dream had come full circle to converge in this majestic throne of Egypt which he was about to ascend to become second in command in all Egypt. Now he understood his dream. What followed is history.

We all have dreams. But to have a dream like Joseph’s, where a dream has the power to captivate you in the very depth of your soul – that, my friends, God alone can give you. Dreams like that is locked in everyone’s DNA which God alone can manifest. And the good news is He has done that for you and I through His Son. By giving us His Son as our Savior and Mediator, our Father blesses us with His Spirit to keep us in His Love. The Spirit which kept Joseph’s dream alive in his heart, will keep our personal dreams alive, and bring us to its fulfillment. The Bible says, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven, give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him” (Luk.11:13). What Joseph went through is not human effort alone, but it was the Spirit who orchestrated and brought His dream to reality. All you need is ask, and your Father in heaven will give you a dream to die for. The Spirit will lead you, prepare and bring you to your dream’s grand finale as He did with Joseph.

White Dove, Symbol of Holy Spirit. Principal Gift From God to Man. (Wiki Commons)

But here is the problem with many of us – even believers. How many of us believe that wherever we find ourselves today, we are always in the middle of God’s will in the dynamics of His destiny for us? Even in times of trial, as it was with Joseph, we are standing right in the center of His purpose of bringing us to our dreams. It is unfortunate that many of us see trials as an end in itself, and focus on trying to wiggle out of them, instead of being fixated on the big picture and see what the Spirit is orchestrating before our eyes. And then we murmur about living meaningless lives. We often forget an important promise concerning trials, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Cor.10:13). In other words, He will not allow the trial/s to exasperate us to the point of discouragement and hopelessness. 

Through patience we are not only mindful of our destination (dream), but patience gives us the heart to enjoy the journey. Yes, it’s in the journey that we take the necessary steps to reach our destination. For that reason we ought to find joy in the journey, for the destination will automatically unfold itself like it did for Joseph before Pharaoh. Yes, most times it is not so much about the destination as it is about the journey itself. We can’t wait in idleness because God’s work is in constant movement – often we forget that. Jesus said, “My Father is working until now (constantly), and I Myself am working (constantly)” (John 5:17). God’s purpose is always on the move. Jesus said, “From the time of John the Baptizer until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful people have been seizing it” (Matt.11:12, God’s Word). When we evade the journey (trials) our lives are in idle mode. Jesus is saying, “Seize the moment.” There is no idle time in God’s purpose for you.

Paul says, “Be joyful always. Never stop praying” (1 Thes.5:16-17). What do we pray for? Jesus taught us, “Your will be done…” (Matt.6:10). In other words, you are praying that God’s dream and destiny for you (like Joseph’s dream), and all the circumstances you will encounter this day, He will give you the capacity to see they are attractants that’s spontaneously drawing you to your dreams. People don’t choose who they become, their dream choose who they become.  A musician does not find his music, his music finds him. An author does not find his subject to write about, his subject finds him. An entrepreneur does not find his niche, his niche finds him. An artist becomes one because the calling is locked in the person’s gift. We are all free to accept or reject the prompts of our gifts. When we invert this basic truth, we’ll live like “square pegs in round holes” – we become misfits and live meaningless lives.

Many have defined success as being in the right place at the right time. However, no one can tell you how to do it successfully every time. It means the reverse is also true, if you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, then its consequence is failure. But let me tell you emphatically, you are one of the blessed, because you are always in the right place, you are always in the right time, and what you’re experiencing is not coincidence. And if that is your conviction, then you know you can live and act with self-assurance and integrity. How do I know that? Because God’s promise says, “All things work together for good for those who Love God and are called according to His purpose” (Rom.8:28). “All things” means in every circumstance and situation God’s purpose is at work. “According to His purpose” means all things to do with your dream-life. Your dream is God’s promise for your life. A promise is good only as long as we wait for it. A promise fulfilled is no longer a promise, you don’t look forward to it. Paul said it this way, “But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Rom.8:25). Waiting instills patience. It takes living faith to live in this way.

I ask the question at the beginning, how many times in a day or week does setbacks (of whatever kind) affect us and makes us upset, and even angry? Don’t, be patient for you are in the middle of God’s will for your life. Assess your life situation and ask, am I living in His Love and doing all that is right and proper before Him? “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it, ” James tells us (Jam.4;17). Always give thanks for everything He has done. I will conclude with the serenity prayer which is relevant for this subject of patience:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference. Amen.

“In your patience, possess your souls” (Luk.21:19).

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to write to me in the space provided below, or email me on bulamanriver@gmail.com.

Blessing:-

Until we meet again in my next post, may the blessing of the God who ceaselessly expresses Himself in His dependable Triune Love, be with you always. May the Spirit enliven you and make all things concerning you possible in Triune Living as a Bulamanriver.*

Kiang,                                                                                                                                                                  (Your Servant in Christ) 

* The “Bulamanriver” is the metaphor describing the union of man with the Love of the Triune God flowing in humans, making possible the “Triune Life” – the source of the miraculous life in man. To read the many facets of life of the Bula man-river, go to my website www.bulamanriver.com where you can order a copy of my Book.

All scriptures are taken from the NIV Version 2011, unless stated otherwise

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Greetings friends everywhere! This may be the most important editorial I have posted thus far. For it has to do with the purpose of life and why we draw the breath of life. I share this with you as we enter the year 2016. I wish you all a Happy and Blessed New Year!

God made humans to be the receptacle for His divine Love. “God is Love” – that’s the “image and likeness” in which He created humans, and His one desire and purpose for making man. (1 John  4:8; Gen. 1:26-27). In this write-up, I would like to present with unambiguous clarity how God Loves man and how His divine Love enters the life and heart of man. First, man express human love all the time, but his narrative of love, no matter how good and noble he may try to convince himself of its benefit, is not the divine Love of God by any means at all. The prophet Isaiah said, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. No one calls on Your Name or strives to lay hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and have given us over to our sins” (Isa. 64:6-7).

Since Adam’s downfall at the hands of the devil in Eden, man’s nature has been under his evil sway, and man’s heart has never seen the light of God’s divine Love. By saying, “all our righteous acts (human love) are like filthy rags,” the Scripture is pointing us to the “tree of the fruit of good and evil” we partake of as Adam had done. (Gen.2:17) Paul said, “As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one” (Rom.3:10; Psa.14:1). Remember though, the “tree of the knowledge of good and evil” was in Eden, and therefore in God’s presence. So, all human “good and evil” exists within the sovereignty of God. That’s to say, human goodness is from God but not of God for everything exists within His sovereign will. Nothing escapes Him. Isaiah quotes God, thus, “I form light and create darkness: I make peace and create evil: I the Lord do all these things” (Isa.45:7).  

Often Asked, Seldom Understood – What Exactly Is God’s Love? (Pic: Wiki Commons)

Those are pretty straight shooting claims. So, there is no reservation whatsoever, our narrative of human love as we see it, is anything but divine Love. Like human life is not divine life, neither is human love, divine Love. But everything exists within His sovereign will. Jesus said, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. You must be born again.” (John 3:6-7). It cannot be more plain and simple than that. Humans can reproduce only human love, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual Love. (Rom.5:5) Jesus is the second Adam (or human) who opens the way to receive the divine Love. (John 14:6; 1 Cor.15:45)

God has given man the human mind with the potential to comprehend spiritual matters unlike any other species in creation. He gave man a mind like His, with decision-making ability, because He wanted man to comprehend and live in His divine likeness. In his fallen and depraved state of existence, he cannot become a receptacle of the divine Love which regenerates him. Something has to change, and change at a primordial level. His nature has to undergo a wholesale transformation, in fact, he has to be given a complete new life – literally! Jesus tells us, “What I’m about to tell you is true. No one can enter God’s kingdom unless they are born with water and the Holy Spirit. You must all be born again” (John 3:5,7; Rom.5:5). Jesus is speaking of a reincarnation. Just as Jesus stepped into our human existence in His incarnation and became the prophesied Immanuel, so must we step into His divine life in our spiritual reincarnation to enter into His Love relationship with the Father. (Isa. 7:14; Matt.1:23) Paul said, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2 Cor.5:17-19).

God Loves man absolutely, beyond what our human minds can think or imagine, so much so He did not spare His Son but gave Him up for us. We have to understand the primary reason why the Father gave His Son. We have heard repeatedly Jesus died to save man from his sins, and rightly so. But we have not been told why. He is not merely Savior, but an ongoing Mediator in His High-Priestly role in heaven before our Father. He died not merely to save man from his sins, but what man’s sinless state would bring him. And here is the crux of the matter which is hardly taught, if ever – God can Love humans, only if man enters into the eternal Love relationship of the Father and the Son.

Listen to what Jesus affirmed before the disciples in His prayer to the Father, shortly before He was crucified, “You (Father) have Loved Me from the foundation of the world” (John 17:24b, emphasis added). Jesus said, “As the Father has Loved me, so have I Loved you. Now remain in My Love” (John 15:9). Before time was, from eternity, this was the only activity of God – the Father was continuously Loving His Son, and the Son was always Loving the Father. Each found fullness in each other in communion with the Spirit. Of course, if “God is Love,” then that is all He does – He Loves!. (1 John 4:8). This Love relationship between the Father and the Son has been flourishing and blooming from eternity, and will continue forever. It is hard to imagine such a Love with our fallen, depraved, and limited human minds, but the Spirit enters our hearts and reveals the deep things of God. (1 Cor. 2:10) 

Human Mind – Possessing the Spiritual Spark for Repository of the Divine Love (Wiki Commons)

Remember this, the divine Love of God cannot exist outside of His Triune relationship. The most basic and pivotal knowledge man can have is to understand God is Trinitarian, so is His Love. It is the basis for which God spontaneously and organically connects Himself to man through His Son, and in the power of the Spirit. This Love relationship between the Father and the Son is the spring from which the divine Love is channeled to man through the Spirit. “God’s Love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Rom.5:5). Humans cannot claim a separate relationship with God outside of the Love He has with His Son. Hence, Jesus said, “I am the Gate for the sheep. Anyone refusing to walk through the Gate into a sheepfold, who sneaks over the wall, must surely be a thief! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The Gatekeeper opens the gate to Him and the sheep recognize His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out. When He gets them all out, He leads them and they follow because they are familiar with His voice” (John 10: 7b, 1-4).

There are only three Persons in the Trinity, man is not the fourth being in the union, God has always been Triune, and will continue to be so for eternity. Rather, man can only stand in Jesus if he is to be united in Love with the Triune God. And Jesus has done this by becoming the Immanuel, and becoming mankind’s Door into the Triune Life and Love of God. Man does not lose his separate and unique personality and become lost in a giant banana pudding, so to speak. God blesses each human with unique gifts with the freedom to express themselves as individual persons in Christ. Human personhood is fashioned after the image of God who is three distinct but unified Persons. Paul said the purpose of life is to “know and experience the Love of Christ – though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God” (Eph.3:19). Love is God’s singular motivation, it is impossible for Him to exist in any other way but in His holy Love!

Man’s sinful and depraved state of being prevents the divine Love from entering the human heart. Only through removal from his sin condition, and substituted by the Spirit’s Love condition, can he enter into the divine Love relationship of the Father and the Son. (Rom.8:1; John 17:23; John 15:4-5) This is what Jesus has done once for all when He took our humanity in Himself and died as our Savior on Calvary. This is what Jesus came to do – He took up our humanity and glorified man in His perfect human life, His death, resurrection, and ascension, and literally begot (incarnate) and unified mankind into the Love relation He had with His Father from eternity. Paul said this, “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:6).

If Jesus had not come as the Immanuel (“God with us”), there was no other way for God to Love man, nor for the divine Love to enter human life so man can Love God. He took our humanity and included us in His Love relationship with His Father. Man is incapable of Loving God perfectly in a separate and independent relationship because he is not holy as God would have him to make a Loving relationship possible. But God made a way for man – only another God could Love God the Father perfectly and unconditionally in holy union, and He is Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “You must remain in My Love. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit (Love); apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:4, 5). In other words, we must be anchored in His life and Love, so as our Substitute and Shepherd, we can vicariously enter into His eternal Love relationship with His Father, and our Father.

Divine Love Springs Solely From The Life of The Trinity. Rublev’s Icon of the Holy Trinity (Wiki Commons)

The divine Love can only be lived within the realm in which Love exists – not outside it! I cannot claim God’s Love independently outside of Jesus’ mediation. I have to be anchored in His life and His Love to enter into a Love relationship with our Father. Why, because only Jesus can Love God perfectly and unconditionally, and man Love the Father through and in Jesus (Immanuel). Only by entering into that circle of Love between the Father and the Son, can Love enter the human condition so man is regenerated by the Spirit.

John was inspired to write, “See how great a Love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him (Jesus). Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He (Jesus) appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is (glorified human). And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:1-3). By saying, “See how great a Love,” it is telling us something that’s beyond human love. Mankind had never seen nor tasted this divine Love until Jesus came and revealed it to man – first to the 12 disciples and the rest of humanity. Sin must first be removed, so we can enter into and participate in their holy union of Love.

Jesus prayed to the Father, “The glory (Love) you have given Me I have given them, that they may be one, just as we are one” (John 17:22). This “glory” means the Love activity that has eternally existed between the Father and the Son which united them as one God. Jesus asked the Father that the disciples may “see My glory which You have given Me, for You have Loved Me from before the foundation of the world” (John 17:24). Jesus wanted the disciples and His followers to not only see, but step into and participate in this glorious existence of Love between the Father and the Son. He prayed the Father that they may experience this divine Love relationship which existed from eternity, and continues after Jesus ascension back to the Father, and will exist for all eternity. He said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you Love one another” ( John 13:35). John said, “Whoever does not Love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8). Jesus prayer was the Father’s will from the start – for together in their Loving purpose, they planned to create and have humans enter and experience their Love relationship.

In this activity of divine Love, we Love our fellow humans, like Jesus did when He walked this earth, doing nothing but good by healing all who came to him. (Act. 10:38)  I become an extension of the Triune God in their intense self-giving Love for each other as they have always lived from eternity, and extend that in my relationship with another. Jesus said, “My command is this: Love each other as I have Loved you. Greater love has no one than this – to lay down one’s life for one’s friend. You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:11-14). Jesus gives us all a purpose and calling through which His Love is dispensed to God first, and secondly to our neighbors. (Luk.10:27) Remember, we cannot Love God and our fellow man unless we enter Christ’s life so we can receive the divine Love, and through the Spirit be empowered to do the divine will. (Rom.5:5; 2 Tim.1:7) Jesus was the only human who Loved God perfectly, and we Love because He has already done it for us, thus, we Love God and neighbor vicariously in Him. “Whom God made our wisdom, our righteousness, and sanctification and redemption” (1 Cor.1:30). Paul said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God, who Loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal.2:20) Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Yes, He is our life now!

Fruits of The Spirit – Face of God’s Divine Love (Wiki Commons)

Of course, this divine Love is not entirely transcendent and nonphysical, nor is it incomprehensible. Jesus revealed the face of the divine Love when he went about doing nothing but good and healing all who came to Him. He brought healing to the sick and crippled, relief to those oppressed by evil, He raised the dead, fed the thousands, and finally dying for our sins at the cross. When it comes to God’s divine Love, Paul catalogs the moral inclinations of God’s divine Love showing how it affects our everyday human existence. In his letter to the Corinthians he reveals the fruits of the divine Love, yet, this is not entirely exhaustive, for Love is ultimately the life and move of the Spirit in our lives. It is something personable and intimate, not legalistic. But it gives us a window into His Loving nature: *The fruit of patience, *the fruit of kindness, *the fruit of contentedness,  *the fruit of being modest and unboastful, *the fruit of humility, *the fruit of honor, *the fruit of unselfishness, *the fruit of calmness and dignity, *the fruit of forgiveness, the fruit compassion, *the fruit of delighting in good and shunning evil, *the fruit of tolerance, *the fruit of responsibility, *the fruit of enduring hope, *the fruit of steadfast perseverance, *the fruit of joy, *the fruit of peace, *the fruit of goodness, *the fruit of faith, *the fruit of gentleness, and *the fruit of self-control. All these and other traits reveal to us how the Father and Son Loved each other from eternity. The fruits of the Spirit spells one thing: the power behind God’s Love. Jesus could not have done the good works if He was not cloaked by these Love fruits. For example, He showed gripping compassion for human suffering with the Spirit empowering His miraculous activity and ministry. (Act. 10:38) It was not human love but divine Love.

I must say that when the fruits of the Spirit is mentioned, most view them academically through the lens of human self-improvement. We live powerless lives when we do. We miss the fact that the “tree of good and evil” also produce counterfeits of the divine fruits. For every divine work of the Spirit, there’s a competing work of the flesh that’s of the devil. (2 Cor.11:13-15) For example, humans may show kindness, but it is the underlying motive that determines its roots in authenticity (Love) or vanity (fear).

In closing, Jesus gives us the metaphor of a river telling us how God’s Spirit, carrying the divine Love, flows through man. “Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me and drink.  Does anyone believe in Me? Then, just as Scripture says, rivers of living water will flow from inside them.” When He said this, He meant the Holy Spirit” (John 7:37-39). There is one undeniable truth about rivers, they never stop flowing. It’s called hydrology. Hydrology is “flow” and is the central driving force of a river’s ecology. “Flow” means movement and life. So is the divine Love of God flowing in man. Man is the riverbed, and the Spirit is the “living waters” (Love) which flows in him. The riverbed is charted by God to the specific valley it is ‘called’ to water and replenish. Man and Spirit flows into the valley of people he is called to water and bring life. Without hydrology or “flow” of water, the river’s existence comes to a swift end. There’s only one way a river dies – the riverbed dries up for lack of water. Flow means action, it means life, and it spells the river’s mission in life. Hence, we are told “do not quench the Spirit.” Do not put out the Spirit’s “fire” (1 Thess. 5:19). To quench the Spirit is to empty your life of God’s Love (“living waters”). Whatever happens, never empty your riverbed!

God’s Love – Like a River of Living Waters Which Never Runs Dry (John 7:38-39) (Wiki Commons)

This is the heart and core of the Gospel. There is no other Gospel. The Gospel is Jesus Christ Himself! It is about the Messiah who came to take our humanity, glorified us in Himself, so we can take our place in His divinity and enjoy the Father’s Love. He died to restore us to right standing with the Father, so that we can enter into their Love relationship for all eternity. He gave us the gift of the Spirit to keep us safe on this earth for Himself. The Spirit is constantly taking us into Jesus glorified humanity as our High Priest in heaven so we can ever be with the Father in the Spirit – even in this human life now, and forever in immortality in the resurrection.

Paul was inspired to write, “If I can understand all the secret things of God and know everything about Him. And suppose I have enough faith to move mountains. If I don’t have Love, I am nothing at all. Suppose I give everything I have to poor people. And suppose I give myself over to a difficult life so I can brag. If I don’t have Love, I get nothing at all.” He goes on to say that if we master many languages and even speak the language of angels, and have not Love, we are just a loud gong which reveal the emptiness of our hearts. (1 Cor.13:1-3).

And why do we live like God does in His Triune Love? Because any other way opposite to God’s outgoing Love is destructive and leads to death. Sadly, that’s what we see much of in the world today. And that’s why we are nothing if His Love does not motivate our every thought, word, and deed.

So, friends, that in a nutshell is how God Loves humans and how we become recipients and receptacle of God’s divine Love in His Son and through the fellowship of the Spirit. God’s Love is for all humanity, for Jesus said, “God so Loved the world (all mankind) that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16) I hope you too can believe and receive His Love in faith.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the writer in the space provided below, or email me on bulamanriver@gmail.com.* 

Blessing:

Until we meet again in my next post, may the blessing of the God who ceaselessly expresses Himself in His dependable Triune Love, be with you always. May the Spirit enliven you and make all things concerning you possible in 2016.

Kiang,                                                                                                                                                          (Your Servant in Christ)   

* The “Bulamanriver” is the metaphor describing the union of man with the Love of the Triune God flowing in humans, making possible the “Triune Life” – the source of the miraculous life in man. To read the many facets of life of the Bula man-river, go to my website www.bulamanriver.com where you can order a copy of my Book.

All scriptures are taken from the NIV Version 2011, unless stated otherwise

Note: Any information obtained from this website that is used for publication should be acknowledged by citing the website address, date of acquisition and information pertinent to original authorship. For general guidelines regarding web citations see The Guide for Citing Electronic Information

It is with a heavy heart that I greet you all today. The whole world has heard France cry out, “Paris est Charlie” (Paris is Charlie) after the wholesale slaughter of innocent journalists of Charlie Hebdo (French for Weekly Charlie), a weekly magazine featuring cartoons, reports, and jokes. The newspaper has attracted worldwide attention, whose depiction of Muhammad, the founder of Islam, have been cited as the reason for this heinous attack. Our profound condolences are with the families and friends of the bereaved, and the nation of France. Although respect for others is a common denominator in human relations, nothing justifies the wholesale slaughter of innocent people.

This senseless attack has galvanized the French people, abhorrent and at the same time defiant, to say nothing of fear. The Bible says that “a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God” (John 16:2). This is what makes this kinds of acts so resolute because the perpetrators believe they are dispensers of God’s judgment. So, let’s talk about this important topic of judgment today. 

The Eiffel Tower, Paris, France (Wiki Commons)

The word judgment, in the Bible, is principally used in the context of redemption, not wrath and punishment, as many presume. The word judgment in Hebrew has a different meaning in English. Jesus said, “I have come as a light into the world, that whosoever believes in Me may not remain in darkness. If any one hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world (redemption). He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings has a judge; the word that I have spoken will be his judge on the last day” (John 12:47-48 RSV, emphasis added). This tells us of a judgment which is redemptive (now/today), and the judgment at the “last day” (future). Continuing with Jesus’ discourse on the topic, He goes on to say, “For I did not speak on My own (about judgment/redemption), but the Father who sent Me to say all that I have spoken. I know that His commands leads to eternal life. So whatever I say (about judgment/redemption) is just what the Father has told me to say.” (V.49-50, emphasis added). Jesus said, “I judge no one,” and eventually gave His own life as our Savior. Judgment is essentially about eternal life God offers humanity, and is brought to reality in the choices (responsibility) we make in life in the Spirit. In other words, we become our own judge through our decisions and actions – whether for good or evil!

The Bible makes an emphatic statement, while asking a pertinent question about judgment, “There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy (God). But you – who are you to judge your neighbor?” (Jam.4:12, emphasis added). God is well and able to carry out judgment (punishment) as He sees fit. But for now, His judgment is about man’s redemption, not punishment. When James says, “Who are you to judge,” it applies to each and everyone of us, no matter which side the hammer of justice falls. What then is God’s redemptive work today? If we can see the picture of the final judgment, it will give us a clue what His redemptive work is today, because how we live our lives has everything to do with it. I will present two scenarios about judgment that’s now (redemption), and the final judgment to come when all humanity will appear before God to give account.

Jesus’ view of judgment at the last day ties man back to the purpose of judgment and redemption now. God does not leave us ignorant of the future judgment by which humans will be judged. In other words, they are connected. It means you are I have no excuse. The final judgment picture is going on now in the present redemptive focus, it goes like this, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and gave You something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite You in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see You sick or in prison and go to visit You?’ The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters, you did it for Me.’ Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For when I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help You?’ He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’ Then they will go away to eternal punishment, and the righteous to eternal life”  (Matt.25:31-46). There’s absolutely no ambiguity about the final judgment and its connection to our present reality today.

How is it that Jesus becomes the reality we see in every person we meet? Because God’s redemptive work in humanity is to owe no one anything but the “debt of Love” (Rom.13:8). Jesus’ life in the Gospels is about God’s Love for humanity. This is the divine motivation of life as God intended from the beginning when He made man in His image of Love (Gen1:26-27). Every human is made in the Love-image of the Creator, and every person is made to be a beneficiary of God’s Love. Just as we are made in his Love- image, we are to be dispensers of His Love. (Gen1:26-27; Rom.8:29; John 1:1-3) It is for the very reason that we are redeemed that we are being judged now and will in the final judgment in the future. Redemption today is about our future judgment. Peter said, “For it is time for judgment (right living/redemption) to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God” (1 Pet.4:7, ESV, emphasis added). Life’s outcome will be according to how we take responsibility for our actions. Make no mistake, we are being judged now as we take responsibility for our lives in the choices we make.

“Love of God, Love of Neighbor” (Latin) Stained Glass (Wiki Commons)

So the word judgment in its redemptive focus is more accurately rendered as ‘discernment.’ It is about decision-making. It is about how we choose to live life now in relation to the message of the Gospel. The story of the Good Samaritan depicted in the stained glass picture above comes to mind. (Luk.10:25-37) It seems the passing foible of humans today to pass judgment upon others. It is not our purpose in life to be judgmental of others, for there is only one Judge of all mankind – Jesus. (John 5:22) Jesus said, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged…Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye.” (Matt.7:1, 3) Yes, we are to apply judgment personally upon ourselves and see where we lack as it concerns living responsibly in our relationship with God and our fellowman. Paul can’t be more clear when he said, “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to Love one another” (Rom.13:8). Even when we see a wrong being perpetrated, this principle still applies – we are to correct the person in Love, not in judgment, knowing fully that we too need forgiveness daily. (Gal.5:26-6:1-2; Matt.6:12)

When we see wrongs perpetrated, it is not our role to become judge, jury, and executioner, but to remember the words of Jesus, “Love your enemies, and do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luk.6: 27-28). Now, Jesus puts an interesting twist to what He’s saying, “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. Love your enemies” (V.32-33). Jesus wants His followers to stand out and above the ordinary and commonplace, and be a light for Him in a dark world. If we seek revenge, then where is the light, we are no better than they who live in darkness. Jesus said, “By this will everyone know you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). Love is a powerful force – not love according to our human narrative, but the divine Love which God made man to be its container, and dispenser through His Spirit. God is in the business of saving people not condemning them – at least not for now. Jesus said, “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:17).

Recall, that when Jesus was taken to be crucified, His followers wanted to save and avenge Him. One of the disciples drew his sword and cut off the ear of one of the cohorts. Jesus said to His followers, “Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” Then Jesus says something in His defense, which many often forget, “Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” Jesus doesn’t need us to defend Him, rather the opposite is true – we need His defense. Angels continue to be at the disposal of believers to help them carry out the will of God on earth. If Jesus could bring Himself to utter this prayer, His prayer would have been answered. But His prayer has always been, “Not My will, but Yours, Father, be done.” Then, He gave reason why He will not pray that prayer, “But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (Matt. 26:52-54). Yes, He was ready to do the Father’s will to die on the cross as Savior for humanity’s sin. That’s God’s judgment, His redemptive act for mankind, His Love in action for all to see. Love… is more powerful than the sword. But if we choose to live by the sword, then we will perish by the sword.

But if it should become necessary to correct a situation, God says this,  “Do not take revenge. It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.” Yes, the Lord is well capable of looking after His own affairs. The last thing He wants is to give up our lives which He would like to use to glorify Him. The Psalmist said, “There is no mention of You in death; In the grave who will give You thanks?” Only the living can show others His praise.

Here is the good news about judgment as it concerns God’s people. For those who receive Jesus as Savior, judgment in terms of punishment has been annulled and cancelled forever. It is now essentially about the reward the Father has prepared for His children. Listen, what the Lord will say at the final judgment, “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master’s happiness.” (Matt.25:21, NASB; also, Rev.22:12-13) But to the one who will continue to live in rebellion, and refuse to receive God’s redemption through His Son, judgment will be about God’s wrath, “You wicked, lazy servant…throw that worthless servant outside into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (V.26, 30) Peter said, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise…not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance” (2 Pet.3:9). So, judgment is all about living responsibly practicing the Love of God in our relationship with God and others in the redemptive focus of God’s Loving work in man. (Mark 12:30-31)

For, it will be by God’s Love that we find commonality in our humanity, where such heinous acts as we have seen in Paris, has no defense or place in civilization.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to write to me in the space provided below, or email me on bulamanriver@gmail.com. 

Blessing

Until we meet again in my next post, may the blessing of the God who ceaselessly expresses Himself in His dependable Triune Love, be with you in this Christmas season of the birth of Jesus the Messiah. May the Spirit enliven you and make all things concerning you possible in Triune Living as a Bula man-river.*

Kiang,                                                                                                                                                               (Your Servant in Christ) 

* The “Bulamanriver” is the metaphor describing the union of man with the Love of the Triune God flowing in humans, making possible the “Triune Life” – the source of the miraculous life in man. To read the many facets of life of the Bula man-river, go to my website www.bulamanriver.com where you can order a copy of my Book.

All scriptures are taken from the NIV Version 2011, unless stated otherwise

Note: Any information obtained from this website that is used for publication should be acknowledged by citing the website address, date of acquisition and information pertinent to original authorship. For general guidelines regarding web citations see The Guide for Citing Electronic Information