Author Archives: Kim Reisman

Standing By by Kim Reisman

Scripture Focus:

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14 (NIV)

The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood. We saw the glory with our own eyes, the one-of-a-kind glory, like Father, like Son, Generous inside and out, true from start to finish. John 1:14 (The Message)

 

 

In the book of Acts there’s a story of the stoning of Stephen. I’ve read this story many times but the most recent time it struck me a bit differently. I love how the story begins:  “Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.” That’s a great description – full of grace and power. How amazing would it be to have someone describe you as full of grace and power! But of course, when people are full of God’s grace and power it can be threatening to those who hold worldly power, and that’s what happened with Stephen.

As he shared what he’d experienced and how it all fit together with what he believed as a faithful Jew, the Holy Spirit gave him wisdom that made it difficult for others to resist. Not surprisingly, this angered those in power, so they set him up to be arrested.

When they brought Stephen before the council, Scripture says his face became “as bright as an angel’s.” He began to tell the story of Israel and of Jesus, their long-awaited Messiah, and finally of their betrayal and murder of the Righteous One sent by God. Obviously, the high priest and council were infuriated with Stephen – so angry that they gnashed their teeth at him. But, empowered by the Holy Spirit, Stephen sees the glory of God in a vision, with Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He describes what he sees to the council, but this is the last straw. Those in power can’t take it anymore so they drag Stephen out of the city and stone him.

Here’s the part of the story that struck me a bit differently this time. While they were stoning Stephen, a young man named Saul was standing by watching. This is the same Saul who persecuted Christ followers with a zeal that would make your blood run cold. We shouldn’t be surprised that he stood by, watching and doing nothing.

And yet, this Saul is also the soon-to-be-transformed Paul, champion of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The young man who stood by watching was Paul, BCE – Before his Christ Event. That Paul could do what Paul, AD – After Damascus could never do. Paul, after Damascus, would never just stand by.

That’s the way it should be with all Christ followers. We are not BCE people. That means that if we are following in the Jesus way, we can’t just stand by, we have to enter in. That’s what the incarnation is all about. That’s what this season of Advent anticipates. God became human in Jesus. God didn’t stand by, watching, doing nothing. God became flesh and blood and entered into our world, into our communities, into our neighborhood.

If we take the incarnation seriously, if we truly believe the miracle of Christmas is that ‘the word became flesh and made his dwelling among us’ – that God really did put on skin and bones and made God’s home on earth – then we can’t stand by; we must enter in. We must enter into situations of injustice, poverty, hunger, oppression – and all of the other aspects of our world that break God’s heart.

One of the truths made known in the Incarnation is that if it’s bad news for the world, it’s bad news for God. And the God who became human in Jesus is calling us not to be Paul, BCE, but to be Paul, AD. To stop looking on from the safety of our spiritual sanctuaries or watching from behind the barricades of our ideological positions. And to enter into the lives of those around us, sharing their pain and celebrating their joy.

As you pray and fast during this Advent season, I challenge you to think about ways in which you might be standing by rather than entering in. What is happening in your world right now? How might you enter into those situations and bring the light of Jesus with you? I pray that as you anticipate the coming of Christ into our world, you would be moved to enter into the lives of others more fully and boldly so that they might see the one-of-a-kind glory of Jesus,  generous inside and out – through you.

 

The Order of the FLAME 25th Anniversary Reunion by Kim Reisman

2021 has been a milestone year for World Methodist Evangelism! We have marked the 50th anniversary of WME, the 25th anniversary of the Order of the FLAME, and the 25th anniversary of the original publication of the Faith-Sharing New Testament with the Psalms. It has indeed been a wonderful year of celebration!

Our most recent gathering in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Order of the FLAME (Faithful Leaders as Mission Evangelists) was especially meaningful. Christ Church in Memphis, Tennessee was a gracious host, and we were able to gather folks both in-person and virtually. As with all our FLAME gatherings, there was dynamic teaching and Spirit-filled preaching, along with ample time to reconnect with others in the FLAME community and visit the sites of Memphis.

The Order of the FLAME is an ethnically and culturally diverse covenant community within our global Wesleyan family that equips, nurtures, and encourages emerging pastors and their spouses in evangelism and mission. Begun in North America, there are now FLAME communities in Ireland and Africa and we are excited to be able to launch a FLAME community in Romania in October 2022.

At the first gathering of the Order of the FLAME, WME provided a copy of the newly published Faith-Sharing New Testament with the Psalms to each participant. It was appropriate then, at this 25th celebration, to launch the anniversary edition of the Faith-Sharing New Testament with the Psalms. It was an honor to be able to provide each FLAME participant – whether in-person or virtual – with a copy of this updated and expanded resource.

We are grateful for all those who made our 25th anniversary celebration so meaningful. The Foundation for Evangelism and United Theological Seminary are faithful sponsors of our FLAME gatherings, and we deeply appreciate their support. We were also blessed by the outstanding teaching and testimonies of Rev. Luiz Cardoso (UK, Methodist Church of Brazil), Rev. Dan Griswold (US, UMC), Rev. Cristian Istrate (Romania, UMC), Bishop João Carlos Lopes (Brazil, Methodist Church of Brazil), Dr. Luther Oconor (US, UMC), and Dr. Dave Smith (US, Wesleyan Church). Our preachers, Bishop Darin Moore (US, AMEZ), Dr. Luigi Peñaranda (US, Wesleyan), and Bishop Darryl Starnes (US, AMEZ) were especially powerful and Holy Spirit inspired, which was a moving experience for everyone.

The Order of the FLAME has made a significant impact over the last 25 years, instilling the DNA of evangelism in emerging leaders who have gone on to become church planters, bishops, multi-campus pastors, itinerant evangelists, and founders of parachurch organizations committed to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. We are excited to continue to build on this strong foundation by deepening and expanding the Order of the FLAME to include a greater emphasis on mentoring and ongoing cohort-based learning. Our next North American gathering will be March 14-18, 2022 at Epworth by the Sea, St. Simons Island, GA and we look forward to welcoming a newly invited class into the Order.

Leadership has never been more important that it is now. We are grateful for the opportunity to identify and cultivate emerging leaders for the global Wesleyan movement.

The Space Between the Notes by Kim Reisman

Scripture Focus:
Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at
the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was
speaking, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they had
caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. The
law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”

They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but
Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. They kept demanding an
answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, stone her. But let those who have
never sinned throw the first stones!”

John 8:1-7 (NLT)

 

Years ago I heard someone draw a parallel between the Bible and jazz. I love music so
I immediately fell in love with that metaphor. Many of the people I know who like jazz
say the coolest thing is that it’s not as much about the notes as it is about what happens
between the notes. That’s where the parallel between the Bible and jazz is so vivid. The
Bible is like jazz, because it’s not just about the verses; it’s about being in tune to what
God is saying between the verses.

The story about Jesus and the woman caught in adultery in John 8 illustrates this idea.
Jesus was teaching in the temple when the religious leaders brought a woman to him.
These folks were very aware of the verses in Scripture. But even knowing the verses,
they were not in sync with God; they did not have a sense of the jazz of God’s word.
Knowing that the law demanded that she be stoned to death, they asked Jesus what
should be done.

Jesus understood the jazz aspect of Scripture. He was in sync with God, could feel the
heart and pulse of God. He took his time in responding. The religious leaders, who were
so intent on the verse, continued to demand an answer from him. Finally, he said, “All
right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones.” (v. 7) The
crowd was stunned. What kind of answer was that! Slowly the group began to leave,
and the woman was left standing before Jesus.

But that’s not where the story ends. That’s not the “jazz” part, the part between the
verses. The jazz part occurs when Jesus says, “where are your accusers? Didn’t even
one of them condemn you?” The woman replies, “No, Lord” and then Jesus says, “Then
neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

When we read the Bible, we open ourselves to the movement of God’s Spirit, the breath
of God. We listen for God’s voice between the verses. We strive not to be people of the
verse, as the Pharisees were; but people of the breath, as Jesus was.

At a church I served there was a policy and procedure manual for the Education
ministries. It was very thorough with important policies to safeguard children who
participated in our ministries. However, as valuable as it was, in one section there was a
policy prohibiting persons who were divorced from teaching Sunday school. Granted,
divorce is a tragic event in the life of any family, wreaking havoc on adults and children
alike. It’s not a choice the church needs to advocate or endorse. And yet, in this
particular policy, more attention was paid to the “verse” than to the breath of God
between the verses. It was as if those who drafted that severe policy knew the verse but
didn’t understand the jazz – that nothing can separate us from the love of God or
exclude us from total and complete forgiveness in Jesus Christ.

Better if our policy had been to recognize that we are all fallen creatures, sinful and in
need of mercy. Better to have recognized that through repentance and grace, the Holy
Spirit works in us to enable us to “go and sin no more.” Better to have become people
who hear the jazz of Scripture, recognizing our own need for God’s forgiveness and
healing power, and then offering that same forgiveness and healing to others, and
support them as they seek to go and sin no more.

Applying God’s teaching to our daily lives can be a difficult thing. And it will be even
more difficult if we read God’s word without any connection to the movement of the Holy
Spirit. Each time we open the Bible we should be praying for illumination – that the
same Holy Spirit that moved the writer would move us as well. We will remain persons
of the verse unless we take the time necessary to hear the jazz of Scripture – God
speaking between the verses.

So many issues clamor for our attention. Moral ambiguity surrounds us more than ever.
In times like these it can be easier to be a person of the verse rather than seeking to
hear God’s voice speaking between the verses. As you pray and fast this month, my
prayer is that you would become more and more in sync with the heart and pulse of
God, not only understanding the verses in Scripture, but the jazz as well.

*Adapted from Knowing God: Making God the Main Thing in my Life, Kimberly Dunnam Reisman
(Nashville: Abindgon Press, 2003) p26-28.

God’s Self-Communication by Kim Reisman

Scripture Focus:
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us
realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is
right. It is God’s way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing
God wants us to do.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLV)

 

A significant part of any journey of prayer and fasting is the study of Scripture – the
place where we find God’s teaching. Looking at Scripture is important not simply to
locate God’s teaching so we can apply it to our lives. Exploring the Bible is important
because discovering how we feel about Scripture, its role in influencing our choices, and
the power and authority we give it over our decision-making processes will have an
impact on our ability to place God at the center of our lives.

As I have taught various Bible studies over the years, I’ve learned that an important
issue to address early on is our attention to Scripture. When do we usually attend to it?
When do we most often ignore it? A common response is that we usually attend to
Scripture when we are in need or struggling. And equally common response is that we
most often ignore it when the message to us is inconvenient or goes against our
preconceived notions or inclinations.

As Christians, we believe the Bible is God’s chosen means of self-communication. It’s
one of the ways in which God continues to reveal God’s self to us in our current
situation. Some of us do not always associate the God with whom we feel intimate with
the God we read about in the Bible. For some of us – especially for those of us who are
women – there can be a gap between the God we experience in worship or in our
devotional life and the God who inhabits our sacred stories of faith, which are frequently
dominated by male characters, male authors, and the patriarchal perspective of the
ancient world. Yet, when we come to understand Scripture as God’s self-
communication, we realize that it isn’t simply the record of God’s activity long ago, but it
is a way in which God is active now. That recognition opens us to the reality that God’s
voice surpasses not only all ancient perspectives, but our own 21 st century perspectives
as well. Rather than viewing the God of Scripture as captured somehow in the pages of
an antiquated book, we will become aware of the variety of ways in which God desires
to speak to us – through Scripture, worship, and prayer.

In our current age there is a great temptation to see Scripture as constraining rather
than life-giving. It’s as though we believe God is trying to hog-tie us with this complex
and sometimes confusing jumble of teachings. If we’re disposed to view the Bible in this
way, our path toward placing God at the center of our lives will be much more difficult,
filled with roadblocks of rationalization and self-justification when God’s Word doesn’t
easily fit into our existing worldview.

The metaphor of the hedge fence is helpful in freeing us from a “hog-tying” sense of
Scripture. Many centuries ago, the hedge fence grew on each side of the king’s
highway. It was placed there not to stop travelers but to keep them safely on the path.
Anyone could jump the hedge to take a shortcut, but they did so at their own risk.
Leaving the highway meant traveling through open country where there were no maps
and many unforeseen dangers.

The Bible provides a hedge as we travel on the spiritual highway. There are many
places where the hedge is distinct – the Ten Commandments for example. Jumping the
hedge is always a possibility; but then we will be on our own in open country. There will
be few maps and many risks. Unfortunately, there are also places where we can’t
always discern the hedge, places where it is sparse and indistinct. It isn’t always easy to
apply biblical teaching to our current world situation. That moral ambiguity, however,
should not be an excuse to jump over clearly marked and well-defined hedges. As
Christians we affirm that moral principles do exist, principles that are always right and
that breaking them is always wrong.

Rather than constraining us, Scripture provides a hedge to protect us as we journey,
providing us with a safe arena in which to face the moral ambiguities that are an
unavoidable part of living. Respect for God is the beginning of wisdom. When we move
to an understanding of Scripture as God’s means of self-communication with us for our
benefit, we will be more committed to connecting all of Scripture to our daily lives rather
than just the parts that are convenient, or that fit into our current mode of thinking.

As you pray and fast this month, I encourage you to reflect on how you feel about
Scripture, how it influences your choices, the power and authority you give it over your
decision-making processes. I pray that the life-giving power of God’s Word would be
revealed to you and that you will experience God actively speaking to you in this very
moment and for your benefit.

~ God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course.
Psalm 119:33 (The Message)

Remembering the Rev. Dr. H. Eddie Fox

A Force for Methodist Evangelism
Foundation For Evangelism – July 29, 2021

LAKE JUNALUSKA, N.C. – The Foundation for Evangelism joins Methodists from around the world who mourn the loss of the evangelist, The Rev. Dr. H. Eddie Fox, who passed away on July 28, 2021, in Sevierville, Tenn. Known across the globe in Wesleyan circles as a dynamic evangelist, Eddie inspired thousands of Christian leaders to share the Gospel story so that the world might know Jesus Christ.

“As a trustee for The Foundation for Evangelism, I join my family in requesting that gifts of love and remembrance in celebration of my dad’s life be made to the Rev. Dr. H. Eddie and Mary Nell Fox Endowment for Evangelism at The Foundation for Evangelism. My dad and I worked together to start this endowment to continue his mission and life’s work ‘that the world may know Jesus Christ,’” Eddie’s daughter, Gaye Nell Heck, shares.

Rev. Allen Black, Board Chair, states, “The Foundation for Evangelism extends its deepest condolences to Eddie’s wife and ministry partner, Mary Nell Fox, his children Tom, Tim, and Gaye Nell Fox Heck, and grandchildren. Eddie has been a mentor and inspiration to my ministry. It is indeed an honor to serve this organization chosen by the Fox family to preserve the legacy of this evangelistic, Wesleyan leader.”

To make a memorial donation or learn more about the Fox Endowment, contact W. Scott Rawles, Vice President of Development, at +1 (404) 398-4884 or wsrawles@foundationforevangelism.org

 

Centered on Christ by Kim Reisman

Scripture Focus:

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvelous love.” Ephesians 3:16-17

 

An important part of the journey of discipleship is discovering who we are as unique persons created by God. Understanding who we really are enables us to better discern our true center in Christ. Our scripture focus this month is Ephesians 3:16-17. In this passage Paul is assuming that as we receive inner strength through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will gain a better sense of self and recognize God’s claim on us as children of God.

Discovering who we are as unique persons created by God does not happen without effort. It requires self-examination. Self-examination is the practice of looking inward, the process of exploring our interior life – the matters of the heart. It is the tool for assessing the strength of our faith and the ways in which we may need to adjust or change directions as we seek to follow Jesus. This discipline is crucial to spiritual maturity, yet we are not always inclined toward the effort involved. That’s because often, it’s easier to focus on the various roles we play rather than on our interior selves.

We all play several roles even over the course of a day. For example, we may be wives or husbands, mothers or fathers, students, employees, daughters, sons, bosses – or more. Devoting ourselves to these roles requires little self-exploration. Our various societies have mapped out numerous expectations for a wide variety of roles. These expectations are fairly well known, so we can follow the basic script without much introspection.

The process of understanding who we are as unique individuals created by God, on the other hand, takes a great deal more effort. And yet, it is an important part of the Christian life. Without an understanding of who we are, it becomes difficult to understand the ways in which God desires to work within us.

Scripture points to the need for regular self-examination. Look at 1 Corinthians 11:23-34. Under Paul’s instructions, the Corinthians had begun sharing Holy Communion together regularly. However, as time passed, some began rushing through this rite without waiting to share it with others. Paul had to remind them that their hearts needed to be in the right place when they participated in the holy meal together. The Lords’ Supper is something to be shared with reverence, not something to be rushed. Self-examination is a significant part of this so Paul encourages the Corinthians – and us – to look inward, to engage in honest self-reflection before taking the break and cup.

Self-examination helps us to keep ourselves focused on Christ. As we look inward, reflecting on our lives and our inner spirit, we can discover the directions and choices that best for us. We can turn back toward God when we need to, as well as move forward in response to the Holy Spirit’s leading.

In contrast, the unfortunate result of allowing our societies to dictate our life script is that the roles provided often pigeonhole us. They bind us to the expectations others have of the roles we have taken on. They encourage an external rather than an internal focus and block us from understanding ourselves. That, in turn makes it difficult to lives and the Christ-centered followers God would have us to be.

So self-examination – discovering who God created us to be – is an indispensable part of following Jesus. And yet, it can be challenging. We can fear what we might discover about ourselves if we were to look too closely. We can worry that if we were truly known, we would not be loved. It is not always easy to grasp the possibility that people and God might love us simply because we are the persons we are – not because of the roles we play in life – what we are able to do or accomplish.

But the good news of Jesus Christ is that there is NOTHING that can separate us from God’s love – not even our own self-understanding. Look at Romans 8:38-39 to remind yourself of that truth. We don’t need to be afraid of what we will find as we look within ourselves, because God has already promised to be with us on that journey.

As you fast and pray during the coming weeks, I challenge you to use Jeremiah 31:3 to center yourself on God’s love for you. Commit it to memory and repeat it daily, as though God is speaking directly to you.

Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.”

Saints Alive! A Conversation with Maxie Dunnam

 by Wesleyan Accent

This summer, Dr. Maxie Dunnam released a new devotional resource he developed while at home during the initial wave of coronavirus shutdowns. Saints Alive! 30 Days of Pilgrimage with the Saints is a rich, month-long set of readings; daily reflections aren’t just inspired by those who have come before; they have the tone of being in dialogue with these spiritual giants. Dunnam brings his own insights into conversation with names both familiar and unfamiliar: writers like William Law, Thomas à Kempis, Francis de Sales, Evelyn Underhill, John Wesley, and Bernard of Clairvaux. Decades ago, Upper Room Ministries published a collection of small booklets under the title Living Selections from the Great Devotional Classics – what Dunnam continues to refer to as his “box of saints,” a set of writings that has shaped his spiritual life over the years.

What becomes abundantly clear throughout this book is the ongoing need for timeless insight when the present feels urgent. The more pressing current events become, the more pressing the need to drill down into the very core of the gathered wisdom of the saints of the Church. When a plague surges and wildfires burn and levees do not hold, we need the voices of Christians who knew plague and burning and flood. What feels like uncharted territory for many leaders is not wholly uncharted in the life of the Church. Thankfully, as the rhythm of life together was profoundly disrupted, Dunnam reached for those who know how to sink into life in Christ, however near calamity strikes.

Recently, Maxie answered a few questions about his “box of saints” and the timeliness of their wisdom today.

Wesleyan Accent: In the introduction, you describe having what you think of as your “box of saints” – a set of booklets featuring spiritual writings from Christians across centuries. What do you think it is that makes their insight so enduring, across time and continents and language?

Maxie Dunnam: First of all, the issues they dealt with. They took our daily life seriously and dealt with everyday issues that are common to us: pride, envy, jealousy, selfishness, loneliness, relationships, illness, death and on and on. They also dealt with the issues that trouble us if we are serious about living the faith: the necessity of discipline, worship, prayer, a meaningful devotional life, silence, living with Scripture, mutual faith sharing, companionship, confession.

WA: You invite readers to spend thirty days on soul pilgrimage with you as you engage with these profound Christian voices. During periods of crisis like we’ve experienced the past couple of years, you turn toward the “communion of saints,” the Body of Christ across time. How can remembering our fellowship in this wide span of the Church help give perspective in the middle of pandemic, wildfires, injustice, war, and hurricanes?

MD: The big dynamic is the communion of saints. I experience a wonderful mystery when I sit and reflect with these persons. I may or may not know the circumstances of their lives, but their thoughts and words give me a kind of oneness with them. The fact that others have valued their thoughts and words enough to preserve them through the centuries tells me that I need to pay attention to what they have to say. Our needs, suffering, questions, and problems make us one in our humanity; our faith makes us one in hope and Kingdom certainty.

WA: I was surprised to encounter a few writers I’d barely heard of, if at all. Sometimes the scope of spiritual insight from those who came before us around the world is just mind-boggling. Of those you interact with in these daily devotionals, is there one you most wish you could sit and talk with for an afternoon? (in addition to John Wesley, of course!)

MD: I would like to spend an afternoon with Saint Francis and Bonhoeffer. I am so unlike both. They both came from wealth and material privilege, which is foreign to me. Francis gave up his wealth, but Bonhoeffer never did. I’d like to talk about that. Both were passionate in their expression of the Gospel; I feel I am likewise. It would great, leading them to share with each other about how and why their passion was expressed. If I had to choose a time alone with one or the other, I would choose Francis, to talk about how I can be in but not of the world.

Saints Alive! 30 Days of Pilgrimage with the Saints works well both for personal use as well as small group or band reading discussion. It is available in both print and Kindle format by clicking here.

Featured image courtesy Alex Gindin via Unsplash.

Kingdom People by Kim Reisman

Scripture Focus:

God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. Matthew 5:3-12 (NLT) 

 

Some of my favorite teachings of Jesus are in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12). I especially like how the New Living Translation puts it in English because it captures the present tense nature of Jesus’ words. God blesses. Right now, God blesses. I hope translations to other languages capture this “is-ness” as well. It’s important, because Jesus isn’t talking about what might be, or could be. He is talking about what IS. Right now, we can share with God in joy, sharing the very blessedness that fills God’s heart. This isn’t something that will happen in the future. It is the present reality of God’s blessing – right now.

These blessings are quite a surprise when we consider what the world tells us. The world would have us believe that righteous, merciful ways of living are weak or that mourning leads to unhappiness. In contrast, Jesus proclaims that meekness, humility, and persecution are sources of spiritual giftedness rather than unhappiness or misery. That is the surprise of the Beatitudes – what appears to be a source of unhappiness, turns out to be a source of joy and blessedness. 

It’s easy to miss the depth of what Jesus is saying because we frequently tie our happiness or unhappiness to things that happen to us. But the blessing and joy he promises, have no rival. They are completely untouchable by the world. Jesus is saying that blessing and joy look different from God’s perspective. 

Grasping this idea is important because God’s Kingdom is all about blessing and joy, and

the Beatitudes are concrete expressions of the nature of Kingdom life. Since as Christ followers we are Kingdom people, we need to understand what it means to live that way.

The Latin American Jesuit theologian Jon Sobrino described spirituality as a profound motivation. He said it’s about instincts, intuitions, longings, and desires that move, inspire, and shape us. They inform and fill our decisions and actions. Our spirituality, then, is whatever we desire most. Whatever we strive for, whatever motivates us, drives us, moves us to select one thing over another; whatever primary shaping forces are in our life, that’s our spirituality.

Kingdom people have a particular type of spirituality shaped by seeking and finding God’s presence in our lives. This spirituality compels us to do whatever is necessary to put God at the very center of our lives, and to put ourselves at the very center of God’s will. When we do that, we experience deep, abiding, life-changing, life-marking joy – not because we’ve earned it or achieved it, but because it already exists. God’s blessedness is already there, and we experience it when we seek God’s kingdom and live as Kingdom people.

Kingdom people come in all shapes and sizes, but the Beatitudes give us a good idea about some of the things they have in common. Kingdom people seek to live their lives in sync with God. They’re poor in spirit, recognizing their intense need for God. They understand that they are not self-sufficient so they put their whole trust in God.

Kingdom people experience mourning, yet they are also blessed with Christ’s healing comfort and peace. They understand that the deeper the love, the deeper the loss. And yet, they also recognize that Jesus showed the deepest love of all in offering himself up for them.

Kingdom people hunger and thirst for justice and righteousness, working for the full realization of God’s kingdom in the world. They are merciful, extending forgiveness to others because they know forgiveness is crucial to God’s justice, and because they’re always aware of how much they’ve been forgiven.

Kingdom people know that true children of God are peacemakers. They act as radical agents of love, which requires courage in a world whose foundation is force. When they are persecuted, Kingdom people continue to have hope, receiving God’s blessing, which provides them comfort in the midst of suffering. They understand that their lives are lived in God’s hand. They understand that God ultimately has won the victory, and they will share in God’s reward. Not all Kingdom people experience persecution, but they all align themselves with those who do. They align themselves with those who suffer as well, and they work to alleviate that suffering and end that persecution. 

Kingdom people are humble. They are mindful that when God’s kingdom comes in its fullness, those who have humbled themselves will be honored and those who have honored themselves in the kingdom of this world will be humbled. 

As you pray and fast this month, I challenge you to look at your present life from the perspective of the future of God’s kingdom. In doing so, I pray that you will experience God’s blessing right now; that joy will be yours – even when you suffer; especially when you struggle for justice; particularly when you are merciful, gentle, lowly, and humble.

Joy can indeed be ours when we place Christ at the center of our hearts and live as Kingdom people. It is then that we experience the deep and everlasting blessing that the world can never give nor take away.

Little Pentecosts by Kim Reisman

Scripture focus:

The person who trusts me will not only do what I’m doing but even greater things. . . . You can count on it.
 John 14:12 (The Message) 

I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need.
Philippians 4:13 (NLT) 

 

One of Jesus’ most amazing promises is that, if we trust him, we will have the power to do even greater things than he did. Scripture attests to the validity of Jesus’ promise. While crowds of people followed Jesus during his earthly ministry in Judea, the spirit of Jesus worked through the disciples to give birth to a body of believers that has been growing ever since as the fire of the Holy Spirit spread to the ends of the earth.

We just celebrated Pentecost – the moment the Holy Spirit transformed the followers of Jesus from a rag tag group gathered behind closed doors to bold and courageous messengers of the gospel who left to tell the world what that had seen and experienced. It’s an amazing event to celebrate, but Pentecost often comes and goes as though it was an isolated, one-time occurrence. What we tend to forget is that the Holy Spirit has been responsible for a myriad of little Pentecosts ever since.

Recently I shared about a pivotal event in my own life that occurred in 1996 when I had been in ministry only a short while. You can read about it here. It was a powerful experience of the Holy Spirit in a moment when I was very much like the disciples – not sure of what the future held, not sure what God was up to, not sure if I had the ability to do whatever it was that God was planning.

And yet, in the midst of that uncertainty, I experienced a little Pentecost. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, I heard the voice of Jesus within me, saying, “Yes, Kim. You are ill-equipped; you don’t have all the ability. But none of that matters. You will do what you are able, and I will do the rest. I am your source of power and strength. It is not you who is working; it is me working through you. Trust me.”

God moments; “little Pentecosts.” From that time on, everything changes – who we are, how we live. These aren’t events that exist only in the stories of our faith. They happen every day to believers all over the world, and following the Jesus way requires that we be open to those life-changing, faith-shaping little Pentecosts. 

That open outlook is significant. It’s also difficult. Because often our outlook is hemmed in by common sense, or limited by the restraints and constraints of society, or clouded by our own view of ourselves.

But we follow an awesome God! A God who can do great things, even with limited resources. This means that following Jesus isn’t about what we can imagine about ourselves. It is about what God imagines about us. When we imagine ourselves, our response to the things God sets before us is often: That’s impossible! I’m not smart enough! I’ve been divorced! I’m in recovery! I’m this. . . . I’m that. . . . I’m not this. . . . I’m not that! But God says that none of that matters. None of that matters because following Jesus isn’t about what we can do for God. Following Jesus is about what God is going to do through us. 

Do you remember what Moses said when God appeared to him in the burning bush? “Who am I to appear before Pharaoh?” (Exodus 3:11, NLT) But God says – it’s not about what you can imagine about yourself Moses. It’s what I imagine about you. God says – it’s not about what you can do for me Moses; it’s what I am going to do through you.

That revelation was at the heart of Moses’ burning-bush experience, and it was at the heart of my “little Pentecost” at the conference. I was transformed when I realized that it wasn’t what I was going to do for God, but what God was going to do through me. 

Luke tells about Jesus healing a man who had been possessed by legions of demons (Luke 8:26-39). Free from that bondage, the man begged to be able to leave his home, follow Jesus, and be part of the amazing things Jesus was going to do. But Jesus said no, “Go back to your family and tell them all the wonderful things God has done for you” (Luke 8:39, NLT). 

God is moving in our world through the power of God’s Holy Spirit. And God wants you to join in that movement. There are people who need to know about the love of Jesus and some of them will only be able to discover his love and grace through you. That is why God wants you to return home, like the man whom Jesus healed. Following Jesus is about going back to our jobs and our homes—back to our ordinary lives—and telling others about the great things God has done for us, then living in ways that show others the great things God has done for us. We may not have it all together; we may have pain or shame. But it’s not how we imagine ourselves, it’s how God imagines us.

As you pray and fast this coming month, I pray you’ll understand that it’s not what we can do for God it’s what God wants to do through us.

Holding in Readiness by Kim Reisman

There’s a readiness exercise in tennis where players face the coach and run in place on the balls of their feet. They watch for the coach’s signal to move either to the left or to the right, forward or back. Until the coach gives the sign, the athletes hold in readiness. The ability to hold yourself in readiness is essential in tennis. There’s a big difference between being on the balls of your feet and sitting back on your heels – it can mean the difference between points won or lost.

Holding yourself in readiness is a crucial part of playing tennis, and it’s a crucial part of following Jesus. We all need a heart that holds itself in readiness. A church volunteer I encountered recently described himself as ‘that donkey tied to a tree in Jerusalem, just waiting for Lord to have need of him.’ That guy gets it. He knows how to hold himself in readiness.

That’s what the first followers of Jesus were doing when the Holy Spirit showed up on Pentecost. They were holding themselves in readiness. Jesus had appeared to many of them in the 40 days since the crucifixion. They were confident he was alive. When he would appear, he would even continue to teach them about the Kingdom of God. And toward the end of this time, Jesus made some major promises. But then he had left them, disappearing into the sky.

So, after all they had experienced, these faithful people were left to wait.

The good news is they weren’t sitting back on their heels while they waited. They were holding their hearts in readiness. They met together for prayer and to study the Scriptures. They realized that they needed to replace Judas, recognizing that whoever was chosen would join them as a witness of Jesus’ resurrection. (Acts 1.22)

They knew something was up. They didn’t know exactly what, but they knew that Jesus had promised to send his Holy Spirit, so they needed to be ready.

Thank goodness they were because on that Pentecost day, while they were meeting together – holding themselves in readiness – the Holy Spirit burst on the scene with the sound of a roaring windstorm and flaming tongues of fire.

Holding yourself in readiness is all about focus. You can’t be facing inward and be ready. You’ve got to be facing outward. You can’t be worried about your own desires and preferences and be ready. You’ve got to be concerned with what’s going on beyond yourself.

The first followers of Jesus could have looked inward. They could have thanked God for the blessing of encountering the risen Christ, savoring those experiences and tucking them into the privacy of their hearts. They could have just gone back to the comfort of their lives, trusting that someday Jesus would return just as the two white-robed men who appeared to them after Jesus had ascended promised he would.

But they didn’t. They held themselves in readiness. Facing outward. Preparing for the time when they would be called upon to tell their story to others. And anticipating that God would dwell within them, giving them the power they needed to become his witnesses.

The ability to hold yourself in readiness. Important in tennis. Crucial in following Jesus.

Are you holding yourself in readiness? Are you facing outward, anticipating a time when someone may need to hear the story that only you can tell?

As we approach the celebration of Pentecost, I pray you will hold yourself in readiness. Up on the balls of your feet. Ready to be the witness God calls each of us to be.