Christ in You / You in Christ, Part 4: The Presence of God

The Lord God made an astounding promise to Moses in Exodus 33:
"Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, "I know you by name and you have found favor with me.” If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people." The Lord replied, "My

Christ In You / You in Christ, Part 3: The Holy Spirit

The last two weeks I’ve reminded us both what God says is true about us as his beloved and included children, and that we participate (or not, sometimes) in that reality by our perspective of how we understand that we are ‘in union with Christ’ or ‘in Christ’ and

Chosen from the Womb?

Several servants of God in the Bible are described as being known or chosen "from the womb" including Jeremiah (1:5), David (Psa. 139) and Paul (Gal. 1:5). I used to wonder if God had chosen me in the same way, due to certain circumstances and my own desire to be included. But my thoughts were too narrow and too self-centered. I wanted to be chosen. I didn't realize that through Christ, all of us are chosen; and through the omniscience of the Almighty, he knows every single one of us from the womb and has loved us, in all our junk, all those years, gently and patiently waking us from our slumber and bringing us to know him. 

You.Are.Chosen. You.Are.Precious.  Because God.Is.Love. 

Reflections on Love from Galatians

Some reflections on love, after Valentine’s Day: (previously posted on www.facebook.com/lgcfarvada)

Paul writes to us in Galatians about the love of God, contrasting that love, along with grace, with the law that someone had been preaching to them, which was going to “enslave” them, 2:4. Paul says that God’s love is given to us freely through Christ, 2:20, “who loved me and gave himself for me.”

When he gets to the application portion of his letter, he writes in 5:13 - “through love perform the duties of a slave

Christ in You / You in Christ, Part 2

Last week I wrote that we already exist with God in a relationship of love and grace through the incarnation (coming to us and taking on our flesh) of Jesus as our Savior. That’s a fact, but our perspective matters: for example, I’ve noticed when I go to the beach, the ocean

Christ in You / You in Christ, Part 1

Years ago, a friend asked me, partly in jest, “Am I in Christ, or is Christ in me?” I responded, “Yes!” because both are true. Many days, though, I toddle on thinking that I’m on my own to solve this problem or that question, and if I try hard enough or