“For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest . . .”
~ Hebrews 4:10-11
This blog post has been revised and turned into a chapter in The Rethinking Series.
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I Don’t Know
Just done listening to the podcast it’s a mind-blowing teaching. I thank The Lord for your life, for your generosity and for allowing me to find your blog online
This is something God brought home to me after I had given up myself through the old book, The Key to Triumphant Christian Living by Jack Taylor. This book is based on Colossians 1:27, “…Christ IN you, the hope of glory.” It is my surrender God wants, not my struggles, to let Him live through me, not me trying to imitate Him. Awesome blog, even more awesome message…thanks, Frank!
i agree wholeheartedly.i have tried for soooooooooo long 2 b a good christian that pleases GOD. Over 20 years i’ve tried!Your words are refreshing they have given me a renewed purpose in life.It must be HIM because i have proven that i can’t do it alone. Thanks 4 reminding me.We are all failures without HIM (JESUS)That’s why HE came 2 prove it to us.
No wonder Jesus said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.” When a person finally realizes the mystery of Colossians which says that it is Christ in you, your hope of glory, the lights begin to go on and praises begin to flow.
I may listen to that message once I can secure an interpreter for it. Maybe a transcript or something similar for those of us who can’t hear well? Just a suggestion, brother!
I love this post, though! I love #3 in your reasons. Jesus lived by his father’s indwelling life and that’s the life I want to live.
No worries. A book will come out next year based on the transcripts. So you’re good. 😉
Great stuff and so glad to know someone else is in the same place too.
Dallas Willard is famous for saying, “Grace is not opposed to effort, but to earning. Earning is an attitude, effort is action. Without effort, we would be nowhere.” That makes sense to me. What is hard to synthesize and articulate is: how do we expend effort / strive (a word Paul used in a positive way) / and “work out our salvation” (again, a phrase used by Paul), while simultaneously “entering into God’s rest, and resting in our labors” (as per Hebrews 4)?
I agree with Willard, however, going deeper than that statement is the question of “what is the SOURCE of the effort?” That’s the real issue. The source of the labor. Is it our life or Christ’s life? Paul strove in the energy of Jesus Christ, not his own – Galatians 2:20.
I really enjoyed this post, Frank. It really is a comfort as I continue others who have (as I have often said myself…thinking myself so amusing and original…HA!) “given up for Lent” the effort to live the Christian life. I finally came to the place where I had to believe that God is far more honored when I use my ATP differently…for the Spirit guide me to love Him and enjoy Him. Trying to live the Christian life sucked everything of value out of my instinctual over-achiever’s heart, and turned me into a depressed soul with nothing that resembled healthy confidence. I was utterly exhausted, entirely dissatisfied, and mired in self-loathing…no use to God or anyone. Can’t say that I’ve figured it all out now, but I’m certainly far more liberated and in love with Jesus than I was. I’ll take it!
We would appreciate if someone would transcript “Living by the Spirit” for the benefits of people who don’t have an ability to hear.
Where can I get the rest of the messages shared in the Toledo, Ohio conference, especially what was shared on Sunday?
Read the comments as I’ve answered this already. Sunday wasn’t recorded. I’d also encourage you to read these two pages carefully as they will prove educational for you: http://www.ptmin.org/top100 & http://www.ptmin.org/academic – by contrast, some people never give their sources when they speak or write and thus people mistakenly think that everything they say is original with them.
I will definitely give this a listen as soon as I can. I’m so glad you recommended me to your page, Frank. So blessed to find people who are asking the same questions I’ve been wondering for so long and finding the answers in His Word! Jesus is enough.
You just referenced Toonces the Driving Cat. hahahaha. No way.
hi frank–wonderfull message–whenever i read something good on the internet i print it and i did this one then i read it and write notes and here are my notes–i stop with my attempts-i cannot live the christian life he must live it in and thru me just like god lived the god life thru jesus-i do not live the christian life-im dead-now christ lives the christian life out of me-igive up-you do the livin lord–the christian life–its impossible for me and himpossible for god when i get out of the way.
I agree completely. I find the more we focus on behavior, the worse it gets.
I encourage God’s people to experience his love and to find the true identity he gives them. It is through this foundation that obedience becomes something we want to do, and so we seek after the Spirit to enable us.
It then becomes a joy to align our lives with Christ’s life.
Thanks for your valuable words.
FRANK!!! Post + audio = MY MIND BLOWN. I don’t even have words to express everything running through heart, mind, and spirit right now. The good news is that *spirit* definitely resonates (not just mind!)!
Two things stick with me in particular: One, these aren’t just abstract concepts, Good and Sin. This is the pure, glorious lifeform of Christ and the corrupt-angelic lifeform of satan. The lifeform of satan quashes my every attempt to “do good.” No wonder I can’t fight it. BUT the lifeform GOOD lives in me and seeks to live what I cannot. What a relief.
What a Christ!
The other thing that sticks with me is a reaffirmation that none of this happens individually; it happens corporately. I’m only at the very beginning of comprehension of what that means…but the small peeks I’ve had at this truth have so far been glorious. I can’t wait for more!
I’ve shared this post on Facebook — and this time, I remembered to use the “share” button. ; )
I’m in my 20s. A friend turned me on to this this morning. Wow! It blew me away. My friends and I don’t hear this. We only hear “Do this, don’t do that, and try really hard at it.” What you said really spoke to me. Thank you.
Dear Frank, I just finished listening to your message ‘Living by the Spirit’ and it is a beautiful TRUTH! Knowing there is No Condemnation to those IN Christ Jesus is what the Lord had shown me over the past few years and I became so free. It is so true. I was in so much bondage to the point of despair. When I realized how much the Lord loves me and I began to experience that LOVE is when my whole life began to change. As I write these words even today I am so moved by all that Christ has done for us and my heart aches for those that are like I used to be. It was awful.
I am still learning and experiencing more with the group of saints here in RI. As I stated in the above post just this past week the Lord started opening up to us who gather together in Him Gal. 2:20 and Romans. How wonderful that you shared this post today. My heart is filled with gratitude and awe.
Please tell me how we can hear the rest of this beautiful message that you and brother Milt shared. How I long to hear the rest of that message. Thank you again.
Lisa A Brown
Thanks for your kind words. Go the CHRIST IS ALL podcast and you’ll hear another talk on Romans 8 from that conference that I delivered: http://www.ptmin.org/audio-mp3s (the podcast is on iTunes also). Those two messages are all that’s online from that particular conference. But there are many other talks on the same podcast from other conferences.
Oh thank you so much! Last Friday I ordered all 3 Threshold Conference mp3s on CD’s from your website. I am so excited and cannot wait to hear them. Thank you again.
LB
This message and many before it have been a continual blessing and encouragement.
Great post… I have seen these same 5 things in my life too… and oh what a wild roller coaster ride it’s been since then.
New to your blog. 32 years old, been a Christian since I was a child. Your message was awesome. Are you speaking at any conferences this year? Glad you have more on the podcast.
It wasn’t until I realized the need to lay down #1 that I could even be open to #2-5. I’m very thankful that your ministry led me down this direction and opened me to the Spirit in new ways. It has changed so much for me.
Paul has a such am amazing way of using therefores, howevers, and buts. Too many times we get stuck living before these paradigm shifting phrases. Romans 8:1-2 is one of the biggest. I reached the point of moving past Romans 7 recently myself. Looking forward to the download finishing so I can listen to your message. In Ir*q… so it says I have another 30 minutes. Bringing Beyond Evangelical to Kurdi$tan. :o)
A needed word in the reality of this day.
Just listened to it. I’m 27 and part of the new Reformed movement. I’ve NEVER heard anything like this. Amazing!
Frank, this is why I love you, why I subscribe to your blog and pass your words along. Yes. Thank you for hammering this in again and again.
Dear Frank_ I am so thrilled about today’s post! Over the past few years I have been realizing that I can’t do anything on my own without the Lord and just this past week when the group of saints gathered together Gal. 2:20 was the theme we gleaned upon. My daughter and I have read and reread ‘The Normal Christian Life’ and just this past week I had finally realized why Paul said he lived by the faith of the Son of God. It was so wonderful how I finally understood how and why Paul was able to say that. Of course it was because he lived by the indwelling Spirit within. How excited I became and still am. We also focused on reckoning ourselves dead… I believe we will experience more revelation about Truth as time goes on. I just know I am so much more at rest_ in rest than I ever was before. I can’t wait to listen to your message and I am going to let every saint in the gathering know about this message. God is so faithful and so amazing. You have no idea how timely this post and your message is. Thank You_ Lisa A Brown
Thanx for the audio-file. I’m curious to hear that.
This reminds me of the statement Watchman Nee makes in The Normal Christian Life. He said “I cannot please God so I’m going to stop trying.” That statement shook my world and has become one of the biggest things I’ve had pounded into my head and spirit from my own study and other close friends. When you think about it, this is really one of the most foundational facts of the Christian life. It’s sad that it’s just not very commonly known, at least not subjectively known. Thanks for sharing!
I was just about to comment about “the Normal Christian Life.” I’m currently going through that book, as well, and it is so crazy how often we overlook what Paul is really talking about in Romans 6-8; we WALK by the Spirit, not work into it. It’s a natural occurrence when we truly let God do what He is desiring to do.
It’s such a relief to just stop and relax in Jesus! I’m there too.