The Performance Gospel

Galatians 5:1-4
1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. 2 Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. 3 For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

In Galatians 5:1 "Stand fast" is an expression of the Greek word "STEKO." STEKO means "to stand firm...persevere...to hold one's ground" (Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon). Just as countries must persevere to maintain freedom and protection of their rights, so also must we stand fast in protecting our spiritual freedom.

Paul's admonition to "stand fast" also reveals that our freedom in Christ doesn't function automatically. We have a part to play. Our adversary, the devil, is always seeking whom he may devour (1Pe 5:8). Legalism is one of his greatest weapons, and we must resist every attempt he makes to draw us back into self-effort (1Pe 5:9).

When you see the word "therefore," you need to stop and think what that word is there for. The word links what Paul was saying here with what he said in the previous verses.

Paul had just compared being under the Law to being a descendant of the slave woman, Hagar, and therefore not an heir of the promises of God ( Ga 4:22). Therefore, since none of us want to be cast out from the inheritance of God, we need to steadfastly defend our liberty that we have received through faith in Christ.

The word "liberty" means "1.a. The condition of being free from restriction or control. b. The right and power to act, believe, or express oneself in a manner of one's own choosing. c. The condition of being physically and legally free from confinement, servitude, or forced labor" (American Heritage Dictionary). The liberty that Paul was speaking of is specifically the freedom from the oppression of the Old Testament Law ( Ro 3:19).

Of course, Paul was not out of control. He was controlled by his love for the Lord instead of his fear of punishment for breaking the O.T. Law. Paul made it clear in Ga 5:13-15 that this liberty is not freedom to sin but freedom from sin. If we use our freedom in Christ to indulge our sinful passions, we will pay a price ( Ga 5:15).

The word "entangled" in Greek carries the idea of being "ensnared or held in a net" (Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament). The bondage that had ensnared the Galatians was the Law's demands in which they were trying to find God's favor or acceptance through performance.

God paid the ultimate price for our liberty. Freedom from self-justification through the Law was purchased by Christ upon the cross. We must never let anything or anyone bring us back into bondage again.

The context makes it very clear that this "yoke of bondage" that Paul was speaking of is the Old Testament Law. This is a strong statement and leaves no doubt that the Law was not for the purpose of liberty but bondage ( Ro 3:19 and Ro 7:11). Contrast the Law's "yoke of bondage" with what Christ said in Mt 11:29-30: "Take my yoke upon you...For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Mt 11:29).

In Galatians 5:2 Paul was circumcised himself (Php 3:5), so what was he saying? Paul was referring to trusting in some external action to produce justification with God instead of just faith in Christ. The false teachers in Galatia had taught that circumcision (Ac 15:1) and the keeping of the Old Testament Law were necessary for salvation.

It doesn't matter if it is circumcision, water baptism, holiness, or any other religious act; trust in anything except Christ voids the saving effects of Christ in our lives (Ga 2:21).

A simple way to detect what our faith is in is to imagine ourselves standing before God, giving a reason that we should be allowed into heaven. If we pointed out our church attendance, giving receipts, acts of holiness, or anything else, then that is what our faith is in. Those of us who would do that are no different than Muslims or Buddhists. We would be trusting in our own efforts to produce salvation.

The proper response would be to say, "The only thing that makes me worthy to enter heaven is what Jesus did for me. My total faith and trust is in Jesus." It's not Jesus plus anything (Ro 11:6). Faith alone saves (Joh 3:3).

The phrase "Christ shall profit you nothing" is another way of saying that if people turn to self-effort for salvation, then they cannot benefit in any way from what Christ has done for them. The only way to appropriate what Jesus did for man is by faith.

It is possible to put total faith in Jesus concerning our eternal salvation and yet turn back to the deception that God will only bless us in this life proportionally to our performance. That is not true and will keep us from experiencing the abundant life Jesus purchased for us (Joh 10:10).

In Galatians 5:3 Paul was circumcised (Php 3:5), so he was not saying that circumcision prevents people from being saved. He was saying that people can't trust in any outward acts of holiness on their part to save them. Their faith has to be in Christ alone.

This passage is saying the same thing as Jas 2:10. Those who commit to obeying any part of the Law for justification obligate themselves to keeping all of the Law (Ga 3:10).

In Galatians 5:4 the phrase "is become of no effect unto you" was rendered from the Greek words "APO" and "KATARGEO." KATARGEO means "to be (render) entirely idle (useless), literally or figuratively" (Strong's Concordance). Regarding the Greek word APO, Strong's Concordance says, "In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc."

What effect is Christ having in your life? If you feel separated from what Christ has done for you, then the cause is probably what Paul was speaking about here. You have turned from grace and are trying to earn God's favor. That stops God's power and makes all that Jesus provided of no effect in your life. The antidote is to get back into the grace of God by putting faith in what Jesus did for you and not in what you are doing for Him (Ro 5:1-2).

Here are some scriptures that speak of voiding what Christ did, and they are all centered around legalism: Mr 7:13; 1Co 15:14-17; Ro 9:31-32; Ga 2:21, 5:2, and 4.

The New American Standard Version states, "You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace". We all know how serious it is to have a body part severed, such as an arm or a foot. How much more dangerous it is to be "severed from Christ." This takes place when anyone turns from grace to the Law for salvation.

The expression "you are fallen from grace" "should be understood not in the sense that grace has been taken away from them, but in the sense that they have turned their backs on it. One may also say 'you have put yourself in a place where God cannot be good to you, or show you His goodness'" (UBS Handbook, p. 122). "Fallen from grace" is not speaking about the Armenian doctrine of losing salvation by one's sins; rather, it is speaking of turning from the method of salvation (grace) to seeking salvation by another way.


A lot of Christians would say you are making light of sin, believe me I am not but what most Christians are doing is making light of what happened at the cross. They are making light of what Jesus has done and are saying that it is not enough? It is like Jesus has put a down payment on their lives but you have to make monthly installments. Jesus has done it all. You know what all means when you look it up in the Greek, it is very profound, it means all. If you add to what Jesus has done, as Paul would say “you have fallen from grace.”

Does that mean that you do not do anything for Christ, no. But it does mean that you do things for Christ out of your love for Him, not out of obligation or earning. As a Christian, you cannot do anything more or anything less to earn God’s love for you. God loves you the way you are, not as you should be, for we are all not as we should be.

Church and State, the Compromise of Christianity

The coziness between church and state may be good for the state; it is bad for the church. Herein lies the chief danger to grace: the state, which runs by the rules of ungrace, gradually drowns out the church’s sublime message of grace. Insatiable for power, the state may well decide that the church could prove even more useful if the state controlled it. The church works best as a force of resistance, a counterbalance to the consuming power of the state. The cozier it gets with government, the more watered down the message and absolute quality of Jesus’ commands becomes. Then the state will turn them into a form of external morality and they will precisely become the opposite of the gospel of grace.

A state government can shut down stores and theaters on Sunday, but it cannot compel worship. It can arrest and punish KKK murderers but cannot cure their hatred, much less teach them love. It can pass laws making divorce more difficult but cannot force husbands to love their wives and wives their husbands. It can give subsidies to the poor but cannot force the rich to show them compassion and justice. It can ban adultery but not lust, theft but not covetousness, cheating but not pride. It can encourage virtue but not holiness.

All too often the church holds up a mirror reflecting back the society around it, rather than a window revealing a different way.

The world's great economic crisis is not the result of the rich oppressing the poor. A much better case can be made that it's the result of the world turning its back on God. The cure for the world's woes is not government handouts, bailouts and entitlements. It should be obvious the world's governments are too bankrupt to expand or even continue this destructive behavior. You cannot collect enough wealth from the rich to provide middle-class luxuries to everyone on earth – especially when the media is encouraging greater and greater immorality.

The path to sanity and prosperity is paved with righteousness. It's paved with workers and employers who put God first and have a servant's heart. It's paved by giving up the "modern family" and reestablishing the family as God intended it to be. It's paved with real compassion and generosity – not forced redistribution of wealth. It's paved with redemption of the media.

The subtlety of projecting Christianity in being incorporated into state functions and laws and thinking that is the true function of the church and the gospel is not the true gospel of grace. No matter what our influence is to the state we cannot legislate morality or have state run Christianity. Why? The state cannot change the heart, that is God’s job. You cannot change your own heart nor the heart of someone else. Yes, you and the state have influence, but not the power over the will. The church has been using external means to change an internal problem. We do not need a change of our country. We do not need a change of politicians. We do not need change of laws. What we need is a change of hearts, for when the heart changes the politicians change, the laws change, and the country changes. The changes do not occur from the outside in, but from the insides out.

As a church we should be focusing on the internal and not the external that is why the church has become impotent. The church has taken God out of the equation and makes emphasis on external political means. Jesus Christ did not use political means to accomplish His goals, nor did He teach His disciples to use them. Jesus used grassroots, the basis of a country is underlayed by the people. If the people are no longer following Jesus Christ, then the country will be proceded by whatever belief system that is in place. If we as a church would spend our time on dealing with the internal issues and grassroots that Jesus advocated, we would not as a country be in the moral decay that we find ourselves in. To quote Dr. Martin Luther King: "The ends don't justify the means, for the means represent the seed and ends represent the tree."

“Stand Fast”

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
2Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
3For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
4Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.

“Stand fast” is an expression of the Greek word “STEKO.” STEKO means “to stand firm...persevere...to hold one’s ground” (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon). Just as countries must persevere to maintain freedom and protection of their rights, so also must we stand fast in protecting our spiritual freedom.

Paul’s admonition to “stand fast” also reveals that our freedom in Christ doesn’t function automatically. We have a part to play. Our adversary, the devil, is always seeking whom he may devour (1Pe 5:8). Legalism is one of his greatest weapons, and we must resist every attempt he makes to draw us back into self-effort (1Pe 5:9).

When you see the word “therefore,” you need to stop and think what that word is there for. The word links what Paul was saying here with what he said in the previous verses.

Paul had just compared being under the Law to being a descendant of the slave woman, Hagar, and therefore not an heir of the promises of God (Ga 4:22). Therefore, since none of us want to be cast out from the inheritance of God, we need to steadfastly defend our liberty that we have received through faith in Christ.

The word “liberty” means “1.a. The condition of being free from restriction or control. b. The right and power to act, believe, or express oneself in a manner of one’s own choosing. c. The condition of being physically and legally free from confinement, servitude, or forced labor” (American Heritage Dictionary). The liberty that Paul was speaking of is specifically the freedom from the oppression of the Old Testament Law (Ro 3:19).

Of course, Paul was not out of control. He was controlled by his love for the Lord instead of his fear of punishment for breaking the O.T. Law. Paul made it clear in Ga 5:13-15 that this liberty is not freedom to sin but freedom from sin. If we use our freedom in Christ to indulge our sinful passions, we will pay a price (Ga 5:15).

The word “entangled” in Greek carries the idea of being “ensnared or held in a net” (Wuest’s Word Studies from the Greek New Testament). The bondage that had ensnared the Galatians was the Law’s demands in which they were trying to find God’s favor or acceptance through performance.

God paid the ultimate price for our liberty. Freedom from self-justification through the Law was purchased by Christ upon the cross. We must never let anything or anyone bring us back into bondage again.

The context makes it very clear that this “yoke of bondage” that Paul was speaking of is the Old Testament Law. This is a strong statement and leaves no doubt that the Law was not for the purpose of liberty but bondage (Ro 3:19; Ro 7:11).

Contrast the Law’s “yoke of bondage” with what Christ said in Mt 11:29-30: “Take my yoke upon you...For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Mt 11:29).

Paul was circumcised himself (Php 3:5), so what was he saying? Paul was referring to trusting in some external action to produce justification with God instead of just faith in Christ. The false teachers in Galatia had taught that circumcision (Ac 15:1) and the keeping of the Old Testament Law were necessary for salvation.

It doesn’t matter if it is circumcision, water baptism, holiness, or any other religious act; trust in anything except Christ voids the saving effects of Christ in our lives (Ga 2:21).

A simple way to detect what our faith is in is to imagine ourselves standing before God, giving a reason that we should be allowed into heaven. If we pointed out our church attendance, giving receipts, acts of holiness, or anything else, then that is what our faith is in. Those of us who would do that are no different than Muslims or Buddhists. We would be trusting in our own efforts to produce salvation.

The proper response would be to say, “The only thing that makes me worthy to enter heaven is what Jesus did for me. My total faith and trust is in Jesus.” It’s not Jesus plus anything (Ro 11:6). Faith alone saves (Joh 3:3).

The phrase “Christ shall profit you nothing” is another way of saying that if people turn to self-effort for salvation, then they cannot benefit in any way from what Christ has done for them. The only way to appropriate what Jesus did for man is by faith.

It is possible to put total faith in Jesus concerning our eternal salvation and yet turn back to the deception that God will only bless us in this life proportionally to our performance. That is not true and will keep us from experiencing the abundant life Jesus purchased for us (Joh 10:10).

Paul was circumcised (Php 3:5), so he was not saying that circumcision prevents people from being saved. He was saying that people can’t trust in any outward acts of holiness on their part to save them. Their faith has to be in Christ alone.

Ga 5:3 is saying the same thing as Jas 2:10. Those who commit to obeying any part of the Law for justification obligate themselves to keeping all of the Law (Ga 3:10).

The phrase in Ga 5:4 says “is become of no effect unto you” was rendered from the Greek words “APO” and “KATARGEO.” KATARGEO means “to be (render) entirely idle (useless), literally or figuratively” (Strong’s Concordance). Regarding the Greek word APO, Strong’s Concordance says, “In composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc.”

What effect is Christ having in your life? If you feel separated from what Christ has done for you, then the cause is probably what Paul was speaking about here. You have turned from grace and are trying to earn God’s favor. That stops God’s power and makes all that Jesus provided of no effect in your life. The antidote is to get back into the grace of God by putting faith in what Jesus did for you and not in what you are doing for Him (Ro 5:1-2).

Here are some scriptures that speak of voiding what Christ did, and they are all centered around legalism: Mr 7:13; 1Co 15:14-17; Ro 9:31-32; Ga 2:21, 5:2, and 4.

The New American Standard Version states, “You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace”. We all know how serious it is to have a body part severed, such as an arm or a foot. How much more dangerous it is to be “severed from Christ.” This takes place when anyone turns from grace to the Law for salvation.

The expression “you are fallen from grace” “should be understood not in the sense that grace has been taken away from them, but in the sense that they have turned their backs on it. One may also say ‘you have put yourself in a place where God cannot be good to you, or show you His goodness’” (UBS Handbook, p. 122). “Fallen from grace” is not speaking about the Armenian doctrine of losing salvation by one’s sins; rather, it is speaking of turning from the method of salvation (grace) to seeking salvation by another way.

Romans 11:6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

Paul stated the doctrine of justification by grace through faith so clearly in his writings that any person who claims to believe the Bible has to acknowledge this truth. However, one of Satan’s cleverest deceptions is to take a truth and add to it until it is no longer the truth. Lest that happen with this doctrine of grace, Paul stated emphatically that we cannot combine anything with God’s grace as a requirement for salvation.

In the same way that gasoline and water don’t mix, so grace and works will not mix. Justification has to be all works or all grace, but not a combination of the two.

In this epistle, Paul repeatedly made his point of justification by grace through faith. He repeatedly stressed that faith is the only requirement on our part. Here he was repeating that point once again in perhaps his clearest words yet. Still, an abundance of religious people today cannot accept the fact that all we have to do is to believe to receive God’s grace (Ro 5:2). This verse leaves no alternatives.

If you believe that you earn, deserve, receive by works (performance) or sacrifice, or keeping rules, regulations, or laws then you have fallen from grace. Stand fast therefore in the grace that Jesus Christ has provided for you.

True Commitment to Jesus

Matthew 10:37
37 "Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

Jesus' instruction here which, if taken by itself, might leave the impression that we are supposed to hate our fathers and mothers, wives and children, and even ourselves. However, Matthew made it very clear in this verse by the use of the words "more than" that this was not what Jesus meant. We are commanded to walk in love, especially to the members of our own families (Ephesians 5:25-33 and Titus 2:4). Jesus was simply stating that we should prefer Him above any other relationship.


Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters--yes, even his own life--he cannot be my disciple.

Jesus said nearly the same thing in (Matthew 10:37-38). In Matthew's account, there is an important difference. Jesus said, "He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me."

This isn't an instruction to hate our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, and ourselves. We are told to love others as ourselves (Leviticus 19:18; Matthew 19:19, 22:36-39; Mark 12:28-33; Romans 13:9-10; Galatians 5:14; and James 2:8). The Apostle John, who was present when Jesus spoke these words, later revealed that loving our brother is essential to true salvation (1 John 2:9, 11; 3:15; and 4:20). This is simply saying that in comparison to our love for God, our feelings toward ourselves and others ought to be far less. Many people have become co-dependent on others instead of God. This is commanding just the opposite. As explained in Matthew 10:37, this is a comparative statement and is not teaching hate as a condition for being Jesus' disciple (see John 6:26 below).

John 6:26
26 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill.

They were seeking the Lord, which was the right thing to do, but they were doing it for the wrong reason. Once again, Jesus reveals that the motives behind our actions are more important than the actions themselves. If we desire the Lord just because of what He can do for us, then we are no better than these people were. We should certainly take advantage of all the good things the Lord provides (Psalm 35:27), but we must always love Him for who He is and not just what He provides.

Just as in John 2:23-25, Jesus knew the people's hearts, and therefore He did not commit Himself to this crowd. Just the day before, these same people had tried to take Him by force and make Him their king (John 6:15), but He withdrew and spent the night in prayer. Jesus was never moved by flattery, and He said that those who were could not operate in God's kind of faith (John 5:44).

This crowd looked like they were seeking Jesus, but they were actually trying to use Jesus to seek their own welfare. It is true that there are many personal benefits to be reaped through serving the Lord, but the benefits are never to become our object. In all things, Christ must have the preeminence (Colossians 1:18).

Jesus exposed the true intent of these people's hearts by preaching a strong message of commitment. Those who were self-centered were offended and left (John 6:66), while those who were willing to lay down their lives so that they could experience God's abundant life (Luke 9:24 and John 10:10) remained (John 6:68). Commitment to God Himself (not what He can produce) is what always separates the true worshipers of God (John 4:23) from the false.

These people had no true commitment to God but wanted Jesus as their king for their own selfish reasons. They had mistakenly interpreted the miracle that Jesus performed in feeding the 5,000 to mean that Jesus would supply all their lusts (James 4:3). On the surface, it may have looked like they were seeking Jesus, but they were actually seeking their own interests. Jesus didn't come to do His own will (John 6:38) or our wills, but the will of the Father.

In these verses, we see Jesus did something that very few ministers of the Gospel will do today. He preached a hard message of commitment, knowing that many of these people would follow Him no more. Many times, we see Christians today compromise the message in an effort to win more people. Regardless of how well ministers can argue this point and justify their actions, this is not the way that Jesus ministered. Jesus was always more interested in quality than quantity. We would do well to follow His example.

Do we love Jesus more than others, or is it just what we can get out of Him? Do we love Jesus more than the life we have with friends and family? Are we co-dependent on others and not depending on Jesus? Do we truly love Jesus more and hate the life we would have without Him? Will we forsake all else and follow the Lord no matter where that takes us? That is the true question of commitment.


—

Self-denial is an important part of the Christian life

Luke 9:23-24
23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.

Self-denial is an important part of the Christian life. Jesus sacrificed His life for us, and He demands we die to ourselves that we might experience this new life He has provided. We do this first by recognizing that we can't save ourselves by our own effort and second, by trusting God--not self--for salvation. Then we daily need to deny our own wisdom and seek God's wisdom and direction for our lives.

Self-denial is only good when it is denying ourselves for the singular purpose of exalting Jesus and His will for us in some area of our lives. Some have made a religion out of self-denial and take pride in their denial, not in Jesus' Lordship. This leads to legalism and bondage, which Paul condemned as "will worship" (Col 2:23). We are told not only to deny ourselves but to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Jesus.

The real benefits of fasting come as a result of denying ourselves (Mt 4:2). However, if we fast to glorify ourselves, as the Pharisees did (Mt 6:16 and 23:5), we have no reward from God. All we will get from such a fast is hungry.

The cross is what Jesus died on. There are circumstances in our lives that, like the cross of Jesus, give us the opportunity to die to ourselves each day. These are not things like sickness, poverty, etc., for which Jesus' atonement provided redemption (Mt 8:17), but rather things like persecution (from which we are not redeemed, 2Ti 3:12) and the constant battle between our flesh and our born-again spirits (Ga 5:17). Our cross that we must bear is to take God's Word (which is His will) and exalt it above our own will in every situation that we face each day.

It is very important that we take up our cross daily. Consistency is one of the most important keys in subduing the flesh. We cannot seek God in "spurts" and expect to reach maturity. The victory goes to those who abide in Him (Ps 91:1; Joh 8:31, and 15:4-7).

These verses are not saying that we have to suffer martyrdom to receive salvation. Rather, it refers back to us denying ourselves and following Jesus. Many people have desired salvation from God but have been unwilling to let go of things that stand between them and God. We are not fools to give up what we cannot keep to gain what we cannot lose.

I Have a Dream

Tuesday, 18 October 2011 11:51 AM EDT Robert Ricciardelli Newsletters - Prophetic Insight


The last few days I have been waking up thinking about Martin Luther King Jr. I kept hearing his "I Have a Dream" speech as I awoke each of the last few mornings. He is one of my heroes of the faith; a difference-maker, and a catalyst for good and for the generations. I asked the Lord if there was some further meaning to my thoughts about him. He said, "I gave him a dream, and I have given you a dream."

I decided to write out my dream in honor of one of my hero's dreams. Thank you, Lord, for Dr. King, who stood for You, stood for freedom and gave his life for the cause of that freedom. I write this in honor of him and the legacy he left for us all:

“I have a dream that one day the kingdom nation of God will rise up and live out the true meaning of Christ’s all-consuming creed that fulfills all laws and prophecies with these words: 'The Lord our God is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength, and also love your neighbor as yourself.

“I have a dream that one day the children of God will truly answer the Lord’s prayer in becoming one as He and the Father are one; that they would move as one 'body of Christ' through the power of the love of God within them.

"I have a dream that one day the walls of culture and preference that have divided our communities will come crashing down so we may truly love and honor each other's uniqueness and our strength in diversity.

"I have a dream for freedom from the grip of false religion and anything that gets in the way of the agape love of God and His perfect will for humanity.

"I have a dream that our children will see an example of life that is not based on what one may have on the outside, including race or financial status, but on what matters most—the integrity and character of what is on the inside of a person.

"I have a dream today.

"I have a dream that one day the hierarchical deception and distortion of community through the systems of man will give way to authentic relationships and communities that are not based on performance or hidden agendas.

"I have a dream today.

"I have a dream that the systems of man that have controlled and manipulated the people of God will give way to the freedom and power of the kingdom of God. I have a dream that there is neither male nor female, Greek nor Jew, or any other caste system getting in the way of the freedom that can only be realized through Christ Jesus our Lord.

"I have a dream today.

"I have a dream of revolutionary authentic servant leaders all over the world who do not usurp their authority and mandates but lead through humility while coaching and assisting others toward the way, the truth and the life.

"I have a dream today.

"I have a dream that one day the last shall be first and the first shall be last, and for the day when the highest esteem is reserved for those who are humble, for those who are motivated by love and for those who desire to serve others in their journey.

"I have a dream today.

"I have a dream that the manifest sons and daughters of the living God will be realized on the earth, supernaturally presenting Christ as the only answer to the groaning within all of creation."

I can see it now, the glory of the Lord filling the earth like the waters cover the sea; all people united as one, every knee bowing and every tongue confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord. This will be the day that both the mystery and the majesty of the Most High God is fully known throughout the universe with the whole world singing, “For the kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours now and forever.”

About the Author: Robert Ricciardelli is a prophetic minister, an entrepreneur and the founder of Converging Zone Network, a social-networking site developed to spread the kingdom of God on a global level through the exchange of products, services, training and ideas.

Are You Fully Alive and Fully Human, the Way God Intends for You to Live

Are you living with a sense that something's missing in your life? If you so, you may be settling for less than the best God wants for you. The only way you can truly find fulfillment is by living up to your fullest potential - to be fully alive, and fully human - the way God intends for you to live.

Jesus, who was both fully God and fully human, lived that kind of life. He stands ready to help you become the best version of yourself. Here's how you can join Him on that journey:

Recognize how God has made you in His image. You're creative because God is creative; you communicate because God communicates; you're intelligent because God is intelligent; you're relational because God is relational; and you're morally responsible because God is a moral being. Decide to do all you can to develop and express those qualities in distinctive ways, according to how God has uniquely designed you.

Appreciate how other people reflect God's image. Ask God to help you see other people as He sees them so you can recognize their value and appreciate the unique contributions that they make to the world - whether or not society values them. Notice how even people who are forgotten or mistreated in society, such as disabled people or addicts, have the same great value in God's eyes as everyone else does. Reach out to others with encouragement and support to help them reach their fullest potential while you're working to reach your own full potential, since together you all can improve the world in bigger ways than you could just by yourself.

Realize that a connection to God through Jesus is what humanizes you. If the intimacy that you were created to enjoy with God is broken through sin, you can drift away from Him. The farther you drift away from God, the more prone you become to behaviors that dehumanize you by violating the essence of who you are. But Jesus came to give you a complete and fulfilling life by restoring your intimacy with God.

Seek God and nurture your soul in a materialistic age. Many people in our society are preoccupied with earning and spending money. But God calls you to seek Him first and trust Him to meet all of your material needs. So make it your first priority to pursue God than you do to pursuing money.

Nurture your mind in a mindless age. Even though some people are content to be entertained in life without seeking to keep learning, God wants you to cultivate the mind He gave you by continuing to learn something new every day.

Pursue creativity and excellence in a superficial, expendable age. Our society doesn't demand or even expect that people use their creativity to produce excellent work, but God wants you to blaze new trails to help make the world a better place.

Go relationally deep in an age of shallow relationships. Many people substitute shallow relationships they have with people they connect with in the virtual, digital world of technology for real, in-person relationships. But God calls you to spend time with people in person to build relationships that can truly go deep, helping you and them grow closer to God together.

Love, forgive, and accept others in an age of anger, rejection, and revenge. Society celebrates selfish interests that lead to a destructive cycle of wounds and bitterness, that then cause anger, rejection, and revenge. But God wants to pour out His healing love through your life, so answer His call to love, forgive, and accept other people.

Embrace certainty in a relativistic age. Attitudes of moral and intellectual relativism are commonplace throughout our society today, but God has revealed absolute truth through the Bible, and He wants you to choose to embrace that truth, even when others around you are falling victim to misguided, relativistic philosophies.

Slow down in a frantic age. Life often moves at too fast a pace in our society to be healthy. God wants you to rediscover the proper rhythm of life, living free of the burden of hurry.

Value everyone in a segmented age. Our society segments people in many ways, such as by gender, race, age, nationality, education, and income. But God calls you to look for His image in the face of everyone you meet.

Come to your senses. Acknowledge the reality of sin in your life that is limiting you and and afflicting you with the brokenness that's causing you to feel incomplete. Then let that awakening motivate you to turn to Jesus, who can restore you to a healthy condition and empower you to live a fulfilling life. Keep pursuing Jesus persistently, learning more and growing closer to Him every day. Communicate with Him often through prayer and open your heart to follow where He leads you as He restores your soul.

Ask Jesus to give you a pure heart. Pray for the ability to devote yourself to God and invite His love to flow through you to other people.

Ask Jesus to renew your mind. Pray for the ability to develop your mental capacity to its fullest and keep learning every new day that you're alive.

Ask Jesus to give you a new spirit. Pray for the ability to develop your spiritual capacity to its fullest. Cultivate it through such spiritual disciplines as worship, prayer, Bible reading, meditation, solitude, silence, and fasting.

Ask Jesus to rebuild your relationships. Pray for the ability to heal the broken relationships in your life by loving, forgiving, and accepting other people.

Ask Jesus to rekindle your creativity. Pray for the ability to identify, develop, and express the talents that God has given you to help make the world a better place.

Ask Jesus to help you live harmoniously. Pray for the ability to become the complete, whole person God created you to be, pulling together the different aspects of your life into a harmonious lifestyle that is faithful to Him throughout your daily life.

Ask Jesus to keep you focused on God's purposes for your life. Pray for the ability to keep working toward fulfilling God's purposes for you. Respond to His calls to serve others, and expect that, as you do, God will keep increasing your capacity to love.