Gracious performance

What is the goal of Christian living, according to the New Covenant, the new relational arrangement God has established with us though Jesus.
1. He writes his laws (wisdom/moral values) in our (new) hearts
2. He Invites us all to know how to know him personally – BY WAY OF his mercy/forgiveness.
SO – The Christian goal – To know God and to graciously reflect His loving nature and creative power.
This means knowing how to ‘Be still and know that I am God’. But how do I perform this?

Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to perform it…Those who enter into Christ's being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ…
We can live life knowing and trusting that Christ is doing the supernatural performing of his love and creative goodwill, and simply doing the best we can according to our conscience.

Paul’s learning and teaching experiences –
Eph 4:20 20. But that is not how you have learned Christ through sharing in his life 21. That is, if you are listening to him and letting him teach you the absolute truth that flows forth from his heart to yours - and
Philippians 3:10 10. I long to know and understand him as a person, and to be aware of the power within him that makes what is dead live again. I want to identify with the way he suffered, and let my soul be shaped by his heart of giving up his life for us.

SOME FEATURES OF WAITING ON GOD – PRESENCE PRAYER – MEDITATION
1. What is the worst that can happen?
A. Losing 20 minutes of valuable TV watching, worrying, internet activity, other pursuits.
B. Putting yourself through an onslaught of crazy thoughts.
C. Feeling like a poverty stricken spiritual failure.
Part C is the desired result – Blessed are the poor in spirit, theirs is the Kingdom of God. The strength of Christian spirituality is knowing our weakness and his strength.
2. Immerse (plunge) yourself fearlessly into this dimension of the spiritual unknown. The cloud of unknowing.
3. Expect confidently the blessings of the terms of engagement. Mercy ->Faith ->Grace -> Love.
4. De-limit the mindset of limitation. Reckon yourself alive to God (electric shock). An electric shock does not throw a person across a room but it causes every ligament and nerve and muscle fibre to explode into action instantly. We actually jump across the room. But the mind limits our access to this release of power because it would otherwise put us in danger, but the limits can be pushed back without causing danger (endurance feats). People think that plunging into stillness of mind would be spiritually dangerous and allow demons to come in. Wrong – We are perfectly and wondrously made for the mind to be still and allow for the engaging of the heart of faith which releases the God life that is in there to be expressed – alive to God.
The result is an ever-growing gracious flow.

 

Romans 7:18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to perform it… My decisions, such as they are, don't result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. It happens so regularly that it's predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God's commands, but it's pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
I've tried everything and nothing helps. I'm at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn't that the real question?
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin (separated self) to do something totally different. (MESSAGE)

Eph 4:20. But that is not how you have learned Christ through sharing in his life 21. That is, if you are listening to him and letting him teach you the absolute truth that flows forth from his heart to yours
22. Concerning your past lifetime of downward spirals, Cast aside that obsolete Adamic existence which became twisted through the distorted drivenness of self interest
23. Constantly being renewed in this new mindset of spiritual truth
24. And plunge into the depths of your renewed humanity bonded to Jesus that was created in eternity according to the personal design of God in true alignment with him and set apart for him. (CAV)

Philippians 3:10 10. I long to know and understand him as a person, and to be aware of the power within him that makes what is dead live again. I want to identify with the way he suffered, and let my soul be shaped by his heart of giving up his life for us.
11. If this kind of living is what is meant by bringing life out of death I want to be part of it.
12. I am not there yet. The work is not yet completed in me, but I am pursuing this with all I am and all I have. I want to make my own the whole plan of life for which Jesus has made me his own.
13. So, while I cannot say that I have arrived, I can say that I have put the past behind me, and I am focused only on what great things lay ahead of me. 14. I now have a real goal in life. To experience the supreme reward that comes from saying yes to living a heavenly life with Jesus here and now in this present life.15. If any of you want to know what it is like to live within this kind of perfect arrangement, then start thinking the way I have just outlined to you, and if you don’t quite grasp this I know God can reveal it to you.16. So however far we might have come in comprehending this truth, let us live out of it together as the defining principle that determines how we think and how we live.17. I want you to embrace this kind of living the way I have, and to follow the example of others you see living the same way also.18. (I have told you before and I tell you again, sadly, that there are some whose lives are woeful models to you because they contradict the example of Jesus in giving his life for us on the cross. 19. They are on a road to ruin, slaves to their selfish desires, proud of their arrogance and sold out to the things of this world.)20. Our way of life reflects the atmosphere of heaven, where we live in constant hope and expectation of the supernatural redeeming work of Jesus,21. Who will finally take our weak mortality and change it to be like his mighty immortality, using the power that only he has, to subdue all things to himself. (CAV)