Grace Gripped

July 10, 2009

“It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it. But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus.” 2 Tim. 1:9-10 The Message

What makes this Message so complicatedly simple …?

God has done all the work .. all the real necessary work of finding you .. pursuing you .. loving you .. calling you .. forgiving you .. filling you .. and guiding you. We keep trying over and over to add just one layer of our own effort and sweat to this light-blazing life we share in Christ. Why is it so complicatedly simple …? Things like sin .. death .. fear .. bitterness .. jealousy .. unforgiveness .. distorted love .. shortcuts .. addictions .. get in the way. Your are called to “work” .. the work of believing .. trusting .. and guarding what Christ has done for you and is doing in you this very moment. And God has even provided the hardest part of guarding your life: The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s role is to guide you today .. in truth .. in right living .. and shape your life in image of Jesus.  Your life is to be a Message today. Simple enough …? That means your life is on the front lines of this heart-stealing .. mind-numbing .. life-conforming battle. It may not seem like it. You may find yourself walking alone and in a seemingly dry place. So did Jesus. He knows exactly what you are facing today .. and He is not going to walk off or shake his head in condemnation. The world you live in is full of complicated relationships with damaged and wounded lives … damaging and wounding others along the way. And the Message that Jesus has for wandering lives is found in your life today. He doesn’t want you to face today unguarded or wearing yourself out trying to do His work. It’s simple: Your new life is hidden in Christ .. visible for all the world to see .. the death-defeating gift of the “saving life of Christ”.  It only takes a moment … Guard it well today ..

“So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It’s as sound as the day you first heard it from me. Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us.” 2 Tim. 1:13-14 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Love-rooted followers of Jesus and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)

July 9, 2009

“Let every detail in your lives — words, actions, whatever — be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.” Colossians 3:17 The Message

What if …?

… Every detail of your life today was intimately covered .. saturated in .. identified with .. connected to .. and known as being in the name of Jesus.?  Would you slow down? Would you take a little extra time with someone along the way? Would you be truly thankful and not take it for granted? Maybe you would actually do less by your standards .. or .. the world’s standards. Maybe you would use less words but communicate with more clarity. Maybe you would find yourself seeing the presence of Jesus throughout all of your day-to-day obligations. Maybe living your life today would not be a choice between doing “my life” and trying to find time for God. What if … you placed every detail of your today-life .. your to do list .. your agenda .. your schedule .. your appointments .. your meetings .. your relationships .. everything connected to you .. and let it all soak in the risen life of Jesus in your life today? What if …? You are free to choose. God isn’t waiting around for you to make a mistake or secretly hoping to catch you doing something in your own strength or resources. What He is offering you is the rhythm of life .. JesusLife .. that you so want today. Because wherever you find Jesus .. you find thankfulness. It only takes a moment .. in the name of Jesus …

” But make sure that you don’t get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-to-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God.” Romans 13:11 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Jesus Followers and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)

July 4-8, 2009

Dear Graced Ones …

Grace -Gripped will be away from all computers until July 9 … Enjoy your holiday and know that your life is the one that the Father planned to reside in … transform … and make whole in His never giving up on you … never letting go of you … never regretting purchasing you at full-eternal prices … and even at this moment “longs to be gracious to you” today. It only takes a moment … 

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped in the JesusLife with Christ Followers and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)

July 2, 2009

“I’ll give you a new heart, put a new spirit in you. I’ll remove the stone heart from your body and replace it with a heart that is God-willed, not self-willed.” Ezekial 36:26 The Message

Where does real freedom begin in your life …?

… It begins with God doing something inside of your heart … It begins with God changing Your-will into His-will … It begins with Jesus shaping your life into His full time residence. A self-willed life is constantly stuck … fighting a losing battle … living out of weariness … willing to settle for just enough faith … just enough marriage … just enough everyday life. A God-willed life is continually new … finding new strength … living with Christ at the center of his or her faith … at the center of their marriage … at the center of their everyday life. This is God’s freedom for your life … a new heart and new spirit. He is the only One capable of taking away the old stuff in your life that just hangs on or hides in the corners. The good news is He is the One who does it. You get to relax and let Jesus go room by room through your life. We’re not wired to relax. The Grand Lie is that it is up to you .. there is no help outside of yourself .. and no one’s perfect. It really isn’t up to “you” to tear down the old house and wear yourself out building the new house. Yes .. you enter into what God is doing. You may even find yourself getting in God’s way as your life takes shape. He’s building a permanent residence in your life. He’s doing it right now .. today … right in the world you live in. Real freedom is Christ .. not a holiday .. but a holy way .. of life .. of love .. and new beginnings. It only takes a moment …

“Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day — a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.” Ephesians 2:21-22 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to God-willed followers of Jesus and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)

July 1, 2009

“And that’s about it friends. Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure. Greet one another with a holy embrace. All the brothers and sisters here say hello.” 2 Cor. 13. 11-13 The Message

Can you imagine …?

… Telling someone that if they “practiced” what you said … God’s peace and love would fill their lives? No…? How about telling someone that if they “practiced” what they learned-heard-saw-or-realized in your life … that God’s peace would be with them. This is the power of the Holy Routine that is to mark our daily lives in Christ. You may be thinking: : ..”not my life” … “not my words” … “not my actions” . This is exactly what God wants others to see in your life. A life that has been transformed from a used-to-be-life into a now-in-Christ-life. What about your routine. Is it daily? Does it focus your life … your day … your actions … your thoughts … your relationships on the presence of Jesus living His life in you today? What would you say to someone: If you do ———— … God’s abiding peace .. His indwelling presence .. His extravagant love will be with you. You’ve been designed to speak into another life with such promise. Everywhere in the world you live in .. men and women long to walk a path that leads to and is extravagantly loved by Jesus and filled with God’s peace. They long for it! And maybe, just maybe, you are the one ChristVoice to speak such grace into another’s life today. It may not be your words … It may be your actions … or the extraordinary way you live in a very fallen ordinary world. May God’s peace .. His wholeness .. His shalom .. His abiding presence in your life be yours today through Jesus .. God’s Risen Son. It only takes a moment …

“Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.” Phil. 4:8-9 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Peace-Passing-Empowered-Saints-Following Jesus and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)

July 1, 2009

“Every person the Father gives me eventually comes running to me. And once that person is with me, I hold on and don’t let go. I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but accomplish the will of the One who sent me.” John 6:37-38 The Message

What does an insider look like …?

… You … a formerly-running outsider … trying to open all the right doors on your own … trying to find another way in … trying to accomplish God’s will on your whims. You probably don’t call them whims .. maybe good intentions .. best efforts .. or gave it my best shot. Jesus describes the outsider: he or she is running toward the Father. He .. the Father .. uses all kinds of circumstances .. persons .. disappointments .. failures .. frustrations .. struggles .. and deeply buried longings that lead us to Jesus. There is good news: Everyone on the inside was once on the outside. Some arrive running .. some arrive exhausted .. some arrive scared .. some arrive being carried by friends .. some arrive rejected and abused .. some arrive at the brink of death and darkness. All arrive with nothing but themselves .. you included. Jesus doesn’t let go. He holds on even when you are trying to slip through his fingers. He holds on in the darkest moments. He holds on in the barren times when nothing seems to bear fruit. He holds on when there is no joy in sight. He holds on when everything is going great and you drift away. God wants Insider-sons and Insider-daughters who have eyes open for runners. Life in Jesus is having Outsider Eyes with an Insider’s Grip. You belong to Him .. He doesn’t let go … and You become a Sent One in the name and spirit of Jesus. It only takes a moment …

“In one way or another, God makes sure that we all experience what it means to be outside so that he can personally open the door and welcome us back in.” Romans 11:32 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Former-Outsiders-Now-Fully-Insiders following Jesus and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)

June 30, 2009

“The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree.” Psalm 19:9

Who is controlling the “details” of your life??

It is so easy to take over for God… Maybe because we forget he cares….we  are afraid…we prefer our own way…maybe we actually believe we can “hide”  our stupid sins from him…or maybe we believe that our lives are too  ”soiled and spoiled” for even God to redeem. When we begin to take over the smallest detail of our lives in the place of God, we begin to drift one step at a time away from the Father’s daily care of our lives. We wander…we become alone… and we become weary and worn out from carrying it all on our own shoulders. Life on the inside begins to dry out and we start settling for stale food. Jesus has never seen a life too soiled for his grace…too buried under sin that he couldn’t redeem … or too wounded and scarred that he couldn’t restore and make whole. Hanging on a well deserved cross for a sin-lived  life .. a criminal simply Jesus to “remember him”. Jesus  responded with ” this day you will be with me in heaven”! Jesus was, is, and  always will be the Slate Cleaning One.  It only takes a moment…

“Clean the slate God, so we can start the day fresh! Keep me from stupid  sins from thinking I can take over your work… psalm 19:12

Ken Chester and Bob Stec (NC P1 Core): Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Men and Women Following Jesus Christ in the worlds they live in today. (PriorityOne.org — ken@priorityone.org)

June 26, 2009

“Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering: embrace it. Follow me and I will show you how.” Matt. 16:24 The Message

“What does Jesus know about you …?

 … that being his follower … his disciple … will cost you and anyone else you know. Jesus knows you will come face to face with truth-filled facts about your life that will be painful. You’ll want to be in charge and lead the way out of your mess. You’ll even try to avoid suffering or pain connected with following Jesus. You’ll confront self-filled and self-willed places in your life that will try to refuse to let Jesus lead. Only Jesus knows what Your Cross really looks like in the world you live in. He knows what it costs and who it will affect. He knows that being His disciple and His follower will run directly into the “Me World” that may even reject you. And still … that did not stop Jesus then or now from calling you to place your life in His Life. And with that will come all the stuff that makes you tick on the inside. You can’t lead … You can only follow. You can bring along your “self” stuff but it will get heavy and begin to rot. You won’t like the smell either because it smells of death. Jesus calls each of us to follow Him today. It begins with a moment … a self-denying … and self-identifying moment with Jesus. 

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” Matt. 16:24 New Living Translation

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Jesus Followers and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)

June 25, 2009

“Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love him with all that’s in you, love him with all you’ve-got!” Deut. 6:5 The Message

Is your Life-direction clear today …?

God is looking for “all you’ve got”.  Your first breath of this day is imprinted with Life-direction. You are to love God … not halfway … not with a partial heart …  not out of forced obligation. It was no different 1000 .. 2000 … 3000 … 4000 years ago. A whole nation was called to love God. They didn’t choose Him … He chose them. You didn’t choose God first. He chose you. And God has never overlooked one day of your life. He has never been disinterested in your day to day life. And even today: God is keeping his “covenant of loyal love” in place over and in your life. But there is more to loving God today. He wants to love you … that means to put your-life first. He wants to bless you … He designed you to be a blessing. And this will make your lives just that .. a blessing. A blessing comforts .. gives hope .. brings healing .. renews the real you .. restores trust ..  and restores past places used to store up hurts and unresolved areas. And all of this begins by you taking the time to love God and seek to be a “blesser” in the world you live in… It only takes a moment … 

“And this is what will happen: When you, on your part, will obey these directives, keeping and following them, Go, on his part, will keep the covenant of loyal love that he made with our ancestor: He will love you, He will bless you, He will increase you.” Deut. 7:12-13 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to Christ Followers and friends of Priority One.(ken@priorityone.org). Shalom !!!

June 24, 2009

“So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin.” Romans 7:14 The Message

Can it get any worse …?

Life is broken … in our hearts … in our relationships … in the worlds we live in everyday. Life is filled with Law-breakers … in our hearts … in our relationships … in the worlds we live in everyday. Life has no power to heal … in our hearts … in our relationships … in the worlds we live in everyday.  You’ll recognize yourself today. You’ll see yourself through the lens of another person today. They will undoubtedly do something or not do something that will instantly give you a picture of yourself. You may remember a painful memory that lays buried out of sight and you secretly wish out of mind. You may feel the very feeling you watch on someone’s face who realizes that “me” is the trouble. You may watch someone or some circumstance unfold from a distance and relive it in your mind. What will you do? Are you going to run? Are you going to hide? Are you going to act out or implode on yourself. Without these words: no more condemnation … you will wear yourself out and those around you that you love and love you. The Un-Condemning One is our only hope and power today. You don’t become smug because you belong to Christ … You become a life-giving source of hope in the broken world you live in. You carry within your heart and mind the knowledge and confidence that Jesus living inside any man or women … husband or wife … son or daughter … carries the power to break anyone free from life-stealing … life-shaming … and life-scarring condemnation and sin. Yes sin … not just a sin … but all of your sins … all of them … for all time … for always … forever. It only takes a moment …

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” Romans 8:1-2 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F to the Un-Condemned Fellowship of Jesus Followers and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)