Yesterday and today I had the privilege of being slapped around (both physically and spiritually) by Andrew Shearman – the piss-and-vinegar filled leader of G42 Leadership Academy in Mijas, Spain! Like any good boxing coach, Andrew gave us the work out of a life-time – encouragement, fighting words to boil our blood, body shots, drills, and more. Bottom line, I learned our God is BIGGER and BETTER than I ever imagined possible.
Here’s what I learned:
The church has told me most of my life that heaven is the end goal. That I have to joyfully suffer in this life and bide my time until I die – then my best life ever begins. Is it any wonder I left the church in college, when all I can do is wait to die? What rubbish!
The fact is, heaven is not the end goal – it is a benefit of living this life well. Jesus said in Matthew 10, “Tell them that the kingdom is here.” IT’S HERE. Not in heaven. Not when you die. It’s HERE! Emmanuel, “God is with us!” He has created each of us in his image. So we believe and are empowered by the Holy Spirit to become the “likeness” of God here on earth. Now. Not when this life is over.
How wonderful is this truth! My heart burned with Andrew’s words like the disciples on the way to Emmaus. “Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the scriptures for us?” (Luke 24:32 MSG)
Jesus said, “You can see now how it is written that the Messiah suffers, rises from the dead of the third day, and then a TOTAL LIFE-CHANGE through the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in his name to all nations.” This is what I (and probably you) have desired your whole life – to simply embrace that restless voice that says, “COME ON BELOVED! THERE’S SO MUCH MORE! A WHOLE NEW LIFE!”
And through the power of Christ in me, I’m doing it. Jesus said, “I’m sending you what my father promised… a power from on high.” A POWER FROM ON HIGH! A power that is not of this world that is enabling me to live the life I’ve always known I’m suppose to live. The power to remove the labels of this world and embrace my new identity in Christ – “more than a conqueror”, “Son of God”, “Bride of Christ”, “New Creation”, “The Messiah’s Misfits.”
I am no longer a slave, but I am a free man. Side note, Charles stems from the word Karl in German which means “Free Man!” I AM SUCH A MAN! How blessed am I! Christ paid what he thought I was worth, and now I can do nothing but submit myself to my great leader and savior. This is such great news! I don’t need to be a slave to my loans, a mortgage, a dead-end job, a corporate ladder, a 2-hour commute, 200k of debt from an MBA, or any other worldly things! I am free today! AND YOU CAN BE, TOO!
If there is one thing I have learned from living out of a 50 liter backpack, it is how little I need. “I have everything in general, so I need nothing in particular.” This great unravelling has freed me from pretenses, excess, the slow death of powerpoints, excel files, and endless outlook emails (which have their uses, but most people will agree they are a BALL AND CHAIN! And rightly so!)
By dying to my former life in the military and the things of this world, I, for the first time, have some clarity. And now, “The food that will keep me going is that I do the will of the one who sent me.” I will serve him, because “I have received the generous gift of life and the urgent task of passing it on to others who receive it by entering into obedient trust in Jesus.” (John 4:34-35; Romans 1:2-7 MSG).
“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 your suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to FINDING YOURSELF, YOUR TRUE SELF. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but to lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?” (Matthew 16:24-26 MSG)
Join me! Don’t lose yourself to the materialism, lies, and other dissatisfying things of this world. Give up your life, SO YOU CAN TAKE IT BACK! Jesus said, “the Kingdom is here.” Embrace it. Let the Kingdom come through out and quit being someone else’s slave!
