Matt Brammer

So, I know.  I failed at blogging this summer.  For all my readers, I apologize, but don’t worry, Christ has revealed a good bit to me this summer and I plan on sharing it when I get back to school.

So here is something the Lord has been teaching me.

Genesis 1:26-27

²⁶Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
²⁷So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

Much is to be said about this, and I have learned much from this knowledge, but I’m just sharing two in this post.

One, before anything there was only God.  The only inspiration for anything was Himself.  Everything in creation is only the inspiration.  The beautiful waterfall in the woods, the humbling mountains and vast blue ocean all are all just a small piece of how beautiful God really is.  What is even more amazing is that us, mankind, was and is created in His image.  Meaning a direct reflection of God.  How special should we feel that the most beautiful thing created us in His image.

Which leads me to my second point.  Knowing that we are a reflection of the King should change our interaction with other people.  When we treat anyone poorly it is a smack in the face to God.  Saying that I do not care for your creation and I am better than the reflection of You in this person.

This revelation made me understand why gossip, slander, and bickering is very sinful.

A wise man once told me this.

Gossip is verbal pornography, it destroys the image of God. When gossip occurs, three people die.

1. The person gossiping

2. The person who is being gossiped about.

3. The person listening to it.

I understand why Paul wrote Philippians chapter 2 now.

A common misconception that occurs within a lot of Christian teachings is that we have to fix ourselves before Christ saves us.  The Pharisees  had this problem.

Matthew 9:10-13

¹⁰And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. ¹¹And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” ¹²But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. ¹³Go and learn what this means,’I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Christ came and died for the ungodly.

⁶For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— ⁸but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

In a previous post I mentioned throwing off the old self.  This does not mean we do that before Christ saves us.  It is our response to His grace and mercy.  It means dying to ourselves daily.

*side point*

In verse 10 in the first passage I quoted, isn’t cool to think that Jesus, our Lord and Savior, was reclining.  You know, just chilling at dinner.  Our God is personal.

I never said I was sorry.

Applying culture to the Church is a big downfall for a Church, some will argue it is paganism. But that is for another day*. Christians can’t apologize to culture, unless you have seriously hurt them with words or actions (and even then that would be a case by case basis, not a universal ’sorry’). Christians, myself included, need to repent for not living to the image of Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:16-18

But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. ¹⁷Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

And it does matter how people see us. Jesus even prayed for it.

John 17:20-26

20 ‘I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, ²¹that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. ²²The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one, as we are one, ²³I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. ²⁴Father, I desire that those also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 ‘Righteous Father, the world does not know you, but I know you; and these know that you have sent me. ²⁶I made your name known to them, and I will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.’

It doesn’t matter how cool your band is.

It doesn’t matter if your pastor wears bootcut jeans, with cool button-down shirts.

It doesn’t matter if you have a coffee shop.

None of those will draw in people (for the right reasons).

Our love for one another will draw people to the knowledge of Christ and His love.

If we are not loving, the world doesn’t see Christ in believers.

If we are loving, and don’t turn from the flesh, the world doesn’t see Christ in us (Eph 4:17 and 5:1-2).

So how is it working out? It’s called sanctification.

Sorry it has been a while since my last post, last week I was gone on Spring Break and I took a break from everything, which ironically, I’m going to speak on.

I’m a pretty regular reader of RagamuffinSoul (and I recommend it) recently Carlos had a video on stillness.  For me the end of the semester is approaching and life is busy.  When I look how Jesus reacted to busyness and commotion and compare it to my life, and other Americans’, I see a drastic difference–solitary and solace.  Often Jesus would withdraw from situations to pray.

When your life gets busy, step back, remember the Kingdom and the Grace you have received and talk to God.

Grace and Peace.

Perry Noble gave some awesome advice about hearing God’s voice.

Grace and Peace.

So in honor of Matthew 10:26-27, I want to share a little bit of what God has shown me this semester.

• The way we treat people matters tremendously.  Sometimes, we’re the only Christ people see–we must reflect Him well.
• Grace is knowing that I’ve done nothing. (I know it’s basic, but seriously as God to teach it to you and it makes so much sense and has more power)
• Grace is knowing I’ll never be able to do it. (Again, basic but ditto from the previous point.)
• Seek God in everything and life will fall where it is supposed to.
• I am not as good as I think I am.

If you read this, post what God has been teaching you in the comments.

Grace and Peace.

In Carlos Whittaker’s recent blog he asked an important question. When was the last time you heard from God.

I have been wondering if what I’ve been hearing is the Spirit telling me to speak it. This, plus Matthew 10:26-27 confirmed it for me. God is good.

Peace and Grace.

In Daniel Florien’s blog, he comments on a nurse asking to pray for the patient.

Nurse: “Would you like me to say a prayer for you?”
Me: “Feel free. Now I’d like to ask you a question… why did you go through all the necessary medical training if you believe that prayer can heal people?”

Scripture records miracles, so much larger than healing a person. Why aren’t we seeing tremendous things? For one, most of American Christians forget the power and importance of the Holy Spirit. If we ask, and genuinely seek it, by faith it will absolutely happen (and don’t forget it must be in tune with the Spirit). I myself and many others forget the power and peace of the Spirit. Until the revelation of that power and peace is revealed, these miracles will not occur.

Grace and Peace,

Matt.