Tag Archives: Paul Luckett

Complaining Is Evil

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - Complaining Is Evil

Complaining is evil. It is thought and speech in service to the evil one.

Complaining weakens the hearer (I can even weaken myself from my own internal dialogue)

directing attention and energy

away from God

and to my dissatisfaction or displeasure.

Complaining is contempt for the reality I’m faced with while cowering from the responsibility to make it better.

Complaining shirks that responsibility and shifts it to another, often in the form of blame.

Complaining denies my duty to glorify God (by keeping Him central, maintaining attention on His goodness) and abandons my responsibility to represent the goodness of His kingdom order in every situation that I face.

“Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as [it is] in heaven.”
—Matthew 6:10, Luke 11:2

Complaining is cowardice.

And, no coward will be counted among the children of God.

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
—Revelation 21:8

Believe Jesus. Repent and be saved.

#heartwords #heartdictionary

Complaining Is Weak

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - Complaining Is Weak

God wants to glorify Himself through me.

But, the Spirit has revealed weakness in me that is not in Christ

that He must burn away

so that I am able to reflect His glory.

The Holy Spirit said to me, “You have a problem with complaining.”

It’s a weakness that hinders my use for God’s glory. I repent.

Something I do a lot in my internal dialogue is express contempt for a situation I’m facing and always saying what I don’t want to do.

Jesus never did that.

“Not My will, but Yours, be done.” —Luke 22:42

Jesus did not complain, even as He was being crucified.

“He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.”
—Isaiah 53:7

“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”
—Philippians 2:8

He was not deterred by the difficulty of the situation.

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.”
—John 12:27

He did not try to shift the burden to another in the form of blame.

He didn’t concern Himself with who’s fault it was.

Jesus did not cower. He came. He confronted.

He committed Himself to the work of reconciliation. He focused on God and directed our attention to the kingdom of God and His righteousness and He set His hand to the task of bringing everything, all of creation back into God’s kingdom order, at any cost.

He put His hand to the plow and never looked back.

This is the man I want to be. This is the man I’m becoming, who God is making me.

He’s burning away the flesh, to reveal Christ that’s being formed in me, bit by bit.

I thank God for His love that both comforts my heart and burns away sin.

I confess my sin and submit to His scalpel.

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” —1 John 1:9

I trust Him. He is faithful. He will finish the work.

“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete [it] until the day of Jesus Christ;” —Philippians 1:6

The work God is doing in me isn’t flashy, but it’s miraculous.

May God be glorified.

#GodsLoveBurns #perfectourlove

God’s Love Burns

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - God's Love Burns

We gush about the blessings and kindness of God’s love, but what about the change His love demands and causes?

Our God is a consuming fire.

His love burns.

It both warms the heart and burns aways sin.

If I’m not experiencing both, I’m not experiencing God’s love.

****

It would probably be better said, “His love ‘ignites’ the heart and burns away sin”, because we were completely dead before, we had nothing to warm.

It was for reason of our common understanding of the expression that I chose “warm the heart” as in the pleasant warmth often associated with being loved.

But His love is not just pleasant, it’s transformative. It creates new life in us and eviscerates the darkness of our former selves.

“In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
—John 1:4-5

****

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

“Little children, LET NO ONE DECEIVE YOU. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning.

For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.”
—1 John 3:1-2, 7-9

A Non-obvious Encounter With God

Is God real?

The natural approach to the concept of God often leads to the search for the super-natural, that is a super-event that is still along a natural continuum, a sign, an observable phenomenon, something bound by space and time that we can perceive with our five senses.

But, God is spirit. (John 4:24)

An authentic encounter with God is often non-obvious and imperceptible to the natural eye because it’s spiritual.

“Philip said to [Jesus], ‘Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.’

Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, “Show us the Father?”‘”
—John 14:8-9

An encounter with God is a committed, consistent, all consuming burning that transforms us.

“And they said to one another, ‘Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?'”
—Luke 24:32

“For our God is a consuming fire.”
—Hebrews 12:29

We can know and experience God.

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
—John 10:10

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
—John 17:3

Everyone who does is transformed by it. No one who sees Him remains the same.

“You must be born again.”
—John 3:5

It’s a miraculous reality unbound by time that always is; before you were born and after you die.

“He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world”
—Ephesians 1:4

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
—Ephesians 2:4-7

That’s spiritual. That’s supernatural.

It is real.

It’s a reality on a higher spiritual level, that’s not always obvious on this natural one, but its effects are (Galatian 5:22-23).

When The Flower Passes

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - When The Flower Passes

I constantly struggle, especially as I age and face the certainty of death, with the feeling that what I am doing isn’t big enough, isn’t grand enough and that I’m a failure.

Perhaps that’s another way of saying that I’m seeking approval or recognition.

Honestly, I’m not sure, but it is a lie that’s blocking love and needs to be purged. This is why I must continually expose my heart to the Word of God to search such things out.

When I brought this to God, this is what the Spirit gave me.

A meditation, a poem:

When The Flower Passes.

A flower,
stretched toward heaven,
taking in the Son,
passing Him on,
so others would live,
pleases God,
and that is enough.

I Am Accepted In The Beloved

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - I Am Accepted In The Beloved

I am accepted in the beloved. (Ephesians 1:6)

This is what we’re built for,
This is humanity’s greatest suppressed desire,
This fills the God-sized hole in each of us,
It is the reason for our social bent,
To be accepted truly, purely, safely, irrevocably, ultimately by the Father.

I am accepted in the beloved.

To really recline in that I need two things:

to be completely satisfied with being accepted by the Father —alone, to be perfectly content and full of joy with the Father’s acceptance whether anyone else accepts me or not,

and to understand that I’m accepted on the basis of His goodness, not mine.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” —Romans 5:8

I cannot mess this up.

There is nothing I can possibly do to mess this up.

Oh, what amazing grace! Praise your name God our Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Hallelujah!

This is at the heart of righteousness.

Righteousness is having a right relationship to everything.

This reality, that I am accepted in the beloved, changes my posture.

Accepting it changes how I relate to everything. It makes righteousness possible.

It allows you to stand tall and stand firm for what is good and right, like a mighty tree that gives shelter to others and feeds them with the fruit from The Tree Of Eternal Life who’s leaf never fades and is always in season.

Consider Jesus.

This cradle of absolute safety was established so that you could be conformed to His image without fear of failure or rejection, so that no matter what happens, Jesus is the result.

“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete [it] until the day of Jesus Christ;”
—Philippians 1:6

I am accepted in the beloved.

Rest in that, and be transformed by it.

Keep Going Where?

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - Keep Going Where?

People often say, “Don’t give up. Keep going.”

But, “keep going” where?

My answer: to God;

To more conformed to the image of Christ, to experiencing the Kingdom of God to a greater degree by helping others to experience the Kingdom of God to a greater degree, to deeper and sweeter communion with the Beloved…

When I feel like giving up, this is why I will keep going: I am going to God, my treasure, my help now and my hope for eternity.

What Am I Doing?

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - What Am I Doing?

Lord, I’m overwhelmed and feel so turned around. What am I doing?

**Excuse me as I encourage myself in the Lord.

Where am I going?

The Kingdom of God, where Christ reigns, who makes God all-in-all, so that all of God’s children can dwell in safety together.

What am I doing?

Glorifying God, destroying the works of the devil, shining the light of Christ by administering the Gospel in word and deed, giving life by His Spirit, ushering all that the Lord our God will call into the glorious Sanctuary of the Kingdom of God through Christ, and teaching others to do likewise.

How am I doing it?

Obeying the heavenly vision by God’s grace —the strength He provides (heart, knowledge, power, people, resources), laying aside this world; allowing Christ to be manifest through me by dying: the emptying of myself (power, possessions, pursuits of pleasure and popularity, and my person), taking up my cross (our weapon —the ultimate implement of our struggle against sin; taking what God purposed, what Satan mean for evil, but what God is using for good to save people alive) and following Jesus to the Kingdom of God, fighting toward His beloved —my fellow disciples, walking as He walked, starting where He placed me (my garden: my marriage, my family, my work, my community) unto the uttermost parts of the world.

In summation: I am making war against every challenge to Lord Jesus’ rule, taking and securing territory for the Kingdom of God according to Christ’s example, starting with my heart and in my home.

People are the fields where this war is waged.

“The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”
—Luke 17:20-21

So, focus on eternal, life-giving connections with people to the glory of God. That’s how I take territory for the Kingdom.

My work, my marriage, my parenting, my resources —everything, are Christ’s and are merely means to facilitate advancing God’s Kingdom.

Now that the Holy Spirit has helped me get my bearings again, I can sit with these thoughts and emotions, bring them into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and evaluate what lie(s) I may have embraced that gave rise to the anxiety such as “I’m holding my own world together.”

Lies block love.

But, perfect love casts out all fear. (1 John 4:18)

I don’t have all the answers, I still have problems, but I have peace that the Good Shepherd will guide me through them all.

#perfectourlove

Placed In The Dark

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - Placed In The Dark

Sometimes, God will put me in the dark to show others in the dark The Way.

“Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.” —2 Corinthians 1:6

Those with a heart ready for heaven, who love God and are called according to His purposes, glory in their suffering, rejoicing to be counted worthy to suffer for His name.

“Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” —1 Peter 4:16

And for those, like me, who are not there yet, God uses all things, including that same suffering to get you there. Instruction in the Light and lessons in the dark facilitated by the Holy Spirit is how I’ve gotten this far.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…” —Romans 8:28-29

“Though He [Christ] was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” ——Hebrews 5:8-9

“Why Lord?” is an excellent question, if I’m listening for His answer.

I have not already attained but I press.

#GloriousSuffering

The Goal Is Not Good But Life

Paul Luckett | Brainflurry.com - The Goal Is Not Good But Life

The goal is not to be “good”, the goal is to be life-giving.

“And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.”
—1 Corinthians 15:45

To be sure, good is life-giving but which you set your heart on to pursue, drastically changes the outcome.

There’s a great difference between wanting to look like Dad versus wanting to be like Dad.

Because we, as Christians, often pursue presenting some perception of God’s person (“good”), rather than pursuing God’s heart and purposes (life [John 10:10]), we get religious, which results in a lot of beautiful dead things (e.g. buildings, rituals, programs, gestures, etc. [1 Corinthians 13:1-3]).

The goal is life.

If you’re thinking how only God can give life and we cannot do that, you’re on to something.

Furthermore, life is the result of God’s glory. So, the ultimate goal is God’s glory.

Both are something that ultimately only God can do [John 12:28, 1 Corinthians 12:3].

“No one can say Jesus is Lord [glorify God] except by the Holy Spirit [God]”
—1 Corinthians 12:3

We can only hope to make ourselves available for His use, which requires emptying ourselves of everything: possessions, pleasure, popularity, power and even our person.

“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.”
—2 Corinthians 4:7

That’s ultimately the lesson of the Jesus’ encounter with the Rich Young Ruler [Luke 18:18-27].

The goal is not to be “good”, the goal is to be life-giving.

We cannot do it.

But, God can, through us.

“But [Jesus] said, ‘The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.'”
—Luke 18:27

Rather than just signaling virtue and having an appearance of righteousness (paying tithes, going to church, being a “good person”, etc.), seek God’s heart to produce life in others.

Seek God on how to allow God to give life through you.

So… how’s your garden? [Genesis 2:15]