Living in this place of Grace - a look at "standard bearing" -N.Wakefield

Romans 8

"1Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
3For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,"

Living in this place of Grace ...

I feel like I can breath...

We have weathered some pretty big storms here

This past long year...

walked through some valleys

hung out in the desert,

and now are miles and miles and miles from our comfort zones...

Some of our "comfort zones" were getting less comfortable ...

and God has had a year or two now

to rustle things up

to show us things from another perspective

to grow us up

to stretch us,

and now we are in a place

where we can re examine GRACE....

"Standard Bearers?
Who are the Standard Bearers, and why such a strange descriptive title? I use the term standard because sincere, religious people usually have many standards they consider important to secure significance, praise, and reputation before God and man. Everyone has some standards they practice, but the issue in this article is the level of importance and significance people place on those standards.
I use the term bearers because that is the image they bear to others: Living by certain standards is a true sign of righteousness and spiritual maturity. Others often think of them as almost perfect or Christ-like in their talk and appearance being impressed with the way they live for Jesus. But there is a subtle, yet significant difference between someone living for Jesus and Jesus living in them. Unfortunately, the emphasis of a Standard Bearer rests on the standards rather than relationship.
Standard Bearers have an inconsistent application of God's character toward His creatures. For instance, when trying to convince a non-standard bearer of his need to change, they communicate that God is very stern. Yet when they deal with their own sin, they apply the view that God is forgiving and gracious. There's a disconnect between how they think God sees the sins of others not like them and how He sees their sin.
A True Image Bearer
In contrast, a True Image Bearer focuses on relationship with Jesus and has one aim: to be a conduit of the life and love of Jesus Christ for the glory of God and to lead others to experience the same blessing of such a powerful, love-engulfed, grace-filled relationship. Although his life is lived with standards perhaps similar to a Standard Bearer's, the root and motivation of his life is different - he recognizes his lifestyle as a gift of grace through his relationship with Jesus. The true image of Jesus wasn't a life focused on standards, but a life focused on a relationship with His Father in heaven.
Consequently, a True Image Bearer doesn't demand that others live by standards to gain approval, encouragement, and affirmation. They're more interested in the process of relationship with the Holy Spirit for others. People who live in close company with a True Image Bearer know that if they were to disappoint them or have another view, they would still be respected and valued.
True Image Bearers respect the Holy Spirit and His right to move, transform, and convince others. They apply the power of the cross-work of Jesus to those who haven't seen the light they have and consider the judgment of others a holy responsibility for Jesus alone. They don't think the Christian life is "living for Jesus", but instead it is "Jesus living in them" (Gal. 2:20). When people are around a True Image Bearer, they usually sense the love and presence of Jesus.
Often Standard Bearers think they are True Image Bearers because they have good feelings about themselves due to their commitment to standards. To them commitment to standards is the expression of their love for Jesus. However, they are not unlike the Pharisees in Jesus' day who viewed themselves as the "separated ones." In their zeal to be distinct in a complex, godless Greek culture, they established oral traditions (standards) and considered them not only equal to the written Law, but more important. Their judgment of others and lack of love, forgiveness, and grace was condemned by Jesus repeatedly. A True Image Bearer would not look down his nose at, avoid, or judge those who don't hold to his or her standards. Instead, he lives in freedom and prays for and encourages others to treasure relationship with Jesus. "

~~ Norm Wakefield The Curse of the Standard Bearers Part 1 11/07

I like Norm, I think we have established this...

My husband likes Norm.

If I could... I would have Norm and his lovely bride over for the weekend to visit...

that is how much I like Norm.

Norm can rebuke with out ever making you feel stupid,

but in that loving way, as to let you know...

that there is grace...

(to read Norms article in it's entirety, just click on the name of it highlighted...)

"William Young, author of The Shack, described a man's encounter with God. It caught my attention, and I think it relates to Satan's scheme. He wrote that there are a lot of smart people who are able to say a lot of right things from their brain because they have been told what the right answers are, but they don't know Jesus Christ at all. So really, how can their answers be right even if they are correct? Even though they might be correct, they are still wrong." Norm Wakefield The Curse of the Standard Bearers Part 2 12/07

I too agreed with Mr. Young on this one point, though not with every point made in his book. This point was one that resonated with me.... It really is more simply put... that with Christ... The ends NEVER justify the means.... The getting there is so a part of it, so one of the points of it... So having the "cheat sheet" means you fail.

Yet sometimes in life, there are people that will come into your sphere, that matter to you. They matter for various reasons, and sometimes, these people are people whom Norm describes; they are "Standard bearers"... everything you do, can become a standard, everything you do has to have some "reason", and suddenly there is no room to breath... or, more commonly, everything THEY do, or believe is a standard, something you need to live up to, or perhaps there is a book, a belief system, a church... They have standards, and sometimes, their standards can change from week to week... the very act of trying to live up to these kinds of expectations, can be overwhelming, heartbreaking, and spiritually damaging...

So you either try to live up to the Standard and everything "seems" cool...

or you live in a place of grace

and let the healing, living waters of Christ Jesus wash over you,

cleansing you of this hurt...

and you are so so so not cool with the "Standard Bearers...

this can be very painful,

there can be gossip, rejection, excommunication,

but you are so good with the Spirit of God,

you walk with HIM, and He is the point.

Well, God has made it pretty clear to me, to us,

that Grace need abound in our hearts

in our homes...

That Christ Jesus lives here,

and there is no room for anyone else but Him here...

I can not live up to any one's expectations of me

I dare not have any expectations of anyone else either, anymore....

It hurts them, it hurts me, it wounds Christ...

and He has been wounded enough...

I don't want a Pharisee's life for my children...

I want them to enjoy real fellowship with the Spirit of God,

real relationship with Christ their King,

I pray for them, to be able to see the other side of the torn veil....

Colossians

"1Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is,seated at the right hand of God.
2Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
3For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory"

If you want to learn more about Standard Bearing, please click on the link, and read Norms articles at www.spiritofelijah.com , his ministry is truly ... ministry to the soul...