Tag: easter

Mindset

Published on by tinavila202 Comments

Podcast available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and Anchor!

Happy Easter to all! It is a GOOD, Good Friday. If you checked out my post on Lent, you know I invited us to try memorizing a portion of Philippians chapter 2 together!

Seeing as the passage has been on repeat and repeat and repeat for the past 40 days, I just HAD to dedicate my Easter post/episode to the Hymn of Christ – as it’s known.

I got so much out of studying it over Lent and I can’t wait to dive in together.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage;
7 rather, He made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
    He humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place
    and gave Him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

– Philippians 2:5-11

One of my favourite things about about these few verses is that the sum of them actually represent the life of Jesus broken down into five sections.

1. Pre-Existence

6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage;

This verse points to the eternal nature of Jesus. He is not a created being or inferior to God. He is in very nature God. This means that any immutable (unchanging) attributes of God are also ascribed fully, not partially, to Jesus as well. In Jesus, are God’s omniscience (all-knowing), omnipotence (all-powerful), omnibenevolence (all-good), omnipresence (all-present), and eternal (all-existing) qualities.

Ok but, so what? Why does any of this matter? It matters because of what we see unfold in the next verses. Let’s go to the next chapter of the story.

2. Incarnation

7 rather, He made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,

This picture of Jesus gives us such a stark contrast to the Jesus we read about in verse 6. Jesus, being equal to God, before anything existed, actually left His throne and made Himself NOTHING. He didn’t come to earth as a mighty ruler or powerful religious leader; but poor, obscure, and vulnerable. So that we could actually relate to Him.

We don’t have to wonder what God’s love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, patience, and ultimately, His sacrifice might look like in our tangible world. Because of the Incarnation, all these qualities were fully manifest in the life of Jesus. So if you want to know how to live, what to prioritize, how to treat people, how to pray, how to love, and how to forgive, just look at Jesus.

3. Crucifixion

He humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

The more closely I draw near to Jesus, or more like, the more closely He draws me to Himself! – the more moved I am by His sacrifice. Because of Jesus, those who believe in Him will NEVER feel the level of pain, humiliation, or rejection that He experienced on our behalf.

His death meant that sin and death were conquered forever. So when He cried out on the cross, my God, my God, why have you abandoned me (Matt. 27:46), it’s because it was the first time since pre-existence and beyond, that He was not connected to God the Father.

God turned His back on Jesus and allowed the full wrath of God to fall on Him, destroying sin and death forever. Jesus was completely alone in those moments. Not just abandoned by His loved ones, but rejected by God so our sin would be defeated in the death of Jesus.

4. Resurrection

9 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place
 and gave Him the name that is above every name,

Jesus’ resurrection is the tangible proof that sin and death were actually defeated on the cross. Jesus said in John 10:18, No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded. His resurrection power is then available to anyone who calls upon His name.

5. Ascension

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, 
to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus ascending to heaven means that we’re not simply saved from our sin as a result of the crucifixion, and then left to fend for ourselves. His ascension means two critical things:

  1. Jesus intercedes for us. Hebrews 7:25 says that Jesus lives forever to intercede with God on behalf of those who come to God through Him.
  2. The Holy Spirit was sent to help us. In John 14:16, Jesus says that He would ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever. That’s the Holy Spirit

In His ascension, Jesus was restored to the full glory of God. And one day, everyone will know it too! Because on that day, every knee will bow and everyone tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Bonus

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus

You may have noticed that as we went through the Hymn of Christ, we skipped the beginning, where we are invited to actually adopt this posture in our own lives. Paul doesn’t go through Jesus’ whole biography for the purpose of growing our intellect, as great as that is. We are encouraged to actually live that way ourselves!

So whatever status, reputation, education, corporate position, fame, skillset, or dollar signs in the bank account, none of us begin at the same level of glory as Jesus, who in pre-existence, was equal to God the Father Himself.

This means by default, whatever level of humility we may think we’ve stooped to for the sake of others, it is nothing compared to that which Jesus subjected Himself, by being made in human likeness, becoming obedient to death on a cross.

So this Easter, let’s not just be intentional about appreciating the sacrifice that bought our salvation, but let’s look for ways to manifest the sacrifice, humility, and love that Jesus modelled for us.

Moreover, we must press into the resurrection power of Jesus. For anything else we might lean on for strength or meaning is an idol that will crush under the weight of our expectations for it.

The Apostle Paul says this in the Message translation,

I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience His resurrection power, be a partner in His suffering, and go all the way with Him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.

– Philippians 3:10 MSG

Where does this land for you? Do you also recognize the eternal implications and benefits of having the same mindset of Christ Jesus? I hope so! Because I can personally vouch for the fact that there is no peace, hope, joy, goodness, or power apart from Him.

What’s in the Ears

Let me know your thoughts in the comments or send me a message! Happy Easter, friends!

Podcast available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and Anchor!

Lent Remix

Published on by tinavila201 Comment

Podcast version available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Anchor!

Let’s talk Lent. For many, it’s about cutting sugar, coffee, or Instagram. It’s about drinks on Mardi Gras and trying real hard to feel real bad about all that cussing that can’t seem to be stopped.

For me, the disciplines of fasting and Lent were not prominent parts of my faith tradition growing up.

I had only ever fasted as part of the 30 Hour Famine as a teenager, and admittedly, I cheated every time. As for Lent, I engaged in the traditions in my recent past, and did not find it particularly meaningful. Probably because my heart just wasn’t in it.

Leading up to this season of Lent, it has occurred to me that God is not a god of subtraction, reduction, decrease, or want in general.

In the Amplified translation of John 10:10, Jesus says:

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].

And this led me to an epiphany…

Lent isn’t only about what you give up through self-denial and sacrifice.

Lent is also about intentionally inviting more of God into your life as you prepare to celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection at the end of the Lenten period, culminating with Easter.

Disclaimer: If the Holy Spirit is nudging you to give up something for Lent, I promise, you won’t get much out of Lent by disobeying that call. Doing what God asks of you is ALWAYS the right thing to do.

The prophet Samuel reminds us:

What pleases the Lord more? Burnt offerings and sacrifices, or obeying the Lord? It is better to obey than to offer a sacrifice. It is better to do what He says than to offer the fat of rams.

– 1 Samuel 15:22

With this in mind, I’ve prayerfully decided to do a Lent-in-Reverse. Rather than give something up for Lent, I will add something instead. Because although giving up something for Lent is a good thing, it’s meaningless if you’re not intentionally putting the things of God in their place.

And I invite you to join me as the Lord leads you!

What has been impressed on my heart is to memorizing Scripture.

Here’s some background on how I got here:

I’ve been especially struck by the humility of Jesus. In the Gospels, Jesus is repeatedly confronted by religious leaders who felt threatened by Him and I’m inspired by how He either keeps His cool when responding, or simply doesn’t respond at all.

Furthermore, I am so moved by the description of Jesus in Philippians 2. Paul talks about our mindsets reflecting that of Jesus’ obedience and humility as He prepared to be crucified.

Humble obedience is hugely lacking in our world today – whether you profess the name of Jesus or not! The bottom line is that we want to do what we want to do and pride isn’t going to let anyone tell us differently.

Jesus wasn’t like that. And I want to be more like Him.

Therefore, for the 40 day Lent period, I plan to carve out time to memorize Philippians 2:1-18.

If this interests you, will you join me?

Here’s some inspo to pump us up!

I adopted this phrase from podcast host, Annie F. Downs, who says:

More than I want food, I want You [God].

– Annie F. Downs

The idea is to give something up in order to get more of God. So when I’m fasting and feeling sluggish or tempted to break my fast, I pray that aloud…

More than I want food, I want You.

When I’m in a disagreement, or when my children are non-compliant, or when I feel misunderstood, I pray aloud…
More than I want to be right, I want You.

When I’m tempted to spend money on something frivolous, I remind myself to pray aloud…
More than I want to blow my money on this, I want You.

Similarly, when it’s easier to vegg in front of the TV or scroll on my phone during Lent, I hope that I will recognize and pray aloud…
More than I want to numb my brain, I want You.

The ultimate goal is to gaze upwards

Another way I would describe this Lent-in-Reverse is to gaze up, rather than down. When we look down towards our own sin, shame, and all the things we may struggle to give up whilst fasting, we can feel deflated, irritable, or morose.

Simply put, we’re focusing on the wrong thing.

And although there is a place for this as we reflect and repent, it is especially meaningful and impactful to gaze upwards at Jesus. Focus on His sacrifice, His holiness, His mercy, grace, forgiveness, love, and compassion. Be overwhelmed by Him!

So as we meditate to the point of memorizing Scripture, my hope is that this discipline will cause us to more fully appreciate Jesus’ sacrifice and the salvation He bought for us on the cross.

Maybe, just maybe, Easter will be more profound, more awe-inspiring, and more gratitude-provoking after 40 days of more of Him.

We’ll close with Philippians 2:1-18 in the NIV.

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage;
7 rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death– even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose.
14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the Word of Life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. 17 But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 18 So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

What’s in the Ears

So, are you with me?! If you prefer to memorize a smaller portion of the passage or a different passage altogether, feel free! Memorizing together is so fun and I’d love to know if you decide to join me – so send me a message or comment here if you do!

Podcast version available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Anchor!

Bandaids on a Gunshot Wound

Published on by tinavila202 Comments

5-step program! 4 smart solutions! 3 easy payments! 2 effective strategies! 1 piece of advice!

Does it not draw us in to think that all our troubles could magically go away so easily?! Wouldn’t we all love a quick fix to life’s woes?

Living in a world that prides itself in efficiency and results, it’s no wonder the Easter story, and the wild notion that Jesus’ death can transform your life, appear downright foolish. And if not foolish, at least perplexing.

The reality is that we fool ourselves by believing that our bandaid-solutions will make ANY lasting difference to our broken lives here, or in eternity. Because it’s not about steps of improvement to implement, but a Person to know, a Redeemer to save!

Once we see that the real transformative power Jesus offers is the only real solution to our fatal problem, we’re then awakened to the futility of our own self-help efforts.

Like bandaids on a gunshot wound.

Please hear my heart through this intensity of a ramble…

NOTHING has had a greater impact on my life than simply doing life with Jesus.

  • Trusting Him with the unknown.
  • Trusting Him with circumstances I can’t control.
  • Trusting Him with whatever I want to change but don’t know how to (no matter how many bandaids).
  • Ultimately trusting Him with the salvation of my very soul!
  • To believe that God created all of us for more than what our eyes can see.

Because if we could see it, we wouldn’t need God to do it, that’s why it’s faith! (Pastor Mike Todd said it first)

Sin: The Gunshot Wound

If I really had to reduce it all to a step-program, I suppose that acknowledging our own sin as the problem would have to be the first step. You can then follow that with having the faith to believe God for our solution.

But if we fail to recognize the true consequence of sin on our lives, and acknowledge the fatality of this gunshot wound to our very existence, then I suppose a quick fix bandaid works just fine in deluding us into believing that God sending Jesus is unnecessary or irrelevant.

Thankfully God’s offer of salvation is available to anyone who will to accept it. It isn’t any less true whether you believe it or not.

2 Corinthians 5:21 gives us a beautiful, yet simple synopsis of the Easter story:

God made Jesus, who had no sin, to be sin for us. So that in Jesus, we might become right with God.

Unfortunately, until we truly taste and see how GOOD He is, “we basically reduce Jesus to a cultural icon, rather than the living, resurrected Saviour. And apart from Him we can do absolutely nothing” (Dr. Crawford Loritts). That’s why the quick fix can never work. In the ancient world, the sacrificial system offered a way for people to be made right with God. But like I keep saying, it was a bandaid solution!

Today, the sum of our good deeds can make us feel like we’ve earned our way into God’s good graces. And with polarizing views on what good deeds actually look like, it’s hard to know if you’re even getting that right in the first place!

11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. 12 But our High Priest I offered Himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. 14 For by that one offering He forever made perfect those who are being made holy. 16 “This is the new covenant I will make
with my people on that day, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”
17 Then He says, “I will never again remember
 their sins and lawless deeds.”
18 And when sins have been forgiven, there is no need to offer any more sacrifices.

– Hebrews 10:11-18

I’m so grateful that Jesus’ sacrifice isn’t only about taking on the consequence of my sin and the reality of whatever awaits us in the afterlife, which is obviously a big deal!

But His sacrifice has amazing consequences in this life too! For an abundant life (John 10:10) and peace beyond understanding (Philippians 4:7).

I need me some peace to get through each day. I need confidence in knowing I can be right with God. That even if I make mistakes, I don’t have to carry the weight of my sin through life. And my identity can now be found in Him.

I don’t have to try to cover my tracks by putting bandaids on gunshot wounds and hoping for the best. I can KNOW with confidence that I’m forgiven, I’m redeemed – for a purpose!

Tim Keller says that Christian identity is the only one that is received, not achieved. This means that transformation doesn’t depend on my performance, but when we accept Jesus’ sacrifice, we receive a new identity as a child of God – forgiven and loved.

And that’s such good news!

Because when it comes down to it, what we really need is good news, not good advice. We don’t need good advice to follow, but good news to believe. One is about tips and tricks, the other is transformative.

I echo Paul’s question in Romans 2:4, don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that His kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

This may sound cynical, but unfortunately, I don’t think we actually care for God’s kindness, when all we want is quick solutions to our problems. It grieves me to think that we completely miss what God offers us when we fail to recognize how amazing His mercy and grace really are.

When we reduce the Easter story and God’s plan of salvation to simply being good enough or bad enough, we miss the point! Because that’s not what God’s grace is about! We bring the wrong solutions to a problem only God can rectify. “It’s not about being good or bad. It’s about being dead or alive!” (Louie Giglio) None of us could ever be good enough to get to heaven. No matter how many tips and tricks we try. It’s about recognizing our need for a Saviour, and then being made alive in Him.

For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.

– 2 Corinthians‬ ‭7:10‬ ‭

I guess that would be it. The big tip. The main point. I love how the Corinthians author addresses the difference between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow. One leads to repentance, salvation, and life! The other is filled with regret, shame, and death.

Let’s be sorry for our sin, but let’s bring it to the foot of the cross where we can exchange it for fullness of life and a new identity as children of God. Not just a bandaid-solution, but a complete transformation from the inside out.

More than a bandaid

The following verse – stripped of any complex theology, in all its simplicity – is the best possible way I can think to conclude. The story goes like this: Jesus heals a blind man. Religious leaders (who happen to be spiritually blind themselves!) give him flack about it. And all he says is…

“I have no idea what kind of man He is. All I know is this: I was blind, but now I see.”

– John 9:25

And that’s the beauty of the whole dang thing.

Many people, much smarter than I, have ventured to answer life’s tough questions and solve humanities impossible problems to no avail… I don’t know everything about Jesus. All I know is this: I was dead inside, but now I’m alive. I was blind, but now I see.

What’s in the Ears

Comment below or send me a message with any thoughts or questions on this Easter post that’s so dear to my heart! I just love to hear from you.