Our Postures—Part Two

“If I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to Myself.”

John 12:32

As I shared in the previous blog, Toni and I spend time together at the beginning of each year seeking God’s heart for Forgiving Forward. The key question we ask is, “Lord, what do You want us to ask You for in the coming year?” This year, as Toni and I sat together, listening and processing, God took us back to the basics so that we could codify what had been our heart posture all along. Biblically, a posture is a physical position in worship that reflects the heart's attitude of reverence towards God and our dependence on Him. The Lord gave us six postures—six mindsets—that will undergird and inform our prayers for Forgiving Forward.

All for God‘s Glory
Jesus Focused
Shepherd/Spirit Led
Gospel-Centric
Abiding Trust
Self Denied

This is the second in a series of blogs unpacking each posture that guides the ministry of Forgiving Forward. In the previous blog, we discussed the first posture: “All for God’s Glory.” The second posture is:

Jesus Focused

“We prove the value we attach to things by the time we devote to them.”

Andrew Murray

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life;

no one comes to the Father but through Me.’”

John 14:6

From the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelation, the focus of the Biblical story is Jesus. It’s ALL about Jesus. History is the revelation of His Story. Apologist John Dickson defines the Christian Faith as Christocentric-monotheism because the triune God is revealed in the person of Jesus. Jesus Christ permeates all of Scripture. In the Old Testament, He is the promised “Seed” in Genesis 3:15, the promised Son of Abraham, the Descendant of David in 2 Samuel 7, the Child prophesied in Isaiah, and the promised Messiah throughout the Prophets as the hope of Israel.

The New Testament continues the focus on Jesus.

“And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14

Jesus Himself declared: “You examine the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is those very Scriptures that testify about Me; and yet you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.” John 5:39-40

Most people are familiar with John 14:6 quoted above, but look what Jesus says next in His conversation with the disciples in the Upper Room:

“If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” John 14:7-9.

In his defense before the Jewish tribunal, Peter boldly declares this about Jesus:

“He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:11-12

The book of Colossians is about the centrality of Christ in the life of a believer, which is summarized in Colossians 2:9-10:

“For in Him (Jesus) all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

Revelation 22 concludes the Biblical narrative, quoting Jesus:

“Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to reward each one as his work deserves. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (22:12-13)

Jesus! He is the lead story, the middle story, and the last story. Jesus is the only story! He is the only One worthy of our full focus.

“There is nothing the nearness of Jesus cannot overcome.”

Michael Wells

Whatever we focus on controls us. It is so easy to turn our focus on good things, even Biblical things, and shift our focus off of Jesus. The good is the enemy of the best, and it is easy, almost natural, for us to focus on good things at the expense of the best things. Good things like ministry, serving people, and doing God’s work—even by coaching or teaching Forgiving Forward—can become subtle distractions that take our eyes off the ultimate prize—Jesus! Don’t misunderstand me here. Ministry, serving others, coaching and teaching, i.e., doing God’s work, are all vital parts of the mission of Forgiving Forward. Yet everything we do must come through the lens of Jesus. Why, because Jesus is The Way and the only answer for the people God sends us to. We are committed to keeping our focus on Jesus and pointing everyone we come in contact with to Him.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

A dear saint who has walked intimately with God for decades and led multiple groups through the Forgiving Forward Video Course once said to me, “Bruce, what I like most about Forgiving Forward is that you point people to Jesus and the cross in every single session.” We consider this the best compliment we have ever received because pointing people to Jesus has been our focus from the moment we launched Forgiving Forward.

A while back, I was asked during a Q&A, “How would you share the Forgiving Forward message with those who reject Jesus?” I responded, “There is The Way, and there’s not The Way. Jesus is The Way, and every other way is not The Way. If someone rejects The Way, I’m not gonna give them another way that will lead them away from The Way because The Way is the only thing that will help them. I only have one bullet in my gun, it’s the Cross of Jesus. If they reject Jesus, I have nothing for them. They are free to find someone else who will give them a different way, which I assure you, will not work. However, I’m only gonna share Jesus with them because He’s the only answer that will set them free.“

Our commitment at Forgiving Forward is to consistently and constantly keep our focus on Jesus. Everything we do and everything we teach must flow out of our relationship with Jesus and point everyone back to Him. It’s all about Jesus!!

…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;

Philippians 4:10

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