Hashawha 2025 - Introduction from our Brother Ed Miller

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It is a great joy to my heart, and an awesome privilege for me to be invited to share at this year’s Hashawha gathering.

We view it, as we have been instructed, in the light of James 4:15 “. . .you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.”

Our meditations will be gleaned from the Apostle John’s record of the precious words our Lord Jesus shared with His disciples in the upper room only hours before His death. (John 13-17) His parting words demonstrated the glorious truths that were most on His heart and which He longed to communicate to His own. Although, He shared many things, we read, “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now” (John 16:12) These five chapters have been loved and studied for centuries and are considered to be some of most precious chapters in all the Word of God. Not a few commentators have referred to these chapters as THE HOLY OF HOLIES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. Clearly, during our Labor Day weekend gathering, it will be impossible to attempt to meditate on everything the Lord Jesus shared that night in which He was betrayed. It is too full! We are indeed, on Holy ground!

One theme stands out, however, as the most emphasized burden on His heart. He explains to them the Life that God created mankind to live. The first Adam failed to live that life. The Lord Jesus, the Last Adam and the Second Man, demonstrated the Life that God intended man to live, by living that life for thirty-three- and one-half years in His own union with His indwelling Father. He was only one day from redeeming man so that man could live the life God created him to live.

In these five chapters He explains that life. What it is and how to live it! It has been referred to in many ways by different saints. Whether you call it the Christian Life; the Abundant life; the Victorious life; the Surrendered life; Union life; the Consecrated life; the Overcoming life; the Love life; the Life hidden with Christ in God, or the Heavenly life—it is all the same and returns to the truth—this is the Life that God created us and redeemed us to live. Therefore, we will not quarrel with titles, as long as we understand that such a life is made possible for us in Christ Jesus, and that it pleases the Lord when we appropriate that life.

For our time together, I have borrowed a title from Hudson Taylor, that I think best describes the life that God intends for us to live. Hudson Taylor called it, “THE EXCHANGED LIFE”. I like that title because, for me, it comes closer to the reality than those other titles. As Jesus once died as my Substitute, He now desires to live as my Substitute. (Romans 5:10) “For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” That is the exchange: saved by His Life! He lives in my place, as He once died in my place.

In these five chapters, Jesus explains the exchanged life. In a most beautiful and profound way. He describes what life will look like if we actually embrace the exchanged life by faith.

I would like to present Jesus’ explanation of the exchanged life. After laying the foundation for the possibility of such a life (THE INDWELLING HOLY SPIRIT), He describes the exchanged life by proclaiming four radical principles, apart from which the exchanged life is impossible. (I used the word “radical” because it comes from the Latin word “root”) The four principles are as foreign to human wisdom and the natural heart as anything can be. The principles Jesus uses to explain the exchanged life are DIFFERENT FROM THE ROOT UP. (Radical!) It requires a heart that must be taught of God to embrace such a life.

In our time together, I would like to share the foundation that Jesus laid for the exchanged life and then meditate with you on the four radical principles Jesus proclaimed to describe the life God intends us to live.

I suggest that these passages be prayerfully considered before our gathering together.

THE INTRODUCTION LESSON: FOUNDATION OF THE EXCHANGED LIFE (John 17:23; 17:26; John 14:16-17; John 14:26; John 15:26; John 16:7; John 16:12-13)

LESSON # 2: THE EXCHANGED LIFE IS NECESSARY FOR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD (John 13:1-11 Foot washing)

LESSON #3: THE EXCHANGED LIFE IS NECESSARY FOR FRUIT (John 15—the Vine and Branches)

LESSON # 4: THE EXCHANGED LIFE IS NECESSARY FOR SANCTIFICATION (John 14:10-26; 15:26-27; John 16:33 1 John 2:15-17)

LESSON # 5: THE EXCHANGED LIFE IS NECESSARY FOR MINISTRY (John 16:7-11; John 14:12)

Do know that the Lord delights in you. I am praying (Romans 15:32) “that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company.”

In Union with Jesus,

Ed Miller