Before you report me to the government and reserve a room for me at the mental hospital, let me clarify... Vanessa and I most DEFINITELY do not need more biological children! I'm talking about children in a spiritual sense. I read a passage from Matthew this morning, and 11:25-27 caught my attention. These verses tend to be overshadowed by the following two, which begin, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden..." You can probably finish that passage by memory (or at least get close).
In v25-27, Jesus says, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by the Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
In the preceding paragraphs, Jesus chides the religious establishment for being so pompous and full of themselves that they totally missed their own Messiah. I imagine he then steps back, looks in the faces of his friends (disciples) and, with all their hard-knock stories in mind, praises his Father for the divine genius, full of irony and grace, that chose to reveal the Kingdom of Heaven to the world's rejected. This reminds me of another passage I read this morning from Isaiah 55, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." (v8f)
Here's the punchline... we are surrounded by people who think they know God but are not experiencing any sort of real, life-changing relationship with him. If we took a poll on a typical Sunday morning and asked the question, "When was the last time you heard God speak to you?", what do you think the response would be? God reveals himself on a daily basis to those who are willing to look and listen for him. Another word from Isaiah 55 - "Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near."
I want to be a child to which God reveals himself. I pray that God would raise up more men and women who are humble, teachable and childlike so he can show himself to the world through them. Who are the unlikely, rejected or timid people around us that God has chosen to give divine boldness as he reveals himself to them... all because they "naively" believe that he will do so?
May God also raise up spiritual parents who will take personal responsibility for nurturing the faith of these children, helping them become spiritually active, personally responsible and intentionally multiplying disciples of Christ.
Showing posts with label spiritual growth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spiritual growth. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Monday, November 10, 2008
An Open Ear
Psalm 40:6-8
I have been thinking a lot recently about the correlation between hearing God and obeying him. In John 10:3-5, Jesus says that those who belong to him are able to hear his voice and follow him. In Greek, the word for "I hear" is akouw and the word for "I obey" is hupakouw; I plan on doing a study on these two words, but without any research it's apparent from the surface that to obey has a dependency on or at least a relation to being able to hear. When my daughter doesn't obey something I told her to do, it's not unusual for her to say, "I didn't hear you."
In Psalm 40, the psalmist emphasizes that God ultimately doesn't seek religious sacrifices from his followers but obedience. God has given the writer "an open ear," meaning that he is able to hear God's commandments, and in v8 he describes the condition of his heart before God by saying, "I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."
The disciple's life isn't easy, but it doesn't have to be complicated. That's why I describe it as "the simple life." It's not easy to follow God in obedience - there are times that it may cost us greatly. However, the tools that are necessary to follow Christ in obedience and power are not complicated. One of the most important things a disciple needs is an open ear, the ability to hear God's voice - in his Word, through prayer, in daily circumstances, etc - and then obey. The open ear is part of the "intimacy" side of the discipleship coin (one side is intimacy, the other is influence). When a disciple is unable to hear God's voice, his attempts at obedience revolve around what other people have told him/her that God desires and it all degenerates into lifeless religion. However, as the disciples cultivates the ability to listen to God and obey him, his journey with Christ comes alive and immediately supersedes religious obligations.
Do you have an open ear to hear God? Why are you doing the "Christian" things you do? Has God told you to do them? Is there something God has directed you to do - even a long time ago - that has been left undone? Obey him. How do you cultivate an open ear? It's not easy, but it's not complicated! For beginners, understand the truth (with boldness!) that if you have said "Yes!" to Christ, his Spirit lives in you and, by his direction, you CAN hear his voice. Here's the real question: are you listening? Like my daughter, we often have selective hearing because we're afraid that Christ may ask us to do something we don't want to do. The more we try to ignore the Spirit's voice, the more closed our ear becomes. The more we attempt to hear God, the more open it will be. Amazingly simple!
I have been thinking a lot recently about the correlation between hearing God and obeying him. In John 10:3-5, Jesus says that those who belong to him are able to hear his voice and follow him. In Greek, the word for "I hear" is akouw and the word for "I obey" is hupakouw; I plan on doing a study on these two words, but without any research it's apparent from the surface that to obey has a dependency on or at least a relation to being able to hear. When my daughter doesn't obey something I told her to do, it's not unusual for her to say, "I didn't hear you."
In Psalm 40, the psalmist emphasizes that God ultimately doesn't seek religious sacrifices from his followers but obedience. God has given the writer "an open ear," meaning that he is able to hear God's commandments, and in v8 he describes the condition of his heart before God by saying, "I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."
The disciple's life isn't easy, but it doesn't have to be complicated. That's why I describe it as "the simple life." It's not easy to follow God in obedience - there are times that it may cost us greatly. However, the tools that are necessary to follow Christ in obedience and power are not complicated. One of the most important things a disciple needs is an open ear, the ability to hear God's voice - in his Word, through prayer, in daily circumstances, etc - and then obey. The open ear is part of the "intimacy" side of the discipleship coin (one side is intimacy, the other is influence). When a disciple is unable to hear God's voice, his attempts at obedience revolve around what other people have told him/her that God desires and it all degenerates into lifeless religion. However, as the disciples cultivates the ability to listen to God and obey him, his journey with Christ comes alive and immediately supersedes religious obligations.
Do you have an open ear to hear God? Why are you doing the "Christian" things you do? Has God told you to do them? Is there something God has directed you to do - even a long time ago - that has been left undone? Obey him. How do you cultivate an open ear? It's not easy, but it's not complicated! For beginners, understand the truth (with boldness!) that if you have said "Yes!" to Christ, his Spirit lives in you and, by his direction, you CAN hear his voice. Here's the real question: are you listening? Like my daughter, we often have selective hearing because we're afraid that Christ may ask us to do something we don't want to do. The more we try to ignore the Spirit's voice, the more closed our ear becomes. The more we attempt to hear God, the more open it will be. Amazingly simple!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Obedience & My Version of God's Will
I'm reading Judges 1-2 this morning. The Israelites have lost both Moses and Joshua and are about to embark upon a season of revolving leadership that eventually culminates in their demand for a king, rejecting pure theocracy for a more culturally acceptable system of government.
In these first two chapters, I am reminded of the importance of obedience. In their conquest of the land of Canaan, several of the tribes failed to drive out the inhabitants of the land and cleanse their new dwelling of false gods and evil influence. Yahweh intended for them to take complete habitation of the land, establishing his kingdom not just as the predominant religion, but as the only one.
The disobedience of the tribes reminds me of my own life. I'm not an advocate of "Christian culture" to become the only valid culture in the US; I don't know that an essentially state-sponsored Christian religion is the best method for the kingdom of God to impact the world. This method has failed miserably time and time again in other countries over the centuries. However, I am more concerned about the advancement of the kingdom of God in my own life and in my sphere of influence. Am I being obedient to the commands that God has whispered to my heart in times of clarity? Or do I, like the Israelites, fall to compromise when I am in the midst of following Christ? When faced with decisions (should I kill this "king" or simply subdue him?) and my spiritual horizon is overcast, will I do what I heard God command? Or will I settle for my version of God's will?
My prayer today is that the Holy Spirit would 1) help me remember what God has commanded me to do, 2) reveal to me the "kings" and "inhabitants" that are already established in my life and 3) give me the strength to be completely obedient, refusing to resort to my version of God's will.
Judges 1-2
In these first two chapters, I am reminded of the importance of obedience. In their conquest of the land of Canaan, several of the tribes failed to drive out the inhabitants of the land and cleanse their new dwelling of false gods and evil influence. Yahweh intended for them to take complete habitation of the land, establishing his kingdom not just as the predominant religion, but as the only one.
The disobedience of the tribes reminds me of my own life. I'm not an advocate of "Christian culture" to become the only valid culture in the US; I don't know that an essentially state-sponsored Christian religion is the best method for the kingdom of God to impact the world. This method has failed miserably time and time again in other countries over the centuries. However, I am more concerned about the advancement of the kingdom of God in my own life and in my sphere of influence. Am I being obedient to the commands that God has whispered to my heart in times of clarity? Or do I, like the Israelites, fall to compromise when I am in the midst of following Christ? When faced with decisions (should I kill this "king" or simply subdue him?) and my spiritual horizon is overcast, will I do what I heard God command? Or will I settle for my version of God's will?
My prayer today is that the Holy Spirit would 1) help me remember what God has commanded me to do, 2) reveal to me the "kings" and "inhabitants" that are already established in my life and 3) give me the strength to be completely obedient, refusing to resort to my version of God's will.
Judges 1-2
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Me Last!
My almost three-year-old daughter has a habit that, even at her young age, strikes a wrong chord in me. It surfaced again today as we walked up the steps to my mom's house; in the long line of Foster-Whiddons, I was last and Zoe was just in front of me. As we made our way onto the porch, my little girl picked up her pace and told me repeatedly and emphatically, "Me first! Me first! Me first!" In classic parental reverse-psychology, I responded, "Fine! I want to be last! You can't be last! That's my spot!"
My own statement reminded me of a message I heard recently at the Creative Church Conference (C3) at Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas. Brian Houston, the pastor of Hillsong Church in Australia, delivered a sermon in which he described what it was like to be the pastor of Darlene Zschech, one of the most recognized worship leaders in the world. He illustrated his point by proclaiming that when they go on trips together, people want a picture with Darlene and he is the guy who ends up holding the camera! Pastor Houston's challenge to a building full of ambitious leaders stuck with me - practice being last.
Being last does not come easily to mankind; it definitely is not at the top of my list of personal goals. However, I want to be like Christ, and Philippians 2:5-8 describes how my attitude should look in order to reflect his:
Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Oh Jesus, help me learn to be glad to be last. Help me lay down my pride and place others above myself. Let "Me last!" be the cry of my heart!
My own statement reminded me of a message I heard recently at the Creative Church Conference (C3) at Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas. Brian Houston, the pastor of Hillsong Church in Australia, delivered a sermon in which he described what it was like to be the pastor of Darlene Zschech, one of the most recognized worship leaders in the world. He illustrated his point by proclaiming that when they go on trips together, people want a picture with Darlene and he is the guy who ends up holding the camera! Pastor Houston's challenge to a building full of ambitious leaders stuck with me - practice being last.
Being last does not come easily to mankind; it definitely is not at the top of my list of personal goals. However, I want to be like Christ, and Philippians 2:5-8 describes how my attitude should look in order to reflect his:
Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Oh Jesus, help me learn to be glad to be last. Help me lay down my pride and place others above myself. Let "Me last!" be the cry of my heart!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Feeling Unhealthy?
Do you ever feel unhealthy? When you've eaten too much junk food, when you're on your third soda and it's only 11:30AM, when you haven't raised your heart rate past a mild trot in weeks? Unhealthy is not a good feeling - it hints of current shame and impending doom.
I often feel spiritually unhealthy. My heart burns for the devotional life, for spiritual disciplines, for discipleship. How can you be spiritually unhealthy when you love such things? Several reasons:
1) A loss of focus on the Teacher. All the things that make spiritual growth happen can become ends in themselves. The disciple has to remember that his journey is about one person - Jesus. If he works hard, learns a lot and grows immensely but is no closer to Jesus, the journey is in vain. Why am I doing what I'm doing? Why am I a Christian to begin with? I need to get close to Jesus, apart from my official position in ministry.
2) A lack of obedience. As the disciple learns to follow Jesus, the Teacher will ask him to do things that are uncomfortable. He will be stretched beyond the aspects of discipleship toward which he is naturally bent. If he naturally leans toward evangelism, the Lord may ask him to learn to study. If he leans toward private disciplines, the Lord may ask him to evangelize. God will lead toward specific conversations, influences, relationships, etc. It is too easy for the follower to dismiss and forget about the thing the Spirit has shown him to do and pursue other holy discipleship endeavors, sedating his conscience with easier good works. What has God directed me to do that I have left incomplete? When the LORD left his final instructions with his friends, he told them to make disciples and teach them to OBEY his Word. I need to obey.
3) A lessened influence in the world. Christians have a bad habit that is destroying the influence of the Church - the longer we are believers and the more involved we become in our local church, the more removed we become from the unbelieving world around us. This is a tragedy. This trend does not model Jesus' life and ministry at all. The LORD did attend synagogue and have conversations with the religious community, but he was frequently accompanied by the "seeking" unchurched. Seclusion in the Christian ghetto does little for the advancement of the kingdom of God; it encourages an us-verses-them mentality and our hearts no longer bleed for the lost and hurting. The Christian subculture feels safe for the believer but is death to the purposes of God in the earth. Am I having significant, caring conversations with those who are far from God? Do I have friends who are unbelievers? If not, I am convinced that I am not really following Jesus and I am living in disobedience and sin.
If my life is suffering from these diseases, I will live with a sense of current shame and impending spiritual doom & failure. We are called by Christ to live lives of eternal impact - am I having the impact I'm supposed to have? Am I a significant player in the kingdom of heaven, a notable character in God's story of redemption today? I want to be healthy.
I often feel spiritually unhealthy. My heart burns for the devotional life, for spiritual disciplines, for discipleship. How can you be spiritually unhealthy when you love such things? Several reasons:
1) A loss of focus on the Teacher. All the things that make spiritual growth happen can become ends in themselves. The disciple has to remember that his journey is about one person - Jesus. If he works hard, learns a lot and grows immensely but is no closer to Jesus, the journey is in vain. Why am I doing what I'm doing? Why am I a Christian to begin with? I need to get close to Jesus, apart from my official position in ministry.
2) A lack of obedience. As the disciple learns to follow Jesus, the Teacher will ask him to do things that are uncomfortable. He will be stretched beyond the aspects of discipleship toward which he is naturally bent. If he naturally leans toward evangelism, the Lord may ask him to learn to study. If he leans toward private disciplines, the Lord may ask him to evangelize. God will lead toward specific conversations, influences, relationships, etc. It is too easy for the follower to dismiss and forget about the thing the Spirit has shown him to do and pursue other holy discipleship endeavors, sedating his conscience with easier good works. What has God directed me to do that I have left incomplete? When the LORD left his final instructions with his friends, he told them to make disciples and teach them to OBEY his Word. I need to obey.
3) A lessened influence in the world. Christians have a bad habit that is destroying the influence of the Church - the longer we are believers and the more involved we become in our local church, the more removed we become from the unbelieving world around us. This is a tragedy. This trend does not model Jesus' life and ministry at all. The LORD did attend synagogue and have conversations with the religious community, but he was frequently accompanied by the "seeking" unchurched. Seclusion in the Christian ghetto does little for the advancement of the kingdom of God; it encourages an us-verses-them mentality and our hearts no longer bleed for the lost and hurting. The Christian subculture feels safe for the believer but is death to the purposes of God in the earth. Am I having significant, caring conversations with those who are far from God? Do I have friends who are unbelievers? If not, I am convinced that I am not really following Jesus and I am living in disobedience and sin.
If my life is suffering from these diseases, I will live with a sense of current shame and impending spiritual doom & failure. We are called by Christ to live lives of eternal impact - am I having the impact I'm supposed to have? Am I a significant player in the kingdom of heaven, a notable character in God's story of redemption today? I want to be healthy.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Kingdom come... in me!
I want to live my life with an awareness of God, listening to his Spirit and in consistent conversation with him throughout the day. I want to be obedient to do the tasks he lays on my heart and spiritually awake, praying as people and situations pass through my thoughts. I want to be easily moved to worship in the context of "normal" life, seeing God at work all around me.
This is what I call "walking in the Spirit." I want it.
I want to move in the gifts of the Spirit that I know I have. I want to learn the gifts of which I am not yet aware that I have. But more than this, I want to exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit and live in obedience to God. I want to do the hard things that the LORD asks of me, the things that scare me to my core and seem completely unpleasant, the things that come with no fanfare or emotional gratification. I want to walk the way Jesus walked, operating under the direction of his Spirit, being led by his yoke and pulling it with him at my side.
I don't want ordinary life. I don't want ordinary Christianity. I want Jesus and his kingdom at work in me. "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
This is what I call "walking in the Spirit." I want it.
I want to move in the gifts of the Spirit that I know I have. I want to learn the gifts of which I am not yet aware that I have. But more than this, I want to exhibit the fruit of the Holy Spirit and live in obedience to God. I want to do the hard things that the LORD asks of me, the things that scare me to my core and seem completely unpleasant, the things that come with no fanfare or emotional gratification. I want to walk the way Jesus walked, operating under the direction of his Spirit, being led by his yoke and pulling it with him at my side.
I don't want ordinary life. I don't want ordinary Christianity. I want Jesus and his kingdom at work in me. "Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
The Ten Virgins - Preparation by Intimacy
I'm reading through Matthew 25 - it and the surrounding chapters give us Jesus' teachings on his impending return. In this chapter I see three sections that teach us how to be prepared for Christ's parousia; the first is preparation by intimacy.
All ten virgins brought lamps to light the way for the coming of the bridegroom. However, five brought oil only for the expected amount of time that it would take for the procession to occur, while the other five realized that the bridegroom could be delayed (this could be a long process) and prepared by bringing extra oil. In the darkness of the delayed return, the foolish five ran out of oil and the wise five had enough.
When we choose to be disciples we do not really know how long, hard and lonely the road may be that Christ calls us to travel. Many followers fall away in the dark hours before they reach some intended destination. Why? Because they did not prepare for those hard times. I want to be like the five wise virgins who went about their duties in the wedding party with careful preparation. How can I be prepared to finish well? How can I be ready to weather the dark nights of this faith journey? I have to build within my life a habit of drawing near to God, learning to hear his voice and being filled by his Spirit. I cannot wait until my lamp runs out in the middle of the night to try and acquire oil; I must learn to stock up on a regular basis, knowing that I can easily run out. I cannot rely on my own strength to take me through the hard times; I must rely on the Holy Spirit, and learning to do so is quite a process!
I do not want to burn only when others are looking and run out when the journey becomes unexpectedly long - Jesus, teach me to gather the oil I need for the long haul!
Matthew 25:1-13
All ten virgins brought lamps to light the way for the coming of the bridegroom. However, five brought oil only for the expected amount of time that it would take for the procession to occur, while the other five realized that the bridegroom could be delayed (this could be a long process) and prepared by bringing extra oil. In the darkness of the delayed return, the foolish five ran out of oil and the wise five had enough.
When we choose to be disciples we do not really know how long, hard and lonely the road may be that Christ calls us to travel. Many followers fall away in the dark hours before they reach some intended destination. Why? Because they did not prepare for those hard times. I want to be like the five wise virgins who went about their duties in the wedding party with careful preparation. How can I be prepared to finish well? How can I be ready to weather the dark nights of this faith journey? I have to build within my life a habit of drawing near to God, learning to hear his voice and being filled by his Spirit. I cannot wait until my lamp runs out in the middle of the night to try and acquire oil; I must learn to stock up on a regular basis, knowing that I can easily run out. I cannot rely on my own strength to take me through the hard times; I must rely on the Holy Spirit, and learning to do so is quite a process!
I do not want to burn only when others are looking and run out when the journey becomes unexpectedly long - Jesus, teach me to gather the oil I need for the long haul!
Matthew 25:1-13
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Graduate Already!
(The Church, the Holy Spirit and the Disciple)
As my understanding of discipleship and the simple life is developing, I feel the leading and providence of the Holy Spirit to certain resources, passages of Scripture and discussions with friends. Over the last week I came across a Messianic Jewish website called RabbiYeshua.com that gives some great insight into first century discipleship. I also came across an article by a fellow named Robert Brow on the role of the Holy Spirit as teacher or rabbi in the life of a Christian disciple. Both of these resources were very insightful, pointing my thoughts down the road of first-century discipleship as a context for understanding our mandate to follow Christ today. (However, I know very little about either of these sources and do not endorse or necessarily recommend them.)
A few days ago I searched for "Celebration of Discipline" on iTunes and found it in audiobook format and also discovered a sermon by its author, Richard Foster, given at a chapel service at Seattle Pacific University in the late 70s shortly after the book was written. The message was INCREDIBLE (I do highly recommend getting it - it's under the podcast section of the iTunes store). I began to search the digital library of SPU chapel services and found a message by Rob Wall entitled "Scripture and Jesus," given recently. In this message, Rob teaches from John 13 & 14 and gives great insight into the disciples' struggle to understand Jesus' impending departure and the gift of the Holy Spirit as an indwelling teacher (or rabbi).
I wrote all of that to give the back-story to my current thoughts and to assign credit where it is due. Now on to my thoughts...
What is the role of the church and the Holy Spirit in the life of a modern-day disciple? Rob Wall painted a gripping picture of the anxiety that Jesus' disciples must have felt when he announced his leaving; they were to become disciples without a rabbi, learners without a teacher. They had given their whole lives to follow one man, sacrificing their reputations and laying aside the normal responsibilities of life to align themselves with this radical teacher. What were they to do without him? Who would be the rabbi for this group of orphaned students?
Jesus had a plan! "I will not leave you as orphans..." Our Savior needed to leave so that the next stage of their discipleship could begin. Until this time, they followed a physical person in attempts to garner wisdom from him and live life as much like him as possible. Their three years of following Jesus were riddled with frustrating moments for their rabbi; often he would say things like, "How much longer do I have to put up with you?" or "How long have I been with you and you still do not know me?" The disciples were trying their best to follow Christ but had not developed "eyes to see and ears to hear" what God was doing in his kingdom. Rarely one of them would have moments of revelation; when Peter identified Jesus as the Son of God, the Savior replied "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven!" Jesus was eager to initiate his disciples into their next stage of learning because they would receive a new, much needed type of instruction - learning from a teacher within. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit who would remind them of all he said and lead them into all truth. This teacher would take them to places they had yet to go (and would not be able to go) following an earthly rabbi. This was the beginning of the best...
Believers today long for the opportunity to follow Christ as the disciples did. "If I could spend three years with Jesus I would really get things right!" There is a stage of discipleship that requires a season of following an earthly teacher and, in Jesus' absence, the Body of Christ fills that role. Christians rightly look to the church (local and universal) to lead them in learning about God and all things spiritual. However, we make a grave mistake when we see the church as our primary source of spiritual learning. Jesus intended for the twelve to graduate to a new level of discipleship and he intends the same for us today. There comes a time when we must wean ourselves off of the church as our substitute rabbi and lean primarily on the indwelling Teacher that Christ died to provide.
This concept can be frightening for both the disciple and the church leader. What might happen? Will people stop attending services? Will error creep in as people seek to find truth "on their own"? Yes, these things will happen to some (hopefully slight) degree. However, the power of Spirit-led discipleship is explosive! Imagine an army of Christ-followers who are united as a body but dependent primarily on the Holy Spirit (not the pastor) to lead them into truth! Imagine the impact as we follow Christ in pursuit of the lost, listening to his Spirit and living by his Word!
What role does the church play in helping disciples graduate to the next level? That's another post...
John 13:36-14:31
A few days ago I searched for "Celebration of Discipline" on iTunes and found it in audiobook format and also discovered a sermon by its author, Richard Foster, given at a chapel service at Seattle Pacific University in the late 70s shortly after the book was written. The message was INCREDIBLE (I do highly recommend getting it - it's under the podcast section of the iTunes store). I began to search the digital library of SPU chapel services and found a message by Rob Wall entitled "Scripture and Jesus," given recently. In this message, Rob teaches from John 13 & 14 and gives great insight into the disciples' struggle to understand Jesus' impending departure and the gift of the Holy Spirit as an indwelling teacher (or rabbi).
I wrote all of that to give the back-story to my current thoughts and to assign credit where it is due. Now on to my thoughts...
What is the role of the church and the Holy Spirit in the life of a modern-day disciple? Rob Wall painted a gripping picture of the anxiety that Jesus' disciples must have felt when he announced his leaving; they were to become disciples without a rabbi, learners without a teacher. They had given their whole lives to follow one man, sacrificing their reputations and laying aside the normal responsibilities of life to align themselves with this radical teacher. What were they to do without him? Who would be the rabbi for this group of orphaned students?
Jesus had a plan! "I will not leave you as orphans..." Our Savior needed to leave so that the next stage of their discipleship could begin. Until this time, they followed a physical person in attempts to garner wisdom from him and live life as much like him as possible. Their three years of following Jesus were riddled with frustrating moments for their rabbi; often he would say things like, "How much longer do I have to put up with you?" or "How long have I been with you and you still do not know me?" The disciples were trying their best to follow Christ but had not developed "eyes to see and ears to hear" what God was doing in his kingdom. Rarely one of them would have moments of revelation; when Peter identified Jesus as the Son of God, the Savior replied "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven!" Jesus was eager to initiate his disciples into their next stage of learning because they would receive a new, much needed type of instruction - learning from a teacher within. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit who would remind them of all he said and lead them into all truth. This teacher would take them to places they had yet to go (and would not be able to go) following an earthly rabbi. This was the beginning of the best...
Believers today long for the opportunity to follow Christ as the disciples did. "If I could spend three years with Jesus I would really get things right!" There is a stage of discipleship that requires a season of following an earthly teacher and, in Jesus' absence, the Body of Christ fills that role. Christians rightly look to the church (local and universal) to lead them in learning about God and all things spiritual. However, we make a grave mistake when we see the church as our primary source of spiritual learning. Jesus intended for the twelve to graduate to a new level of discipleship and he intends the same for us today. There comes a time when we must wean ourselves off of the church as our substitute rabbi and lean primarily on the indwelling Teacher that Christ died to provide.
This concept can be frightening for both the disciple and the church leader. What might happen? Will people stop attending services? Will error creep in as people seek to find truth "on their own"? Yes, these things will happen to some (hopefully slight) degree. However, the power of Spirit-led discipleship is explosive! Imagine an army of Christ-followers who are united as a body but dependent primarily on the Holy Spirit (not the pastor) to lead them into truth! Imagine the impact as we follow Christ in pursuit of the lost, listening to his Spirit and living by his Word!
What role does the church play in helping disciples graduate to the next level? That's another post...
John 13:36-14:31
Monday, January 21, 2008
Ready to Learn (The Simple Life)
"Seeing the crowds, [Jesus] went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying..."
Jesus served in the role of rabbi in his Jewish culture. Rabbi means "great one" or "teacher"; Jesus is most definitely the supreme fulfillment of both of these titles! A rabbi called to himself a handful of disciples or "learners" who would follow him for a season, setting aside other interests or commitments in order to learn from the teacher. For this group of disciples, daily life would become a classroom in which they learned spiritual truths as the rabbi lead and taught them on a continual basis.
A rabbi would sometimes draw a crowd interested in hearing his presentation of truth. When the teacher wanted to address a large crowd, he would find a location where the large number of people could see and hear him well. As a signal that official teaching was about to begin, he would sit down. This was a more formal method of presenting truth than the "live and learn from me" format in which his closest disciples engaged. This is the model we see in "The Sermon on the Mount."
As disciples taught by the Holy Spirit, we experience both teaching environments: the classroom of life and the formal teaching time. As we walk through our daily routines we need to practice the presence of God, listening to the Holy Spirit, having "eyes to see and ears to hear" in every situation so as to glean the truth of God in the classroom of the normal. However, we also need to make an effort to approach Jesus in a formal sense, to seek him out for the purpose of putting aside the mundane duties of life to sit and listen to what the teacher has to say.
When Jesus saw the crowd forming to hear from him, when he became aware that the people were ready to learn, he sat down and began teaching. Today Jesus is looking for those who would seek him out as a rabbi, those who would gather at his feet and give him undivided attention. What can I do to show Christ that I want to learn from him? How can I posture myself so Jesus will "open his mouth" and teach me?
Some type of formal time with Jesus is necessary for the simple life to flourish. What should it look like? This formal teaching time has been referred to in the Christian community as "quiet time." However, this moniker carries connotations of quickie, tip-of-the-hat devotional readings and prayers that don't really posture us well to receive from Christ. Here are some suggestions I offer from my own struggle to develop this discipline in my life:
1) Make a daily appointment.
Like the children of Israel gathering manna every morning, we must gather fresh strength and truth from Christ on a daily basis. We cannot go for days without posturing ourselves to learn from God and expect our spiritual lives to be fresh and growing; we will become rotten and full of worms!
2) Find an environment that you enjoy that is free of distractions.
What is your favorite alone spot? I vacillate between the table in my backyard (during warmer times of the year) and the counter in my kitchen. My recliner does not lend itself well to a learning posture; it's more specifically designed for a sleeping posture!
3) Choose disciplines to practice.
Try different disciplines in different seasons - solitude, fasting, journaling, silence, worship, study, meditation, etc. Find a good book on spiritual disciplines and experiment. Incorporate the practice of a discipline in your time with God. Some disciplines may become regular elements in your time with God (I journal almost continually), while others will gain your attention for a while only to fade off for months and return to the surface at a later date.
4) Pray.
Regardless of which disciplines we are experimenting with, we must pray at all times. Prayer is less of a spiritual discipline and more of a survival tool! We must be in constant dialogue with God. Talk to him! However, don't forget that prayer is as much about using your spiritual ears as it is your mouth!
5) Change it up.
If your time with God becomes uninteresting or less fruitful, try something different. Read from a section of the Bible that you don't frequently go to. Find a new location for your learning time. Try a different time of day. Change your routine; if you normally start with prayer, begin instead with journaling or worship.
Matthew 5:1-2
RECOMMENDED SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES RESOURCES
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge
Jesus served in the role of rabbi in his Jewish culture. Rabbi means "great one" or "teacher"; Jesus is most definitely the supreme fulfillment of both of these titles! A rabbi called to himself a handful of disciples or "learners" who would follow him for a season, setting aside other interests or commitments in order to learn from the teacher. For this group of disciples, daily life would become a classroom in which they learned spiritual truths as the rabbi lead and taught them on a continual basis.
A rabbi would sometimes draw a crowd interested in hearing his presentation of truth. When the teacher wanted to address a large crowd, he would find a location where the large number of people could see and hear him well. As a signal that official teaching was about to begin, he would sit down. This was a more formal method of presenting truth than the "live and learn from me" format in which his closest disciples engaged. This is the model we see in "The Sermon on the Mount."
As disciples taught by the Holy Spirit, we experience both teaching environments: the classroom of life and the formal teaching time. As we walk through our daily routines we need to practice the presence of God, listening to the Holy Spirit, having "eyes to see and ears to hear" in every situation so as to glean the truth of God in the classroom of the normal. However, we also need to make an effort to approach Jesus in a formal sense, to seek him out for the purpose of putting aside the mundane duties of life to sit and listen to what the teacher has to say.
When Jesus saw the crowd forming to hear from him, when he became aware that the people were ready to learn, he sat down and began teaching. Today Jesus is looking for those who would seek him out as a rabbi, those who would gather at his feet and give him undivided attention. What can I do to show Christ that I want to learn from him? How can I posture myself so Jesus will "open his mouth" and teach me?
Some type of formal time with Jesus is necessary for the simple life to flourish. What should it look like? This formal teaching time has been referred to in the Christian community as "quiet time." However, this moniker carries connotations of quickie, tip-of-the-hat devotional readings and prayers that don't really posture us well to receive from Christ. Here are some suggestions I offer from my own struggle to develop this discipline in my life:
1) Make a daily appointment.
Like the children of Israel gathering manna every morning, we must gather fresh strength and truth from Christ on a daily basis. We cannot go for days without posturing ourselves to learn from God and expect our spiritual lives to be fresh and growing; we will become rotten and full of worms!
2) Find an environment that you enjoy that is free of distractions.
What is your favorite alone spot? I vacillate between the table in my backyard (during warmer times of the year) and the counter in my kitchen. My recliner does not lend itself well to a learning posture; it's more specifically designed for a sleeping posture!
3) Choose disciplines to practice.
Try different disciplines in different seasons - solitude, fasting, journaling, silence, worship, study, meditation, etc. Find a good book on spiritual disciplines and experiment. Incorporate the practice of a discipline in your time with God. Some disciplines may become regular elements in your time with God (I journal almost continually), while others will gain your attention for a while only to fade off for months and return to the surface at a later date.
4) Pray.
Regardless of which disciplines we are experimenting with, we must pray at all times. Prayer is less of a spiritual discipline and more of a survival tool! We must be in constant dialogue with God. Talk to him! However, don't forget that prayer is as much about using your spiritual ears as it is your mouth!
5) Change it up.
If your time with God becomes uninteresting or less fruitful, try something different. Read from a section of the Bible that you don't frequently go to. Find a new location for your learning time. Try a different time of day. Change your routine; if you normally start with prayer, begin instead with journaling or worship.
Matthew 5:1-2
RECOMMENDED SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES RESOURCES
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Ordering Your Private World by Gordon MacDonald
The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence
Secrets of the Secret Place by Bob Sorge
Sunday, January 20, 2008
What is a disciple? (The Simple Life)
Tonight my family had a discussion during Bible study about discipleship. I asked Lexie, "What is a disciple?" I absolutely loved her answer! She replied, "A disciple is someone who loves God. Jesus teaches a disciple to live like him."
In The Great Commission, Jesus presents us with a clear responsibility to go and make disciples. This process has two parts; 1) baptize them in the name of the Trinity and 2) teach them to obey his teachings. In other words, we are to help others cross the line from darkness to light, from death to life and then to help them learn to walk with Christ in daily life.
How am I a disciple? How am I following Christ? Am I learning from Jesus to live like him? Am I teaching others to do the same? I love Jesus, but I want to learn more from him about following in his steps. I want to learn to grow in faith and engage the world the way that he does. I definitely want to learn to live like Jesus. I want to be a disciple.
In The Great Commission, Jesus presents us with a clear responsibility to go and make disciples. This process has two parts; 1) baptize them in the name of the Trinity and 2) teach them to obey his teachings. In other words, we are to help others cross the line from darkness to light, from death to life and then to help them learn to walk with Christ in daily life.
How am I a disciple? How am I following Christ? Am I learning from Jesus to live like him? Am I teaching others to do the same? I love Jesus, but I want to learn more from him about following in his steps. I want to learn to grow in faith and engage the world the way that he does. I definitely want to learn to live like Jesus. I want to be a disciple.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Object Lesson #2 - Tool Shed Demolition
I spent several hours today demolishing an old tool shed in the bottom of our back yard. The building was old and leaky and had become a haven for pests. The demolition process was painstaking and frustrating, taking it apart piece-by-piece, salvaging the good material and tossing the useless into a pile to burn or discard.
Recently Alan Wright (author of "Shame Off You") returned to our church for a mini-conference. During a lunch appointment with the staff, he spoke about an unhealthy or ungodly paradigm as a "house of thoughts" that has been built in a person's life, a way of thinking that has developed. God combined my tool shed and Alan's house of thoughts to communicate a truth to me. From time to time I may find a house of negative thoughts constructed in the bottom of my mind/heart/psyche of which I wasn't fully aware. How did it get there? When was it built? What is it made of? This house resembles my shed, providing sanctuary for unwelcome squatters in an otherwise modestly healthy environment. Though it is leaky and old, this house will not be demolished easily. No, God takes me by the hand and begins the slow process of deconstructing this house piece by piece. He is a master at finding the good material in my negative situations and redeeming it for his purposes. He also pulls out every rotten board and rusty panel to discard. Oh, how I wish he would back his heavenly Hemi to my shed, hook up a chain and pull it all down in one quick tug! Instead, the demolition of my "shed of thoughts" takes time (a lot of it), painful work and patience. However, when it's all done, my heart is healthier for the process.
Recently Alan Wright (author of "Shame Off You") returned to our church for a mini-conference. During a lunch appointment with the staff, he spoke about an unhealthy or ungodly paradigm as a "house of thoughts" that has been built in a person's life, a way of thinking that has developed. God combined my tool shed and Alan's house of thoughts to communicate a truth to me. From time to time I may find a house of negative thoughts constructed in the bottom of my mind/heart/psyche of which I wasn't fully aware. How did it get there? When was it built? What is it made of? This house resembles my shed, providing sanctuary for unwelcome squatters in an otherwise modestly healthy environment. Though it is leaky and old, this house will not be demolished easily. No, God takes me by the hand and begins the slow process of deconstructing this house piece by piece. He is a master at finding the good material in my negative situations and redeeming it for his purposes. He also pulls out every rotten board and rusty panel to discard. Oh, how I wish he would back his heavenly Hemi to my shed, hook up a chain and pull it all down in one quick tug! Instead, the demolition of my "shed of thoughts" takes time (a lot of it), painful work and patience. However, when it's all done, my heart is healthier for the process.
Object Lesson #1 - Dirty High Chair
Two object lessons came to mind as I was going about my daily stuff today; one involves a dirty high chair and, the other, an old tool shed in the process of being demolished.
DIRTY HIGH CHAIR
We all have pet peeves, certain things that must be a particular way for all to be right with the world. One of mine is Holton's high chair after a meal. Of course, our one-year-old makes a glorious mess when he feeds himself. In the process of cleaning the kitchen, Vanessa usually leaves the chair as the last project and often ends up called away by more urgent needs before she gets to it, thus leaving it dirty longer than I would like. When I see the high chair in a mess, it makes me feel sick. I can't handle it. I want it clean before the food dries and I most DEFINITELY don't want anyone to see it in such a state. Initially I would fuss about the dirty high chair. However, I have found that if I want the high chair cleaned immediately after a meal, it works best if I am the one to clean in.
We all see areas in life that need work - in our marriages, jobs, churches, etc. These are real needs that we are keenly aware of and they need to be addressed, but for some reason no one else is making an effort to fix them! Could it be that God has opened your eyes to that particular need? Others may not see it so clearly or feel the urgency of addressing the problem, but God has gifted you to be aware of it. You have "eyes to see and ears to hear." With that awareness comes responsibility. It may be your job to wave the flag for the need you see, but most likely it is your calling to actually do something about it. Don't wait around for others to see the need, criticize them when they don't and move on to another marriage/job/church when the need remains unmet. You see the need, you meet it. It could be divinely appointed that you're the right person for the job!
DIRTY HIGH CHAIR
We all have pet peeves, certain things that must be a particular way for all to be right with the world. One of mine is Holton's high chair after a meal. Of course, our one-year-old makes a glorious mess when he feeds himself. In the process of cleaning the kitchen, Vanessa usually leaves the chair as the last project and often ends up called away by more urgent needs before she gets to it, thus leaving it dirty longer than I would like. When I see the high chair in a mess, it makes me feel sick. I can't handle it. I want it clean before the food dries and I most DEFINITELY don't want anyone to see it in such a state. Initially I would fuss about the dirty high chair. However, I have found that if I want the high chair cleaned immediately after a meal, it works best if I am the one to clean in.
We all see areas in life that need work - in our marriages, jobs, churches, etc. These are real needs that we are keenly aware of and they need to be addressed, but for some reason no one else is making an effort to fix them! Could it be that God has opened your eyes to that particular need? Others may not see it so clearly or feel the urgency of addressing the problem, but God has gifted you to be aware of it. You have "eyes to see and ears to hear." With that awareness comes responsibility. It may be your job to wave the flag for the need you see, but most likely it is your calling to actually do something about it. Don't wait around for others to see the need, criticize them when they don't and move on to another marriage/job/church when the need remains unmet. You see the need, you meet it. It could be divinely appointed that you're the right person for the job!
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Pursuing the Withdrawing Lord (Matthew 14:13-21)
In order to withdraw and deal with his own pain, Jesus left his ministry to the masses. However, "when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns." The crowds were in such need of Jesus that, even when he withdrew his presence, they chased him. As he traveled by boat to a desolate place, the crowds beat him there on foot around the shore of the lake. What did the crowds hear that motivated them to follow? Did they hear about Jesus' reaction to John's death? Were they trying to comfort their leader? Or did they simply want more of his presence and touch? Regardless, they would not be deterred when the presence of God withdrew. They did not stand around and bemoan the lack of God's touch - they chased him!
"When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick." Jesus was moved by the pursuing crowd. Like the judge with the persistent widow or the sleeping tenant with his midnight visitor, Jesus responded to tenacity.
There are seasons in the Christian life where the presence and activity of God are almost tangible. However, there are seasons in between these experiences when God seems all but absent - if it weren't for his promise that he would never leave or forsake us, we would be certain he was an absentee landlord or distant clockmaker! When Jesus withdrew, he did not do so because he was tired of the crowd, displeased with the people or unconcerned with the details of their lives. In our seasons when God seems distant, we tend to interpret his aloofness in many ways, and rightly so! We must take inventory of our lives when the Spirit doesn't seem to be moving. However, there are times that God withdraws and, like a father playing Hide-and-Seek with his children, he longs to be chased after and found. He is not playing a divine version of "hard to get," but he does at times withdraw so that his children will exercise their spiritual muscles and chase him.
Jesus, help me to pursue you in the times when you feel distant. Help me to meet you where you are going.
Matthew 14:13-21
Luke 18:1-8
Luke 11:5-10
"When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick." Jesus was moved by the pursuing crowd. Like the judge with the persistent widow or the sleeping tenant with his midnight visitor, Jesus responded to tenacity.
There are seasons in the Christian life where the presence and activity of God are almost tangible. However, there are seasons in between these experiences when God seems all but absent - if it weren't for his promise that he would never leave or forsake us, we would be certain he was an absentee landlord or distant clockmaker! When Jesus withdrew, he did not do so because he was tired of the crowd, displeased with the people or unconcerned with the details of their lives. In our seasons when God seems distant, we tend to interpret his aloofness in many ways, and rightly so! We must take inventory of our lives when the Spirit doesn't seem to be moving. However, there are times that God withdraws and, like a father playing Hide-and-Seek with his children, he longs to be chased after and found. He is not playing a divine version of "hard to get," but he does at times withdraw so that his children will exercise their spiritual muscles and chase him.
Jesus, help me to pursue you in the times when you feel distant. Help me to meet you where you are going.
Matthew 14:13-21
Luke 18:1-8
Luke 11:5-10
Ministry in Desolate Places (Matthew 14:13-21)
I was caught recently by two events in Matthew 14 - the death of John the Baptist and the feeding of the five thousand. They are in the same chapter but, in my recollection of them, I did not realize the connection between the two. From this chapter I gleaned two major lessons that have ministered to me in the past few weeks. One is "Ministry in Desolate Places" and the other is "Pursuing the Withdrawing Lord."
Jesus' response to the death of his friend, cousin and ministry partner colors the feeding in such a human way. When we think of our Savior's expressions of human emotion, a certain few events come to mind - the death of Lazarus, his weeping over Jerusalem and the Garden of Gethsemane. However, Jesus was also deeply moved by the death of John. When he got the news, the scripture says, "he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself." The blow of such tragedy effected Jesus and he felt the need to get alone and deal with it. The emotional pain that Jesus was feeling was represented by his withdrawal to "a desolate place." Jesus was in a desolate place on the inside, so he retreated to a desolate place physically in order to mourn.
The crowds followed Jesus (see "Pursuing the Withdrawing Lord") and, when Jesus saw them, "he had compassion on them and healed their sick." As the day grew late, the disciples came to Jesus and said, "This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus was moved by the needs of the people in their sickness; the disciples were now moved by the needs of the people in their hunger. Notice the phrase "desolate place" coming up again. The disciples saw the need but felt ill-equipped to supply it. However, Jesus' response challenged them - "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." When the disciples protested that they had only meager supplies (obviously not enough for such an incredible need), Jesus said "Bring them here to me." And we know the rest of the story...
We are surrounded by people in desolate places; pain abounds in our world. Two things from this passage are incredibly encouraging when facing the reality of our current desolation.
1) Jesus finds himself in desolate places. He is not immune to our pain but, instead, "in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." He did not simply mimic humanity; he was (and is) completely human in every way. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses..."
2) Jesus will use what little we have to minister to others in their desolation, even when we are there ourselves. Like we often do, the disciples felt dramatically unprepared to meet the needs of the masses. However, their supply didn't determine their ability; their Savior did! Certainly the disciples were also hungry, feeling their own needs in this desolate place. However, when they gave their supply to Jesus, he was able to minister to the crowds.
As we find ourselves in desolate places, let us be encouraged that Jesus is with us in our desolation and he longs to use us to minister to others in the same place. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
Matthew 14:13-21
Hebrews 4:14-16
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Jesus' response to the death of his friend, cousin and ministry partner colors the feeding in such a human way. When we think of our Savior's expressions of human emotion, a certain few events come to mind - the death of Lazarus, his weeping over Jerusalem and the Garden of Gethsemane. However, Jesus was also deeply moved by the death of John. When he got the news, the scripture says, "he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself." The blow of such tragedy effected Jesus and he felt the need to get alone and deal with it. The emotional pain that Jesus was feeling was represented by his withdrawal to "a desolate place." Jesus was in a desolate place on the inside, so he retreated to a desolate place physically in order to mourn.
The crowds followed Jesus (see "Pursuing the Withdrawing Lord") and, when Jesus saw them, "he had compassion on them and healed their sick." As the day grew late, the disciples came to Jesus and said, "This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves." Jesus was moved by the needs of the people in their sickness; the disciples were now moved by the needs of the people in their hunger. Notice the phrase "desolate place" coming up again. The disciples saw the need but felt ill-equipped to supply it. However, Jesus' response challenged them - "They need not go away; you give them something to eat." When the disciples protested that they had only meager supplies (obviously not enough for such an incredible need), Jesus said "Bring them here to me." And we know the rest of the story...
We are surrounded by people in desolate places; pain abounds in our world. Two things from this passage are incredibly encouraging when facing the reality of our current desolation.
1) Jesus finds himself in desolate places. He is not immune to our pain but, instead, "in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." He did not simply mimic humanity; he was (and is) completely human in every way. "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses..."
2) Jesus will use what little we have to minister to others in their desolation, even when we are there ourselves. Like we often do, the disciples felt dramatically unprepared to meet the needs of the masses. However, their supply didn't determine their ability; their Savior did! Certainly the disciples were also hungry, feeling their own needs in this desolate place. However, when they gave their supply to Jesus, he was able to minister to the crowds.
As we find ourselves in desolate places, let us be encouraged that Jesus is with us in our desolation and he longs to use us to minister to others in the same place. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."
Matthew 14:13-21
Hebrews 4:14-16
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Fill My Vision
(12/04/03 journal entry)
I have allowed my vision - the vision of my heart - to be filled with many things other than God. In a way, I've allowed my focus to shift off of God; or maybe I've not zoomed in on him as I should. As he's taken up less of my vision, other things have crept into the margins. Peripheral things don't like to stay in the peripheral - they fight to gain my attention. So, this morning I've done a lot of confessing and putting down my idols.
My prayer is for God to completely fill my vision. That's worship - when our hearts zoom in so closely on God that everything else is pushed out of the picture. As I write, I'm looking out of the window watching the sun rise over the beautiful Rocky mountains. Vanessa and I will leave in a few minutes to see the Grand Canyon. These things are so huge and so wonderful that my eyes can't really see all the majesty they really possess. My Father, the great Creator that designed both the sunrise and the Grand Canyon, is so much more majestic than what he has created. Lord Jesus, fill my vision until everything else is pushed out of the picture.
I have allowed my vision - the vision of my heart - to be filled with many things other than God. In a way, I've allowed my focus to shift off of God; or maybe I've not zoomed in on him as I should. As he's taken up less of my vision, other things have crept into the margins. Peripheral things don't like to stay in the peripheral - they fight to gain my attention. So, this morning I've done a lot of confessing and putting down my idols.
My prayer is for God to completely fill my vision. That's worship - when our hearts zoom in so closely on God that everything else is pushed out of the picture. As I write, I'm looking out of the window watching the sun rise over the beautiful Rocky mountains. Vanessa and I will leave in a few minutes to see the Grand Canyon. These things are so huge and so wonderful that my eyes can't really see all the majesty they really possess. My Father, the great Creator that designed both the sunrise and the Grand Canyon, is so much more majestic than what he has created. Lord Jesus, fill my vision until everything else is pushed out of the picture.
Daily Grind Faith
(10/27/03 journal entry)
The nature of healthy Christianity is very simple. It is not glamorous, flashy or trendy. What brings depth and growth? Prayer. Bible study. Time with God. Day-to-day ministry. Visiting the sick. Witnessing to the lost. None of this is revolutionary, but when it happens in the life of a believer, the result is a spiritual revolution. The kingdom of God is SO upside-down! The last is first and the meek inherit the earth!
I desire a simple relationship with God that is real and that is characterized by the fruit and power of the Holy Spirit. I want a daily-grind faith that produces results.
The nature of healthy Christianity is very simple. It is not glamorous, flashy or trendy. What brings depth and growth? Prayer. Bible study. Time with God. Day-to-day ministry. Visiting the sick. Witnessing to the lost. None of this is revolutionary, but when it happens in the life of a believer, the result is a spiritual revolution. The kingdom of God is SO upside-down! The last is first and the meek inherit the earth!
I desire a simple relationship with God that is real and that is characterized by the fruit and power of the Holy Spirit. I want a daily-grind faith that produces results.
The Impotency of Man, the Potency of Prayer
(05/28/03 journal entry)
There is a place where you understand with incredible clarity your own inability to achieve anything of eternal significance without the imposing guidance of the Holy Spirit. Maybe it comes through God's teaching in the area of pride and humility. Maybe it comes from trying over and over again to make spiritual things happen without the power of the Holy Spirit and watching those attempts flop again and again. Regardless of where it comes from, it is a sobering mindset to possess, understanding that any attempt of my own to cause a movement of the Spirit in someone else will just end up fumbled and will turn incredibly ugly; knowing that the most valuable, powerful and effective thing I can do for someone else is to constantly bring them to God in prayer. The act that seems the most boring and impotent is the very thing that causes the most change in the spiritual realm.
There is a place where you understand with incredible clarity your own inability to achieve anything of eternal significance without the imposing guidance of the Holy Spirit. Maybe it comes through God's teaching in the area of pride and humility. Maybe it comes from trying over and over again to make spiritual things happen without the power of the Holy Spirit and watching those attempts flop again and again. Regardless of where it comes from, it is a sobering mindset to possess, understanding that any attempt of my own to cause a movement of the Spirit in someone else will just end up fumbled and will turn incredibly ugly; knowing that the most valuable, powerful and effective thing I can do for someone else is to constantly bring them to God in prayer. The act that seems the most boring and impotent is the very thing that causes the most change in the spiritual realm.
The Sweet Leaning
(02/01/03 journal entry)
The right relationship between myself and Jesus requires that I rest in his sufficiency. It's not a requirement in the sense of duty - it's a requirement that comes from my own deficiency; if I don't lean on Jesus, there's no other way.
The right relationship that places me leaning on him for my life, my wisdom, my righteousness, my sanctification, my redemption, my everything is a love relationship of the sweetest and most intimate kind. Apart from this "leaning," my Christian life becomes dry drudgery, completely devoid of any real life. The joy and grace of the experience of walking with God starts and continues to the end with "trusting him alone."
1 Corinthians 1:30-31
The right relationship between myself and Jesus requires that I rest in his sufficiency. It's not a requirement in the sense of duty - it's a requirement that comes from my own deficiency; if I don't lean on Jesus, there's no other way.
The right relationship that places me leaning on him for my life, my wisdom, my righteousness, my sanctification, my redemption, my everything is a love relationship of the sweetest and most intimate kind. Apart from this "leaning," my Christian life becomes dry drudgery, completely devoid of any real life. The joy and grace of the experience of walking with God starts and continues to the end with "trusting him alone."
1 Corinthians 1:30-31
A Deficiency of Grace and Joy
(01/28/03 journal entry)
My Christian walk has been a very serious journey since its first days, but I'm afraid somewhere along the way I've either convinced myself or allowed the devil to convince me that to take Jesus seriously means that I have to strive for perfection.
Striving for perfection has done a great job of robbing my life of two very important Christian prizes - grace and joy. I don't give myself any slack - how can God? Surely he holds me to a higher standard that I hold for myself. Constant striving for perfection coupled with a deficiency of grace has made my life worrisome; my burdens are not light because I won't let them be and the weight of them kills my joy.
Lord Jesus, allow me to listen to your Spirit - stop striving for perfection and start striving for you. Not striving to make myself who you are because that is impossible; simply striving to know you, to love you, to be with you. Let my Christian walk stop being focused on the Christian and start being focused on Christ.
My Christian walk has been a very serious journey since its first days, but I'm afraid somewhere along the way I've either convinced myself or allowed the devil to convince me that to take Jesus seriously means that I have to strive for perfection.
Striving for perfection has done a great job of robbing my life of two very important Christian prizes - grace and joy. I don't give myself any slack - how can God? Surely he holds me to a higher standard that I hold for myself. Constant striving for perfection coupled with a deficiency of grace has made my life worrisome; my burdens are not light because I won't let them be and the weight of them kills my joy.
Lord Jesus, allow me to listen to your Spirit - stop striving for perfection and start striving for you. Not striving to make myself who you are because that is impossible; simply striving to know you, to love you, to be with you. Let my Christian walk stop being focused on the Christian and start being focused on Christ.
Guiding Nudges
(12/15/02 journal entry)
It is a tricky thing to determine where God is leading when. I am beginning to think that God directs us in our thoughts and prayers toward certain people or activities, gives us an inspired nudge by the Holy Spirit and in many ways leaves us to choose to believe what he has said and act on it accordingly. He may remind us of what he has said - he usually lets these guiding thoughts pass our minds several times and this repetition is a sign that he is in it. But in the middle of daily life it's easy to let his nudging get shifted beneath a "to-do" list and we forget in what areas he has pointed. It would be good for us to keep a running list of God's guiding nudges to refer to often so we can stay on track.
It is a tricky thing to determine where God is leading when. I am beginning to think that God directs us in our thoughts and prayers toward certain people or activities, gives us an inspired nudge by the Holy Spirit and in many ways leaves us to choose to believe what he has said and act on it accordingly. He may remind us of what he has said - he usually lets these guiding thoughts pass our minds several times and this repetition is a sign that he is in it. But in the middle of daily life it's easy to let his nudging get shifted beneath a "to-do" list and we forget in what areas he has pointed. It would be good for us to keep a running list of God's guiding nudges to refer to often so we can stay on track.
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