"The Peril of Poisoned Perspective"
Numbers 15:17-16:40
Mark 15:1-47
Psalm 54:1-7
Proverbs 11:5-6
Today's reading in Numbers 16 is a story of an insurrection in the camp of the Israelites. "One day Korah... conspired with Dathan and Abiram... and On, all three from the tribe of Reuben, to incite a rebellion against Moses. Two hundred and fifty popular leaders, all members of the Assembly, were involved." (Num. 16:1-2)
Betting is not a godly activity, but what do you think the odds are that this is going to turn out well for Korah and the boys? Listen to their "beef":
"They went to Moses and Aaron and said, 'We have had enough of your presumption; you are no better than anyone else; everyone in Israel has been chosen of the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to put yourselves forward, claiming that we must obey you, and acting as though you were greater than anyone else among all these people of the Lord?" (Num. 16:3)
Here's the facts: God appointed Moses and Aaron as the leaders of the children of Israel. The people are chosen of the Lord. They are commanded to obey God. God speaks through Moses.
Notice how Korah & the Gang (predecessor to Kool and the Gang) twist truth through a poisoned perspective. They twist Moses' leadership into a "presumption" of leadership as if he was taking control on his own. Many leaders today find themselves paralyzed because of this poison. God calls, but for fear of this perspective, they are kept from leading in the direction God has laid out.
Korah's boys make the statement, "you are no better than anyone else". This is a HUGE issue! So many people equate "value" to position. That is not a godly perspective. It is a divisive tool of the enemy. If someone is in authority over you, it doesn't mean they are "better" than you, it means they have a different position. The Gang is right in saying that all are chosen of the Lord, and that he is with them, but that doesn't mean the playing field is equal, and each should do what is right in his own mind. God has placed a structure around them for a purpose. This "value - poison" creeps in and fuels rebellion.
"... claiming we must obey you" is another point of improper perspective. As God's spokesperson for these people, it was Moses' job to bring the word of the Lord. It was the responsibility of the people to do what he said IN OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD! There are times that people don't like what they hear God saying. It makes them uncomfortable, so what's the response? Question the motivation and integrity of the leader. The Gang didn't just question it, they came to a verdict on it. Their perspective was full of poison.
Sorry for jumping off topic here, but the next verse made me laugh out loud. "when Moses heard what they were saying he fell face downward to the ground." (v. 4) Now my first reaction to this was proper and I appreciated the way he was humbled by the accusation, and bowed before the Lord. But what made me laugh is the realization of how many times in this journey through the wilderness he's had to do this. I was picturing him look over at Aaron with a look on his face that said "here we go again..." as he fell to the ground... Ok, so it's only humorous in my mind...
What Moses said in verses 8-11 brings light to the poisoned perspective of the "posse". "Then Moses spoke again to Korah: 'Does it seem a small thing to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the people of Israel to be near to himself as you work in the Tabernacle of Jehovah, and to stand before the people to minister to them? Is it nothing to you that he has given this task to only you Levites? And now you are demanding the priesthood also? That is what you are really after! That is why you are revolting against Jehovah."
Notice first off that these diabolical dudes (it's a day of alliteration) are not revolting against Moses. To revolt against God appointed authority is to revolt against God. He makes that clear. It's important to remember that no matter where you're at in an event like this, you could be Korah, Moses, one of the Posse, or just watching with a bag of popcorn. Either way, i wouldn't stand too close to the rebels. It may seem like a minor "personality conflict", but it's much bigger.
Also, Moses sheds light on the fact this all stems from a lack of understanding of the privilege it is to serve the Lord. "Does it seem a small thing..."? When we start to take for granted what God has done for us and called us to we become ripe for the poison to take hold. We must remain humbly aware of the greatness of God and his mercy at all times. Moses also sheds light on the quest for power that motivates all of this.
In verse 19 it says, "Meanwhile, Korah had stirred up the entire nation against Moses and Aaron, and they all assembled to watch." How sad is that. It's sad on a number of levels. For one, it's not enough that Korah has issues. He sees a need to bring everyone into it. Another sad point is that the people took to it. They all got their picnic baskets and assembled to watch.
Well, you can guess what God thought of all this... "... and Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron, 'Get away from these people so that I may instantly destroy them." I can picture Moses and Aaron giving each other that look again... "But Moses and Aaron fell face downward to the ground before the Lord..."
God warned the people to stand clear of the rebels. "So Moses rushed over to the tents... 'Quick!' he told the people, 'get away from the tents of these wicked men, and don't touch anything that belongs to them, lest you be included in their sins [and be destroyed with them].'"
The leaders of the rebellion were swallowed by the ground! The 250 leaders they recruited were killed by God's fire. Not a good fate. The rest of the nation was spared only by God's intervention.
We must guard against the poison of improper perspective at all times. It can start small with something as little as "who does he think he is telling me what to do..." It can seem like no big deal to entertain that thought. That thought is poison! Get rid of it! Relationships Devoted to Unity are relationships devoted to the authority structure God has put in place. Not because the people in authority demand it, but because God does. There is blessing when we operate in this realm.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Showing posts with label Authority. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Authority. Show all posts
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
12.21.11 "Chain of Command"
"Chain of Command"
Zechariah 1:1-21
Revelation 12:1-17
Psalm 140:1-13
Proverbs 30:17
Everyday is like Christmas when it comes to reading God's word. Each morning as you sit down to read the word you have no idea what's wrapped in the pages for you. Every day the Spirit has something new. Some days it's fresh and exciting like a new toy, and other days it's something very practical like a pair socks. Don't get me wrong. We NEED socks! As we mature, we find our desires to be more for necessities. But no matter what it is, it's something the Spirit has wrapped for you.
Do you ever have a child draw you a picture? You say, "Oh wow! that's beautiful!" In your mind you're saying "I have NO idea what this is a picture of!" Sometimes reading the Word is the same way. It takes a little bit of meditation and explanation from the Spirit for you to understand the gift.
I've listed all of the scriptures that were a part of today's reading. Zechariah is prophesying about judgment and horsemen and the Angel of the Lord, and world powers. Revelation speaks of a red Dragon, and a woman giving birth to a ruler of all nations and a war in heaven. The Psalm is a prayer for deliverance from evil men and accusers, and the Proverb says, "A man who mocks his father and despises his mother shall have his eye plucked out by ravens and eaten by vultures."
When reading verses like this, you may initially have one of those "that's beautiful/what is it" moments. Take a look this key scripture: Rev. 12:10 "Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, 'It has happened at last! God's salvation and the power and the rule, and the authority of his Christ are finally here;"
As we read through prophecies it's can be easy to get caught up and confused with the specifics of "who is the woman?" "What is the dragon?", "What do the horsemen represent?". There are times when the Spirit will unwrap those gifts for us too, but today let's just look at the word "AUTHORITY". In all of the scripture we read we need to see that God always lays out a Chain of Command. This covers everything from "the Accuser of our brothers has been thrown down from heaven to earth" (Rev. 21:10b) to "A man who mocks his father" in Proverbs.
The Chain of Command is a big thing to God!
The Psalmist's prayer today acknowledges this by the way he prays: "O Lord, deliver me from evil men. Preserve me... Keep me out of their power... Let their plots boomerang... don't let liars prosper..." God is in control! the last verse of this Psalm says "Surely the godly are thanking you, for they shall live in your presence." Those who live in the presence of God understand that HE is the authority. There is no "death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation," that "will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38-39)
What freedom it is for a soldier to know that his commanding officer is in control. What freedom there is for us to know that God is the authority. There is a day coming (very soon) when all will see and acknowledge this authority, but what a privilege it is to know NOW and live in the freedom and protection of our God and King, our Commander in Chief.
This applies to every area of life. In our workplace, in our home, in our extended families, we need to understand first that God is in control, and that he has commanded that those in authority over us AND "under" us be placed where they are. We have to be careful to rightly handle the authority that has been given us. Paul gives this charge in I Tim. 6:20 "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care." We must do the same. As you're together with family this Christmas season, honor your family. If you don't... stay away from birds... (remember the whole raven/eye thing!) and guard what has been entrusted to your care!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
12.7.11 "Not in the Church!?"
"Not in the Church!?"
Hosea 6:1-9:17
3 John 1:1-15
Psalm 126:1-6
Proverbs 29:12-14
Why do you think so much of the New Testament spends so much time talking about loving one another & our relationships with one another? Shouldn't it be that because we all know God we walk in harmony & peace?
Oh if it were only that easy. In John's 3rd letter, he's commending his friend Gaius for his life of integrity, and also for the way he takes care of the traveling teachers & missionaries. He has some words for another fellow, however.
"I sent a brief letter to the church about this, but proud Diotrephes, who loves to push himself forward as the leader of the Christians there, does not admit my authority over him and refuses to listen to me. When I come I will tell you some of the things he is doing and what wicked things he is saying about me and what insulting language he is using. He not only refuses to welcome the missionary travelers himself, but tells others not to, and when they do he tries to put them out of the church. Dear friend, don't let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do what is right prove that they are God's children; and those who continue in evil prove that they are far from God."
This doesn't sound like a very good scripture to take a devotional from does it? Think about how John was someone who had SEEN JESUS! Most of the people in the early church had not. John's authority was clearly established, and yet there was this lack of unity.
What causes this? It's when opinions become out of control. Now, I don't know Diotrephes. I only know what was said about him here. All I can tell is this: He had an agenda, and he didn't want anyone to mess with it, and didn't want others to mess with it.
This couldn't happen in the church could it?? It can if we are not careful to keep opinions in check, and in line with God appointed authority. This can be harder than it seems. God has placed so many different personalities in the Body of Christ, that we are bound to want to do things different. Two Sunday School teachers teaching the same lesson can want to approach it from different angles, and it can potentially be a really divisive issue. Why? Because we think that our idea is the only way.
This is why the principle of Relationships Devoted to Unity is Submission. We must "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." My opinion is not greater than yours, yours is not greater than mine. When there are disagreements, they must fall under the authority structure God has put in place. This is very hard to do in a "vote them off the island" culture.
This is extremely hard to do. My friend said to me, "If the Church can't get it's act together internally, how can we shine outside properly?" the heart of "preferring one another" at all times is crucial. Honoring our leaders is essential.
We should guard our hearts from the power of uncontrolled opinion. We should guard one another from opinions getting out of control. This is how we live a righteous life devoted to unity.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Hosea 6:1-9:17
3 John 1:1-15
Psalm 126:1-6
Proverbs 29:12-14
Why do you think so much of the New Testament spends so much time talking about loving one another & our relationships with one another? Shouldn't it be that because we all know God we walk in harmony & peace?
Oh if it were only that easy. In John's 3rd letter, he's commending his friend Gaius for his life of integrity, and also for the way he takes care of the traveling teachers & missionaries. He has some words for another fellow, however.
"I sent a brief letter to the church about this, but proud Diotrephes, who loves to push himself forward as the leader of the Christians there, does not admit my authority over him and refuses to listen to me. When I come I will tell you some of the things he is doing and what wicked things he is saying about me and what insulting language he is using. He not only refuses to welcome the missionary travelers himself, but tells others not to, and when they do he tries to put them out of the church. Dear friend, don't let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do what is right prove that they are God's children; and those who continue in evil prove that they are far from God."
This doesn't sound like a very good scripture to take a devotional from does it? Think about how John was someone who had SEEN JESUS! Most of the people in the early church had not. John's authority was clearly established, and yet there was this lack of unity.
What causes this? It's when opinions become out of control. Now, I don't know Diotrephes. I only know what was said about him here. All I can tell is this: He had an agenda, and he didn't want anyone to mess with it, and didn't want others to mess with it.
This couldn't happen in the church could it?? It can if we are not careful to keep opinions in check, and in line with God appointed authority. This can be harder than it seems. God has placed so many different personalities in the Body of Christ, that we are bound to want to do things different. Two Sunday School teachers teaching the same lesson can want to approach it from different angles, and it can potentially be a really divisive issue. Why? Because we think that our idea is the only way.
This is why the principle of Relationships Devoted to Unity is Submission. We must "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." My opinion is not greater than yours, yours is not greater than mine. When there are disagreements, they must fall under the authority structure God has put in place. This is very hard to do in a "vote them off the island" culture.
This is extremely hard to do. My friend said to me, "If the Church can't get it's act together internally, how can we shine outside properly?" the heart of "preferring one another" at all times is crucial. Honoring our leaders is essential.
We should guard our hearts from the power of uncontrolled opinion. We should guard one another from opinions getting out of control. This is how we live a righteous life devoted to unity.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Monday, October 17, 2011
10.17.11 "The DREAM Job"
"The DREAM Job"
Jeremiah 30:1-31:26
I Timothy 2:1-15
Psalm 87:1-7
Proverbs 25:18-19
As we put focused attention on living the DREAM, much of our scriptural application has been about what God is doing in our lives. It is very important that we do our part to grow in maturity, but it's not just an internal thing. It should be making a difference in every area of our life. Maturity is measured in how we treat other people.
I Timothy 2:1-3 says, "Here are my directions: Pray much for others; plead for God's mercy upon them; give thanks for all he is going to do for them. Pray in this way for kings and all others who are in authority over us, or are in places of high responsibility, so that we can live in peace and quietness, spending our time in godly living and thinking much about the Lord. This is good and pleases God our Savior, for he longs for all to be saved and to understand this truth".
We really need to be praying for those around us. Especially for those in authority over us. The "norm" in our society is that we complain about our boss, our working conditions, and others we work with. We tend to dwell on things that cause us to be irritated with personalities or practices that are different than the way WE think they should be.
Think about what prayer does. The obvious thing is that God answers prayer. As you pray for someone in authority over you or in a place of high responsibility, God moves. There are times when the answer is immediate and obvious, but there are other times it's more subtle, but in God's will and timing, it's answered.
But also think about what prayer does IN you. When you have those people who "fertilize" your "Fruit of the Spirit", and you begin to pray for them, you begin to see them as God does. Praying for one another puts us in a posture of humility. Like Paul says, we must "give thanks for all he is going to do for them." This helps us get our minds off our selfishness and off our opinions, and onto what God is trying to complete in those around us.
If you are Living the DREAM, you should be different than those around you. You should not be around the water cooler complaining and talking about others, you should be setting the temperature of encouragement. Today's proverbs puts it pretty clear: "Telling lies about someone is as harmful as hitting him with an axe, or wounding him with a sword, or shooting him with a sharp arrow." Prov. 25:18. It is WAY too often that Christians justify doing this type of behavior. We cannot take part in this activity. Sometimes I fear we think we can get away with it if we phrase it in a form of a prayer request. "Please pray with me for a co-worker who is an idiot." The arrow is shot.
We must understand that if we act improperly toward those we work for and those in authority over us, it undermines our integrity. WE become the weak link. That is NOT living the DREAM. Prov. 25:19 says, "Putting confidence in an unreliable man is like chewing with a sore tooth, or trying to run on a broken foot."
How does your authority view you? Can you be trusted? Do they know that you have their back? That you are guarding them? Or do they feel like they are running on a broken foot? We do a disservice to the Kingdom when a Christian is "high maintenance" in the work place. We need to be people of honor, integrity, and faithfulness. Whining is not a fruit of the Spirit, nor is it a principle of DREAM. Do you have trouble with someone? Stop whining and start praying. God will show you the path to reconciliation.
In 1 Timothy 2:5 the "truth" that God wants every one to understand is this: "That God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, himself man, is between them to bring them together, by giving his life for all mankind." Each one of us are part of this. We need to be pointing to Christ not creating an obstacle by being unreliable. This is our Mission. Reaching our World for Christ. You can't just turn it off. That's why you're doing what you're doing.
That's why you've got your DREAM job!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Saturday, July 30, 2011
7.30.11 "Devoted to Unity"
"Devoted to Unity"
2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27
Romans 13:1-14
Psalm 23:1-6
Proverbs 20:11
Is it important to be connected to the body? We all need to understand that know we have the need for fellowship with one another in the SAME way we know we should obey God. These are inseparable truths.
In reading Romans 13 we can see the importance of this. In verse 9-10 Paul says, " If you love your neighbor as much as you love yourself you will not want to harm or cheat him, or kill him or steal from him. And you won't sin with his wife or want what is his, or do anything else the Ten Commandments say is wrong. All ten are wrapped up in this one, to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Love does no wrong to anyone. That's why it fully satisfies all of God's requirements. It is the only law you need."
Using a spiritual "Checklist" like DREAM is helpful in that we can take a daily inventory of the purposes God has for us. As good as that is, we have to be careful about a "checklist mentality". With a checklist mentality we can think, "well, at least i got my 'D', i don't have time for my 'R' today."
As we mature in Christ we must begin to realize how inseparable these elements are. How can you say you are living the "Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship", and not respect and obey the government? verse 2 says, "So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow."
Verse 3 says, "For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you." For the past few years, I've started to do a much better job of driving the speed limit. I'm not perfect in this area, but it's been amazing how much more relaxed I am when I see the squad car on the side of the road. There's much more peace in doing what the authorities have asked. I'm sure that's what Paul had in mind when he wrote this, right?
Paul must have been thinking of those who get a letter from the assessor when he wrote verse 6-7. "Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority."
The root of unity is Submission. We cannot be in unity without submitting to the needs of one another. This is a deep heart issue. We must train our hearts to love one another by consistently being aware of each other's needs, and responding with compassion, and appropriate submission to those needs. This is what love is all about.
How urgent is this? Is this really important??
verse 11 "...you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of the Lord is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is far gone, the day of his return will soon be here. So quit the evil deeds of darkness and put on the armor of right living, as we who live in the daylight should! Be decent and true in everything you do so that all can approve your behavior."
There isn't much time left. Put this into practice today!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27
Romans 13:1-14
Psalm 23:1-6
Proverbs 20:11
Is it important to be connected to the body? We all need to understand that know we have the need for fellowship with one another in the SAME way we know we should obey God. These are inseparable truths.
In reading Romans 13 we can see the importance of this. In verse 9-10 Paul says, " If you love your neighbor as much as you love yourself you will not want to harm or cheat him, or kill him or steal from him. And you won't sin with his wife or want what is his, or do anything else the Ten Commandments say is wrong. All ten are wrapped up in this one, to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Love does no wrong to anyone. That's why it fully satisfies all of God's requirements. It is the only law you need."
Using a spiritual "Checklist" like DREAM is helpful in that we can take a daily inventory of the purposes God has for us. As good as that is, we have to be careful about a "checklist mentality". With a checklist mentality we can think, "well, at least i got my 'D', i don't have time for my 'R' today."
As we mature in Christ we must begin to realize how inseparable these elements are. How can you say you are living the "Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship", and not respect and obey the government? verse 2 says, "So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow."
Verse 3 says, "For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you." For the past few years, I've started to do a much better job of driving the speed limit. I'm not perfect in this area, but it's been amazing how much more relaxed I am when I see the squad car on the side of the road. There's much more peace in doing what the authorities have asked. I'm sure that's what Paul had in mind when he wrote this, right?
Paul must have been thinking of those who get a letter from the assessor when he wrote verse 6-7. "Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority."
The root of unity is Submission. We cannot be in unity without submitting to the needs of one another. This is a deep heart issue. We must train our hearts to love one another by consistently being aware of each other's needs, and responding with compassion, and appropriate submission to those needs. This is what love is all about.
How urgent is this? Is this really important??
verse 11 "...you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of the Lord is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is far gone, the day of his return will soon be here. So quit the evil deeds of darkness and put on the armor of right living, as we who live in the daylight should! Be decent and true in everything you do so that all can approve your behavior."
There isn't much time left. Put this into practice today!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Monday, January 10, 2011
1.10.11 "The Vision of Your Leader"
"The Vision of Your Leader"
Genesis 23:1-24:51
Matthew 8:1-17
Psalm 9:13-20
Proverbs 3:1-6
Every single one of us is under the authority of someone else. What is your attitude about that? How do you feel about being under authority? In Genesis 24 there's a simple little story that lays out some principles in the heart of Abraham's servant that we can apply when dealing with the authorities in our life.
"Abraham was now a very old man, and God blessed him in every way. One day Abraham said to his household administrator, who was his oldest servant, .... 'Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife for [Isaac] there.'" (Gen. 24:1,2,4)
The mission is to find Isaac a wife. Who does Abraham choose for this task? His household administrator, who is also his oldest servant. I'm impressed first by the fact that this is an individual who has given his life to care for the little things in Abraham's life. Abraham expresses his desire to him. He lays out his vision. He wants a daughter-in-law from his own people.
"'But suppose I can't find a girl who will come so far from home?' the servant asked. 'Then shall I take Isaac there, to live among your relatives?'" (Gen. 24:5)
This verse REALLY impressed me. You're thinking: "what's the big deal about this?" What impresses me is that the servant was not just focussing on accomplishing a task. He was committed to searching the heart of his leader. He wanted to know the parameters of the vision. He wanted to go past the "task" mentality. He was committed to success. How many times are we given an assignment, and we jump on it either over-enthusiastically, or even with no enthusiasm, and we either take the initial mission a different direction, or we put such lame effort into it that it barely gets done.
It's a good thing the servant asked the question he did. Abraham was emphatic about certain criteria for this mission. He lays that out in verses 6-8.
I love verse 9. "So the servant vowed to follow Abraham's instructions." How committed are we to the leaders God has placed over us? Are we committed to the point that we can "vow" to follow their instructions? So many times it's easy to let our opinions usurp the throne, and either misdirect the mission, or even ultimately subvert it. It's in our human nature to be short sighted and lose the big picture. We take our opinion and make a new "vision" out of it, and now we have "2". you know what that's called? Di-vision.
The Lord desires that we live Relationships Devoted to Unity in our workplace. We need to model Godly character in working to carry out the vision of our leader. This should apply to ministries. The nursery worker should give their all to carry out the vision of the coordinator. This applies to all areas of responsibility in our life.
There are some incredibly practical principles in here. ("Hey this Bible's got some good stuff in it!")
I will highlight a few things.
1. The servant knows that success is dependent upon God's favor of the project. v 12 says, "O Jehovah, the God of my master... show kindess to my master Abraham and help me to accomplish the purpose of my journey."
2. The servant has defined a strategy for accomplishing the mission. v 14.
3. He didn't jump right away when it looked like the answer had presented itself. Rebekah seemed right away to fit the bill. He watched her closely and made sure she was of the character that would be suitable to his master. v 21
4. He praises God through the process. v 26-27
5. He makes sure he accomplishes the vision through the "chain of command". He goes to Rebekah's family and speaks with them. He doesn't just grab her by the hair and drag her back to Abraham. You're probably thinking, "well of course not!". In this particular case it would seem obvious to not take that route, but too often, our boss tells us to do something, and we go forth with our mandate, and we don't care who we leave wounded along the road. God's authority structure is in place at all levels, and when his will and his timing are working together, he will make a way for success within the structure he has ordained.
6. Vision Casting. This one is HUGE! in verses 33-48 the servant lays out the vision of his leader. He lays out the heart of it. He tells of how God connected the dots. He's not just "doing his job", he's casting a vision that was not his own to begin with, but it has become his. It's so easy to just say, "my boss said this... so i gotta do this... so let me do it..." instead of casting a vision that is greater than self.
7. in verse 49, he calls for a commitment from others, and we see the success of his vision casing. "The Lord has obviously brought you here, so what can we say? Take her and go! Yes, let her be the wife of your master's son, as Jehovah has directed."
The servants heart for the vision of his leader brings glory to God at every level. You can see why he became the household administrator. He could be trusted. His commitment was to the heart of his leader.
The characteristics of this servant are the characteristics of an individual who is living in Relationships Devoted to Unity. If we begin to apply these principles to every element of work, home, church, ministry, and life, we will begin to see some incredible things. Make today a day of carrying out the Vision of Your Leader!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Genesis 23:1-24:51
Matthew 8:1-17
Psalm 9:13-20
Proverbs 3:1-6
Every single one of us is under the authority of someone else. What is your attitude about that? How do you feel about being under authority? In Genesis 24 there's a simple little story that lays out some principles in the heart of Abraham's servant that we can apply when dealing with the authorities in our life.
"Abraham was now a very old man, and God blessed him in every way. One day Abraham said to his household administrator, who was his oldest servant, .... 'Go instead to my homeland, to my relatives, and find a wife for [Isaac] there.'" (Gen. 24:1,2,4)
The mission is to find Isaac a wife. Who does Abraham choose for this task? His household administrator, who is also his oldest servant. I'm impressed first by the fact that this is an individual who has given his life to care for the little things in Abraham's life. Abraham expresses his desire to him. He lays out his vision. He wants a daughter-in-law from his own people.
"'But suppose I can't find a girl who will come so far from home?' the servant asked. 'Then shall I take Isaac there, to live among your relatives?'" (Gen. 24:5)
This verse REALLY impressed me. You're thinking: "what's the big deal about this?" What impresses me is that the servant was not just focussing on accomplishing a task. He was committed to searching the heart of his leader. He wanted to know the parameters of the vision. He wanted to go past the "task" mentality. He was committed to success. How many times are we given an assignment, and we jump on it either over-enthusiastically, or even with no enthusiasm, and we either take the initial mission a different direction, or we put such lame effort into it that it barely gets done.
It's a good thing the servant asked the question he did. Abraham was emphatic about certain criteria for this mission. He lays that out in verses 6-8.
I love verse 9. "So the servant vowed to follow Abraham's instructions." How committed are we to the leaders God has placed over us? Are we committed to the point that we can "vow" to follow their instructions? So many times it's easy to let our opinions usurp the throne, and either misdirect the mission, or even ultimately subvert it. It's in our human nature to be short sighted and lose the big picture. We take our opinion and make a new "vision" out of it, and now we have "2". you know what that's called? Di-vision.
The Lord desires that we live Relationships Devoted to Unity in our workplace. We need to model Godly character in working to carry out the vision of our leader. This should apply to ministries. The nursery worker should give their all to carry out the vision of the coordinator. This applies to all areas of responsibility in our life.
There are some incredibly practical principles in here. ("Hey this Bible's got some good stuff in it!")
I will highlight a few things.
1. The servant knows that success is dependent upon God's favor of the project. v 12 says, "O Jehovah, the God of my master... show kindess to my master Abraham and help me to accomplish the purpose of my journey."
2. The servant has defined a strategy for accomplishing the mission. v 14.
3. He didn't jump right away when it looked like the answer had presented itself. Rebekah seemed right away to fit the bill. He watched her closely and made sure she was of the character that would be suitable to his master. v 21
4. He praises God through the process. v 26-27
5. He makes sure he accomplishes the vision through the "chain of command". He goes to Rebekah's family and speaks with them. He doesn't just grab her by the hair and drag her back to Abraham. You're probably thinking, "well of course not!". In this particular case it would seem obvious to not take that route, but too often, our boss tells us to do something, and we go forth with our mandate, and we don't care who we leave wounded along the road. God's authority structure is in place at all levels, and when his will and his timing are working together, he will make a way for success within the structure he has ordained.
6. Vision Casting. This one is HUGE! in verses 33-48 the servant lays out the vision of his leader. He lays out the heart of it. He tells of how God connected the dots. He's not just "doing his job", he's casting a vision that was not his own to begin with, but it has become his. It's so easy to just say, "my boss said this... so i gotta do this... so let me do it..." instead of casting a vision that is greater than self.
7. in verse 49, he calls for a commitment from others, and we see the success of his vision casing. "The Lord has obviously brought you here, so what can we say? Take her and go! Yes, let her be the wife of your master's son, as Jehovah has directed."
The servants heart for the vision of his leader brings glory to God at every level. You can see why he became the household administrator. He could be trusted. His commitment was to the heart of his leader.
The characteristics of this servant are the characteristics of an individual who is living in Relationships Devoted to Unity. If we begin to apply these principles to every element of work, home, church, ministry, and life, we will begin to see some incredible things. Make today a day of carrying out the Vision of Your Leader!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
12.21.10 "Chain of Command"
"Chain of Command"
Zechariah 1:1-21
Revelation 12:1-17
Psalm 140:1-13
Proverbs 30:17
Everyday is like Christmas when it comes to reading God's word. Each morning as you sit down to read the word you have no idea what's wrapped in the pages for you. Every day the Spirit has something new. Some days it's fresh and exciting like a new toy, and other days it's something very practical like a pair socks. Don't get me wrong. We NEED socks! As we mature, we find our desires to be more for necessities. But no matter what it is, it's something the Spirit has wrapped for you.
Do you ever have a child draw you a picture? You say, "Oh wow! that's beautiful!" In your mind you're saying "I have NO idea what this is a picture of!" Sometimes reading the Word is the same way. It takes a little bit of meditation and explanation from the Spirit for you to understand the gift.
I've listed all of the scriptures that were a part of today's reading. Zechariah is prophesying about judgment and horsemen and the Angel of the Lord, and world powers. Revelation speaks of a red Dragon, and a woman giving birth to a ruler of all nations and a war in heaven. The Psalm is a prayer for deliverance from evil men and accusers, and the Proverb says, "A man who mocks his father and despises his mother shall have is eye plucked out by ravens and eaten by vultures."
When reading verses like this, you may initially have one of those "that's beautiful/what is it" moments. Take a look this key scripture: Rev. 12:10 "Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, 'It has happened at last! God's salvation and the power and the rule, and the authority of his Christ are finally here;"
As we read through prophecies it's can be easy to get caught up and confused with the specifics of "who is the woman?" "What is the dragon?", "What do the horsemen represent?". There are times when the Spirit will unwrap those gifts for us too, but today let's just look at the word "AUTHORITY". In all of the scripture we read we need to see that God always lays out a Chain of Command. This covers everything from "the Accuser of our brothers has been thrown down from heaven to earth" (Rev. 21:10b) to "A man who mocks his father" in Proverbs.
The Chain of Command is a big thing to God!
The Psalmist's prayer today acknowledges this by the way he prays: "O Lord, deliver me from evil men. Preserve me... Keep me out of their power... Let their plots boomerang... don't let liars prosper..." God is in control! the last verse of this Psalm says "Surely the godly are thanking you, for they shall live in your presence." Those who live in the presence of God understand that HE is the authority. There is no "death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation," that "will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38-39)
What freedom it is for a soldier to know that his commanding officer is in control. What freedom there is for us to know that God is the authority. There is a day coming (very soon) when all will see and acknowledge this authority, but what a privilege it is to know NOW and live in the freedom and protection of our God and King, our Commander in Chief.
This applies to every area of life. In our workplace, in our home, in our extended families, we need to understand first that God is in control, and that he has commanded that those in authority over us AND "under" us be placed where they are. We have to be careful to rightly handle the authority that has been given us. Paul gives this charge in I Tim. 6:20 "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care." We must do the same. As you're together with family this Christmas season, honor your family. If you don't... stay away from birds... (remember the whole raven/eye thing!) and guard what has been entrusted to your care!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Zechariah 1:1-21
Revelation 12:1-17
Psalm 140:1-13
Proverbs 30:17
Everyday is like Christmas when it comes to reading God's word. Each morning as you sit down to read the word you have no idea what's wrapped in the pages for you. Every day the Spirit has something new. Some days it's fresh and exciting like a new toy, and other days it's something very practical like a pair socks. Don't get me wrong. We NEED socks! As we mature, we find our desires to be more for necessities. But no matter what it is, it's something the Spirit has wrapped for you.
Do you ever have a child draw you a picture? You say, "Oh wow! that's beautiful!" In your mind you're saying "I have NO idea what this is a picture of!" Sometimes reading the Word is the same way. It takes a little bit of meditation and explanation from the Spirit for you to understand the gift.
I've listed all of the scriptures that were a part of today's reading. Zechariah is prophesying about judgment and horsemen and the Angel of the Lord, and world powers. Revelation speaks of a red Dragon, and a woman giving birth to a ruler of all nations and a war in heaven. The Psalm is a prayer for deliverance from evil men and accusers, and the Proverb says, "A man who mocks his father and despises his mother shall have is eye plucked out by ravens and eaten by vultures."
When reading verses like this, you may initially have one of those "that's beautiful/what is it" moments. Take a look this key scripture: Rev. 12:10 "Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, 'It has happened at last! God's salvation and the power and the rule, and the authority of his Christ are finally here;"
As we read through prophecies it's can be easy to get caught up and confused with the specifics of "who is the woman?" "What is the dragon?", "What do the horsemen represent?". There are times when the Spirit will unwrap those gifts for us too, but today let's just look at the word "AUTHORITY". In all of the scripture we read we need to see that God always lays out a Chain of Command. This covers everything from "the Accuser of our brothers has been thrown down from heaven to earth" (Rev. 21:10b) to "A man who mocks his father" in Proverbs.
The Chain of Command is a big thing to God!
The Psalmist's prayer today acknowledges this by the way he prays: "O Lord, deliver me from evil men. Preserve me... Keep me out of their power... Let their plots boomerang... don't let liars prosper..." God is in control! the last verse of this Psalm says "Surely the godly are thanking you, for they shall live in your presence." Those who live in the presence of God understand that HE is the authority. There is no "death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation," that "will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38-39)
What freedom it is for a soldier to know that his commanding officer is in control. What freedom there is for us to know that God is the authority. There is a day coming (very soon) when all will see and acknowledge this authority, but what a privilege it is to know NOW and live in the freedom and protection of our God and King, our Commander in Chief.
This applies to every area of life. In our workplace, in our home, in our extended families, we need to understand first that God is in control, and that he has commanded that those in authority over us AND "under" us be placed where they are. We have to be careful to rightly handle the authority that has been given us. Paul gives this charge in I Tim. 6:20 "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care." We must do the same. As you're together with family this Christmas season, honor your family. If you don't... stay away from birds... (remember the whole raven/eye thing!) and guard what has been entrusted to your care!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Friday, July 30, 2010
7.30.10 "Devoted to Unity"
"Devoted to Unity"
2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27
Romans 13:1-14
Psalm 23:1-6
Proverbs 20:11
Is it important to be connected to the body? We all need to understand that know we have the need for fellowship with one another in the SAME way we know we should obey God. These are inseparable truths.
In reading Romans 13 we can see the importance of this. In verse 9-10 Paul says, " If you love your neighbor as much as you love yourself you will not want to harm or cheat him, or kill him or steal from him. And you won't sin with his wife or want what is his, or do anything else the Ten Commandments say is wrong. All ten are wrapped up in this one, to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Love does no wrong to anyone. That's why it fully satisfies all of God's requirements. It is the only law you need."
Using a spiritual "Checklist" like DREAM is helpful in that we can take a daily inventory of the purposes God has for us. As good as that is, we have to be careful about a "checklist mentality". With a checklist mentality we can think, "well, at least i got my 'D', i don't have time for my 'R' today."
As we mature in Christ we must begin to realize how inseparable these elements are. How can you say you are living the "Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship", and not respect and obey the government? verse 2 says, "So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow."
Verse 3 says, "For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you." For the past few years, I've started to do a much better job of driving the speed limit. I'm not perfect in this area, but it's been amazing how much more relaxed I am when I see the squad car on the side of the road. There's much more peace in doing what the authorities have asked. I'm sure that's what Paul had in mind when he wrote this, right?
Paul must have been thinking of those who get a letter from the assessor when he wrote verse 6-7. "Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority."
The root of unity is Submission. We cannot be in unity without submitting to the needs of one another. This is a deep heart issue. We must train our hearts to love one another by consistently being aware of each other's needs, and responding with compassion, and appropriate submission to those needs. This is what love is all about.
How urgent is this? Is this really important??
verse 11 "...you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of the Lord is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is far gone, the day of his return will soon be here. So quit the evil deeds of darkness and put on the armor of right living, as we who live in the daylight should! Be decent and true in everything you do so that all can approve your behavior."
There isn't much time left. Put this into practice today!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
2 Chronicles 26:1-28:27
Romans 13:1-14
Psalm 23:1-6
Proverbs 20:11
Is it important to be connected to the body? We all need to understand that know we have the need for fellowship with one another in the SAME way we know we should obey God. These are inseparable truths.
In reading Romans 13 we can see the importance of this. In verse 9-10 Paul says, " If you love your neighbor as much as you love yourself you will not want to harm or cheat him, or kill him or steal from him. And you won't sin with his wife or want what is his, or do anything else the Ten Commandments say is wrong. All ten are wrapped up in this one, to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Love does no wrong to anyone. That's why it fully satisfies all of God's requirements. It is the only law you need."
Using a spiritual "Checklist" like DREAM is helpful in that we can take a daily inventory of the purposes God has for us. As good as that is, we have to be careful about a "checklist mentality". With a checklist mentality we can think, "well, at least i got my 'D', i don't have time for my 'R' today."
As we mature in Christ we must begin to realize how inseparable these elements are. How can you say you are living the "Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship", and not respect and obey the government? verse 2 says, "So those who refuse to obey the laws of the land are refusing to obey God, and punishment will follow."
Verse 3 says, "For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you." For the past few years, I've started to do a much better job of driving the speed limit. I'm not perfect in this area, but it's been amazing how much more relaxed I am when I see the squad car on the side of the road. There's much more peace in doing what the authorities have asked. I'm sure that's what Paul had in mind when he wrote this, right?
Paul must have been thinking of those who get a letter from the assessor when he wrote verse 6-7. "Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority."
The root of unity is Submission. We cannot be in unity without submitting to the needs of one another. This is a deep heart issue. We must train our hearts to love one another by consistently being aware of each other's needs, and responding with compassion, and appropriate submission to those needs. This is what love is all about.
How urgent is this? Is this really important??
verse 11 "...you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of the Lord is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is far gone, the day of his return will soon be here. So quit the evil deeds of darkness and put on the armor of right living, as we who live in the daylight should! Be decent and true in everything you do so that all can approve your behavior."
There isn't much time left. Put this into practice today!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Thursday, March 11, 2010
3.11.10 "The Peril of Poisoned Perspective"
"The Peril of Poisoned Perspective"
Numbers 15:17-16:40
Mark 15:1-47
Psalm 54:1-7
Proverbs 11:5-6
Today's reading in Numbers 16 is a story of an insurrection in the camp of the Israelites. "One day Korah... conspired with Dathan and Abiram... and On, all three from the tribe of Reuben, to incite a rebellion against Moses. Two hundred and fifty popular leaders, all members of the Assembly, were involved." (Num. 16:1-2)
Betting is not a godly activity, but what do you think the odds are that this is going to turn out well for Korah and the boys? Listen to their "beef":
"They went to Moses and Aaron and said, 'We have had enough of your presumption; you are no better than anyone else; everyone in Israel has been chosen of the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to put yourselves forward, claiming that we must obey you, and acting as though you were greater than anyone else among all these people of the Lord?" (Num. 16:3)
Here's the facts: God appointed Moses and Aaron as the leaders of the children of Israel. The people are chosen of the Lord. They are commanded to obey God. God speaks through Moses.
Notice how Korah & the Gang (predecessor to Kool and the Gang) twist truth through a poisoned perspective. They twist Moses' leadership into a "presumption" of leadership as if he was taking control on his own. Many leaders today find themselves paralyzed because of this poison. God calls, but for fear of this perspective, they are kept from leading in the direction God has laid out.
Korah's boys make the statement, "you are no better than anyone else". This is a HUGE issue! So many people equate "value" to position. That is not a godly perspective. It is a divisive tool of the enemy. If someone is in authority over you, it doesn't mean they are "better" than you, it means they have a different position. The Gang is right in saying that all are chosen of the Lord, and that he is with them, but that doesn't mean the playing field is equal, and each should do what is right in his own mind. God has placed a structure around them for a purpose. This "value - poison" creeps in and fuels rebellion.
"... claiming we must obey you" is another point of improper perspective. As God's spokesperson for these people, it was Moses' job to bring the word of the Lord. It was the responsibility of the people to do what he said IN OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD! There are times that people don't like what they hear God saying. It makes them uncomfortable, so what's the response? Question the motivation and integrity of the leader. The Gang didn't just question it, they came to a verdict on it. Their perspective was full of poison.
Sorry for jumping off topic here, but the next verse made me laugh out loud. "when Moses heard what they were saying he fell face downward to the ground." (v. 4) Now my first reaction to this was proper and I appreciated the way he was humbled by the accusation, and bowed before the Lord. But what made me laugh is the realization of how many times in this journey through the wilderness he's had to do this. I was picturing him look over at Aaron with a look on his face that said "here we go again..." as he fell to the ground... Ok, so it's only humorous in my mind...
What Moses said in verses 8-11 brings light to the poisoned perspective of the "posse". "Then Moses spoke again to Korah: 'Does it seem a small thing to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the people of Israel to be near to himself as you work in the Tabernacle of Jehovah, and to stand before the people to minister to them? Is it nothing to you that he has given this task to only you Levites? And now you are demanding the priesthood also? That is what you are really after! That is why you are revolting against Jehovah."
Notice first off that these diabolical dudes (it's a day of alliteration) are not revolting against Moses. To revolt against God appointed authority is to revolt against God. He makes that clear. It's important to remember that no matter where you're at in an event like this, you could be Korah, Moses, one of the Posse, or just watching with a bag of popcorn. Either way, i wouldn't stand too close to the rebels. It may seem like a minor "personality conflict", but it's much bigger.
Also, Moses sheds light on the fact this all stems from a lack of understanding of the privilege it is to serve the Lord. "Does it seem a small thing..."? When we start to take for granted what God has done for us and called us to we become ripe for the poison to take hold. We must remain humbly aware of the greatness of God and his mercy at all times. Moses also sheds light on the quest for power that motivates all of this.
In verse 19 it says, "Meanwhile, Korah had stirred up the entire nation against Moses and Aaron, and they all assembled to watch." How sad is that. It's sad on a number of levels. For one, it's not enough that Korah has issues. He sees a need to bring everyone into it. Another sad point is that the people took to it. They all got their picnic baskets and assembled to watch.
Well, you can guess what God thought of all this... "... and Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron, 'Get away from these people so that I may instantly destroy them." I can picture Moses and Aaron giving each other that look again... "But Moses and Aaron fell face downward to the ground before the Lord..."
God warned the people to stand clear of the rebels. "So Moses rushed over to the tents... 'Quick!' he told the people, 'get away from the tents of these wicked men, and don't touch anything that belongs to them, lest you be included in their sins [and be destroyed with them].'"
The leaders of the rebellion were swallowed by the ground! The 250 leaders they recruited were killed by God's fire. Not a good fate. The rest of the nation was spared only by God's intervention.
We must guard against the poison of improper perspective at all times. It can start small with something as little as "who does he think he is telling me what to do..." It can seem like no big deal to entertain that thought. That thought is poison! Get rid of it! Relationships Devoted to Unity are relationships devoted to the authority structure God has put in place. Not because the people in authority demand it, but because God does. There is blessing when we operate in this realm.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Numbers 15:17-16:40
Mark 15:1-47
Psalm 54:1-7
Proverbs 11:5-6
Today's reading in Numbers 16 is a story of an insurrection in the camp of the Israelites. "One day Korah... conspired with Dathan and Abiram... and On, all three from the tribe of Reuben, to incite a rebellion against Moses. Two hundred and fifty popular leaders, all members of the Assembly, were involved." (Num. 16:1-2)
Betting is not a godly activity, but what do you think the odds are that this is going to turn out well for Korah and the boys? Listen to their "beef":
"They went to Moses and Aaron and said, 'We have had enough of your presumption; you are no better than anyone else; everyone in Israel has been chosen of the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to put yourselves forward, claiming that we must obey you, and acting as though you were greater than anyone else among all these people of the Lord?" (Num. 16:3)
Here's the facts: God appointed Moses and Aaron as the leaders of the children of Israel. The people are chosen of the Lord. They are commanded to obey God. God speaks through Moses.
Notice how Korah & the Gang (predecessor to Kool and the Gang) twist truth through a poisoned perspective. They twist Moses' leadership into a "presumption" of leadership as if he was taking control on his own. Many leaders today find themselves paralyzed because of this poison. God calls, but for fear of this perspective, they are kept from leading in the direction God has laid out.
Korah's boys make the statement, "you are no better than anyone else". This is a HUGE issue! So many people equate "value" to position. That is not a godly perspective. It is a divisive tool of the enemy. If someone is in authority over you, it doesn't mean they are "better" than you, it means they have a different position. The Gang is right in saying that all are chosen of the Lord, and that he is with them, but that doesn't mean the playing field is equal, and each should do what is right in his own mind. God has placed a structure around them for a purpose. This "value - poison" creeps in and fuels rebellion.
"... claiming we must obey you" is another point of improper perspective. As God's spokesperson for these people, it was Moses' job to bring the word of the Lord. It was the responsibility of the people to do what he said IN OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD! There are times that people don't like what they hear God saying. It makes them uncomfortable, so what's the response? Question the motivation and integrity of the leader. The Gang didn't just question it, they came to a verdict on it. Their perspective was full of poison.
Sorry for jumping off topic here, but the next verse made me laugh out loud. "when Moses heard what they were saying he fell face downward to the ground." (v. 4) Now my first reaction to this was proper and I appreciated the way he was humbled by the accusation, and bowed before the Lord. But what made me laugh is the realization of how many times in this journey through the wilderness he's had to do this. I was picturing him look over at Aaron with a look on his face that said "here we go again..." as he fell to the ground... Ok, so it's only humorous in my mind...
What Moses said in verses 8-11 brings light to the poisoned perspective of the "posse". "Then Moses spoke again to Korah: 'Does it seem a small thing to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the people of Israel to be near to himself as you work in the Tabernacle of Jehovah, and to stand before the people to minister to them? Is it nothing to you that he has given this task to only you Levites? And now you are demanding the priesthood also? That is what you are really after! That is why you are revolting against Jehovah."
Notice first off that these diabolical dudes (it's a day of alliteration) are not revolting against Moses. To revolt against God appointed authority is to revolt against God. He makes that clear. It's important to remember that no matter where you're at in an event like this, you could be Korah, Moses, one of the Posse, or just watching with a bag of popcorn. Either way, i wouldn't stand too close to the rebels. It may seem like a minor "personality conflict", but it's much bigger.
Also, Moses sheds light on the fact this all stems from a lack of understanding of the privilege it is to serve the Lord. "Does it seem a small thing..."? When we start to take for granted what God has done for us and called us to we become ripe for the poison to take hold. We must remain humbly aware of the greatness of God and his mercy at all times. Moses also sheds light on the quest for power that motivates all of this.
In verse 19 it says, "Meanwhile, Korah had stirred up the entire nation against Moses and Aaron, and they all assembled to watch." How sad is that. It's sad on a number of levels. For one, it's not enough that Korah has issues. He sees a need to bring everyone into it. Another sad point is that the people took to it. They all got their picnic baskets and assembled to watch.
Well, you can guess what God thought of all this... "... and Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron, 'Get away from these people so that I may instantly destroy them." I can picture Moses and Aaron giving each other that look again... "But Moses and Aaron fell face downward to the ground before the Lord..."
God warned the people to stand clear of the rebels. "So Moses rushed over to the tents... 'Quick!' he told the people, 'get away from the tents of these wicked men, and don't touch anything that belongs to them, lest you be included in their sins [and be destroyed with them].'"
The leaders of the rebellion were swallowed by the ground! The 250 leaders they recruited were killed by God's fire. Not a good fate. The rest of the nation was spared only by God's intervention.
We must guard against the poison of improper perspective at all times. It can start small with something as little as "who does he think he is telling me what to do..." It can seem like no big deal to entertain that thought. That thought is poison! Get rid of it! Relationships Devoted to Unity are relationships devoted to the authority structure God has put in place. Not because the people in authority demand it, but because God does. There is blessing when we operate in this realm.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Monday, December 21, 2009
12.21.9 "Chain of Command"
"Chain of Command"
Zechariah 1:1-21
Revelation 12:1-17
Psalm 140:1-13
Proverbs 30:17
Everyday is like Christmas when it comes to reading God's word. Each morning as you sit down to read the word you have no idea what's wrapped in the pages for you. Every day the Spirit has something new. Some days it's fresh and exciting like a new toy, and other days it's something very practical like a pair socks. Don't get me wrong. We NEED socks! As we mature, we find our desires to be more for necessities. But no matter what it is, it's something the Spirit has wrapped for you.
Do you ever have a child draw you a picture? You say, "Oh wow! that's beautiful!" In your mind you're saying "I have NO idea what this is a picture of!" Sometimes reading the Word is the same way. It takes a little bit of meditation and explanation from the Spirit for you to understand the gift.
I've listed all of the scriptures that were a part of today's reading. Zechariah is prophesying about judgment and horsemen and the Angel of the Lord, and world powers. Revelation speaks of a red Dragon, and a woman giving birth to a ruler of all nations and a war in heaven. The Psalm is a prayer for deliverance from evil men and accusers, and the Proverb says, "A man who mocks his father and despises his mother shall have is eye plucked out by ravens and eaten by vultures."
When reading verses like this, you may initially have one of those "that's beautiful/what is it" moments. Take a look this key scripture: Rev. 12:10 "Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, 'It has happened at last! God's salvation and the power and the rule, and the authority of his Christ are finally here;"
As we read through prophecies it's can be easy to get caught up and confused with the specifics of "who is the woman?" "What is the dragon?", "What do the horsemen represent?". There are times when the Spirit will unwrap those gifts for us too, but today let's just look at the word "AUTHORITY". In all of the scripture we read we need to see that God always lays out a Chain of Command. This covers everything from "the Accuser of our brothers has been thrown down from heaven to earth" (Rev. 21:10b) to "A man who mocks his father" in Proverbs.
The Chain of Command is a big thing to God!
The Psalmist's prayer today acknowledges this by the way he prays: "O Lord, deliver me from evil men. Preserve me... Keep me out of their power... Let their plots boomerang... don't let liars prosper..." God is in control! the last verse of this Psalm says "Surely the godly are thanking you, for they shall live in your presence." Those who live in the presence of God understand that HE is the authority. There is no "death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation," that "will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38-39)
What freedom it is for a soldier to know that his commanding officer is in control. What freedom there is for us to know that God is the authority. There is a day coming (very soon) when all will see and acknowledge this authority, but what a privilege it is to know NOW and live in the freedom and protection of our God and King, our Commander in Chief.
This applies to every area of life. In our workplace, in our home, in our extended families, we need to understand first that God is in control, and that he has commanded that those in authority over us AND "under" us be placed where they are. We have to be careful to rightly handle the authority that has been given us. Paul gives this charge in I Tim. 6:20 "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care." We must do the same. As you're together with family this Christmas season, honor your family. If you don't... stay away from birds... (remember the whole raven/eye thing!) and guard what has been entrusted to your care!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Zechariah 1:1-21
Revelation 12:1-17
Psalm 140:1-13
Proverbs 30:17
Everyday is like Christmas when it comes to reading God's word. Each morning as you sit down to read the word you have no idea what's wrapped in the pages for you. Every day the Spirit has something new. Some days it's fresh and exciting like a new toy, and other days it's something very practical like a pair socks. Don't get me wrong. We NEED socks! As we mature, we find our desires to be more for necessities. But no matter what it is, it's something the Spirit has wrapped for you.
Do you ever have a child draw you a picture? You say, "Oh wow! that's beautiful!" In your mind you're saying "I have NO idea what this is a picture of!" Sometimes reading the Word is the same way. It takes a little bit of meditation and explanation from the Spirit for you to understand the gift.
I've listed all of the scriptures that were a part of today's reading. Zechariah is prophesying about judgment and horsemen and the Angel of the Lord, and world powers. Revelation speaks of a red Dragon, and a woman giving birth to a ruler of all nations and a war in heaven. The Psalm is a prayer for deliverance from evil men and accusers, and the Proverb says, "A man who mocks his father and despises his mother shall have is eye plucked out by ravens and eaten by vultures."
When reading verses like this, you may initially have one of those "that's beautiful/what is it" moments. Take a look this key scripture: Rev. 12:10 "Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, 'It has happened at last! God's salvation and the power and the rule, and the authority of his Christ are finally here;"
As we read through prophecies it's can be easy to get caught up and confused with the specifics of "who is the woman?" "What is the dragon?", "What do the horsemen represent?". There are times when the Spirit will unwrap those gifts for us too, but today let's just look at the word "AUTHORITY". In all of the scripture we read we need to see that God always lays out a Chain of Command. This covers everything from "the Accuser of our brothers has been thrown down from heaven to earth" (Rev. 21:10b) to "A man who mocks his father" in Proverbs.
The Chain of Command is a big thing to God!
The Psalmist's prayer today acknowledges this by the way he prays: "O Lord, deliver me from evil men. Preserve me... Keep me out of their power... Let their plots boomerang... don't let liars prosper..." God is in control! the last verse of this Psalm says "Surely the godly are thanking you, for they shall live in your presence." Those who live in the presence of God understand that HE is the authority. There is no "death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation," that "will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38-39)
What freedom it is for a soldier to know that his commanding officer is in control. What freedom there is for us to know that God is the authority. There is a day coming (very soon) when all will see and acknowledge this authority, but what a privilege it is to know NOW and live in the freedom and protection of our God and King, our Commander in Chief.
This applies to every area of life. In our workplace, in our home, in our extended families, we need to understand first that God is in control, and that he has commanded that those in authority over us AND "under" us be placed where they are. We have to be careful to rightly handle the authority that has been given us. Paul gives this charge in I Tim. 6:20 "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care." We must do the same. As you're together with family this Christmas season, honor your family. If you don't... stay away from birds... (remember the whole raven/eye thing!) and guard what has been entrusted to your care!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
6.23.9 "Relationships Devoted to Unity"
"Relationships Devoted to Unity"
2 Kings 4:18-5:27
Acts 15:1-31
Psalm 141:1-10
Proverbs 17:23
In Acts 15, the early church hits a significant point of challenge in their growth process.
Some men from Judea arrived and began to teach some believers that they weren't saved unless they followed the Jewish custom of circumcision. This had the potential of causing serious division in the church.
Look at the process that follows this disagreement. It is insightful into what it truly means to be devoted to unity. Here's the progression with some notes:
1. "Paul & Barnabas argued and discussed this with them at length..." (15:2) I like the "at length" part of this. If you are truly Devoted to Unity, you don't do the "ding & ditch" method of confrontation. You stick it through and talk it out. Many times we "speak the truth in love" by coughing our opinion at someone and then walking away. We may feel like "I sure told them...", but what has been done to promote unity?
2. "...finally the believers sent them to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local men, to talk to the apostles and elders there about this question." (15:2) There was a recognition that there would be no resolution without the involvement of leaders. This shows a couple things. First, they're committed to resolve this, not split off and start their own sect. Second, it shows they have a great deal of respect for God appointed authority within the church. They will commit to follow the decisions of the leaders.
3. There was an initial meeting where "Paul and Barnabas reported on what God had been doing through their ministry. But then some of the men..." (15:5) stood up and brought up the point of disagreement again. Sometimes Conflict in the church can cloud the big picture. People can get so caught up in the argument, and being right, they are not able to rejoice in what God is doing in the midst of them.
4. "So the apostles ...set a further meeting to decide this question." (15:6) There was a commitment from the leaders to resolve this issue. They recognized that the meeting they were in could not accomplish this, so they set up a special meeting for this very purpose.
5. "At the meeting, after long discussion, Peter stood..." (15:7) and addressed everyone, reminding them of the signs & wonders God has done that show the path he has laid out. He ends with "Don't you believe that all are saved the same way, by the free gift of the Lord Jesus?" (15:11) He spoke with wisdom that came from his personal experience with God. This was not a discussion of opinion, but of the principles of what God had done. It's important that we don't get too hung up on opinion. we must recognize the difference between our opinion and what God is speaking to our hearts.
6. "There was no further discussion, and everyone now listened as Barnabas and Paul told about the miracles God had done through them among the Gentiles." (15:12) Peter's words were further validated through the testimony of Paul and Barnabas. It could have been enough to just go off Peter's words, but the confirmation of the testimony of other leaders added further credibility.
7. "When they finished, James took the floor..." (15:13) James brought out how their testimonies were consistent with Scripture. James must have been the leader as he states, "and so my judgment is..." I marvel at God's process of authority. Effective work in the Body of Christ is accomplished through honoring God's authority structure.
8. In the remaining verses of this story, the leaders and congregation voted to report the decision to all believers and sent delegates with a letter of authority reporting the decision. It shows that a devotion to unity will make sure to communicate to everyone assuring the conflict is resolved. I like how they acknowledge the hurts of the past. "We understand that some believers from here have upset you..." (15:24) This validation of the hurt goes miles for bringing resolution.
If the believers were more devoted to their opinion than unity, this would have been a mess. In every step of the process they did things in accordance with what would be best for the body, while acknowledging the needs of the individual.
As the Body of Christ, we must keep these things in mind when ever conflict arises. We must keep unity as a high priority. One other point is that the frustration of this conflict served to further focus and intensify the objective of the church. Once the decision had been made, the church became more effective in reaching the world for Christ.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
2 Kings 4:18-5:27
Acts 15:1-31
Psalm 141:1-10
Proverbs 17:23
In Acts 15, the early church hits a significant point of challenge in their growth process.
Some men from Judea arrived and began to teach some believers that they weren't saved unless they followed the Jewish custom of circumcision. This had the potential of causing serious division in the church.
Look at the process that follows this disagreement. It is insightful into what it truly means to be devoted to unity. Here's the progression with some notes:
1. "Paul & Barnabas argued and discussed this with them at length..." (15:2) I like the "at length" part of this. If you are truly Devoted to Unity, you don't do the "ding & ditch" method of confrontation. You stick it through and talk it out. Many times we "speak the truth in love" by coughing our opinion at someone and then walking away. We may feel like "I sure told them...", but what has been done to promote unity?
2. "...finally the believers sent them to Jerusalem, accompanied by some local men, to talk to the apostles and elders there about this question." (15:2) There was a recognition that there would be no resolution without the involvement of leaders. This shows a couple things. First, they're committed to resolve this, not split off and start their own sect. Second, it shows they have a great deal of respect for God appointed authority within the church. They will commit to follow the decisions of the leaders.
3. There was an initial meeting where "Paul and Barnabas reported on what God had been doing through their ministry. But then some of the men..." (15:5) stood up and brought up the point of disagreement again. Sometimes Conflict in the church can cloud the big picture. People can get so caught up in the argument, and being right, they are not able to rejoice in what God is doing in the midst of them.
4. "So the apostles ...set a further meeting to decide this question." (15:6) There was a commitment from the leaders to resolve this issue. They recognized that the meeting they were in could not accomplish this, so they set up a special meeting for this very purpose.
5. "At the meeting, after long discussion, Peter stood..." (15:7) and addressed everyone, reminding them of the signs & wonders God has done that show the path he has laid out. He ends with "Don't you believe that all are saved the same way, by the free gift of the Lord Jesus?" (15:11) He spoke with wisdom that came from his personal experience with God. This was not a discussion of opinion, but of the principles of what God had done. It's important that we don't get too hung up on opinion. we must recognize the difference between our opinion and what God is speaking to our hearts.
6. "There was no further discussion, and everyone now listened as Barnabas and Paul told about the miracles God had done through them among the Gentiles." (15:12) Peter's words were further validated through the testimony of Paul and Barnabas. It could have been enough to just go off Peter's words, but the confirmation of the testimony of other leaders added further credibility.
7. "When they finished, James took the floor..." (15:13) James brought out how their testimonies were consistent with Scripture. James must have been the leader as he states, "and so my judgment is..." I marvel at God's process of authority. Effective work in the Body of Christ is accomplished through honoring God's authority structure.
8. In the remaining verses of this story, the leaders and congregation voted to report the decision to all believers and sent delegates with a letter of authority reporting the decision. It shows that a devotion to unity will make sure to communicate to everyone assuring the conflict is resolved. I like how they acknowledge the hurts of the past. "We understand that some believers from here have upset you..." (15:24) This validation of the hurt goes miles for bringing resolution.
If the believers were more devoted to their opinion than unity, this would have been a mess. In every step of the process they did things in accordance with what would be best for the body, while acknowledging the needs of the individual.
As the Body of Christ, we must keep these things in mind when ever conflict arises. We must keep unity as a high priority. One other point is that the frustration of this conflict served to further focus and intensify the objective of the church. Once the decision had been made, the church became more effective in reaching the world for Christ.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Saturday, May 23, 2009
5.23.9 "True Leadership"
"True Leadership"
2 Samuel 2:12-3:39
John 13:1-30
Psalm 119:1-16
Proverbs 15:29-30
Each one of us is a leader. We each have responsibility for someone. We have influence. What is a leader? What is a godly leader? There are many books on the market about what type of leader to be, and how to get people to do what you want, etc. There's really no better book on leadership than God's word. The "A" of DREAM is Active Ministry Involvement. As we've studied in the past, "A" is not about "participation", it's about responsibility. It's about being a good steward of all the resources God has placed in our care. When it comes to leadership, our resources are the individuals in our care.
Let's compare two leaders: Judas and Jesus.
John 13 is John's account of the Last supper. In the opening verses, we find out that Jesus "knew it would be his last night on earth before returning to his Father." We also learn that "the devil had already suggested to Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, that this was the night to carry out his plan to betray Jesus." The very next sentence is "Jesus knew that the Father had given him everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. And how he loved his disciples!"
Contrast that with the previous chapter where Judas said, "'That perfume was worth a fortune. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.' Not that he cared for the poor, but he was in charge of the disciples' funds and often dipped into them for his own use!"
Both of these were given resources to care for. One knew it was from the Father, and would return to the Father. The other had begun to gain an unhealthy attachment... he started to treat it like it was his. What was the fruit?
A note in the Message bible says: "Because leadership is necessarily an exercise of authority, it easily shifts into an exercise of power. But the minute it does that, it begins to inflict damage on both the leader and the led. Paul, studying Jesus, had learned a kind of leadership in which he managed to stay out of the way so that the others could deal with God without having to go through him."
Each one of us as leaders must guard ourselves from touching God's resources. The fruit of "not loving the poor" was manipulation: Betraying Jesus. What was the fruit of "and how he loved his disciples!"? "He got up from the supper table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his loins, poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disiples' feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him."
We have a mandate as to what the fruit of our leadership must be. John 13:14-17 says, "And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow: do as I have done to you. How true it is that a servant is not greater than his master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends him. You know these things-- now do them! That is the path of blessing."
I am a person who loves to figure things out! I love so see things work. In this 'quest' to solve the puzzles of life, I have to be careful to trust in God's timing. I can't "fix" people, I just have to serve them, do my best to meet their need, connect them to God, and let Him do his work. I MUST constrain myself to rush to servanthood, not manipulation. We have to consistently guard against the devil's suggestions. We must make sure that our "exercise in authority" does not turn into an "exercise of power".
We must also then turn and train those in our charge to do the same thing. We have to teach people to fish! As we lead individuals by example, we must follow up to help them develop as the leaders God has intended them to be.
As Jesus said, "You know these thing-- now do them! That is the path of blessing." John 13:17
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
2 Samuel 2:12-3:39
John 13:1-30
Psalm 119:1-16
Proverbs 15:29-30
Each one of us is a leader. We each have responsibility for someone. We have influence. What is a leader? What is a godly leader? There are many books on the market about what type of leader to be, and how to get people to do what you want, etc. There's really no better book on leadership than God's word. The "A" of DREAM is Active Ministry Involvement. As we've studied in the past, "A" is not about "participation", it's about responsibility. It's about being a good steward of all the resources God has placed in our care. When it comes to leadership, our resources are the individuals in our care.
Let's compare two leaders: Judas and Jesus.
John 13 is John's account of the Last supper. In the opening verses, we find out that Jesus "knew it would be his last night on earth before returning to his Father." We also learn that "the devil had already suggested to Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, that this was the night to carry out his plan to betray Jesus." The very next sentence is "Jesus knew that the Father had given him everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. And how he loved his disciples!"
Contrast that with the previous chapter where Judas said, "'That perfume was worth a fortune. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.' Not that he cared for the poor, but he was in charge of the disciples' funds and often dipped into them for his own use!"
Both of these were given resources to care for. One knew it was from the Father, and would return to the Father. The other had begun to gain an unhealthy attachment... he started to treat it like it was his. What was the fruit?
A note in the Message bible says: "Because leadership is necessarily an exercise of authority, it easily shifts into an exercise of power. But the minute it does that, it begins to inflict damage on both the leader and the led. Paul, studying Jesus, had learned a kind of leadership in which he managed to stay out of the way so that the others could deal with God without having to go through him."
Each one of us as leaders must guard ourselves from touching God's resources. The fruit of "not loving the poor" was manipulation: Betraying Jesus. What was the fruit of "and how he loved his disciples!"? "He got up from the supper table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his loins, poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disiples' feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him."
We have a mandate as to what the fruit of our leadership must be. John 13:14-17 says, "And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet. I have given you an example to follow: do as I have done to you. How true it is that a servant is not greater than his master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends him. You know these things-- now do them! That is the path of blessing."
I am a person who loves to figure things out! I love so see things work. In this 'quest' to solve the puzzles of life, I have to be careful to trust in God's timing. I can't "fix" people, I just have to serve them, do my best to meet their need, connect them to God, and let Him do his work. I MUST constrain myself to rush to servanthood, not manipulation. We have to consistently guard against the devil's suggestions. We must make sure that our "exercise in authority" does not turn into an "exercise of power".
We must also then turn and train those in our charge to do the same thing. We have to teach people to fish! As we lead individuals by example, we must follow up to help them develop as the leaders God has intended them to be.
As Jesus said, "You know these thing-- now do them! That is the path of blessing." John 13:17
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Friday, May 22, 2009
5.22.9 "Not That Way!"
"Not That Way!"
2 Samuel 1:1-2:11
John 12:20-50
Psalm 118:19-29
Proverbs 15:27-28
Saul is Dead! Isn't that GREAT? David was anointed king so long ago. After all that running and all that discouragement and fear, and frustration, his chance is finally here! Go storm the castle David!
"David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the Lord's people, and for the men of Israel who died that day." (2 Sam. 1:11-12)
There's this little Amalekite dude who thinks he can score some points with David. Even though Saul had killed himself this little weasel lies and tells David that he's the one who killed him. He's thinking like we would think. "i took the obstacle out of your way! Now go be king!"
What's David's response to that? "'Why did you kill's God's chosen king?' David demanded...'You die self-condemned,' David said, 'for you yourself confessed that you killed God's appointed king.'"(2 Sam 1:14,16)
We all have dreams and aspirations to some extent. They may be related to a job or a position of authority, or a solo, or maybe it's even just a hope that a longing & a need will be met. These needs, hopes and dreams are God given. They are based on desires that God has placed within us.
Enter the temptation. Satan has one desire. He wants to destroy us. There's only one way he can do that. He must entice us to destroy ourselves. He does that by tempting us to take short-cuts. These kind of thoughts go through our mind: "If only so-and-so wasn't in the picture... THEN I could succeed!" "If only my spouse was like that other person, then I would be fulfilled."
Pretty soon the "if-only"s give way to "Hey, I deserve this", and all of the sudden we're on the destructive path of sin.
Jesus knew this danger. The number of people who believed in him was increasing. He knew he was the Messiah, but those who believed had their own impression of who they thought the Messiah should be. Jesus had spoken of his death and their response was, "'Die?' asked the crowd. 'We understood that the Messiah would live forever and never die. Why are you saying he will die? What messiah are you talking about?'" (John 12:34)
Oh, that must have been so tempting! Take the short-cut! Jesus knew he must constrain himself to God's timing and God's plan. "'Shall I pray, "Father save me from what lies ahead"? But that is the very reason why I came!'" (12:27)
God's ways are not like ours. His timing and his plan are perfect. It's interesting that what drives us is "self-promotion", but the path is usually death to self.
"'I must fall and die like a kernel of wheat that falls into the furrows of the earth. Unless I die I will be alone - a single seed. But my death will produce many new wheat kernels - a plentiful harvest of new lives. If you love your life down here - you will lose it. If you despise your life down here - you will exchange it for eternal glory.'" (12:23-25)
This principle applies to all of us. If we really want to live, we must die to flesh. If we want to achieve the goals and dreams and fulfillment that God has for us, we must actually die to those desires. When we go around "storming the castle" to accomplish our goals, we are laying a foundation of rebellion. Rebellion separates us from God. That's not the path we are to pursue.
Seek God. Wait for his timing. Die to self.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
2 Samuel 1:1-2:11
John 12:20-50
Psalm 118:19-29
Proverbs 15:27-28
Saul is Dead! Isn't that GREAT? David was anointed king so long ago. After all that running and all that discouragement and fear, and frustration, his chance is finally here! Go storm the castle David!
"David and his men tore their clothes in sorrow when they heard the news. They mourned and wept and fasted all day for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the Lord's people, and for the men of Israel who died that day." (2 Sam. 1:11-12)
There's this little Amalekite dude who thinks he can score some points with David. Even though Saul had killed himself this little weasel lies and tells David that he's the one who killed him. He's thinking like we would think. "i took the obstacle out of your way! Now go be king!"
What's David's response to that? "'Why did you kill's God's chosen king?' David demanded...'You die self-condemned,' David said, 'for you yourself confessed that you killed God's appointed king.'"(2 Sam 1:14,16)
We all have dreams and aspirations to some extent. They may be related to a job or a position of authority, or a solo, or maybe it's even just a hope that a longing & a need will be met. These needs, hopes and dreams are God given. They are based on desires that God has placed within us.
Enter the temptation. Satan has one desire. He wants to destroy us. There's only one way he can do that. He must entice us to destroy ourselves. He does that by tempting us to take short-cuts. These kind of thoughts go through our mind: "If only so-and-so wasn't in the picture... THEN I could succeed!" "If only my spouse was like that other person, then I would be fulfilled."
Pretty soon the "if-only"s give way to "Hey, I deserve this", and all of the sudden we're on the destructive path of sin.
Jesus knew this danger. The number of people who believed in him was increasing. He knew he was the Messiah, but those who believed had their own impression of who they thought the Messiah should be. Jesus had spoken of his death and their response was, "'Die?' asked the crowd. 'We understood that the Messiah would live forever and never die. Why are you saying he will die? What messiah are you talking about?'" (John 12:34)
Oh, that must have been so tempting! Take the short-cut! Jesus knew he must constrain himself to God's timing and God's plan. "'Shall I pray, "Father save me from what lies ahead"? But that is the very reason why I came!'" (12:27)
God's ways are not like ours. His timing and his plan are perfect. It's interesting that what drives us is "self-promotion", but the path is usually death to self.
"'I must fall and die like a kernel of wheat that falls into the furrows of the earth. Unless I die I will be alone - a single seed. But my death will produce many new wheat kernels - a plentiful harvest of new lives. If you love your life down here - you will lose it. If you despise your life down here - you will exchange it for eternal glory.'" (12:23-25)
This principle applies to all of us. If we really want to live, we must die to flesh. If we want to achieve the goals and dreams and fulfillment that God has for us, we must actually die to those desires. When we go around "storming the castle" to accomplish our goals, we are laying a foundation of rebellion. Rebellion separates us from God. That's not the path we are to pursue.
Seek God. Wait for his timing. Die to self.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
5.13.9 "Pride Leads to Sin"
"Pride Leads to Sin"
1 Samuel 14:1-52
John 7:31-53
Psalm 109:1-31
Proverbs 15:5-7
God does great things. He moves in each of our lives in incredible ways. Sometimes we can see it, other times we miss it. As we know, Saul is a man with character flaws. Samuel has already declared that he would be replaced as king because of them. As the story in chapter 14 is told, we see Saul's flaws come to the surface.
In this chapter, Saul & his small army are positioned across the valley from the Philistine army. Saul's son Jonathan & his armor bearer decide to sneak up to attack the Philistines. God moves and the Philistines are sent into a panic. Saul & his men rally to give chase.
Saul makes a statement in verse 24-25, "Saul had declared, 'A curse upon anyone who eats anything before evening - before I have full revenge on my enemies.'".
Notice that Saul takes what the Lord is doing and makes it about himself. We have to be careful and not get personal about the things God is doing. This seemingly insignificant statement sets off a bad chain of events for the reign of Saul.
His son, Jonathan doesn't know about the curse, and eats honey. His men tell him about it, and he says, "That's ridiculous! A command like that only hurts us." Saul's prideful command gives way to his son maligning his authority.
Once Saul's men finish killing the enemy, they are so hungry, they begin to eat even raw meat which is against God's law for them. Saul's statement has now also positioned his men to sin.
At that point Saul decides he wants to hear what God has to say, but in verse 37 it says, "So Saul asked God, 'Shall we go after the Philistines? Will you help us defeat them?' But the Lord made no reply all night." There was sin in the camp that caused them to not hear the voice of God.
Saul makes the statement that "Whoever is the sinner must die. Even if it's my own son." Well, as it turns out, it is his son. He's eaten the honey...
Saul decides Jonathan must die. The men can't take it anymore, so they say, "'Jonathan, who saved Israel today, shall die? Far from it! We vow by the life of God that not one hair on his head will be touched, for he has been used of God to do a mighty miracle today.' So the people rescued Jonathan." (vs. 45)
I believe this is where Saul's reign has really fallen apart. He has lost authority in his family & in his army. What was his problem? He's impetuous, speaks without seeking God first, and is motivated by pride.
We have to be careful to understand that it's the little things in life that can cause the crumble. Just like Saul, our pride leads to sin. We do things for "me" rather than to please God. Some times the actions we take and statements we make set those around us up for trouble as well.
When we can't hear the voice of God, we must check for sin. We must make sure we are pure before him. We need to make sure we are hearing him BEFORE we move in the flesh. We need to lay down our pride and live pure, holy, and obedient before the Lord.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
1 Samuel 14:1-52
John 7:31-53
Psalm 109:1-31
Proverbs 15:5-7
God does great things. He moves in each of our lives in incredible ways. Sometimes we can see it, other times we miss it. As we know, Saul is a man with character flaws. Samuel has already declared that he would be replaced as king because of them. As the story in chapter 14 is told, we see Saul's flaws come to the surface.
In this chapter, Saul & his small army are positioned across the valley from the Philistine army. Saul's son Jonathan & his armor bearer decide to sneak up to attack the Philistines. God moves and the Philistines are sent into a panic. Saul & his men rally to give chase.
Saul makes a statement in verse 24-25, "Saul had declared, 'A curse upon anyone who eats anything before evening - before I have full revenge on my enemies.'".
Notice that Saul takes what the Lord is doing and makes it about himself. We have to be careful and not get personal about the things God is doing. This seemingly insignificant statement sets off a bad chain of events for the reign of Saul.
His son, Jonathan doesn't know about the curse, and eats honey. His men tell him about it, and he says, "That's ridiculous! A command like that only hurts us." Saul's prideful command gives way to his son maligning his authority.
Once Saul's men finish killing the enemy, they are so hungry, they begin to eat even raw meat which is against God's law for them. Saul's statement has now also positioned his men to sin.
At that point Saul decides he wants to hear what God has to say, but in verse 37 it says, "So Saul asked God, 'Shall we go after the Philistines? Will you help us defeat them?' But the Lord made no reply all night." There was sin in the camp that caused them to not hear the voice of God.
Saul makes the statement that "Whoever is the sinner must die. Even if it's my own son." Well, as it turns out, it is his son. He's eaten the honey...
Saul decides Jonathan must die. The men can't take it anymore, so they say, "'Jonathan, who saved Israel today, shall die? Far from it! We vow by the life of God that not one hair on his head will be touched, for he has been used of God to do a mighty miracle today.' So the people rescued Jonathan." (vs. 45)
I believe this is where Saul's reign has really fallen apart. He has lost authority in his family & in his army. What was his problem? He's impetuous, speaks without seeking God first, and is motivated by pride.
We have to be careful to understand that it's the little things in life that can cause the crumble. Just like Saul, our pride leads to sin. We do things for "me" rather than to please God. Some times the actions we take and statements we make set those around us up for trouble as well.
When we can't hear the voice of God, we must check for sin. We must make sure we are pure before him. We need to make sure we are hearing him BEFORE we move in the flesh. We need to lay down our pride and live pure, holy, and obedient before the Lord.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
3.11.9 "The Peril of Poisoned Perspective"
"The Peril of Poisoned Perspective"
Numbers 15:17-16:40
Mark 15:1-47
Psalm 54:1-7
Proverbs 11:5-6
Today's reading in Numbers 16 is a story of an insurrection in the camp of the Israelites. "One day Korah... conspired with Dathan and Abiram... and On, all three from the tribe of Reuben, to incite a rebellion against Moses. Two hundred and fifty popular leaders, all members of the Assembly, were involved." (Num. 16:1-2)
Betting is not a godly activity, but what do you think the odds are that this is going to turn out well for Korah and the boys? Listen to their "beef":
"They went to Moses and Aaron and said, 'We have had enough of your presumption; you are no better than anyone else; everyone in Israel has been chosen of the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to put yourselves forward, claiming that we must obey you, and acting as though you were greater than anyone else among all these people of the Lord?" (Num. 16:3)
Here's the facts: God appointed Moses and Aaron as the leaders of the children of Israel. The people are chosen of the Lord. They are commanded to obey God. God speaks through Moses.
Notice how Korah & the Gang (predecessor to Kool and the Gang) twist truth through a poisoned perspective. They twist Moses' leadership into a "presumption" of leadership as if he was taking control on his own. Many leaders today find themselves paralyzed because of this poison. God calls, but for fear of this perspective, they are kept from leading in the direction God has laid out.
Korah's boys make the statement, "you are no better than anyone else". This is a HUGE issue! So many people equate "value" to position. That is not a godly perspective. It is a divisive tool of the enemy. If someone is in authority over you, it doesn't mean they are "better" than you, it means they have a different position. The Gang is right in saying that all are chosen of the Lord, and that he is with them, but that doesn't mean the playing field is equal, and each should do what is right in his own mind. God has placed a structure around them for a purpose. This "value - poison" creeps in and fuels rebellion.
"... claiming we must obey you" is another point of improper perspective. As God's spokesperson for these people, it was Moses' job to bring the word of the Lord. It was the responsibility of the people to do what he said IN OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD! There are times that people don't like what they hear God saying. It makes them uncomfortable, so what's the response? Question the motivation and integrity of the leader. The Gang didn't just question it, they came to a verdict on it. Their perspective was full of poison.
Sorry for jumping off topic here, but the next verse made me laugh out loud. "when Moses heard what they were saying he fell face downward to the ground." (v. 4) Now my first reaction to this was proper and I appreciated the way he was humbled by the accusation, and bowed before the Lord. But what made me laugh is the realization of how many times in this journey through the wilderness he's had to do this. I was picturing him look over at Aaron with a look on his face that said "here we go again..." as he fell to the ground... Ok, so it's only humorous in my mind...
What Moses said in verses 8-11 brings light to the poisoned perspective of the "posse". "Then Moses spoke again to Korah: 'Does it seem a small thing to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the people of Israel to be near to himself as you work in the Tabernacle of Jehovah, and to stand before the people to minister to them? Is it nothing to you that he has given this task to only you Levites? And now you are demanding the priesthood also? That is what you are really after! That is why you are revolting against Jehovah."
Notice first off that these diabolical dudes (it's a day of alliteration) are not revolting against Moses. To revolt against God appointed authority is to revolt against God. He makes that clear. It's important to remember that no matter where you're at in an event like this, you could be Korah, Moses, one of the Posse, or just watching with a bag of popcorn. Either way, i wouldn't stand too close to the rebels. It may seem like a minor "personality conflict", but it's much bigger.
Also, Moses sheds light on the fact this all stems from a lack of understanding of the privilege it is to serve the Lord. "Does it seem a small thing..."? When we start to take for granted what God has done for us and called us to we become ripe for the poison to take hold. We must remain humbly aware of the greatness of God and his mercy at all times. Moses also sheds light on the quest for power that motivates all of this.
In verse 19 it says, "Meanwhile, Korah had stirred up the entire nation against Moses and Aaron, and they all assembled to watch." How sad is that. It's sad on a number of levels. For one, it's not enough that Korah has issues. He sees a need to bring everyone into it. Another sad point is that the people took to it. They all got their picnic baskets and assembled to watch.
Well, you can guess what God thought of all this... "... and Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron, 'Get away from these people so that I may instantly destroy them." I can picture Moses and Aaron giving each other that look again... "But Moses and Aaron fell face downward to the ground before the Lord..."
God warned the people to stand clear of the rebels. "So Moses rushed over to the tents... 'Quick!' he told the people, 'get away from the tents of these wicked men, and don't touch anything that belongs to them, lest you be included in their sins [and be destroyed with them].'"
The leaders of the rebellion were swallowed by the ground! The 250 leaders they recruited were killed by God's fire. Not a good fate. The rest of the nation was spared only by God's intervention.
We must guard against the poison of improper perspective at all times. It can start small with something as little as "who does he think he is telling me what to do..." It can seem like no big deal to entertain that thought. That thought is poison! Get rid of it! Relationships Devoted to Unity are relationships devoted to the authority structure God has put in place. Not because the people in authority demand it, but because God does. There is blessing when we operate in this realm.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Numbers 15:17-16:40
Mark 15:1-47
Psalm 54:1-7
Proverbs 11:5-6
Today's reading in Numbers 16 is a story of an insurrection in the camp of the Israelites. "One day Korah... conspired with Dathan and Abiram... and On, all three from the tribe of Reuben, to incite a rebellion against Moses. Two hundred and fifty popular leaders, all members of the Assembly, were involved." (Num. 16:1-2)
Betting is not a godly activity, but what do you think the odds are that this is going to turn out well for Korah and the boys? Listen to their "beef":
"They went to Moses and Aaron and said, 'We have had enough of your presumption; you are no better than anyone else; everyone in Israel has been chosen of the Lord, and he is with all of us. What right do you have to put yourselves forward, claiming that we must obey you, and acting as though you were greater than anyone else among all these people of the Lord?" (Num. 16:3)
Here's the facts: God appointed Moses and Aaron as the leaders of the children of Israel. The people are chosen of the Lord. They are commanded to obey God. God speaks through Moses.
Notice how Korah & the Gang (predecessor to Kool and the Gang) twist truth through a poisoned perspective. They twist Moses' leadership into a "presumption" of leadership as if he was taking control on his own. Many leaders today find themselves paralyzed because of this poison. God calls, but for fear of this perspective, they are kept from leading in the direction God has laid out.
Korah's boys make the statement, "you are no better than anyone else". This is a HUGE issue! So many people equate "value" to position. That is not a godly perspective. It is a divisive tool of the enemy. If someone is in authority over you, it doesn't mean they are "better" than you, it means they have a different position. The Gang is right in saying that all are chosen of the Lord, and that he is with them, but that doesn't mean the playing field is equal, and each should do what is right in his own mind. God has placed a structure around them for a purpose. This "value - poison" creeps in and fuels rebellion.
"... claiming we must obey you" is another point of improper perspective. As God's spokesperson for these people, it was Moses' job to bring the word of the Lord. It was the responsibility of the people to do what he said IN OBEDIENCE TO THE LORD! There are times that people don't like what they hear God saying. It makes them uncomfortable, so what's the response? Question the motivation and integrity of the leader. The Gang didn't just question it, they came to a verdict on it. Their perspective was full of poison.
Sorry for jumping off topic here, but the next verse made me laugh out loud. "when Moses heard what they were saying he fell face downward to the ground." (v. 4) Now my first reaction to this was proper and I appreciated the way he was humbled by the accusation, and bowed before the Lord. But what made me laugh is the realization of how many times in this journey through the wilderness he's had to do this. I was picturing him look over at Aaron with a look on his face that said "here we go again..." as he fell to the ground... Ok, so it's only humorous in my mind...
What Moses said in verses 8-11 brings light to the poisoned perspective of the "posse". "Then Moses spoke again to Korah: 'Does it seem a small thing to you that the God of Israel has chosen you from among all the people of Israel to be near to himself as you work in the Tabernacle of Jehovah, and to stand before the people to minister to them? Is it nothing to you that he has given this task to only you Levites? And now you are demanding the priesthood also? That is what you are really after! That is why you are revolting against Jehovah."
Notice first off that these diabolical dudes (it's a day of alliteration) are not revolting against Moses. To revolt against God appointed authority is to revolt against God. He makes that clear. It's important to remember that no matter where you're at in an event like this, you could be Korah, Moses, one of the Posse, or just watching with a bag of popcorn. Either way, i wouldn't stand too close to the rebels. It may seem like a minor "personality conflict", but it's much bigger.
Also, Moses sheds light on the fact this all stems from a lack of understanding of the privilege it is to serve the Lord. "Does it seem a small thing..."? When we start to take for granted what God has done for us and called us to we become ripe for the poison to take hold. We must remain humbly aware of the greatness of God and his mercy at all times. Moses also sheds light on the quest for power that motivates all of this.
In verse 19 it says, "Meanwhile, Korah had stirred up the entire nation against Moses and Aaron, and they all assembled to watch." How sad is that. It's sad on a number of levels. For one, it's not enough that Korah has issues. He sees a need to bring everyone into it. Another sad point is that the people took to it. They all got their picnic baskets and assembled to watch.
Well, you can guess what God thought of all this... "... and Jehovah said to Moses and Aaron, 'Get away from these people so that I may instantly destroy them." I can picture Moses and Aaron giving each other that look again... "But Moses and Aaron fell face downward to the ground before the Lord..."
God warned the people to stand clear of the rebels. "So Moses rushed over to the tents... 'Quick!' he told the people, 'get away from the tents of these wicked men, and don't touch anything that belongs to them, lest you be included in their sins [and be destroyed with them].'"
The leaders of the rebellion were swallowed by the ground! The 250 leaders they recruited were killed by God's fire. Not a good fate. The rest of the nation was spared only by God's intervention.
We must guard against the poison of improper perspective at all times. It can start small with something as little as "who does he think he is telling me what to do..." It can seem like no big deal to entertain that thought. That thought is poison! Get rid of it! Relationships Devoted to Unity are relationships devoted to the authority structure God has put in place. Not because the people in authority demand it, but because God does. There is blessing when we operate in this realm.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Sunday, December 21, 2008
12.21.8 "Chain of Command"
"Chain of Command"
Zechariah 1:1-21
Revelation 12:1-17
Psalm 140:1-13
Proverbs 30:17
Everyday is like Christmas when it comes to reading God's word. Each morning as you sit down to read the word you have no idea what's wrapped in the pages for you. Every day the Spirit has something new. Some days it's fresh and exciting like a new toy, and other days it's something very practical like a pair socks. Don't get me wrong. We NEED socks! As we mature, we find our desires to be more for necessities. But no matter what it is, it's something the Spirit has wrapped for you.
Do you ever have a child draw you a picture? You say, "Oh wow! that's beautiful!" In your mind you're saying "I have NO idea what this is a picture of!" Sometimes reading the Word is the same way. It takes a little bit of meditation and explanation from the Spirit for you to understand the gift.
I've listed all of the scriptures that were a part of today's reading. Zechariah is prophesying about judgment and horsemen and the Angel of the Lord, and world powers. Revelation speaks of a red Dragon, and a woman giving birth to a ruler of all nations and a war in heaven. The Psalm is a prayer for deliverance from evil men and accusers, and the Proverb says, "A man who mocks his father and despises his mother shall have is eye plucked out by ravens and eaten by vultures."
When reading verses like this, you may initially have one of those "that's beautiful/what is it" moments. Take a look this key scripture: Rev. 12:10 "Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, 'It has happened at last! God's salvation and the power and the rule, and the authority of his Christ are finally here;"
As we read through prophecies it's can be easy to get caught up and confused with the specifics of "who is the woman?" "What is the dragon?", "What do the horsemen represent?". There are times when the Spirit will unwrap those gifts for us too, but today let's just look at the word "AUTHORITY". In all of the scripture we read we need to see that God always lays out a Chain of Command. This covers everything from "the Accuser of our brothers has been thrown down from heaven to earth" (Rev. 21:10b) to "A man who mocks his father" in Proverbs.
The Chain of Command is a big thing to God!
The Psalmist's prayer today acknowledges this by the way he prays: "O Lord, deliver me from evil men. Preserve me... Keep me out of their power... Let their plots boomerang... don't let liars prosper..." God is in control! the last verse of this Psalm says "Surely the godly are thanking you, for they shall live in your presence." Those who live in the presence of God understand that HE is the authority. There is no "death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation," that "will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38-39)
What freedom it is for a soldier to know that his commanding officer is in control. What freedom there is for us to know that God is the authority. There is a day coming (very soon) when all will see and acknowledge this authority, but what a privilege it is to know NOW and live in the freedom and protection of our God and King, our Commander in Chief.
This applies to every area of life. In our workplace, in our home, in our extended families, we need to understand first that God is in control, and that he has commanded that those in authority over us AND "under" us be placed where they are. We have to be careful to rightly handle the authority that has been given us. Paul gives this charge in I Tim. 6:20 "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care." We must do the same. As you're together with family this Christmas season, honor your family. If you don't... stay away from birds... (remember the whole raven/eye thing!) and guard what has been entrusted to your care!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Zechariah 1:1-21
Revelation 12:1-17
Psalm 140:1-13
Proverbs 30:17
Everyday is like Christmas when it comes to reading God's word. Each morning as you sit down to read the word you have no idea what's wrapped in the pages for you. Every day the Spirit has something new. Some days it's fresh and exciting like a new toy, and other days it's something very practical like a pair socks. Don't get me wrong. We NEED socks! As we mature, we find our desires to be more for necessities. But no matter what it is, it's something the Spirit has wrapped for you.
Do you ever have a child draw you a picture? You say, "Oh wow! that's beautiful!" In your mind you're saying "I have NO idea what this is a picture of!" Sometimes reading the Word is the same way. It takes a little bit of meditation and explanation from the Spirit for you to understand the gift.
I've listed all of the scriptures that were a part of today's reading. Zechariah is prophesying about judgment and horsemen and the Angel of the Lord, and world powers. Revelation speaks of a red Dragon, and a woman giving birth to a ruler of all nations and a war in heaven. The Psalm is a prayer for deliverance from evil men and accusers, and the Proverb says, "A man who mocks his father and despises his mother shall have is eye plucked out by ravens and eaten by vultures."
When reading verses like this, you may initially have one of those "that's beautiful/what is it" moments. Take a look this key scripture: Rev. 12:10 "Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, 'It has happened at last! God's salvation and the power and the rule, and the authority of his Christ are finally here;"
As we read through prophecies it's can be easy to get caught up and confused with the specifics of "who is the woman?" "What is the dragon?", "What do the horsemen represent?". There are times when the Spirit will unwrap those gifts for us too, but today let's just look at the word "AUTHORITY". In all of the scripture we read we need to see that God always lays out a Chain of Command. This covers everything from "the Accuser of our brothers has been thrown down from heaven to earth" (Rev. 21:10b) to "A man who mocks his father" in Proverbs.
The Chain of Command is a big thing to God!
The Psalmist's prayer today acknowledges this by the way he prays: "O Lord, deliver me from evil men. Preserve me... Keep me out of their power... Let their plots boomerang... don't let liars prosper..." God is in control! the last verse of this Psalm says "Surely the godly are thanking you, for they shall live in your presence." Those who live in the presence of God understand that HE is the authority. There is no "death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation," that "will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Rom. 8:38-39)
What freedom it is for a soldier to know that his commanding officer is in control. What freedom there is for us to know that God is the authority. There is a day coming (very soon) when all will see and acknowledge this authority, but what a privilege it is to know NOW and live in the freedom and protection of our God and King, our Commander in Chief.
This applies to every area of life. In our workplace, in our home, in our extended families, we need to understand first that God is in control, and that he has commanded that those in authority over us AND "under" us be placed where they are. We have to be careful to rightly handle the authority that has been given us. Paul gives this charge in I Tim. 6:20 "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care." We must do the same. As you're together with family this Christmas season, honor your family. If you don't... stay away from birds... (remember the whole raven/eye thing!) and guard what has been entrusted to your care!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Sunday, October 12, 2008
10.12.8 "We're all in this together"
"We're all in this together"
Jeremiah 19:1-21:14
1 Thessalonians 5:2-28
Psalm 82:1-8
Proverbs 25:8-10
Leadership can be challenging sometimes. There are times when you'd love to make the "easy" decision, but you know you can't. Following God is not an exercise in popularity. Jeremiah realized this, and took an opportunity to vent about it a bit. "O Lord, you deceived me when you promised me your help. I have to give them your messages because you are stronger than I am, but now I am the laughingstock of the city, mocked by all. You have never once let me speak a word of kindness to them; always it is disaster and horror and destruction. No wonder they scoff and mock and make my name a household joke. And I can't quit! For if I say I'll never again mention the Lord - never more speak in his name - then his word in my heart is like fire that burns in my bones, and I can't hold it in any longer." (Jer. 20:7-9)
Godly leaders lead because of the fire of God in them. I'm so thankful for the team God has placed here at Oak Creek. No one is in this for themselves. These are people who are called by God, and are walking in obedience. I have the privilege of working with leaders of many different ministries in preparation for illustrated sermons, musicals, young married activities, and so many other events. I am so blessed by the individuals that are giving so much of their life to lead others to Christ.
Many of you on this list are not a part of Oak Creek Assembly of God, but no matter where you're at, the leaders that serve over you or with you have given so much as well.
I thought of these individuals as I read today's scripture.
"Dear brothers, honor the officers of your church who work hard among you and warn you against all that is wrong. Think highly of them and give them your wholehearted love because they are straining to help you. And remember, no quarreling among yourselves." I Thess. 5:12-13
Having grown up in church ministry and been a part of it all my life, I can so greatly appreciate Paul's context of honoring your leaders: no quarreling among yourselves. I guess it's kind of like having kids. Parents are so pleased when the kids are getting along.
If you are involved in ministry, you know that there will always be times of struggle, miscommunication, and even hurt. There are times when someone will disagree with methods or decisions, and because each of us are different, some of those decisions and practices will really upset someone. Depending on the circumstance, this can be a minor thing, or it can really turn into a barn-burner.
I've been on both sides of these situations. The perspective given in today's scripture is so valuable no matter where you are at. WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM! I've seen it on the Packer's sidelines just like i've seen it on the Vikings sideline: Two players walking off the field hollering at each other. Usually it's a receiver and a quarterback. They're often fighting about not getting the ball enough, or a blown route, or for fumbling the ball. Sometimes these are minor skirmishes, but none the less they happen.
Players on the same team will make mistakes. That's not what's important. What's important is that we never forget that we're on the same team! I've not yet met anyone who's out for evil intent in ministry. There have been times I've been close to wondering, but when the dust settles, it was usually a matter of miscommunication... a blown route... a fumbled ball. But you know what? That's WHY we're in this together: to help each other along. to strengthen. to encourage.
In the very next verse Paul continues: "Dear brothers, warn those who are lazy; comfort those who are frightened; take tender care of those who are weak; and be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to everyone else." I Thes. 5:14-15
If we live this way, the Body becomes so healthy. The perspective is not lost. There may be hurts, there may still be fumbles & interceptions, but the important thing is that we are a team. This is what unity is about. We're all in this together!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Jeremiah 19:1-21:14
1 Thessalonians 5:2-28
Psalm 82:1-8
Proverbs 25:8-10
Leadership can be challenging sometimes. There are times when you'd love to make the "easy" decision, but you know you can't. Following God is not an exercise in popularity. Jeremiah realized this, and took an opportunity to vent about it a bit. "O Lord, you deceived me when you promised me your help. I have to give them your messages because you are stronger than I am, but now I am the laughingstock of the city, mocked by all. You have never once let me speak a word of kindness to them; always it is disaster and horror and destruction. No wonder they scoff and mock and make my name a household joke. And I can't quit! For if I say I'll never again mention the Lord - never more speak in his name - then his word in my heart is like fire that burns in my bones, and I can't hold it in any longer." (Jer. 20:7-9)
Godly leaders lead because of the fire of God in them. I'm so thankful for the team God has placed here at Oak Creek. No one is in this for themselves. These are people who are called by God, and are walking in obedience. I have the privilege of working with leaders of many different ministries in preparation for illustrated sermons, musicals, young married activities, and so many other events. I am so blessed by the individuals that are giving so much of their life to lead others to Christ.
Many of you on this list are not a part of Oak Creek Assembly of God, but no matter where you're at, the leaders that serve over you or with you have given so much as well.
I thought of these individuals as I read today's scripture.
"Dear brothers, honor the officers of your church who work hard among you and warn you against all that is wrong. Think highly of them and give them your wholehearted love because they are straining to help you. And remember, no quarreling among yourselves." I Thess. 5:12-13
Having grown up in church ministry and been a part of it all my life, I can so greatly appreciate Paul's context of honoring your leaders: no quarreling among yourselves. I guess it's kind of like having kids. Parents are so pleased when the kids are getting along.
If you are involved in ministry, you know that there will always be times of struggle, miscommunication, and even hurt. There are times when someone will disagree with methods or decisions, and because each of us are different, some of those decisions and practices will really upset someone. Depending on the circumstance, this can be a minor thing, or it can really turn into a barn-burner.
I've been on both sides of these situations. The perspective given in today's scripture is so valuable no matter where you are at. WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME TEAM! I've seen it on the Packer's sidelines just like i've seen it on the Vikings sideline: Two players walking off the field hollering at each other. Usually it's a receiver and a quarterback. They're often fighting about not getting the ball enough, or a blown route, or for fumbling the ball. Sometimes these are minor skirmishes, but none the less they happen.
Players on the same team will make mistakes. That's not what's important. What's important is that we never forget that we're on the same team! I've not yet met anyone who's out for evil intent in ministry. There have been times I've been close to wondering, but when the dust settles, it was usually a matter of miscommunication... a blown route... a fumbled ball. But you know what? That's WHY we're in this together: to help each other along. to strengthen. to encourage.
In the very next verse Paul continues: "Dear brothers, warn those who are lazy; comfort those who are frightened; take tender care of those who are weak; and be patient with everyone. See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to everyone else." I Thes. 5:14-15
If we live this way, the Body becomes so healthy. The perspective is not lost. There may be hurts, there may still be fumbles & interceptions, but the important thing is that we are a team. This is what unity is about. We're all in this together!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
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