"Your Donkey's Talking..."
Numbers 22:21-23:30
Luke 1:57-80
Psalm 58:1-11
Proverbs 11:12-13
The story of Balaam is one that I always find a bit humorous. I should lay the groundwork:
Balaam is a man who hears from God. He is not of the Children of Israel, but he's well known as someone who communes with God. The Israelites have started conquering territories in preparation for entry into the promise land, and King Balak of Moab sees the vast hordes of the Israelites coming, and wants Balaam to come and curse them.
Balaam checks with God, God says "don't go." King Balak says, I'll make you famous and rich. Balaam says, "let me check w/ God again." Well, for some reason, God says, "you may get up and go with these men, but be sure to say only what I tell you to." (22:20)
"So the next morning he saddled his donkey and started off with them. But God was angry about Balaam's eager attitude, so he sent an angel to stand in the road to kill him. As Balaam and two servants were riding along, Balaam's donkey suddenly saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword. She bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat her back onto the road. Now the angel of the Lord stood at a place where the road went between two vineyard walls. When the donkey saw him standing there, she squirmed past by pressing against the wall, crushing Balaam's foot inthe process. so he beat her again. Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place so narrow that the donkey couldn't get by at all.
"So she lay down in the road! In a great fit of temper Balaam beat her again with his staff." (22:21-27)
This is where it gets funny: "Then the Lord caused the donkey to speak! 'What have I done that deserves your beating me these three times?' she asked. 'Because you have made me look like a fool!' Balaam shouted." (vs28 & 29)
Ok, his servants are watching this. Who's making who look like a fool? Balaam didn't say, "did you guys see that? my donkey talks!" He's so frustrated, he keeps thinking about himself. "You made ME look like a fool."
I read the story to my daughter. Her question was profound. "Why was God mad at Balaam?" The answer from verse 22 was "God was angry about Balaam's eager attitude" (remember that it was motivated by wealth and fame.) His motives were impure.
I think the application for our lives is one we shouldn't overlook. Sometimes we find our donkey in the ditch. Sometimes it smashes our foot. Sometimes it just lays down.
But we're doing what we thought God wanted us to do! This must be an "attack" of the enemy!
Hang on a second. Look at your motives. Is it possible that there is impurity in the way you are pursuing the will of God?
I'm not saying that every time your donkey's in a ditch that there's an angel of the Lord trying to kill you, but I am saying that the frustrations of life can ALWAYS be used to refine us. Our prayer needs to be "Lord, use this situation to mould me into who you want me to be." It's not easy, it's not convenient, and sometimes you end up limping for a while.
I'll tell you what. God got Balaam's attention. "Then Balaam confessed, 'I have sinned. I didn't realize you were there. I will go back home if you don't want me to go on.' But the angel told him, 'Go with the men, but say only what I tell you to say.'" Balaam was willing to turn around. That wasn't God's plan, though. He told him to continue on, but constrain himself to only say what God says.
We have to be careful as we live out the call of God on our life. Seeds of impure motives can grow rapidly. On the outside, we're still on the road of obedience, but in the inside we're obeying in our terms. The "Dead Man" of the flesh keeps trying to wake up.
I wish I could say that Balaam ended up a hero of the faith. It's not the case. He's mentioned in Jude & Revelation, but not as an example to us. Jude 11 compares wicked men to Balaam as they "rush for profit".
We must make sure that we recognize God's plan in every circumstance. We must guard our hearts from wandering in times of peace, and submit our hearts to refining in times of conflict.
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 Motives. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Motives. Show all posts
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Monday, August 8, 2011
8.8.11 "Turn the Light on!"
"Turn the Light on!"
Ezra 7:1 - 8:20
I Corinthians 4:1-21
Psalm 30:1-12
Proverbs 20:28-30
"When the Lord comes, he will turn on the light so that everyone can see exactly what each one of us is really like, deep down in our hearts. Then everyone will know why we have been doing the Lord's work. At that time God will give to each one whatever praise is coming to him." (I Cor. 4:5)
That is a great verse! A few days ago we looked at Psalm 26:2 and how the Lord tests our motives and affections. This is one of the deepest elements of the Christian walk. Often, because people see what we are like on the outside, that is what we put all our effort into. The truth of the matter is that God is not as concerned with what people are thinking of us as he is about who we are inside.
Erwin McManus, pastor of Mosaic, a ministry in California made this statement. "We must be careful to run as fast as our character is deepening, and not as fast as our talent goes wide or high." He was speaking to pastors, and he said this as well, "Because we have a job in professional ministry based on talent, we may have never walked that lonely road with Christ to develop the kind of character that will handle the conflict and spiritual warfare that leadership requires."
This applies to every one of us whether or not we are in "professional" ministry. The focus of our life needs to be to allow God to shine his light on what's on the inside. That needs to be formed under the direction of the Holy Spirit. When that happens, not only are we not concerned with what others may see, we are more equipped to handle whatever may come our way.
When we are living the Spirit - empowered life, we have an internal drive that will navigate through any situation. If we don't have this working inside, we're like a nice looking car with no engine. we "coast" through life. The problem with coasting is that where you go is completely dependent on external forces. Things are great when we're zooming down hill, but when it's time to climb the mountain, there's nothing inside.
Paul says in verse 20, "The Kingdom of God is not just talking; it is living by God's power." Just because you look like you're living the DREAM doesn't mean you are. There needs to be a Spirit transformation that brings it about.
"What are you so puffed up about? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if all you have is from God, why act as though you are so great, and as though you have accomplished something on your own?" (I Cor. 4:7)
The Psalm today can be applied as well. "In my prosperity I said, 'This is forever; nothing can stop me now! The Lord has shown me his favor. He has made me steady as a mountain.' Then, Lord, you turned your face away from me and cut off your river of blessings. Suddenly my courage was gone; I was terrified and panic-stricken." (Psalm 30:6-7)
It's easy for our human nature to convince us that if we "look" like we're who God created us to be we don't have to go through the refining process. That's not the case. That's a dangerous game to play. We need to allow him to make us into who he's created us to be. Then we wont have to be worried about what people see, because it's taken care of.
Allow God to turn the light on 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
Ezra 7:1 - 8:20
I Corinthians 4:1-21
Psalm 30:1-12
Proverbs 20:28-30
"When the Lord comes, he will turn on the light so that everyone can see exactly what each one of us is really like, deep down in our hearts. Then everyone will know why we have been doing the Lord's work. At that time God will give to each one whatever praise is coming to him." (I Cor. 4:5)
That is a great verse! A few days ago we looked at Psalm 26:2 and how the Lord tests our motives and affections. This is one of the deepest elements of the Christian walk. Often, because people see what we are like on the outside, that is what we put all our effort into. The truth of the matter is that God is not as concerned with what people are thinking of us as he is about who we are inside.
Erwin McManus, pastor of Mosaic, a ministry in California made this statement. "We must be careful to run as fast as our character is deepening, and not as fast as our talent goes wide or high." He was speaking to pastors, and he said this as well, "Because we have a job in professional ministry based on talent, we may have never walked that lonely road with Christ to develop the kind of character that will handle the conflict and spiritual warfare that leadership requires."
This applies to every one of us whether or not we are in "professional" ministry. The focus of our life needs to be to allow God to shine his light on what's on the inside. That needs to be formed under the direction of the Holy Spirit. When that happens, not only are we not concerned with what others may see, we are more equipped to handle whatever may come our way.
When we are living the Spirit - empowered life, we have an internal drive that will navigate through any situation. If we don't have this working inside, we're like a nice looking car with no engine. we "coast" through life. The problem with coasting is that where you go is completely dependent on external forces. Things are great when we're zooming down hill, but when it's time to climb the mountain, there's nothing inside.
Paul says in verse 20, "The Kingdom of God is not just talking; it is living by God's power." Just because you look like you're living the DREAM doesn't mean you are. There needs to be a Spirit transformation that brings it about.
"What are you so puffed up about? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if all you have is from God, why act as though you are so great, and as though you have accomplished something on your own?" (I Cor. 4:7)
The Psalm today can be applied as well. "In my prosperity I said, 'This is forever; nothing can stop me now! The Lord has shown me his favor. He has made me steady as a mountain.' Then, Lord, you turned your face away from me and cut off your river of blessings. Suddenly my courage was gone; I was terrified and panic-stricken." (Psalm 30:6-7)
It's easy for our human nature to convince us that if we "look" like we're who God created us to be we don't have to go through the refining process. That's not the case. That's a dangerous game to play. We need to allow him to make us into who he's created us to be. Then we wont have to be worried about what people see, because it's taken care of.
Allow God to turn the light on 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
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
8.3.11 "Motives and Affections"
"Motives and Affections"
2 Chronicles 33:14 - 34:33
Romans 16:8-27
Psalm 26:1-12
Proverbs 20:19
Psalm 26:2 says, "Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind." (NIV) The Living Bible says, "Cross-examine me, O Lord, and see that this is so; test my motives and affections too."
I don't know if you've ever had someone come to help clean your house, or help decorate, but you learn some things about yourself in the process. You really appreciate the help until they start moving things you don't want moved. "Hey, wait a minute don't touch my singing fish plaque!"
As we discover and become who God has created us to be, we will go through a refining process. If we make this Psalm of David our prayer today, what comes to the surface? God desires to mold us, and that process can get interesting sometimes. In his leadership series, "The Vision of the Leader", Bruce Wilkinson speaks of 3 levels of refining that God does in us. The first is Conduct, the second is Character, and the third is Core.
In the same way we're more than willing to have someone dust and help with dishes, we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us to shape our Conduct. We agreeably allow him to change our talk, and our behaviors that we know are not the way believers should talk and act.
Then we begin to allow him to work on our character. This is a deeper process, and we're not as moldable as we were with the conduct issues, but we know there's a need to be changed. It's been said "your character is who you are when no one is watching." This is where we begin to "be" Christians, instead of "doing" Christianity. It's the "walk the talk" stage. It's the next step in maturity. Character will ultimately reveal itself, and we need to prioritize the Lord shaping our character.
The next level of "house cleaning" is pretty intimate. It goes deeper than the conduct or character. No one may EVER see this part. This is the Core of who you are. This is your motives, affections and ambitions. This is your heart. It is the essence of your being. This is even more precious to you than the "singing fish". When your motives are challenged, it's very personal.
If the conduct of Basic Christianity could be summed up in "doing the right thing", Maturity in Christ is "doing the right thing with the right motives." For example, I've enjoyed writing these DEVOs. But why am I doing it? Is it to look good to you? Is to try to impress you? Am I trying to sound smart? Am I trying to be more disciplined? Am I trying to cast vision? Even in doing "good" things, we have to allow God to refine the motives of doing them.
Apply this to your workplace, or a ministry your involved in, or your attitude toward an individual. Why are you concerned with proving your point? What are your motives? Are they pure? Have you noticed them changing?
This is where Psalm 26:2 comes in. "Test me God". This is an area that only the Lord can develop. There are times that our motives and affections are so deep we haven't even identified what our motives are. As we allow God to test them, he will mold them.
You know what? Many times people will NEVER see what God is doing in your motives and affections. They may notice down the road that you've become more "balanced", that you don't seem to fly off the handle... that you're not so attached to the singing fish.
This doesn't happen in a day. This is a process. Allow God in to test you. Allow the Spirit to refine you. What's interesting in all of us is that our maturity is revealed in stressful times. We may want people to evaluate our Christian maturity by what they see in us on a Sunday morning with our cute little outfit on, but it's actually more revealed in crisis, and challenge, and in a meeting that's going too long, and even when driving! THAT'S when the "true you" comes out.
God's got some work to do in me! "Purify my heart. Let me be as gold and precious silver... Refiner's fire, my heart's one desire is to be holy. I choose to be holy. Set apart for you Lord... ready to do your will."
As we allow God to do his work, we are more equipped to Live the DREAM. We are more equipped to walk in confident obedience.
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 33:14 - 34:33
Romans 16:8-27
Psalm 26:1-12
Proverbs 20:19
Psalm 26:2 says, "Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind." (NIV) The Living Bible says, "Cross-examine me, O Lord, and see that this is so; test my motives and affections too."
I don't know if you've ever had someone come to help clean your house, or help decorate, but you learn some things about yourself in the process. You really appreciate the help until they start moving things you don't want moved. "Hey, wait a minute don't touch my singing fish plaque!"
As we discover and become who God has created us to be, we will go through a refining process. If we make this Psalm of David our prayer today, what comes to the surface? God desires to mold us, and that process can get interesting sometimes. In his leadership series, "The Vision of the Leader", Bruce Wilkinson speaks of 3 levels of refining that God does in us. The first is Conduct, the second is Character, and the third is Core.
In the same way we're more than willing to have someone dust and help with dishes, we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us to shape our Conduct. We agreeably allow him to change our talk, and our behaviors that we know are not the way believers should talk and act.
Then we begin to allow him to work on our character. This is a deeper process, and we're not as moldable as we were with the conduct issues, but we know there's a need to be changed. It's been said "your character is who you are when no one is watching." This is where we begin to "be" Christians, instead of "doing" Christianity. It's the "walk the talk" stage. It's the next step in maturity. Character will ultimately reveal itself, and we need to prioritize the Lord shaping our character.
The next level of "house cleaning" is pretty intimate. It goes deeper than the conduct or character. No one may EVER see this part. This is the Core of who you are. This is your motives, affections and ambitions. This is your heart. It is the essence of your being. This is even more precious to you than the "singing fish". When your motives are challenged, it's very personal.
If the conduct of Basic Christianity could be summed up in "doing the right thing", Maturity in Christ is "doing the right thing with the right motives." For example, I've enjoyed writing these DEVOs. But why am I doing it? Is it to look good to you? Is to try to impress you? Am I trying to sound smart? Am I trying to be more disciplined? Am I trying to cast vision? Even in doing "good" things, we have to allow God to refine the motives of doing them.
Apply this to your workplace, or a ministry your involved in, or your attitude toward an individual. Why are you concerned with proving your point? What are your motives? Are they pure? Have you noticed them changing?
This is where Psalm 26:2 comes in. "Test me God". This is an area that only the Lord can develop. There are times that our motives and affections are so deep we haven't even identified what our motives are. As we allow God to test them, he will mold them.
You know what? Many times people will NEVER see what God is doing in your motives and affections. They may notice down the road that you've become more "balanced", that you don't seem to fly off the handle... that you're not so attached to the singing fish.
This doesn't happen in a day. This is a process. Allow God in to test you. Allow the Spirit to refine you. What's interesting in all of us is that our maturity is revealed in stressful times. We may want people to evaluate our Christian maturity by what they see in us on a Sunday morning with our cute little outfit on, but it's actually more revealed in crisis, and challenge, and in a meeting that's going too long, and even when driving! THAT'S when the "true you" comes out.
God's got some work to do in me! "Purify my heart. Let me be as gold and precious silver... Refiner's fire, my heart's one desire is to be holy. I choose to be holy. Set apart for you Lord... ready to do your will."
As we allow God to do his work, we are more equipped to Live the DREAM. We are more equipped to walk in confident obedience.
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
Thursday, April 21, 2011
"Suspicion is Not a Spiritual Gift"
Joshua 22:21-23:16
Luke 20:27-47
Psalm 89:14-37
Proverbs 13:17-19
I don't know if you've ever noticed this or not, but there is an interesting "quirk" to the human nature: I believe everyone should understand that my motives are pure, and that my heart is clean, and that I "mean well" in everything. However, it's also in my nature that when I look at the actions of others, I presume the worst. We have thoughts like, "They're out to get me", "Their actions are sinful & selfish". We want people to assume the best about us, and yet we often presume the worst about them. We're certain that our motives are "pure", but we're suspicious of others. Sometimes we live like suspicion is a spiritual gift.
One of my favorite Bible stories is a somewhat obscure one. It's the story of the tribes of Reuben and Gad. These people have a couple of times in their journey when they are GREATLY misunderstood. The first part of the story is in Numbers 32 and the culmination is in Joshua 22. I'll give you a quick synopsis: The Israelites have entered the Promised Land from the east. There is great pasture land on the east side of the Jordan and tribes of Reuben & Gad have sheep. They ask Moses for that land for their tribes & their flocks. Moses, having recently had a bunch of people rise up against him in rebellion, goes off on them. He thinks they are lazy & trying to take the easy way out by not crossing over the Jordan to fight the battles and conquer all of the territory.
That's not the case. The tribes just want to leave their sheep & families there. They vow to fight ahead of all of the other tribes and go to the extra mile to conquer the land. Moses agrees, and they fight on. Years later, Joshua, like we read yesterday, thanks Reuben & Gad for all of their help, and blesses them and sends them back across the Jordan.
"Before they went across, while they were still in Canaan, they built a large monument for everyone to see, in the shape of an altar. But when the rest of Israel heard about what they had done, they mustered an army at Shiloh and prepared to go to war against their brother tribes." (Jos 22:10-11)
Before attacking, they send a delegation led by Phineas to speak to the tribes. "The whole congregation of the Lord demands to know why you are sinning against the God of Israel by turning away from him and building an altar of rebellion against the Lord." (22:16) They spend a few more verses giving Rueben and Gad a piece of their mind.
As it turns out, the motives of Reuben and Gad had been completely misread. "We have done it because we love the Lord... It is not for burnt offerings or sacrifices but is a symbol of the relationship with God that both of us have. Far be it from us to turn away from the Lord or to rebel against him by building our own altar..." (22:24,28-29)
Phineas is relieved. "Today we know that the Lord is among us because you have not sinned against the Lord as we thought; instead, you have saved us from destruction!" (22:30)
So how does this apply to us? First off, we have been commissioned to disciple one another, which really means that we need to be a friend to one another. As we have discussed in the past, the root word of discipleship is discipline, which means to bring into alignment. We need to bring one another into alignment with God's word. Sometimes, we get a little out of focus by over-reacting to the actions of others. We are offended when someone looks at us the wrong way, or maybe they say something that to us is totally out of whack.
When that happens, our flesh "because we care" musters the troops and is ready to go to war against someone because we are sure they are in the wrong. We want to talk to a few people, press charges, and bring someone to trial for this action.
Thankfully, the troops of Israel sent a delegation to talk to Reuben and Gad. As Phineas said, were they to have attacked and gone to battle with them, it would have been an ungodly war.
There are some in the body of Christ who live as if suspicion is a spiritual gift. They unwrap that gift at the slightest offense. They will often "muster the troops" under the disguise of a prayer request. "Please pray for Sally, She's really struggling in her spiritual walk. She was bossy to me at the bake sale!"
So many times the Lord allows these frustrations and conflicts to arise in the Body of Christ to bring us closer together. Look at the unity that was among all the tribes when all was said and done. "and all Israel rejoiced and praised God and spoke no more of war..." (22:33)
We need to stop looking at offenses through the eyes of suspicion and stop speaking of war. We need to understand our purpose is to build up the body of Christ and not to tear it down. We're not here to eradicate everyone who doesn't align with "my way" of doing things, we're here to work together so we can all walk in alignment with God's way of doing things.
This is what Relationships Devoted to Unity is all about!
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
Joshua 22:21-23:16
Luke 20:27-47
Psalm 89:14-37
Proverbs 13:17-19
I don't know if you've ever noticed this or not, but there is an interesting "quirk" to the human nature: I believe everyone should understand that my motives are pure, and that my heart is clean, and that I "mean well" in everything. However, it's also in my nature that when I look at the actions of others, I presume the worst. We have thoughts like, "They're out to get me", "Their actions are sinful & selfish". We want people to assume the best about us, and yet we often presume the worst about them. We're certain that our motives are "pure", but we're suspicious of others. Sometimes we live like suspicion is a spiritual gift.
One of my favorite Bible stories is a somewhat obscure one. It's the story of the tribes of Reuben and Gad. These people have a couple of times in their journey when they are GREATLY misunderstood. The first part of the story is in Numbers 32 and the culmination is in Joshua 22. I'll give you a quick synopsis: The Israelites have entered the Promised Land from the east. There is great pasture land on the east side of the Jordan and tribes of Reuben & Gad have sheep. They ask Moses for that land for their tribes & their flocks. Moses, having recently had a bunch of people rise up against him in rebellion, goes off on them. He thinks they are lazy & trying to take the easy way out by not crossing over the Jordan to fight the battles and conquer all of the territory.
That's not the case. The tribes just want to leave their sheep & families there. They vow to fight ahead of all of the other tribes and go to the extra mile to conquer the land. Moses agrees, and they fight on. Years later, Joshua, like we read yesterday, thanks Reuben & Gad for all of their help, and blesses them and sends them back across the Jordan.
"Before they went across, while they were still in Canaan, they built a large monument for everyone to see, in the shape of an altar. But when the rest of Israel heard about what they had done, they mustered an army at Shiloh and prepared to go to war against their brother tribes." (Jos 22:10-11)
Before attacking, they send a delegation led by Phineas to speak to the tribes. "The whole congregation of the Lord demands to know why you are sinning against the God of Israel by turning away from him and building an altar of rebellion against the Lord." (22:16) They spend a few more verses giving Rueben and Gad a piece of their mind.
As it turns out, the motives of Reuben and Gad had been completely misread. "We have done it because we love the Lord... It is not for burnt offerings or sacrifices but is a symbol of the relationship with God that both of us have. Far be it from us to turn away from the Lord or to rebel against him by building our own altar..." (22:24,28-29)
Phineas is relieved. "Today we know that the Lord is among us because you have not sinned against the Lord as we thought; instead, you have saved us from destruction!" (22:30)
So how does this apply to us? First off, we have been commissioned to disciple one another, which really means that we need to be a friend to one another. As we have discussed in the past, the root word of discipleship is discipline, which means to bring into alignment. We need to bring one another into alignment with God's word. Sometimes, we get a little out of focus by over-reacting to the actions of others. We are offended when someone looks at us the wrong way, or maybe they say something that to us is totally out of whack.
When that happens, our flesh "because we care" musters the troops and is ready to go to war against someone because we are sure they are in the wrong. We want to talk to a few people, press charges, and bring someone to trial for this action.
Thankfully, the troops of Israel sent a delegation to talk to Reuben and Gad. As Phineas said, were they to have attacked and gone to battle with them, it would have been an ungodly war.
There are some in the body of Christ who live as if suspicion is a spiritual gift. They unwrap that gift at the slightest offense. They will often "muster the troops" under the disguise of a prayer request. "Please pray for Sally, She's really struggling in her spiritual walk. She was bossy to me at the bake sale!"
So many times the Lord allows these frustrations and conflicts to arise in the Body of Christ to bring us closer together. Look at the unity that was among all the tribes when all was said and done. "and all Israel rejoiced and praised God and spoke no more of war..." (22:33)
We need to stop looking at offenses through the eyes of suspicion and stop speaking of war. We need to understand our purpose is to build up the body of Christ and not to tear it down. We're not here to eradicate everyone who doesn't align with "my way" of doing things, we're here to work together so we can all walk in alignment with God's way of doing things.
This is what Relationships Devoted to Unity is all about!
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
Sunday, August 8, 2010
8.8.10 "Turn the Light on!"
"Turn the Light on!"
Ezra 7:1 - 8:20
I Corinthians 4:1-21
Psalm 30:1-12
Proverbs 20:28-30
"When the Lord comes, he will turn on the light so that everyone can see exactly what each one of us is really like, deep down in our hearts. Then everyone will know why we have been doing the Lord's work. At that time God will give to each one whatever praise is coming to him." (I Cor. 4:5)
That is a great verse! A few days ago we looked at Psalm 26:2 and how the Lord tests our motives and affections. This is one of the deepest elements of the Christian walk. Often, because people see what we are like on the outside, that is what we put all our effort into. The truth of the matter is that God is not as concerned with what people are thinking of us as he is about who we are inside.
Erwin McManus, pastor of Mosaic, a ministry in California made this statement. "We must be careful to run as fast as our character is deepening, and not as fast as our talent goes wide or high." He was speaking to pastors, and he said this as well, "Because we have a job in professional ministry based on talent, we may have never walked that lonely road with Christ to develop the kind of character that will handle the conflict and spiritual warfare that leadership requires."
This applies to every one of us whether or not we are in "professional" ministry. The focus of our life needs to be to allow God to shine his light on what's on the inside. That needs to be formed under the direction of the Holy Spirit. When that happens, not only are we not concerned with what others may see, we are more equipped to handle whatever may come our way.
When we are living the Spirit - empowered life, we have an internal drive that will navigate through any situation. If we don't have this working inside, we're like a nice looking car with no engine. we "coast" through life. The problem with coasting is that where you go is completely dependent on external forces. Things are great when we're zooming down hill, but when it's time to climb the mountain, there's nothing inside.
Paul says in verse 20, "The Kingdom of God is not just talking; it is living by God's power." Just because you look like you're living the DREAM doesn't mean you are. There needs to be a Spirit transformation that brings it about.
"What are you so puffed up about? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if all you have is from God, why act as though you are so great, and as though you have accomplished something on your own?" (I Cor. 4:7)
The Psalm today can be applied as well. "In my prosperity I said, 'This is forever; nothing can stop me now! The Lord has shown me his favor. He has made me steady as a mountain.' Then, Lord, you turned your face away from me and cut off your river of blessings. Suddenly my courage was gone; I was terrified and panic-stricken." (Psalm 30:6-7)
It's easy for our human nature to convince us that if we "look" like we're who God created us to be we don't have to go through the refining process. That's not the case. That's a dangerous game to play. We need to allow him to make us into who he's created us to be. Then we wont have to be worried about what people see, because it's taken care of.
Allow God to turn the light on 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
Ezra 7:1 - 8:20
I Corinthians 4:1-21
Psalm 30:1-12
Proverbs 20:28-30
"When the Lord comes, he will turn on the light so that everyone can see exactly what each one of us is really like, deep down in our hearts. Then everyone will know why we have been doing the Lord's work. At that time God will give to each one whatever praise is coming to him." (I Cor. 4:5)
That is a great verse! A few days ago we looked at Psalm 26:2 and how the Lord tests our motives and affections. This is one of the deepest elements of the Christian walk. Often, because people see what we are like on the outside, that is what we put all our effort into. The truth of the matter is that God is not as concerned with what people are thinking of us as he is about who we are inside.
Erwin McManus, pastor of Mosaic, a ministry in California made this statement. "We must be careful to run as fast as our character is deepening, and not as fast as our talent goes wide or high." He was speaking to pastors, and he said this as well, "Because we have a job in professional ministry based on talent, we may have never walked that lonely road with Christ to develop the kind of character that will handle the conflict and spiritual warfare that leadership requires."
This applies to every one of us whether or not we are in "professional" ministry. The focus of our life needs to be to allow God to shine his light on what's on the inside. That needs to be formed under the direction of the Holy Spirit. When that happens, not only are we not concerned with what others may see, we are more equipped to handle whatever may come our way.
When we are living the Spirit - empowered life, we have an internal drive that will navigate through any situation. If we don't have this working inside, we're like a nice looking car with no engine. we "coast" through life. The problem with coasting is that where you go is completely dependent on external forces. Things are great when we're zooming down hill, but when it's time to climb the mountain, there's nothing inside.
Paul says in verse 20, "The Kingdom of God is not just talking; it is living by God's power." Just because you look like you're living the DREAM doesn't mean you are. There needs to be a Spirit transformation that brings it about.
"What are you so puffed up about? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if all you have is from God, why act as though you are so great, and as though you have accomplished something on your own?" (I Cor. 4:7)
The Psalm today can be applied as well. "In my prosperity I said, 'This is forever; nothing can stop me now! The Lord has shown me his favor. He has made me steady as a mountain.' Then, Lord, you turned your face away from me and cut off your river of blessings. Suddenly my courage was gone; I was terrified and panic-stricken." (Psalm 30:6-7)
It's easy for our human nature to convince us that if we "look" like we're who God created us to be we don't have to go through the refining process. That's not the case. That's a dangerous game to play. We need to allow him to make us into who he's created us to be. Then we wont have to be worried about what people see, because it's taken care of.
Allow God to turn the light on 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
Saturday, November 14, 2009
11.14.9 "I Gotta do this for Me!"
"I Gotta do this for Me!"
Ezekiel 29:1-30:26
Hebrews 11:32-12:13
Psalm 112:1-10
Proverbs 27:17
Have you heard that phrase before? Have you said it? You'll even hear people "encourage" each other with this. "You know what, you've been working hard. It's about time you did something for yourself."
No one really understands that those are some of the most dangerous words spoken by man. These words can lead to death. Do you know what the main foundational principle of the satanic bible is? It's wrapped up in this: You deserve it!
It's very sad to see the destruction this subtle killer has caused. Why do people do drugs? Why do marriages fall apart? Why do lusts have such power? "Because I gotta do this for me!"
Life has struggles. There are times of hardship. If our focus is out of adjustment, the circumstances of life can begin to wear on our body, soul and spirit. A difficult situation can cause hurt. The hurt can lead one to be defensive, guarded, soon isolated, then it turns into "I gotta do this for me."
Even extended seasons of well-doing can open the door to this enemy. So many times the enemy loves to attack after a long Sunday of ministry, or after weeks of working on a musical. "Go ahead, feed the flesh... you deserve it!"
Our flesh wants so much to hear those words, that rarely do we guard enough against it. It is so important that we heed the words of Hebrews chapter 12.
"Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterwards; and now he sits in the place of honor by the throne of God. If you want to keep from becoming fainthearted and weary, think about his patience as sinful men did such terrible things to him. After all, you have never yet struggled against sin and temptation until you sweat great drops of blood." Heb 12:2-4
We too easily dismiss his struggles as "well, he was God". We forget that he was man. He was focused on the big picture... the goal... the prize. We need to do the same! We must press on!
"So take a new grip with your tired hands, stand firm on your shaky legs, and mark out a straight, smooth path for you feet so that those who follow you, though weak and lame, will not fall and hurt themselves, but become strong." Heb. 12:12
We also forget, that no matter who we are, what our position is, marital status, or anything, we are paving the way for someone else. We have a great church. I've been a part of it for 15 years. We've seen great growth in those years. It is the prayers and labors of individuals who've gone long before who made this possible. We must now ask the question "who am I paving the way for?"
If my lifestyle says, "I gotta do this for me", I'm not only leading myself down a dangerous trail, I'm also leading those who follow to dangerous places.
No matter the hurt, the struggle, the frustration, the loneliness, the unfair circumstances of life, it is worth it to stay on course.
"Praise the Lord! For all who fear God and trust in him are blessed beyond expression. Yes, happy is the man who delights in doing his commands. His children shall be honored everywhere, for good men's sons have a special heritage. He himself shall be wealthy, and his good deeds will never be forgotten. When darkness overtakes him, light will come bursting in. He is kind and merciful - and all goes well for the generous man who conducts his business fairly.
"Such a man will not be overthrown by evil circumstances. God's constant care of him will make a deep impression on all who see it. He does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen. For he is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him. That is why he is not afraid, but can calmly face his foes. He gives generously to those in need. His deeds will never be forgotten. He shall have influence and honor." Ps 112:1-9
As we live lives of Obedience and Discipline, it "will make a deep impression on all who see it." When we live for ourself, it definitely makes the wrong impression!
Wouldn't it be great to live without fearing the worst? It's possible! by fixing our eyes on Jesus!
Keep your eyes on him. Live for Him. Stand against the fleshly thought of "living for me".
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
Ezekiel 29:1-30:26
Hebrews 11:32-12:13
Psalm 112:1-10
Proverbs 27:17
Have you heard that phrase before? Have you said it? You'll even hear people "encourage" each other with this. "You know what, you've been working hard. It's about time you did something for yourself."
No one really understands that those are some of the most dangerous words spoken by man. These words can lead to death. Do you know what the main foundational principle of the satanic bible is? It's wrapped up in this: You deserve it!
It's very sad to see the destruction this subtle killer has caused. Why do people do drugs? Why do marriages fall apart? Why do lusts have such power? "Because I gotta do this for me!"
Life has struggles. There are times of hardship. If our focus is out of adjustment, the circumstances of life can begin to wear on our body, soul and spirit. A difficult situation can cause hurt. The hurt can lead one to be defensive, guarded, soon isolated, then it turns into "I gotta do this for me."
Even extended seasons of well-doing can open the door to this enemy. So many times the enemy loves to attack after a long Sunday of ministry, or after weeks of working on a musical. "Go ahead, feed the flesh... you deserve it!"
Our flesh wants so much to hear those words, that rarely do we guard enough against it. It is so important that we heed the words of Hebrews chapter 12.
"Keep your eyes on Jesus, our leader and instructor. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterwards; and now he sits in the place of honor by the throne of God. If you want to keep from becoming fainthearted and weary, think about his patience as sinful men did such terrible things to him. After all, you have never yet struggled against sin and temptation until you sweat great drops of blood." Heb 12:2-4
We too easily dismiss his struggles as "well, he was God". We forget that he was man. He was focused on the big picture... the goal... the prize. We need to do the same! We must press on!
"So take a new grip with your tired hands, stand firm on your shaky legs, and mark out a straight, smooth path for you feet so that those who follow you, though weak and lame, will not fall and hurt themselves, but become strong." Heb. 12:12
We also forget, that no matter who we are, what our position is, marital status, or anything, we are paving the way for someone else. We have a great church. I've been a part of it for 15 years. We've seen great growth in those years. It is the prayers and labors of individuals who've gone long before who made this possible. We must now ask the question "who am I paving the way for?"
If my lifestyle says, "I gotta do this for me", I'm not only leading myself down a dangerous trail, I'm also leading those who follow to dangerous places.
No matter the hurt, the struggle, the frustration, the loneliness, the unfair circumstances of life, it is worth it to stay on course.
"Praise the Lord! For all who fear God and trust in him are blessed beyond expression. Yes, happy is the man who delights in doing his commands. His children shall be honored everywhere, for good men's sons have a special heritage. He himself shall be wealthy, and his good deeds will never be forgotten. When darkness overtakes him, light will come bursting in. He is kind and merciful - and all goes well for the generous man who conducts his business fairly.
"Such a man will not be overthrown by evil circumstances. God's constant care of him will make a deep impression on all who see it. He does not fear bad news, nor live in dread of what may happen. For he is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him. That is why he is not afraid, but can calmly face his foes. He gives generously to those in need. His deeds will never be forgotten. He shall have influence and honor." Ps 112:1-9
As we live lives of Obedience and Discipline, it "will make a deep impression on all who see it." When we live for ourself, it definitely makes the wrong impression!
Wouldn't it be great to live without fearing the worst? It's possible! by fixing our eyes on Jesus!
Keep your eyes on him. Live for Him. Stand against the fleshly thought of "living for me".
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, April 21, 2009
4.21.9 "Suspicion is Not a Spiritual Gift"
"Suspicion is Not a Spiritual Gift"
Joshua 22:21-23:16
Luke 20:27-47
Psalm 89:14-37
Proverbs 13:17-19
I don't know if you've ever noticed this or not, but there is an interesting "quirk" to the human nature: I believe everyone should understand that my motives are pure, and that my heart is clean, and that I "mean well" in everything. However, it's also in my nature that when I look at the actions of others, I presume the worst. We have thoughts like, "They're out to get me", "Their actions are sinful & selfish". We want people to assume the best about us, and yet we often presume the worst about them. We're certain that our motives are "pure", but we're suspicious of others. Sometimes we live like suspicion is a spiritual gift.
One of my favorite Bible stories is a somewhat obscure one. It's the story of the tribes of Reuben and Gad. These people have a couple of times in their journey when they are GREATLY misunderstood. The first part of the story is in Numbers 32 and the culmination is in Joshua 22. I'll give you a quick synopsis: The Israelites have entered the Promised Land from the east. There is great pasture land on the east side of the Jordan and tribes of Reuben & Gad have sheep. They ask Moses for that land for their tribes & their flocks. Moses, having recently had a bunch of people rise up against him in rebellion, goes off on them. He thinks they are lazy & trying to take the easy way out by not crossing over the Jordan to fight the battles and conquer all of the territory.
That's not the case. The tribes just want to leave their sheep & families there. They vow to fight ahead of all of the other tribes and go to the extra mile to conquer the land. Moses agrees, and they fight on. Years later, Joshua, like we read yesterday, thanks Reuben & Gad for all of their help, and blesses them and sends them back across the Jordan.
"Before they went across, while they were still in Canaan, they built a large monument for everyone to see, in the shape of an altar. But when the rest of Israel heard about what they had done, they mustered an army at Shiloh and prepared to go to war against their brother tribes." (Jos 22:10-11)
Before attacking, they send a delegation led by Phineas to speak to the tribes. "The whole congregation of the Lord demands to know why you are sinning against the God of Israel by turning away from him and building an altar of rebellion against the Lord." (22:16) They spend a few more verses giving Rueben and Gad a piece of their mind.
As it turns out, the motives of Reuben and Gad had been completely misread. "We have done it because we love the Lord... It is not for burnt offerings or sacrifices but is a symbol of the relationship with God that both of us have. Far be it from us to turn away from the Lord or to rebel against him by building our own altar..." (22:24,28-29)
Phineas is relieved. "Today we know that the Lord is among us because you have not sinned against the Lord as we thought; instead, you have saved us from destruction!" (22:30)
So how does this apply to us? First off, we have been commissioned to disciple one another, which really means that we need to be a friend to one another. As we have discussed in the past, the root word of discipleship is discipline, which means to bring into alignment. We need to bring one another into alignment with God's word. Sometimes, we get a little out of focus by over-reacting to the actions of others. We are offended when someone looks at us the wrong way, or maybe they say something that to us is totally out of whack.
When that happens, our flesh "because we care" musters the troops and is ready to go to war against someone because we are sure they are in the wrong. We want to talk to a few people, press charges, and bring someone to trial for this action.
Thankfully, the troops of Israel sent a delegation to talk to Reuben and Gad. As Phineas said, were they to have attacked and gone to battle with them, it would have been an ungodly war.
There are some in the body of Christ who live as if suspicion is a spiritual gift. They unwrap that gift at the slightest offense. They will often "muster the troops" under the disguise of a prayer request. "Please pray for Sally, She's really struggling in her spiritual walk. She was bossy to me at the bake sale!"
So many times the Lord allows these frustrations and conflicts to arise in the Body of Christ to bring us closer together. Look at the unity that was among all the tribes when all was said and done. "and all Israel rejoiced and praised God and spoke no more of war..." (22:33)
We need to stop looking at offenses through the eyes of suspicion and stop speaking of war. We need to understand our purpose is to build up the body of Christ and not to tear it down. We're not here to eradicate everyone who doesn't align with "my way" of doing things, we're here to work together so we can all walk in alignment with God's way of doing things.
This is what Relationships Devoted to Unity is all about!
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
Joshua 22:21-23:16
Luke 20:27-47
Psalm 89:14-37
Proverbs 13:17-19
I don't know if you've ever noticed this or not, but there is an interesting "quirk" to the human nature: I believe everyone should understand that my motives are pure, and that my heart is clean, and that I "mean well" in everything. However, it's also in my nature that when I look at the actions of others, I presume the worst. We have thoughts like, "They're out to get me", "Their actions are sinful & selfish". We want people to assume the best about us, and yet we often presume the worst about them. We're certain that our motives are "pure", but we're suspicious of others. Sometimes we live like suspicion is a spiritual gift.
One of my favorite Bible stories is a somewhat obscure one. It's the story of the tribes of Reuben and Gad. These people have a couple of times in their journey when they are GREATLY misunderstood. The first part of the story is in Numbers 32 and the culmination is in Joshua 22. I'll give you a quick synopsis: The Israelites have entered the Promised Land from the east. There is great pasture land on the east side of the Jordan and tribes of Reuben & Gad have sheep. They ask Moses for that land for their tribes & their flocks. Moses, having recently had a bunch of people rise up against him in rebellion, goes off on them. He thinks they are lazy & trying to take the easy way out by not crossing over the Jordan to fight the battles and conquer all of the territory.
That's not the case. The tribes just want to leave their sheep & families there. They vow to fight ahead of all of the other tribes and go to the extra mile to conquer the land. Moses agrees, and they fight on. Years later, Joshua, like we read yesterday, thanks Reuben & Gad for all of their help, and blesses them and sends them back across the Jordan.
"Before they went across, while they were still in Canaan, they built a large monument for everyone to see, in the shape of an altar. But when the rest of Israel heard about what they had done, they mustered an army at Shiloh and prepared to go to war against their brother tribes." (Jos 22:10-11)
Before attacking, they send a delegation led by Phineas to speak to the tribes. "The whole congregation of the Lord demands to know why you are sinning against the God of Israel by turning away from him and building an altar of rebellion against the Lord." (22:16) They spend a few more verses giving Rueben and Gad a piece of their mind.
As it turns out, the motives of Reuben and Gad had been completely misread. "We have done it because we love the Lord... It is not for burnt offerings or sacrifices but is a symbol of the relationship with God that both of us have. Far be it from us to turn away from the Lord or to rebel against him by building our own altar..." (22:24,28-29)
Phineas is relieved. "Today we know that the Lord is among us because you have not sinned against the Lord as we thought; instead, you have saved us from destruction!" (22:30)
So how does this apply to us? First off, we have been commissioned to disciple one another, which really means that we need to be a friend to one another. As we have discussed in the past, the root word of discipleship is discipline, which means to bring into alignment. We need to bring one another into alignment with God's word. Sometimes, we get a little out of focus by over-reacting to the actions of others. We are offended when someone looks at us the wrong way, or maybe they say something that to us is totally out of whack.
When that happens, our flesh "because we care" musters the troops and is ready to go to war against someone because we are sure they are in the wrong. We want to talk to a few people, press charges, and bring someone to trial for this action.
Thankfully, the troops of Israel sent a delegation to talk to Reuben and Gad. As Phineas said, were they to have attacked and gone to battle with them, it would have been an ungodly war.
There are some in the body of Christ who live as if suspicion is a spiritual gift. They unwrap that gift at the slightest offense. They will often "muster the troops" under the disguise of a prayer request. "Please pray for Sally, She's really struggling in her spiritual walk. She was bossy to me at the bake sale!"
So many times the Lord allows these frustrations and conflicts to arise in the Body of Christ to bring us closer together. Look at the unity that was among all the tribes when all was said and done. "and all Israel rejoiced and praised God and spoke no more of war..." (22:33)
We need to stop looking at offenses through the eyes of suspicion and stop speaking of war. We need to understand our purpose is to build up the body of Christ and not to tear it down. We're not here to eradicate everyone who doesn't align with "my way" of doing things, we're here to work together so we can all walk in alignment with God's way of doing things.
This is what Relationships Devoted to Unity is all about!
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, April 16, 2009
4.16.9 "Forgiven"
"Forgiven"
Joshua 13:1-14:15
Luke 18:1-17
Psalm 85:1-13
Proverbs 13:7-8
"Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a proud, self-righteous Pharisee, and the other a cheating tax collector. The proud Pharisee 'prayed' this prayer: 'Thank God, I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't commit adultery, I go without food twice a week, and I give to God a tenth of everything I earn.'
"But the corrupt tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed, but beat upon his chest in sorrow, exclaiming, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home forgiven! For the proud shall be humbled, but the humble shall be honored." (Luke 18:10-14)
What goes through our minds when we have conversations with unbelievers? I hate to say it, but as I look back on my thought process through some of those conversations, I fear that my motives may have been more of the Pharisee than the tax collector. No, I didn't necessarily look down at them, or roll my eyes and say, Thank God, I'm not like them," but yet i think it's in our human nature to look at "them and us". I inadvertently catch myself thinking of unbelievers as "outsiders."
How different would our relationships be with unbelievers, if the arrogance of our piety were gone? What if we approached our conversations with them in humility instead of hoping to get another star on our "witnessing chart". I know I'm sounding a bit harsh, but i hope you can catch the heart of what i'm saying.
Who am I to take pride in the fact that I'm forgiven. "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." Remember the sacrifices that please God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart.
When I spend time at my neighbor's house and I have a broken spirit, I'm not so much worried about getting a chance to fill them with my knowledge, I'm more interested in hearing their need. God will give the opportunity to reveal truth.
Thank you Lord for being merciful to me, a sinner!
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
Joshua 13:1-14:15
Luke 18:1-17
Psalm 85:1-13
Proverbs 13:7-8
"Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a proud, self-righteous Pharisee, and the other a cheating tax collector. The proud Pharisee 'prayed' this prayer: 'Thank God, I am not a sinner like everyone else, especially like that tax collector over there! For I never cheat, I don't commit adultery, I go without food twice a week, and I give to God a tenth of everything I earn.'
"But the corrupt tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed, but beat upon his chest in sorrow, exclaiming, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.' I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home forgiven! For the proud shall be humbled, but the humble shall be honored." (Luke 18:10-14)
What goes through our minds when we have conversations with unbelievers? I hate to say it, but as I look back on my thought process through some of those conversations, I fear that my motives may have been more of the Pharisee than the tax collector. No, I didn't necessarily look down at them, or roll my eyes and say, Thank God, I'm not like them," but yet i think it's in our human nature to look at "them and us". I inadvertently catch myself thinking of unbelievers as "outsiders."
How different would our relationships be with unbelievers, if the arrogance of our piety were gone? What if we approached our conversations with them in humility instead of hoping to get another star on our "witnessing chart". I know I'm sounding a bit harsh, but i hope you can catch the heart of what i'm saying.
Who am I to take pride in the fact that I'm forgiven. "God, be merciful to me, a sinner." Remember the sacrifices that please God are a broken spirit and a contrite heart.
When I spend time at my neighbor's house and I have a broken spirit, I'm not so much worried about getting a chance to fill them with my knowledge, I'm more interested in hearing their need. God will give the opportunity to reveal truth.
Thank you Lord for being merciful to me, a sinner!
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, August 3, 2008
8.3.8 "Motives and Affections"
"Motives and Affections"
2 Chronicles 33:14 - 34:33
Romans 16:8-27
Psalm 26:1-12
Proverbs 20:19
Psalm 26:2 says, "Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind." (NIV) The Living Bible says, "Cross-examine me, O Lord, and see that this is so; test my motives and affections too."
I don't know if you've ever had someone come to help clean your house, or help decorate, but you learn some things about yourself in the process. You really appreciate the help until they start moving things you don't want moved. "Hey, wait a minute don't touch my singing fish plaque!"
As we "discover and become who God has created us to be", we will go through a refining process. If we make this Psalm of David our prayer today, what comes to the surface? God desires to mold us, and that process can get interesting sometimes. In his leadership series, "The Vision of the Leader", Bruce Wilkinson speaks of 3 levels of refining that God does in us. The first is Conduct, the second is Character, and the third is Core.
In the same way we're more than willing to have someone dust and help with dishes, we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us to shape our Conduct. We agreeably allow him to change our talk, and our behaviors that we know are not the way believers should talk and act.
Then we begin to allow him to work on our character. This is a deeper process, and we're not as moldable as we were with the conduct issues, but we know there's a need to be changed. It's been said "your character is who you are when no one is watching." This is where we begin to "be" Christians, instead of "doing" Christianity. It's the "walk the talk" stage. It's the next step in maturity. Character will ultimately reveal itself, and we need to prioritize the Lord shaping our character.
The next level of "house cleaning" is pretty intimate. It goes deeper than the conduct or character. No one may EVER see this part. This is the Core of who you are. This is your motives, affections and ambitions. This is your heart. It is the essence of your being. This is even more precious to you than the "singing fish". When your motives are challenged, it's very personal.
If Basic Christianity could be summed up in "doing the right thing", Maturity in Christ is "doing the right thing with the right motives." For example, I've enjoyed writing these DEVOs. But why am I doing it? Is it to look good to you? Is to try to impress you? Am I trying to sound smart? Am I trying to be more disciplined? Am I trying to cast vision? Even in doing "good" things, we have to allow God to refine the motives of doing them.
Apply this to a ministry your involved in, or your attitude toward an individual. Why are you concerned with proving your point? What are your motives? Are they pure? Have you noticed them changing?
This is where Psalm 26:2 comes in. "Test me God". This is an area that only the Lord can develop. There are times that our motives and affections are so deep we haven't even identified what our motives are. As we allow God to test them, he will mold them.
You know what? Many times people will NEVER see what God is doing in your motives and affections. They may notice down the road that you've become more "balanced", that you don't seem to fly off the handle... that you're not so attached to the singing fish.
This doesn't happen in a day. This is a process. Allow God in to test you. Allow the Spirit to refine you. What's interesting in all of us is that our maturity is revealed in stressful times. We may want people to evaluate our Christian maturity by what they see in us on a Sunday morning with our cute little outfit on, but it's actually more revealed in crisis, and challenge, and in a meeting that's going too long, and even when driving! THAT'S when the "true you" comes out.
God's got some work to do in me! "Purify my heart. Let me be as gold and precious silver... Refiner's fire, my heart's one desire is to be holy. I choose to be holy. Set apart for you Lord... ready to do your will."
As we allow God to do his work, we are more equipped to Live the DREAM. We are more equipped to walk in confident obedience.
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 33:14 - 34:33
Romans 16:8-27
Psalm 26:1-12
Proverbs 20:19
Psalm 26:2 says, "Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind." (NIV) The Living Bible says, "Cross-examine me, O Lord, and see that this is so; test my motives and affections too."
I don't know if you've ever had someone come to help clean your house, or help decorate, but you learn some things about yourself in the process. You really appreciate the help until they start moving things you don't want moved. "Hey, wait a minute don't touch my singing fish plaque!"
As we "discover and become who God has created us to be", we will go through a refining process. If we make this Psalm of David our prayer today, what comes to the surface? God desires to mold us, and that process can get interesting sometimes. In his leadership series, "The Vision of the Leader", Bruce Wilkinson speaks of 3 levels of refining that God does in us. The first is Conduct, the second is Character, and the third is Core.
In the same way we're more than willing to have someone dust and help with dishes, we allow the Holy Spirit to work in us to shape our Conduct. We agreeably allow him to change our talk, and our behaviors that we know are not the way believers should talk and act.
Then we begin to allow him to work on our character. This is a deeper process, and we're not as moldable as we were with the conduct issues, but we know there's a need to be changed. It's been said "your character is who you are when no one is watching." This is where we begin to "be" Christians, instead of "doing" Christianity. It's the "walk the talk" stage. It's the next step in maturity. Character will ultimately reveal itself, and we need to prioritize the Lord shaping our character.
The next level of "house cleaning" is pretty intimate. It goes deeper than the conduct or character. No one may EVER see this part. This is the Core of who you are. This is your motives, affections and ambitions. This is your heart. It is the essence of your being. This is even more precious to you than the "singing fish". When your motives are challenged, it's very personal.
If Basic Christianity could be summed up in "doing the right thing", Maturity in Christ is "doing the right thing with the right motives." For example, I've enjoyed writing these DEVOs. But why am I doing it? Is it to look good to you? Is to try to impress you? Am I trying to sound smart? Am I trying to be more disciplined? Am I trying to cast vision? Even in doing "good" things, we have to allow God to refine the motives of doing them.
Apply this to a ministry your involved in, or your attitude toward an individual. Why are you concerned with proving your point? What are your motives? Are they pure? Have you noticed them changing?
This is where Psalm 26:2 comes in. "Test me God". This is an area that only the Lord can develop. There are times that our motives and affections are so deep we haven't even identified what our motives are. As we allow God to test them, he will mold them.
You know what? Many times people will NEVER see what God is doing in your motives and affections. They may notice down the road that you've become more "balanced", that you don't seem to fly off the handle... that you're not so attached to the singing fish.
This doesn't happen in a day. This is a process. Allow God in to test you. Allow the Spirit to refine you. What's interesting in all of us is that our maturity is revealed in stressful times. We may want people to evaluate our Christian maturity by what they see in us on a Sunday morning with our cute little outfit on, but it's actually more revealed in crisis, and challenge, and in a meeting that's going too long, and even
God's got some work to do in me! "Purify my heart. Let me be as gold and precious silver... Refiner's fire, my heart's one desire is to be holy. I choose to be holy. Set apart for you Lord... ready to do your will."
As we allow God to do his work, we are more equipped to Live the DREAM. We are more equipped to walk in confident obedience.
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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