"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 Rebellion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rebellion. Show all posts
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
8.2.11 "The Alluring Bondage of Rebellion"
"The Alluring Bondage of Rebellion"
2 Chronicles 32:1 - 33:13
Romans 15:23 - 16:7
Psalm 25:12-22
Proverbs 20:16-18
Did you remember your "rebellious" stage? I'm sure almost everyone has had one in one form or another. My venture was nothing to brag about. Probably the most extreme was when I put my curly mullet into a ponytail, got a clip-on earring about the size of a 50 cent piece with a bunch of dangly things on it. I walked into my dad's office to get a reaction from him. He glanced up said, "you look stupid" and went back to work. That was pretty much the end of that.
Your memories of rebellion may be more current in your dealings with rebellious children, or more painful of past relationships lost through rebellion.
What is it about rebellion? "No one's going to tell ME what to do!" There's something within that drives an individual to push against what they perceive to be constraints placed upon them. The grass on the other side of the fence looks so tempting. It looks so free over there on the other side. Yet, the irony is, no matter what the circumstances, the fruit of rebellion is bondage.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says "there is nothing new under the sun." The rebels and anarchists of today would do well to look at the rebels of the past. It would probably take the wind out of their sails to know that this rebellion of theirs isn't anything new.
This is illustrated in the life of Manasseh. His father Hezekiah was a great king. He led the nation to worship God, and was incredibly blessed. He destroyed the heathen idols throughout the land. He had his moments of failure, but did all he could to keep the nation pure. His son Manasseh was only 12 when he became king, and he would have nothing of the Law of God. 2 Chron 13:9 says, "Manasseh encouraged the people of Judah and Jerusalem to do even more evil than the nations the Lord destroyed when Israel entered the land."
Verse 7 says, "Think of it! He placed an idol in the very Temple of God, where God has told David and his son Solomon, ' I will be honored here in this Temple... And if you will only obey my commands... I won't ever again exile Israel..." Because we are so used to it, we don't realize how appalling and ridiculous rebellion is.
I heard rebellion described as a police chase we watch on TV. We see the 'rebel' running, but you know how it's going to end. The rebel wont get away.
For Manasseh, the fruit of his rebellion comes in verse 11. "So God sent the Assyrian armies, and they seized him with hooks and bound him with bronze chains and carted him away to Babylon." I've never smoked, but some that I know who do started as an act of rebellion. Well, now there's hooks and chains that have them addicted. Look at the rebel now. There's no freedom there. Think of the many other vices.
John Bevere says in his series "Under Cover", "There is bondage in rebellion, but freedom in submission." Isn't that quite the paradox? Sometimes I find humor in God's ways. So many times we feel the "constraint" of scripture that doesn't allow us to do what we want. And yet, doing what we want will place us in bondage. You tell me who was more free. Hezekiah, who obeyed the Lord, or Manasseh who did what he wanted?
You want to experience freedom? Don't hang around the "fence" of God's commands. Don't try to see how much you can get away with. Instead, enjoy the immense pastures of blessing that are found in obeying his will and his direction. Don't flirt with rebelling against the leaders God has placed in your life. That will lead to the same bondage Manasseh found himself in.
In 2 Chron. 32:12-13, Manasseh "came to his senses and cried out humbly to God for help. And the Lord listened..." If you find yourself in bondage as a result of rebelling against the direction of the Lord, cry out to him today.
In today's Psalm 25:12-14 it says, "Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best. He shall live within God's circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth. Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises."
Stay away from the fence line of rebellion, and run free in the circle of God's blessing!
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 32:1 - 33:13
Romans 15:23 - 16:7
Psalm 25:12-22
Proverbs 20:16-18
Did you remember your "rebellious" stage? I'm sure almost everyone has had one in one form or another. My venture was nothing to brag about. Probably the most extreme was when I put my curly mullet into a ponytail, got a clip-on earring about the size of a 50 cent piece with a bunch of dangly things on it. I walked into my dad's office to get a reaction from him. He glanced up said, "you look stupid" and went back to work. That was pretty much the end of that.
Your memories of rebellion may be more current in your dealings with rebellious children, or more painful of past relationships lost through rebellion.
What is it about rebellion? "No one's going to tell ME what to do!" There's something within that drives an individual to push against what they perceive to be constraints placed upon them. The grass on the other side of the fence looks so tempting. It looks so free over there on the other side. Yet, the irony is, no matter what the circumstances, the fruit of rebellion is bondage.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says "there is nothing new under the sun." The rebels and anarchists of today would do well to look at the rebels of the past. It would probably take the wind out of their sails to know that this rebellion of theirs isn't anything new.
This is illustrated in the life of Manasseh. His father Hezekiah was a great king. He led the nation to worship God, and was incredibly blessed. He destroyed the heathen idols throughout the land. He had his moments of failure, but did all he could to keep the nation pure. His son Manasseh was only 12 when he became king, and he would have nothing of the Law of God. 2 Chron 13:9 says, "Manasseh encouraged the people of Judah and Jerusalem to do even more evil than the nations the Lord destroyed when Israel entered the land."
Verse 7 says, "Think of it! He placed an idol in the very Temple of God, where God has told David and his son Solomon, ' I will be honored here in this Temple... And if you will only obey my commands... I won't ever again exile Israel..." Because we are so used to it, we don't realize how appalling and ridiculous rebellion is.
I heard rebellion described as a police chase we watch on TV. We see the 'rebel' running, but you know how it's going to end. The rebel wont get away.
For Manasseh, the fruit of his rebellion comes in verse 11. "So God sent the Assyrian armies, and they seized him with hooks and bound him with bronze chains and carted him away to Babylon." I've never smoked, but some that I know who do started as an act of rebellion. Well, now there's hooks and chains that have them addicted. Look at the rebel now. There's no freedom there. Think of the many other vices.
John Bevere says in his series "Under Cover", "There is bondage in rebellion, but freedom in submission." Isn't that quite the paradox? Sometimes I find humor in God's ways. So many times we feel the "constraint" of scripture that doesn't allow us to do what we want. And yet, doing what we want will place us in bondage. You tell me who was more free. Hezekiah, who obeyed the Lord, or Manasseh who did what he wanted?
You want to experience freedom? Don't hang around the "fence" of God's commands. Don't try to see how much you can get away with. Instead, enjoy the immense pastures of blessing that are found in obeying his will and his direction. Don't flirt with rebelling against the leaders God has placed in your life. That will lead to the same bondage Manasseh found himself in.
In 2 Chron. 32:12-13, Manasseh "came to his senses and cried out humbly to God for help. And the Lord listened..." If you find yourself in bondage as a result of rebelling against the direction of the Lord, cry out to him today.
In today's Psalm 25:12-14 it says, "Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best. He shall live within God's circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth. Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises."
Stay away from the fence line of rebellion, and run free in the circle of God's blessing!
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, November 1, 2010
11.1.10 "The Root of Rebellion"
"The Root of Rebellion"
Ezekiel 1:1-3:15
Hebrews 3:1-19
Psalm 104:1-24
Proverbs 26:24-26
Are you a rebel? What is a rebel? We think of rebellious children who thumb their nose at their parent and do their own thing. I think of a time when I thought I'd impress my dad by putting my hair in a ponytail and putting on a gaudy clip-on earring. He looked up from his desk and said. "You look stupid." That was pretty much the end of that. What is rebellion? Well, we know it has something to do with an attitude toward authority.
"But now is the time. Never forget the warning, 'Today if you hear God's voice speaking to you, do not harden your hearts against him, as the people of Israel did when they rebelled against him in the desert.'" Hebrews 3:15
Those rebels in the desert. Remember that? From this verse we see that the people rebelled against God by hardening their hearts when he would speak to them. We live in quite a rebellious age. Hundreds and thousands of people hear the good news each week, and yet live their lives unchanged. Their hearts become hardened.
How does the heart become hard? Is it a conscious thought? "You know what? Today I'm going to harden my heart." Where does it come from?
Let's look at where it came from in the "Desert Rebels":
"And who were those people I speak of, who heard God's voice speaking to them, but then rebelled against him? They were the ones who came out of Egypt with Moses their leader." vs. 16
Can you imagine walking across the Red Sea? That would be pretty unforgettable. Most of us have seen some kind of depiction of it through the special effects of a movie and we have some context to compare it to. But these people couldn't have seen anything close to this. It was absolutely AMAZING! How Awesome!!! But... it was these people who rebelled.
Vs 17-20: "And who was it who made God angry for all those forty years? These same people who sinned and as a result died in the wilderness. And to whom was God speaking when he swore an oath that they could never go into the land he had promised his people? He was speaking to all those who disobeyed him. And why couldn't they go in?..."
You ready? Here's the root of rebellion... it's coming...
Can you imagine making God angry for forty years? Walking through the Red Sea, and then dying in the desert because of your sin? What could cause this? What horrible act???? What could enter the heart of a man that could cause him to be so foolish??
Here it is. Verse 19: "And why couldn't they go in? Because they didn't trust him."
The root of rebellion is a lack of trust. Lack of trust is the door through which the awful stench of rebellion comes in.
Why is it that so many hear the Good News, and walk away unchanged? Because they don't trust God. They perceive that there is some flaw in this great plan of His. Lack of trust is the first step in the hardening of the heart.
What about me? I know God has told me to do something. I'm hesitant though. I don't feel like I can do it. I feel like I don't have the skills. I'm worried about what people will think. Guess what these excuses are: Lack of trust.
Living a life of radical trust would be an awesome thing. To know each day that when God speaks to our heart, we jump headlong into what he commands. But, we tend to be a hard-hearted people.
This lack of trust in God is one of the greatest hinderances to the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship. Lack of trust causes us to worry. It causes us to try to mathematically figure things out on our own. All of that clogs the communication lines of heaven. It separates us from God. It is sin.
Lord, forgive me for my lack of trust in you. You've done awesome things in my life. In salvation you brought me through the Red Sea and out of the Slavery of my sin. That is an incredible miracle, one far greater than anything I can imagine. Help me to trust you more. Help me to recognize that my excuses open the door to my rebellion. Forgive me Lord. Help me to realize that when I don't trust those you've placed in authority over me, I'm opening the door to rebellion as well. Help me to radically live for you!
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 1:1-3:15
Hebrews 3:1-19
Psalm 104:1-24
Proverbs 26:24-26
Are you a rebel? What is a rebel? We think of rebellious children who thumb their nose at their parent and do their own thing. I think of a time when I thought I'd impress my dad by putting my hair in a ponytail and putting on a gaudy clip-on earring. He looked up from his desk and said. "You look stupid." That was pretty much the end of that. What is rebellion? Well, we know it has something to do with an attitude toward authority.
"But now is the time. Never forget the warning, 'Today if you hear God's voice speaking to you, do not harden your hearts against him, as the people of Israel did when they rebelled against him in the desert.'" Hebrews 3:15
Those rebels in the desert. Remember that? From this verse we see that the people rebelled against God by hardening their hearts when he would speak to them. We live in quite a rebellious age. Hundreds and thousands of people hear the good news each week, and yet live their lives unchanged. Their hearts become hardened.
How does the heart become hard? Is it a conscious thought? "You know what? Today I'm going to harden my heart." Where does it come from?
Let's look at where it came from in the "Desert Rebels":
"And who were those people I speak of, who heard God's voice speaking to them, but then rebelled against him? They were the ones who came out of Egypt with Moses their leader." vs. 16
Can you imagine walking across the Red Sea? That would be pretty unforgettable. Most of us have seen some kind of depiction of it through the special effects of a movie and we have some context to compare it to. But these people couldn't have seen anything close to this. It was absolutely AMAZING! How Awesome!!! But... it was these people who rebelled.
Vs 17-20: "And who was it who made God angry for all those forty years? These same people who sinned and as a result died in the wilderness. And to whom was God speaking when he swore an oath that they could never go into the land he had promised his people? He was speaking to all those who disobeyed him. And why couldn't they go in?..."
You ready? Here's the root of rebellion... it's coming...
Can you imagine making God angry for forty years? Walking through the Red Sea, and then dying in the desert because of your sin? What could cause this? What horrible act???? What could enter the heart of a man that could cause him to be so foolish??
Here it is. Verse 19: "And why couldn't they go in? Because they didn't trust him."
The root of rebellion is a lack of trust. Lack of trust is the door through which the awful stench of rebellion comes in.
Why is it that so many hear the Good News, and walk away unchanged? Because they don't trust God. They perceive that there is some flaw in this great plan of His. Lack of trust is the first step in the hardening of the heart.
What about me? I know God has told me to do something. I'm hesitant though. I don't feel like I can do it. I feel like I don't have the skills. I'm worried about what people will think. Guess what these excuses are: Lack of trust.
Living a life of radical trust would be an awesome thing. To know each day that when God speaks to our heart, we jump headlong into what he commands. But, we tend to be a hard-hearted people.
This lack of trust in God is one of the greatest hinderances to the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship. Lack of trust causes us to worry. It causes us to try to mathematically figure things out on our own. All of that clogs the communication lines of heaven. It separates us from God. It is sin.
Lord, forgive me for my lack of trust in you. You've done awesome things in my life. In salvation you brought me through the Red Sea and out of the Slavery of my sin. That is an incredible miracle, one far greater than anything I can imagine. Help me to trust you more. Help me to recognize that my excuses open the door to my rebellion. Forgive me Lord. Help me to realize that when I don't trust those you've placed in authority over me, I'm opening the door to rebellion as well. Help me to radically live for you!
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, August 2, 2010
8.2.10 "The Alluring Bondage of Rebellion"
"The Alluring Bondage of Rebellion"
2 Chronicles 32:1 - 33:13
Romans 15:23 - 16:7
Psalm 25:12-22
Proverbs 20:16-18
Did you remember your "rebellious" stage? I'm sure almost everyone has had one in one form or another. My venture was nothing to brag about. Probably the most extreme was when I put my curly mullet into a ponytail, got a clip on earring about the size of a 50 cent piece with a bunch of dangly things on it. I walked into my dad's office to get a reaction from him. He glanced up said, "you look stupid" and went back to work. That was pretty much the end of that.
Your memories of rebellion may be more current in your dealings with rebellious children, or more painful of past relationships lost through rebellion.
What is it about rebellion? "No one's going to tell ME what to do!" There's something within that drives an individual to push against what they perceive to be constraints placed upon them. The grass on the other side of the fence looks so tempting. It looks so free over there on the other side. Yet, the irony is, no matter what the circumstances, the fruit of rebellion is bondage.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says "there is nothing new under the sun." The rebels and anarchists of today would do well to look at the rebels of the past. It would probably take the wind out of their sails to know that this rebellion of theirs isn't anything new.
This is illustrated in the life of Manasseh. His father Hezekiah was a great king. He led the nation to worship God, and was incredibly blessed. He destroyed the heathen idols throughout the land. He had his moments of failure, but did all he could to keep the nation pure. His son Manasseh was only 12 when he became king, and he would have nothing of the Law of God. 2 Chron 13:9 says, "Manasseh encouraged the people of Judah and Jerusalem to do even more evil than the nations the Lord destroyed when Israel entered the land."
Verse 7 says, "Think of it! He placed an idol in the very Temple of God, where God has told David and his son Solomon, ' I will be honored here in this Temple... And if you will only obey my commands... I won't ever again exile Israel..." Because we are so used to it, we don't realize how appalling and ridiculous rebellion is.
I heard rebellion described as a police chase we watch on TV. We see the 'rebel' running, but you know how it's going to end. The rebel wont get away.
For Manasseh, the fruit of his rebellion comes in verse 11. "So God sent the Assyrian armies, and they seized him with hooks and bound him with bronze chains and carted him away to Babylon." I've never smoked, but some that I know who do started as an act of rebellion. Well, now there's hooks and chains that have them addicted. Look at the rebel now. There's no freedom there. Think of the many other vices.
John Bevere says in his series "Under Cover", "There is bondage in rebellion, but freedom in submission." Isn't that quite the paradox? Sometimes I find humor in God's ways. So many times we feel the "constraint" of scripture that doesn't allow us to do what we want. And yet, doing what we want will place us in bondage. You tell me who was more free. Hezekiah, who obeyed the Lord, or Manasseh who did what he wanted?
You want to experience freedom? Don't hang around the "fence" of God's commands. Don't try to see how much you can get away with. Instead, enjoy the immense pastures of blessing that are found in obeying his will and his direction. Don't flirt with rebelling against the leaders God has placed in your life. That will lead to the same bondage Manasseh found himself in.
In 2 Chron. 32:12-13, Manasseh "came to his senses and cried out humbly to God for help. And the Lord listened..." If you find yourself in bondage as a result of rebelling against the direction of the Lord, cry out to him today.
In today's Psalm 25:12-14 it says, "Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best. He shall live within God's circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth. Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises."
Stay away from the fence line of rebellion, and run free in the circle of God's blessing!
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 32:1 - 33:13
Romans 15:23 - 16:7
Psalm 25:12-22
Proverbs 20:16-18
Did you remember your "rebellious" stage? I'm sure almost everyone has had one in one form or another. My venture was nothing to brag about. Probably the most extreme was when I put my curly mullet into a ponytail, got a clip on earring about the size of a 50 cent piece with a bunch of dangly things on it. I walked into my dad's office to get a reaction from him. He glanced up said, "you look stupid" and went back to work. That was pretty much the end of that.
Your memories of rebellion may be more current in your dealings with rebellious children, or more painful of past relationships lost through rebellion.
What is it about rebellion? "No one's going to tell ME what to do!" There's something within that drives an individual to push against what they perceive to be constraints placed upon them. The grass on the other side of the fence looks so tempting. It looks so free over there on the other side. Yet, the irony is, no matter what the circumstances, the fruit of rebellion is bondage.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says "there is nothing new under the sun." The rebels and anarchists of today would do well to look at the rebels of the past. It would probably take the wind out of their sails to know that this rebellion of theirs isn't anything new.
This is illustrated in the life of Manasseh. His father Hezekiah was a great king. He led the nation to worship God, and was incredibly blessed. He destroyed the heathen idols throughout the land. He had his moments of failure, but did all he could to keep the nation pure. His son Manasseh was only 12 when he became king, and he would have nothing of the Law of God. 2 Chron 13:9 says, "Manasseh encouraged the people of Judah and Jerusalem to do even more evil than the nations the Lord destroyed when Israel entered the land."
Verse 7 says, "Think of it! He placed an idol in the very Temple of God, where God has told David and his son Solomon, ' I will be honored here in this Temple... And if you will only obey my commands... I won't ever again exile Israel..." Because we are so used to it, we don't realize how appalling and ridiculous rebellion is.
I heard rebellion described as a police chase we watch on TV. We see the 'rebel' running, but you know how it's going to end. The rebel wont get away.
For Manasseh, the fruit of his rebellion comes in verse 11. "So God sent the Assyrian armies, and they seized him with hooks and bound him with bronze chains and carted him away to Babylon." I've never smoked, but some that I know who do started as an act of rebellion. Well, now there's hooks and chains that have them addicted. Look at the rebel now. There's no freedom there. Think of the many other vices.
John Bevere says in his series "Under Cover", "There is bondage in rebellion, but freedom in submission." Isn't that quite the paradox? Sometimes I find humor in God's ways. So many times we feel the "constraint" of scripture that doesn't allow us to do what we want. And yet, doing what we want will place us in bondage. You tell me who was more free. Hezekiah, who obeyed the Lord, or Manasseh who did what he wanted?
You want to experience freedom? Don't hang around the "fence" of God's commands. Don't try to see how much you can get away with. Instead, enjoy the immense pastures of blessing that are found in obeying his will and his direction. Don't flirt with rebelling against the leaders God has placed in your life. That will lead to the same bondage Manasseh found himself in.
In 2 Chron. 32:12-13, Manasseh "came to his senses and cried out humbly to God for help. And the Lord listened..." If you find yourself in bondage as a result of rebelling against the direction of the Lord, cry out to him today.
In today's Psalm 25:12-14 it says, "Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best. He shall live within God's circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth. Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises."
Stay away from the fence line of rebellion, and run free in the circle of God's blessing!
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, July 4, 2010
7.4.10 "Freedom"
"Freedom"
2 Kings 23:31-25:30
Acts 22:17 - 23:10
Psalm 2:1-12
Proverbs 18:13
Happy 4th of July! We have so much to rejoice in this day. I hope that in this day of patriotic celebration we don't forget to celebrate our spiritual freedom. This makes total sense to us, but to many more than we like to admit, there's a different perspective. Unfortunately, many view freedom as the opportunity to rebel against God.
This is nothing new to God, though. Look at the reading from Psalm 2 today:
Psalm 2:1,3 "What fools the nations are to rage against the Lord! How strange that men should try to outwit God! 'Come, let us break his chains,' they say, 'and free ourselves from all this slavery to God.'"
For Christ followers, we know that when we are walking in obedience to God's commands, there is true freedom for the soul. We have two small dogs. They love to run around in the back yard. They're now to the point that I can let them do that without leashes because they "know" the boundaries. If they "rebel", they will only find themselves leashed once again. How's that for freedom? They love to go for rides in the car and beg me to roll their window down. Once I was making a quick trip to the gas station and Fozzie was enjoying the freedom of the window down so much he figured he should jump through it and see what that was like... Yes, he jumped out the window at 25mph... Not the smartest use of freedom. (He was confused, but fine...) Now I will not be able to trust him with complete freedom regarding the window...
We know that true freedom is found in right relationship with God. The great deception of sin is that there is freedom in rebellion. Not so. Freedom is only found in submission to the plan of God. Within those boundaries there is plenty of room to run free.
"O kings and rulers of the earth, listen while there is still time. Serve the Lord with reverent fear; rejoice with trembling... But oh, the joys of those who put their trust in him!" Psalm 2:10-12
A tremendous price was paid for our spiritual freedom, and for the freedom of this land.
The end of "Saving Private Ryan", a war movie, moved me to tears. It was the story of a soldier giving his life for the safe return of another. The final scene had a pose of the soldier looking over the dead body of the one who saved his life, then with special effects, he "aged" and it switched to him looking at the grave 50 years later. He made a statement something to the effect of "I have my family with me today... I'll never forget what you've done for me. I hope I've lived a life worthy of the price you paid."
This Independence Day, we each need to say the same thing as we pause to remember the white crosses in the field, and the cross of Christ. I pray that each of us will stand before the Lord someday and say, "I have my family with me today... I'll never forget what you've done for me. I hope I've lived a life worthy of the price you paid."
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 23:31-25:30
Acts 22:17 - 23:10
Psalm 2:1-12
Proverbs 18:13
Happy 4th of July! We have so much to rejoice in this day. I hope that in this day of patriotic celebration we don't forget to celebrate our spiritual freedom. This makes total sense to us, but to many more than we like to admit, there's a different perspective. Unfortunately, many view freedom as the opportunity to rebel against God.
This is nothing new to God, though. Look at the reading from Psalm 2 today:
Psalm 2:1,3 "What fools the nations are to rage against the Lord! How strange that men should try to outwit God! 'Come, let us break his chains,' they say, 'and free ourselves from all this slavery to God.'"
For Christ followers, we know that when we are walking in obedience to God's commands, there is true freedom for the soul. We have two small dogs. They love to run around in the back yard. They're now to the point that I can let them do that without leashes because they "know" the boundaries. If they "rebel", they will only find themselves leashed once again. How's that for freedom? They love to go for rides in the car and beg me to roll their window down. Once I was making a quick trip to the gas station and Fozzie was enjoying the freedom of the window down so much he figured he should jump through it and see what that was like... Yes, he jumped out the window at 25mph... Not the smartest use of freedom. (He was confused, but fine...) Now I will not be able to trust him with complete freedom regarding the window...
We know that true freedom is found in right relationship with God. The great deception of sin is that there is freedom in rebellion. Not so. Freedom is only found in submission to the plan of God. Within those boundaries there is plenty of room to run free.
"O kings and rulers of the earth, listen while there is still time. Serve the Lord with reverent fear; rejoice with trembling... But oh, the joys of those who put their trust in him!" Psalm 2:10-12
A tremendous price was paid for our spiritual freedom, and for the freedom of this land.
The end of "Saving Private Ryan", a war movie, moved me to tears. It was the story of a soldier giving his life for the safe return of another. The final scene had a pose of the soldier looking over the dead body of the one who saved his life, then with special effects, he "aged" and it switched to him looking at the grave 50 years later. He made a statement something to the effect of "I have my family with me today... I'll never forget what you've done for me. I hope I've lived a life worthy of the price you paid."
This Independence Day, we each need to say the same thing as we pause to remember the white crosses in the field, and the cross of Christ. I pray that each of us will stand before the Lord someday and say, "I have my family with me today... I'll never forget what you've done for me. I hope I've lived a life worthy of the price you paid."
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, March 8, 2010
3.8.10 "The Poison of Rebellion"
"The Poison of Rebellion"
Numbers 10:1-11:23
Mark 14:1-21
Psalm 51:1-19
Proverbs 10:31-32
"The upright speak what is helpful; the wicked speak rebellion." (Prov. 10:32 TLB)
I was at a Christian men's seminar and I was walking behind a couple of guys who had bought some coffee from a missionary from Africa. One said, "I bought one for me & one for my boss cause I know he likes coffee." The other guy was genuinely surprised and said, "What? are you a brown-noser or something?"
That conversation had stuck in my mind for quite a bit. I had been thinking about godly principles that the enemy has distorted in the minds of so many. As an example, let's look at the DREAM principles, and compare them with the world's message:
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship - Obedience & Thanksgiving vs. It's all about Me - disobedience & I Deserve good things
Relationships Devoted to Unity - Submission vs. It's all about Me - rebellion - me first
Empowered through Biblical Training - Discipline vs. It's all about Me - No restraints
Active Ministry Involvement - Responsibility vs. It's all about Me - It's all mine
Mission to Reach our World for Christ - Purpose vs. It's all about Me - live for the moment
Obviously, there's a consistent theme in the world: It's all about me. Let's focus specifically on the principle of submission. People HATE that word! It is so distasteful to so many people. I'm not even talking about the unbeliever. I'm talking about Christians, and sometimes the "seasoned" Christian can have as much struggle in this area as anyone.
There is a fear of public opinion in the area of submission. Heaven forbid someone overhear us defending our boss when others are complaining about the leadership style. To complain about authority is "normal" in our culture. Sure, we put it in the disguise of "venting" as if there's a scriptural "right" to that. We don't realize that we spread the poison of rebellion.
What would happen if all believers took it upon themselves the objective of defending their leader? What would that do? Would the world notice? I'm kind of thinking they would. Some may be thinking, "Yeah, but you don't know my boss... he isn't even a Christian!" That doesn't make a difference. This should be a principle that is a part of who we are even if our boss is named Saul and he's throwing spears at us on a daily basis.
"The upright speak what is helpful; the wicked speak rebellion." Relationships Devoted to Unity is not just so the folks in the bible study get along. It's a principle that should effect every area of our life. Take an observers role today. Listen to conversations. Are they helpful or are they rebellious? Listen to the words that come out of your mouth.
"The upright speak what is helpful..."
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 10:1-11:23
Mark 14:1-21
Psalm 51:1-19
Proverbs 10:31-32
"The upright speak what is helpful; the wicked speak rebellion." (Prov. 10:32 TLB)
I was at a Christian men's seminar and I was walking behind a couple of guys who had bought some coffee from a missionary from Africa. One said, "I bought one for me & one for my boss cause I know he likes coffee." The other guy was genuinely surprised and said, "What? are you a brown-noser or something?"
That conversation had stuck in my mind for quite a bit. I had been thinking about godly principles that the enemy has distorted in the minds of so many. As an example, let's look at the DREAM principles, and compare them with the world's message:
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship - Obedience & Thanksgiving vs. It's all about Me - disobedience & I Deserve good things
Relationships Devoted to Unity - Submission vs. It's all about Me - rebellion - me first
Empowered through Biblical Training - Discipline vs. It's all about Me - No restraints
Active Ministry Involvement - Responsibility vs. It's all about Me - It's all mine
Mission to Reach our World for Christ - Purpose vs. It's all about Me - live for the moment
Obviously, there's a consistent theme in the world: It's all about me. Let's focus specifically on the principle of submission. People HATE that word! It is so distasteful to so many people. I'm not even talking about the unbeliever. I'm talking about Christians, and sometimes the "seasoned" Christian can have as much struggle in this area as anyone.
There is a fear of public opinion in the area of submission. Heaven forbid someone overhear us defending our boss when others are complaining about the leadership style. To complain about authority is "normal" in our culture. Sure, we put it in the disguise of "venting" as if there's a scriptural "right" to that. We don't realize that we spread the poison of rebellion.
What would happen if all believers took it upon themselves the objective of defending their leader? What would that do? Would the world notice? I'm kind of thinking they would. Some may be thinking, "Yeah, but you don't know my boss... he isn't even a Christian!" That doesn't make a difference. This should be a principle that is a part of who we are even if our boss is named Saul and he's throwing spears at us on a daily basis.
"The upright speak what is helpful; the wicked speak rebellion." Relationships Devoted to Unity is not just so the folks in the bible study get along. It's a principle that should effect every area of our life. Take an observers role today. Listen to conversations. Are they helpful or are they rebellious? Listen to the words that come out of your mouth.
"The upright speak what is helpful..."
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 2, 2009
8.2.9 "The Alluring Bondage of Rebellion"
"The Alluring Bondage of Rebellion"
2 Chronicles 32:1 - 33:13
Romans 15:23 - 16:7
Psalm 25:12-22
Proverbs 20:16-18
Did you remember your "rebellious" stage? I'm sure almost everyone has had one in one form or another. My venture was nothing to brag about. Probably the most extreme was when I put my curly mullet into a ponytail, got a clip on earring about the size of a 50 cent piece with a bunch of dangly things on it. I walked into my dad's office to get a reaction from him. He glanced up said, "you look stupid" and went back to work. That was pretty much the end of that.
Your memories of rebellion may be more current in your dealings with rebellious children, or more painful of past relationships lost through rebellion.
What is it about rebellion? "No one's going to tell ME what to do!" There's something within that drives an individual to push against what they perceive to be constraints placed upon them. The grass on the other side of the fence looks so tempting. It looks so free over there on the other side. Yet, the irony is, no matter what the circumstances, the fruit of rebellion is bondage.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says "there is nothing new under the sun." The rebels and anarchists of today would do well to look at the rebels of the past. It would probably take the wind out of their sails to know that this rebellion of theirs isn't anything new.
This is illustrated in the life of Manasseh. His father Hezekiah was a great king. He led the nation to worship God, and was incredibly blessed. He destroyed the heathen idols throughout the land. He had his moments of failure, but did all he could to keep the nation pure. His son Manasseh was only 12 when he became king, and he would have nothing of the Law of God. 2 Chron 13:9 says, "Manasseh encouraged the people of Judah and Jerusalem to do even more evil than the nations the Lord destroyed when Israel entered the land."
Verse 7 says, "Think of it! He placed an idol in the very Temple of God, where God has told David and his son Solomon, ' I will be honored here in this Temple... And if you will only obey my commands... I won't ever again exile Israel..." Because we are so used to it, we don't realize how appalling and ridiculous rebellion is.
I heard rebellion described as a police chase we watch on TV. We see the 'rebel' running, but you know how it's going to end. The rebel wont get away.
For Manasseh, the fruit of his rebellion comes in verse 11. "So God sent the Assyrian armies, and they seized him with hooks and bound him with bronze chains and carted him away to Babylon." I've never smoked, but some that I know who do started as an act of rebellion. Well, now there's hooks and chains that have them addicted. Look at the rebel now. There's no freedom there. Think of the many other vices.
John Bevere says in his series "Under Cover", "There is bondage in rebellion, but freedom in submission." Isn't that quite the paradox? Sometimes I find humor in God's ways. So many times we feel the "constraint" of scripture that doesn't allow us to do what we want. And yet, doing what we want will place us in bondage. You tell me who was more free. Hezekiah, who obeyed the Lord, or Manasseh who did what he wanted?
You want to experience freedom? Don't hang around the "fence" of God's commands. Don't try to see how much you can get away with. Instead, enjoy the immense pastures of blessing that are found in obeying his will and his direction. Don't flirt with rebelling against the leaders God has placed in your life. That will lead to the same bondage Manasseh found himself in.
In 2 Chron. 32:12-13, Manasseh "came to his senses and cried out humbly to God for help. And the Lord listened..." If you find yourself in bondage as a result of rebelling against the direction of the Lord, cry out to him today.
In today's Psalm 25:12-14 it says, "Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best. He shall live within God's circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth. Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises."
Stay away from the fence line of rebellion, and run free in the circle of God's blessing!
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 32:1 - 33:13
Romans 15:23 - 16:7
Psalm 25:12-22
Proverbs 20:16-18
Did you remember your "rebellious" stage? I'm sure almost everyone has had one in one form or another. My venture was nothing to brag about. Probably the most extreme was when I put my curly mullet into a ponytail, got a clip on earring about the size of a 50 cent piece with a bunch of dangly things on it. I walked into my dad's office to get a reaction from him. He glanced up said, "you look stupid" and went back to work. That was pretty much the end of that.
Your memories of rebellion may be more current in your dealings with rebellious children, or more painful of past relationships lost through rebellion.
What is it about rebellion? "No one's going to tell ME what to do!" There's something within that drives an individual to push against what they perceive to be constraints placed upon them. The grass on the other side of the fence looks so tempting. It looks so free over there on the other side. Yet, the irony is, no matter what the circumstances, the fruit of rebellion is bondage.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says "there is nothing new under the sun." The rebels and anarchists of today would do well to look at the rebels of the past. It would probably take the wind out of their sails to know that this rebellion of theirs isn't anything new.
This is illustrated in the life of Manasseh. His father Hezekiah was a great king. He led the nation to worship God, and was incredibly blessed. He destroyed the heathen idols throughout the land. He had his moments of failure, but did all he could to keep the nation pure. His son Manasseh was only 12 when he became king, and he would have nothing of the Law of God. 2 Chron 13:9 says, "Manasseh encouraged the people of Judah and Jerusalem to do even more evil than the nations the Lord destroyed when Israel entered the land."
Verse 7 says, "Think of it! He placed an idol in the very Temple of God, where God has told David and his son Solomon, ' I will be honored here in this Temple... And if you will only obey my commands... I won't ever again exile Israel..." Because we are so used to it, we don't realize how appalling and ridiculous rebellion is.
I heard rebellion described as a police chase we watch on TV. We see the 'rebel' running, but you know how it's going to end. The rebel wont get away.
For Manasseh, the fruit of his rebellion comes in verse 11. "So God sent the Assyrian armies, and they seized him with hooks and bound him with bronze chains and carted him away to Babylon." I've never smoked, but some that I know who do started as an act of rebellion. Well, now there's hooks and chains that have them addicted. Look at the rebel now. There's no freedom there. Think of the many other vices.
John Bevere says in his series "Under Cover", "There is bondage in rebellion, but freedom in submission." Isn't that quite the paradox? Sometimes I find humor in God's ways. So many times we feel the "constraint" of scripture that doesn't allow us to do what we want. And yet, doing what we want will place us in bondage. You tell me who was more free. Hezekiah, who obeyed the Lord, or Manasseh who did what he wanted?
You want to experience freedom? Don't hang around the "fence" of God's commands. Don't try to see how much you can get away with. Instead, enjoy the immense pastures of blessing that are found in obeying his will and his direction. Don't flirt with rebelling against the leaders God has placed in your life. That will lead to the same bondage Manasseh found himself in.
In 2 Chron. 32:12-13, Manasseh "came to his senses and cried out humbly to God for help. And the Lord listened..." If you find yourself in bondage as a result of rebelling against the direction of the Lord, cry out to him today.
In today's Psalm 25:12-14 it says, "Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best. He shall live within God's circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth. Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises."
Stay away from the fence line of rebellion, and run free in the circle of God's blessing!
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, July 20, 2009
7.20.9 "The Bondage of Freedom or Bound to Be Free"
"The Bondage of Freedom or Bound to Be Free"
2 Chronicles 1:1- 3:17
Romans 6:1-23
Psalm 16:1-11
Proverbs 19:20-21
Romans 6:2 "Should we keep sinning when we don't have to?"
This trip through Romans has been very interesting. Paul writes with such a logical process to the Roman Christians. It reminds me of some of my early computer programing classes. Many of the calculations were "if-then" statements. (IF this is true, THEN this is true...) I had a Logical Philosophy class in college which Paul would have been a great teacher of, based on his teachings in Romans. I'm not as eloquent logically, so this DEVO may be hard to follow.
The concept of freedom is very paradoxical. For example, look at America. We are so proud of our freedom, but as individuals "do what's right in their own eyes", their freedom leads to bondage. In legal terms, Americans are "free" to drink alcohol, but how many are bound by alcoholism. When an alcoholic took his first drink and you asked him why, I'm sure there may have been a response something like, "Because I can! Nobody's telling ME what to do!" Yet if you ask him now it would probably be "Because I must!" Freedom? I don't think so.
Romans 6:16b says, "The one to whom you offer yourself - he will take you and be your master and you will be his slave."
Why is it that the "freedoms" of sin are so tempting? We love to please the flesh. We fool ourselves into thinking that our flesh is not really a master. Yet you know in your heart, that pleasing the flesh is exactly what satan hopes we do. As we please the flesh, we become a slave to it's desires.
So where is freedom found? Freedom is found in becoming a slave to God. Romans 6:16a says "Don't you realize that you can choose your own master? You can choose sin (with death) or else obedience (with acquittal)." verse 18 says, "and now you are free from your old master, sin; and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness."
Where is the line drawn between legalism and slavery to righteousness? That's a really tough question. Were we to legislate the conduct and behavior of every individual, it would be yet another form of bondage. But at the same time, being a slave to righteousness will dictate our conduct and behavior.
Bob Dylan sang the song, "You Gotta Serve Somebody". The line was, "Well, it may be the devil, or it may be the Lord, but you gotta serve somebody!"
The fact is this: you ARE a slave. But, you have a choice to whom you will be a slave to. Look at the benefits package of both sin and righteousness. Make no mistake. If sin wasn't fun, no one would do it. It does please the flesh. So, why not sin? Because you become a slave to it. Period. There's no exception.
We must commit ourselves to be slaves to God. In doing that, it becomes like Romans 6:6 "Your old evil desires were nailed to the cross with him; that part of you that loves to sin was crushed and fatally wounded, so that your sin-loving body is no longer under sin's control, no longer needs to be a slave to sin."
A friend of mine who was freed from an addiction wrote the following:
Sometimes my body aches, but my heart, spirit, mind, and conscience
rejoice. This makes the score 4 to 1 against the flesh, as I see it.
Yet the flesh is a heavy hitter. It will try to get me to trade scores:
"I can make you feel great!" When we're a slave to sin, this lie works
so well, and I often traded what I knew was right for what I knew was
wrong. After we're away from the flesh for awhile, though, the mind,
heart, spirit, and conscience not only recognize the lie (I recognized it
even when I was in the middle of sin, but still made the trade) but they
now begin to ask, "Is this worth it?" The spirit gains more and more
strength as time goes on and soon says, "It's not worth it today, this
week, this month, .... this year?!!??? " To me the key to no longer
being a slave to sin is to get away from it for awhile completely. Time
is the key to growing stronger, with the Lord's power, of course. The
devil will try to sift as wheat, but if we can make it through a sifting
or 2, suddenly we see a faint light, a spark at the end of the tunnel.
For me, when I saw the spark, I lit out for it, wanted the light. Now
the light shines, and the flesh is no longer the slave driver. Christ
bought me as His slave and offers me the papers of freedom. I don't want
them! Keep me as yours, Lord!
Psalm 16:8 says, "I am always thinking of the Lord; and because he is so near, I never need to stumble or to fall." Keeping our mind on Christ keeps us from sin.
Christians need to be reminded of this. Too often there is a flirting with the slavery of sin. There is willful bondage.
To truly be free, find freedom in Christ your master. Your conduct may seem constrained, but your heart will be free. This is a daily choice. Romans 6:22,23 "But now you are free from the power of sin and are slaves of God, and his benefits to you include holiness and everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
I am free in 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 Chronicles 1:1- 3:17
Romans 6:1-23
Psalm 16:1-11
Proverbs 19:20-21
Romans 6:2 "Should we keep sinning when we don't have to?"
This trip through Romans has been very interesting. Paul writes with such a logical process to the Roman Christians. It reminds me of some of my early computer programing classes. Many of the calculations were "if-then" statements. (IF this is true, THEN this is true...) I had a Logical Philosophy class in college which Paul would have been a great teacher of, based on his teachings in Romans. I'm not as eloquent logically, so this DEVO may be hard to follow.
The concept of freedom is very paradoxical. For example, look at America. We are so proud of our freedom, but as individuals "do what's right in their own eyes", their freedom leads to bondage. In legal terms, Americans are "free" to drink alcohol, but how many are bound by alcoholism. When an alcoholic took his first drink and you asked him why, I'm sure there may have been a response something like, "Because I can! Nobody's telling ME what to do!" Yet if you ask him now it would probably be "Because I must!" Freedom? I don't think so.
Romans 6:16b says, "The one to whom you offer yourself - he will take you and be your master and you will be his slave."
Why is it that the "freedoms" of sin are so tempting? We love to please the flesh. We fool ourselves into thinking that our flesh is not really a master. Yet you know in your heart, that pleasing the flesh is exactly what satan hopes we do. As we please the flesh, we become a slave to it's desires.
So where is freedom found? Freedom is found in becoming a slave to God. Romans 6:16a says "Don't you realize that you can choose your own master? You can choose sin (with death) or else obedience (with acquittal)." verse 18 says, "and now you are free from your old master, sin; and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness."
Where is the line drawn between legalism and slavery to righteousness? That's a really tough question. Were we to legislate the conduct and behavior of every individual, it would be yet another form of bondage. But at the same time, being a slave to righteousness will dictate our conduct and behavior.
Bob Dylan sang the song, "You Gotta Serve Somebody". The line was, "Well, it may be the devil, or it may be the Lord, but you gotta serve somebody!"
The fact is this: you ARE a slave. But, you have a choice to whom you will be a slave to. Look at the benefits package of both sin and righteousness. Make no mistake. If sin wasn't fun, no one would do it. It does please the flesh. So, why not sin? Because you become a slave to it. Period. There's no exception.
We must commit ourselves to be slaves to God. In doing that, it becomes like Romans 6:6 "Your old evil desires were nailed to the cross with him; that part of you that loves to sin was crushed and fatally wounded, so that your sin-loving body is no longer under sin's control, no longer needs to be a slave to sin."
A friend of mine who was freed from an addiction wrote the following:
Sometimes my body aches, but my heart, spirit, mind, and conscience
rejoice. This makes the score 4 to 1 against the flesh, as I see it.
Yet the flesh is a heavy hitter. It will try to get me to trade scores:
"I can make you feel great!" When we're a slave to sin, this lie works
so well, and I often traded what I knew was right for what I knew was
wrong. After we're away from the flesh for awhile, though, the mind,
heart, spirit, and conscience not only recognize the lie (I recognized it
even when I was in the middle of sin, but still made the trade) but they
now begin to ask, "Is this worth it?" The spirit gains more and more
strength as time goes on and soon says, "It's not worth it today, this
week, this month, .... this year?!!??? " To me the key to no longer
being a slave to sin is to get away from it for awhile completely. Time
is the key to growing stronger, with the Lord's power, of course. The
devil will try to sift as wheat, but if we can make it through a sifting
or 2, suddenly we see a faint light, a spark at the end of the tunnel.
For me, when I saw the spark, I lit out for it, wanted the light. Now
the light shines, and the flesh is no longer the slave driver. Christ
bought me as His slave and offers me the papers of freedom. I don't want
them! Keep me as yours, Lord!
Psalm 16:8 says, "I am always thinking of the Lord; and because he is so near, I never need to stumble or to fall." Keeping our mind on Christ keeps us from sin.
Christians need to be reminded of this. Too often there is a flirting with the slavery of sin. There is willful bondage.
To truly be free, find freedom in Christ your master. Your conduct may seem constrained, but your heart will be free. This is a daily choice. Romans 6:22,23 "But now you are free from the power of sin and are slaves of God, and his benefits to you include holiness and everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
I am free in 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, August 2, 2008
8.2.8 "The Alluring Bondage of Rebellion"
"The Alluring Bondage of Rebellion"
2 Chronicles 32:1 - 33:13
Romans 15:23 - 16:7
Psalm 25:12-22
Proverbs 20:16-18
Did you remember your "rebellious" stage? I'm sure almost everyone has had one in one form or another. My venture was nothing to brag about. probably the most extreme was when I put my curly mullet into a ponytail, got a clip on earring about the size of a 50 cent piece with a bunch of dangly things on it. I walked into my dad's office to get a reaction from him. He glanced up said, "you look stupid" and went back to work. That was pretty much the end of that.
Your memories of rebellion may be more current in your dealings with rebellious children, or more painful of past relationships lost through rebellion.
What is it about rebellion? "No one's going to tell ME what to do!" There's something within that drives an individual to push against what they perceive to be constraints placed upon them. The grass on the other side of the fence looks so tempting. It looks so free over there on the other side. Yet, the irony is, no matter what the circumstances, the fruit of rebellion is bondage.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says "there is nothing new under the sun." The rebels and anarchists of today would do well to look at the rebels of the past. It would probably take the wind out of their sails to know that this rebellion of theirs isn't anything new.
This is illustrated in the life of Manasseh. His father Hezekiah was a great king. He led the nation to worship God, and was incredibly blessed. He destroyed the heathen idols throughout the land. He had his moments of failure, but did all he could to keep the nation pure. His son Manasseh was only 12 when he became king, and he would have nothing of the Law of God. 2 Chron 13:9 says, "Manasseh encouraged the people of Judah and Jerusalem to do even more evil than the nations the Lord destroyed when Israel entered the land."
Verse 7 says, "Think of it! He placed and idol in the very Temple of God, where God has told David and his son Solomon, ' I will be honored here in this Temple... And if you will only obey my commands... I won't ever again exile Israel..." Because we are so used to it, we don't realize how appalling and ridiculous rebellion is.
I heard rebellion described as a police chase we watch on TV. We see the 'rebel' running, but you know how it's going to end. The rebel wont get away.
For Manasseh, the fruit of his rebellion comes in verse 11. "So God sent the Assyrian armies, and they seized him with hooks and bound him with bronze chains and carted him away to Babylon." I've never smoked, but some that I know who do started as an act of rebellion. Well, now there's hooks and chains that have them addicted. Look at the rebel now. There's no freedom there. Think of the many other vices.
John Bevere says in his series "Under Cover", "There is bondage in rebellion, but freedom in submission." Isn't that quite the paradox? Sometimes I find humor in God's ways. So many times we feel the "constraint" of scripture that doesn't allow us to do what we want. And yet, doing what we want will place us in bondage. You tell me who was more free. Hezekiah, who obeyed the Lord, or Manasseh who did what he wanted?
You want to experience freedom? Don't hang around the "fence" of God's commands. Don't try to see how much you can get away with. Instead, enjoy the immense pastures of blessing that are found in obeying his will and his direction. Don't flirt with rebelling against the leaders God has placed in your life. That will lead to the same bondage Manasseh found himself in.
In 2 Chron. 32:12-13, Manasseh "came to his senses and cried out humbly to God for help. And the Lord listened..." If you find yourself in bondage as a result of rebelling against the direction of the Lord, cry out to him today.
In today's Psalm 25:12-14 it says, "where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best. He shall live within God's circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth. Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises."
Stay away from the fence line of rebellion, and run free in the circle of God's blessing!
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 32:1 - 33:13
Romans 15:23 - 16:7
Psalm 25:12-22
Proverbs 20:16-18
Did you remember your "rebellious" stage? I'm sure almost everyone has had one in one form or another. My venture was nothing to brag about. probably the most extreme was when I put my curly mullet into a ponytail, got a clip on earring about the size of a 50 cent piece with a bunch of dangly things on it. I walked into my dad's office to get a reaction from him. He glanced up said, "you look stupid" and went back to work. That was pretty much the end of that.
Your memories of rebellion may be more current in your dealings with rebellious children, or more painful of past relationships lost through rebellion.
What is it about rebellion? "No one's going to tell ME what to do!" There's something within that drives an individual to push against what they perceive to be constraints placed upon them. The grass on the other side of the fence looks so tempting. It looks so free over there on the other side. Yet, the irony is, no matter what the circumstances, the fruit of rebellion is bondage.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says "there is nothing new under the sun." The rebels and anarchists of today would do well to look at the rebels of the past. It would probably take the wind out of their sails to know that this rebellion of theirs isn't anything new.
This is illustrated in the life of Manasseh. His father Hezekiah was a great king. He led the nation to worship God, and was incredibly blessed. He destroyed the heathen idols throughout the land. He had his moments of failure, but did all he could to keep the nation pure. His son Manasseh was only 12 when he became king, and he would have nothing of the Law of God. 2 Chron 13:9 says, "Manasseh encouraged the people of Judah and Jerusalem to do even more evil than the nations the Lord destroyed when Israel entered the land."
Verse 7 says, "Think of it! He placed and idol in the very Temple of God, where God has told David and his son Solomon, ' I will be honored here in this Temple... And if you will only obey my commands... I won't ever again exile Israel..." Because we are so used to it, we don't realize how appalling and ridiculous rebellion is.
I heard rebellion described as a police chase we watch on TV. We see the 'rebel' running, but you know how it's going to end. The rebel wont get away.
For Manasseh, the fruit of his rebellion comes in verse 11. "So God sent the Assyrian armies, and they seized him with hooks and bound him with bronze chains and carted him away to Babylon." I've never smoked, but some that I know who do started as an act of rebellion. Well, now there's hooks and chains that have them addicted. Look at the rebel now. There's no freedom there. Think of the many other vices.
John Bevere says in his series "Under Cover", "There is bondage in rebellion, but freedom in submission." Isn't that quite the paradox? Sometimes I find humor in God's ways. So many times we feel the "constraint" of scripture that doesn't allow us to do what we want. And yet, doing what we want will place us in bondage. You tell me who was more free. Hezekiah, who obeyed the Lord, or Manasseh who did what he wanted?
You want to experience freedom? Don't hang around the "fence" of God's commands. Don't try to see how much you can get away with. Instead, enjoy the immense pastures of blessing that are found in obeying his will and his direction. Don't flirt with rebelling against the leaders God has placed in your life. That will lead to the same bondage Manasseh found himself in.
In 2 Chron. 32:12-13, Manasseh "came to his senses and cried out humbly to God for help. And the Lord listened..." If you find yourself in bondage as a result of rebelling against the direction of the Lord, cry out to him today.
In today's Psalm 25:12-14 it says, "where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best. He shall live within God's circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth. Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises."
Stay away from the fence line of rebellion, and run free in the circle of God's blessing!
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, May 29, 2008
5.29.8 "Sin Breaks Relationships"
"Sin Breaks Relationships"
2 Samuel 14:1-15:22
John 18:1-24
Psalm 119:96-112
Proverbs 16:8-9
I've been in a battle over the past couple years to keep a birds' nest away from under our deck. It was used by finches & robins, but I think I won and it's gone this year (not that the robin's didn't try!) When living under there, the robins would really get uptight when we were out here. Usually they'd holler at us from a distance, sometimes with a worm in their mouth because it's feeding time, and they don't want me anywhere around. One day my daughter said, "Dad, why can't we all just get along? Why can't the birds just come and play with us instead of being afraid?" I told her "that's the way things used to be." We talked about the Garden of Eden and how sin messed everything up. I can't say specifically that Adam and the robins played together, but I do know that sin breaks relationships.
In the chapters we read today in 2 Samuel, we discover the same truth. Sin breaks relationships. Remember what has already happened: Absolom killed his brother, Amnon who had raped his sister. As a result, Absolom fled, and was in exile for 3 years. The last verse in 2 Samuel 13 says, "David... longed day after day for fellowship with his son Absolom."
2 Samuel 14 is the story about how Joab, a general in David's army is so concerned about this broken relationship that he hires an actress to tell a story to get David's attention and to bring Absolom home. Well, David brings him home, but does not reconcile with him. There is a difference between restoring relationship and reconciling relationship.
Because there hasn't been reconciliation, Absalom actually stirs up a rebellion. 2 Sam 15:6 says, "So in this way Absalom stole the hearts of all the people of Israel." Once David hears about it, he takes his family and they flee.
In today's reading in John, Jesus is arrested in the garden. In John 18:4 it says, "Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him." What was going to happen to him? He was going to reconcile the broken relationship caused by sin.
There is a great cost with reconciliation. Most of the time it comes from the "offended" submitting to the need of the "offender". We offended God with our sin, so Jesus laid down his life for us. Sin not only breaks relationship with God, it breaks relationship with those around us. We need to lay down our pride, will and opinion, to reconcile those relationships as well.
Sin is a big deal! It comes at so great a cost! We don't realize the danger of just a "morsel" of sin. It causes damage to friends, families, even kingdoms. We need to obey the Word at all costs. Psalm 119:109 says, "My life hangs in the balance, but I will not give up obedience to your laws." We need to understand that urgency. Our very lives are at stake.
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 14:1-15:22
John 18:1-24
Psalm 119:96-112
Proverbs 16:8-9
I've been in a battle over the past couple years to keep a birds' nest away from under our deck. It was used by finches & robins, but I think I won and it's gone this year (not that the robin's didn't try!) When living under there, the robins would really get uptight when we were out here. Usually they'd holler at us from a distance, sometimes with a worm in their mouth because it's feeding time, and they don't want me anywhere around. One day my daughter said, "Dad, why can't we all just get along? Why can't the birds just come and play with us instead of being afraid?" I told her "that's the way things used to be." We talked about the Garden of Eden and how sin messed everything up. I can't say specifically that Adam and the robins played together, but I do know that sin breaks relationships.
In the chapters we read today in 2 Samuel, we discover the same truth. Sin breaks relationships. Remember what has already happened: Absolom killed his brother, Amnon who had raped his sister. As a result, Absolom fled, and was in exile for 3 years. The last verse in 2 Samuel 13 says, "David... longed day after day for fellowship with his son Absolom."
2 Samuel 14 is the story about how Joab, a general in David's army is so concerned about this broken relationship that he hires an actress to tell a story to get David's attention and to bring Absolom home. Well, David brings him home, but does not reconcile with him. There is a difference between restoring relationship and reconciling relationship.
Because there hasn't been reconciliation, Absalom actually stirs up a rebellion. 2 Sam 15:6 says, "So in this way Absalom stole the hearts of all the people of Israel." Once David hears about it, he takes his family and they flee.
In today's reading in John, Jesus is arrested in the garden. In John 18:4 it says, "Jesus fully realized all that was going to happen to him." What was going to happen to him? He was going to reconcile the broken relationship caused by sin.
There is a great cost with reconciliation. Most of the time it comes from the "offended" submitting to the need of the "offender". We offended God with our sin, so Jesus laid down his life for us. Sin not only breaks relationship with God, it breaks relationship with those around us. We need to lay down our pride, will and opinion, to reconcile those relationships as well.
Sin is a big deal! It comes at so great a cost! We don't realize the danger of just a "morsel" of sin. It causes damage to friends, families, even kingdoms. We need to obey the Word at all costs. Psalm 119:109 says, "My life hangs in the balance, but I will not give up obedience to your laws." We need to understand that urgency. Our very lives are at stake.
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, November 1, 2007
11.1.7 "The Root of Rebellion"
"The Root of Rebellion"
Ezekiel 1:1-3:15
Hebrews 3:1-19
Psalm 104:1-24
Proverbs 26:24-26
Are you a rebel? What is a rebel? We think of rebellious children who thumb their nose at their parent and do their own thing. I think of a time when I thought I'd impress my dad by putting my hair in a ponytail and putting on a gaudy clip-on earring. He looked up from his desk and said. "You look stupid." That was pretty much the end of that. What is rebellion? Well, we know it has something to do with an attitude toward authority.
"But now is the time. Never forget the warning, 'Today if you hear God's voice speaking to you, do not harden your hearts against him, as the people of Israel did when they rebelled against him in the desert.'" Hebrews 3:15
Those rebels in the desert. Remember that? From this verse we see that the people rebelled against God by hardening their hearts when he would speak to them. We live in quite a rebellious age. Hundreds and thousands of people hear the good news each week, and yet live their lives unchanged. Their hearts become hardened.
How does the heart become hard? Is it a conscious thought? "You know what? Today I'm going to harden my heart." Where does it come from?
Let's look at where it came from in the "Desert Rebels":
"And who were those people I speak of, who heard God's voice speaking to them, but then rebelled against him? They were the ones who came out of Egypt with Moses their leader." vs. 16
Can you imagine walking across the Red Sea? That would be pretty unforgettable. Most of us have seen some kind of depiction of it through the special effects of a movie and we have some context to compare it to. But these people couldn't have seen anything close to this. It was absolutely AMAZING! How Awesome!!! But... it was these people who rebelled.
Vs 17-20: "And who was it who made God angry for all those forty years? These same people who sinned and as a result died in the wilderness. And to whom was God speaking when he swore an oath that they could never go into the land he had promised his people? He was speaking to all those who disobeyed him. And why couldn't they go in?..."
You ready? Here's the root of rebellion... it's coming...
Can you imagine making God angry for forty years? Walking through the Red Sea, and then dying in the desert because of your sin? What could cause this? What horrible act???? What could enter the heart of a man that could cause him to be so foolish??
Here it is. Verse 19: "And why couldn't they go in? Because they didn't trust him."
The root of rebellion is a lack of trust. Lack of trust is the door through which the awful stench of rebellion comes in.
Why is it that so many hear the Good News, and walk away unchanged? Because they don't trust God. They perceive that there is some flaw in this great plan of His. Lack of trust is the first step in the hardening of the heart.
What about me? I know God has told me to do something. I'm hesitant though. I don't feel like I can do it. I feel like I don't have the skills. I'm worried about what people will think. Guess what these excuses are: Lack of trust.
Living a life of radical trust would be an awesome thing. To know each day that when God speaks to our heart, we jump headlong into what he commands. But, we tend to be a hard hearted people.
This lack of trust in God is one of the greatest hinderances to the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship. Lack of trust causes us to worry. It causes us to try to mathematically figure things out on our own. All of that clogs the communication lines of heaven. It separates us from God. It is sin.
Lord, forgive me for my lack of trust in you. You've done awesome things in my life. In salvation you brought me through the Red Sea and out of the Slavery of my sin. That is an incredible miracle, one far greater than anything I can imagine. Help me to trust you more. Help me to recognize that my excuses open the door to my rebellion. Forgive me Lord. Help me to realize that when I don't trust those you've placed in authority over me, I'm opening the door to rebellion as well. Help me to radically live for you!
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 1:1-3:15
Hebrews 3:1-19
Psalm 104:1-24
Proverbs 26:24-26
Are you a rebel? What is a rebel? We think of rebellious children who thumb their nose at their parent and do their own thing. I think of a time when I thought I'd impress my dad by putting my hair in a ponytail and putting on a gaudy clip-on earring. He looked up from his desk and said. "You look stupid." That was pretty much the end of that. What is rebellion? Well, we know it has something to do with an attitude toward authority.
"But now is the time. Never forget the warning, 'Today if you hear God's voice speaking to you, do not harden your hearts against him, as the people of Israel did when they rebelled against him in the desert.'" Hebrews 3:15
Those rebels in the desert. Remember that? From this verse we see that the people rebelled against God by hardening their hearts when he would speak to them. We live in quite a rebellious age. Hundreds and thousands of people hear the good news each week, and yet live their lives unchanged. Their hearts become hardened.
How does the heart become hard? Is it a conscious thought? "You know what? Today I'm going to harden my heart." Where does it come from?
Let's look at where it came from in the "Desert Rebels":
"And who were those people I speak of, who heard God's voice speaking to them, but then rebelled against him? They were the ones who came out of Egypt with Moses their leader." vs. 16
Can you imagine walking across the Red Sea? That would be pretty unforgettable. Most of us have seen some kind of depiction of it through the special effects of a movie and we have some context to compare it to. But these people couldn't have seen anything close to this. It was absolutely AMAZING! How Awesome!!! But... it was these people who rebelled.
Vs 17-20: "And who was it who made God angry for all those forty years? These same people who sinned and as a result died in the wilderness. And to whom was God speaking when he swore an oath that they could never go into the land he had promised his people? He was speaking to all those who disobeyed him. And why couldn't they go in?..."
You ready? Here's the root of rebellion... it's coming...
Can you imagine making God angry for forty years? Walking through the Red Sea, and then dying in the desert because of your sin? What could cause this? What horrible act???? What could enter the heart of a man that could cause him to be so foolish??
Here it is. Verse 19: "And why couldn't they go in? Because they didn't trust him."
The root of rebellion is a lack of trust. Lack of trust is the door through which the awful stench of rebellion comes in.
Why is it that so many hear the Good News, and walk away unchanged? Because they don't trust God. They perceive that there is some flaw in this great plan of His. Lack of trust is the first step in the hardening of the heart.
What about me? I know God has told me to do something. I'm hesitant though. I don't feel like I can do it. I feel like I don't have the skills. I'm worried about what people will think. Guess what these excuses are: Lack of trust.
Living a life of radical trust would be an awesome thing. To know each day that when God speaks to our heart, we jump headlong into what he commands. But, we tend to be a hard hearted people.
This lack of trust in God is one of the greatest hinderances to the Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship. Lack of trust causes us to worry. It causes us to try to mathematically figure things out on our own. All of that clogs the communication lines of heaven. It separates us from God. It is sin.
Lord, forgive me for my lack of trust in you. You've done awesome things in my life. In salvation you brought me through the Red Sea and out of the Slavery of my sin. That is an incredible miracle, one far greater than anything I can imagine. Help me to trust you more. Help me to recognize that my excuses open the door to my rebellion. Forgive me Lord. Help me to realize that when I don't trust those you've placed in authority over me, I'm opening the door to rebellion as well. Help me to radically live for you!
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
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
