A Look At Submission And Divine Command Ethics

Two concepts are on my mind this morning.

'Divine Command Ethics' - God tells us to do this and not to do that as individuals like He instructed Israel as a nation.

and

What some groups refer to as ESS (The Eternal Subordination of the Son) which paints the Son as eternally submitting to the Father instead of just taking on the role of a servant for a time in the incarnation, then being exalted by the Father and returning to a co-equal role and sitting on the throne with Him.

I see great linkages between these two concepts. Are we submitting for a time so that redemption can happen in time and space or are we submitted forever?

Do we force submission on others?

What kind of submission is expected in marriage and family? How is our Church leadership structured? If you are a man how do you see and treat women?

Big questions aren't they?

Evolution or natural selection says the fittest will survive. The weak will eventually bow down to the strong. Religion forces submission by divine decree but what is spiritual?

"You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you." - Galatians 5:4-8 ESV

"And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, 'If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.' " - Mark 9:35 ESV

Freedom is an interesting thing. The Israelites faced a crisis when they left Eygpt. It was a freedom crisis. They didn't have anyone to tell them what to do anymore. They asked for rules and God gave them rules because they had no capacity to look at Him and be led in freedom. That generation died in the wilderness.

"When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, 'It is finished,' and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." - John 19:30 ESV

Jesus obeyed the rules for us. He won our salvation and as a last act of submission, He fell backwards into the arms of God trusting that His Father would raise Him up again. Now He sits at the right hand of God and all those who believe sit there also because they are hidden in His victory forever.

"And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.' Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:4-7 ESV

We now have a capacity to willing humble ourselves also and not lose our dignity doing it. There is a crown waiting for all those who fall backwards into the arms of God in circumstances because Christ has finished the work of mandatory spiritual submission.

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Comparing Two Sendings

"The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, 'Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town...' " - Matthew 10:2-14 ESV

"And he said to them, 'Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe...' " - Mark 16:15-17 ESV

I am looking this morning at these two 'sendings'.

One takes place when the disciples are first chosen and the other happens years later after Christ's resurrection.

I am looking at the first sending like an internship. It is focused. It is within the culture. Jesus is going out also and doing the same thing.

The second sending is broad. These men are going to take what they learned in that focused time and bring it into all the world. Jesus is in Heaven now. They will now lead the mission.

Structured focus is very good for new people. People learn team dynamics. Just saying things like, 'We are all going to go out in small groups and then we will meet at the fountain at 1:15pm. Stay in your groups. Pray when someone else in your group is speaking to someone. Be led but be at the meeting place on time.' is so valuable.

People need this before they 'go into all the world' and leave their familiar culture and the relative safety of familiar surroundings.

"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin..." - Zechariah 4:10a NLT

Yes!

Not that the first sending was small. It was vital.

I'm praying that God would raise up leaders who have focused ministries so that others would be discipled and become leaders who want to go outside the walls and minister in far away lands.

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Bonds Formed In The Eye Of The Storm

I have been thinking on and off about 'friendship formation'. We have many acquaintances but strong friendship bonds seem to form more rarely.

The Apostle Paul describes himself and others like him as 'helpers of your joy' (see 2 Corinthians 1:24) and the Greek there is very interesting. The word 'helper' (synergos - Strong's G4904) is the word we get synergy from. The phrase 'your joy' is hymōn (Strong's G5216) chara (Strong's G5479). This joy isn't a feeling. It is rejoicing that happens because there is a reason to rejoice. The word could be translated 'the cause or occasion of joy'.

Here is the context. There is conflict in Corinth and Paul is correcting them and looking to God to find a balance out of love...

"For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. But I call God to witness against me - it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith. For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you." - 2 Corinthians 1:19 - 2:4 ESV

I am convinced that humor is intrinsically linked to pain and likewise friendship happens in shared conflict. People who survive something together have great friendship potential.

Grace Gospel preachers produce a 'field of friendship' around them because love is presented in the midst of the conflict that holiness produces in a fallen world.

People 'survived' encounters with Paul and His otherworldly message and became friends through that shared experience. They weren't necessarily friends with him. They became friends with God and each other.

Wartime produces the strongest bonds. That is why it is easier to make friends as children. Children are in the conflict of identity formation.

People want to avoid pain but the grapes need to be crushed in order for there to be wine. Likewise, love works in synergy with conflict to form friendships.

Grace is beautiful. It is God's unmerited favor expressed to mankind because of the work of Jesus Christ. A person who talks about it is going to stir things up but in the center of that storm there is an oasis that is 'an occasion of joy'. The lost are found and bonds are formed that can never be broken.

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Love That Is Manifested As Honor

I happen to love this chunk of scripture but I always remind myself that there are eleven chapters in Romans before Paul lays this out...

"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' To the contrary, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." - Romans 12:9-21 ESV

There is so much in there but this morning I am seeing 'love that is manifested as honor.' This honor that flows from genuine love sees something special in everyone. Each person is made in God's image and we can honor them in that. We can honor service through recognition. We can even show honor to those who have aligned themselves against us by not 'repaying evil for evil.'

Jesus really honors this next group and models honor in front of them...

"While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him... But He answered and said to the one who told Him, 'Who is My mother and who are My brothers?' And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, 'Here are My mother and My brothers! 'For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.' " - Matthew 12:46, 48-50 NKJV

God is revealed when we operate in premeditated honor.

Young men need to see honor manifested in older men. Men learn how to be leaders in an atmosphere of honor. A man who feels powerless has forgotten about honor.

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Come Unto Me

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28 ESV

"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love." - Ephesians 4:11-16 ESV

The Apostle Paul says a lot in the Ephesians passage but I see it all as pointing back to Jesus' 'Come unto me.' statement. Leadership is to bring people to Jesus. Leadership points people to Jesus. Leadership teaches people who Jesus is and how accessible His Is. It is always going to be needed because there are always people new to the faith or a generation coming up that need this kind of direction.

I can measure today's success very easily. Did I go to Jesus? Did I point people to myself, or themselves or to a gracious Saviour?

It is amazing how a person can wake up and be 'heavy ladened.' I'm going to Him and laying those burdens down. I suggest you do the same. They will only get heavier as the day goes on. He wants to be your burden bearer. He wants to wash your feet. He wants to spend the day with You.

Let's grow into this together.

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Lead Me

'Lead me.'

What a good prayer that is!

"Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me." - Psalm 5:8 ESV

"Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long." - Psalm 25:5 ESV

"Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!" - Psalm 43:3 ESV

"from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I," - Psalm 61:2 ESV

"Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!" - Psalm 143:10 ESV

Can we be led?

A prayer like this assumes that God will give guidance if we ask for it. It is a prayer of faith with an awareness of leadership and all that involves.

I'm praying this prayer this morning.

If he leads we will end up if places we would never be in any other way. We will meet people that He Is visiting.

His leading. His visitation. His will. His provision. His power. His plan. Our victory.

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We Have Toiled All Night But At Your Word

This is a passage that was spoken about at the men's getaway just a few days ago and it stuck with me...

"On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, 'Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.' And Simon answered, 'Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.' And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking." - Luke 5:1-6 ESV

If you have been fishing all night and have caught nothing the last thing you want to do is go back out.

This brings many things to mind but at the moment I am thinking about Godly leadership. Jesus asks to speak from their boat. He asks them to go out again. He doesn't demand it but He Is believing His Father in Heaven and speaking about divine things.

Who will talk about grace? Who will introduce God into the conversation? Who will say, 'Let us go out into the deep? I know it isn't convenient right now but I'm going let's go together'?

My outreach leader makes phone calls to the team every week on Saturday morning and if people are doing something else he just encourages them in what they are doing but that call means something. He is a man willing to stand in the boat and preach. He is willing to say, 'Let's launch out into the deep and fish.'

"They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, 'Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.' For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken..." - Luke 5:7-9 ESV

Peter said that then but he later became the man who stood up to preach when no one else would. Church history tells us that Peter died a martyr with great dignity as a man of faith and leadership.

Thank God for the men and women who are willing to talk about Jesus and say His name when everyone else just speaks in bland generalities of goodness and morality. Thank God for the people who will say, 'Let's go and see what fish the Father has waiting for us' just past our comfort zone.

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Some Thoughts On Ministry

Many thoughts this morning of ministry, vision and singular leadership.

"The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd." - Ecclesiastes 12:11 ESV

"The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church? He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil." - 1 Timothy 3:1-7 ESV

"For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain, but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it." - Titus 1:7-9 ESV

The word 'overseer' (sometimes translated Bishop) is a word linked with nurturing. The oversight is given for care to be administered.

A vision is something that must be nurtured. A ministry is not first and foremost an organizational term it is a vehicle for nurturing. God shares something with a person and that person experiences it as a 'vision'. That vision might be dramatic or it may be a quietly growing desire. Then the person makes choices. A vision can become a ministry. One of the confirmations of a vision is that other people walking with God in a nurtured relationship will give confirmation when something is truly of God. The 'vision' will have Biblical compatibility.

"And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them." - Acts 6:5-6 ESV

The Church is God's vision and it is an amazing one but we are all individual gardeners... nurturers... overseers... under the Master overseer of all. One person can nurture. Each of us can have a ministry as we are a part of a larger ministry.

What has God given you to nurture? If 'doing' is the focus then a shift needs to happen. If we are cut off from God's care what resources will we have to care for anything He has given us?

Let's draw near to God and nurture what He has given us. No condemnation, greed or envy just care for the precious things and people.

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Another Scoop

There is a market near where I work and a place in that market makes some wonderful rotisserie chicken wings. I went there last week and ordered six wings. The kind woman behind the counter smiled as she handed me the bag and said, 'I put in a few extra.'

It blessed me. The wings were delicious... especially the free ones.

As I read my booklet this morning this passage was quoted.

"Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching." - 1 Timothy 5:17 ESV

I decided to look into the Greek of the passage and see what 'double honor' meant and it basically translated into 'extra chicken wings with a smile'. The concept did at least. The Greek words would really actually be more like 'an extra scoop of value'. Wow.

I hesitate to speak of this passage because in a way a leader speaking about double honor is like a husband talking about how 'wives should honor their husband.' The motives can seem suspect. 'Why is this person saying this?' and 'What do they expect?' come to mind.

I love the concept of honor. It is a noble idea to place a high value on people. I have seen this applied in strange idolatrous ways and also in beautiful ones. Every human being is worthy of honor. To make a person know that their value is high is so vital and needed.

I like how the passage in 1 Timothy is worded. It doesn't say 'give double' it says, 'considered worthy of double' which is a mindset of adding value then adding more value.

Can we have honor between us? Can we say, 'You are valuable.' 'You are twice as valuable as you think you are.'?

If my honor is small then doubling it doesn't add very much. Zero multiplied by two is still zero. But, If our honor is great doubling it is a great blessing. Let's have great honor. If we see God as He Is will be in awe of His attributes. Then if we look at what He has done for people in Love our honor will be amplified again and again.

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Low To High

This morning I'm thinking of perspective and leadership because of this passage...

"Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:" - Ephesians 4:8-12 KJV

In a way, this concept is beyond us but Jesus 'fills all things' because He has experienced the lowest position and now occupies the highest position. Why would that be so? He was and is God. Still, This is what the Bible declares.

I find it interesting that God uses this concept to transition into talking about leadership. God's power structure for His Church isn't based on power or resources it is based on knowledge and perspective.

Jesus dove deep into humanity and after His death into Hell itself. He went where we are and then down to where the souls that died were and experienced what they experienced firsthand.

Now He has chosen leaders like that. He has men who came from the lowest places and commissioned them to talk about the highest loftiest truths. These people are gifts from a King who is seated on a throne.

"For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not." - Isaiah 53:2-3 ESV

Jesus didn't look like a King when He was on Earth and let's face it the men He sends often don't look like leaders. They are proclaimers, gatherers and teachers. The leadership is shepherd leadership. Instruction is the gift and it isn't always valued.

Jesus fills all things now. His experience spans the length and breadth of human experience and the gifts He gives are based on that experience.

The world is full of leaders. Every area has it's local and regional politics. People also claim spiritual leadership roles. Many who do aren't what they seem to be.

If I find a person winning souls I mark them as a leader. If a person gathers when everyone else is scattering... if words of wisdom point me to God and present Him as better than I thought He was and use the Bible as their text as pointing to Jesus as the reason they do what they do... if that is what is happening then there is the sense that those people are gifts from God.

If the One who fills all things is doing a work in the world I want to recognise and support that work. It may look like 'a root out of dry ground' but it is more than it appears to be.

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A Lesson On The Use Of Power

I am sitting here meditating on the 'use of power' and the 'leveraging of advantage' and my studies brought me to this passage.

"And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, 'Son of David, have mercy on me!' And Jesus stopped and said, 'Call him.' And they called the blind man, saying to him, 'Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.' And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' And the blind man said to him, 'Rabbi, let me recover my sight.' And Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your faith has made you well.' And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way." - Mark 10:46-52 ESV

Bartimaeus best power was his voice and his perseverance. We could even say that his voice was a tool to be used by his perseverance and that perseverance was his power. Listen to his words and what he asks for. He is looking to 'recover his sight'. That isn't passive. It is like he saying to Jesus, 'My sight is right there but it is just out of my reach. You can reach that far and hand it to me so I can use it again. Let me have it back so I can use it.' Then when Jesus did give it to him Bartimaeus used a new tool to follow Christ.

The disciples tried to use their power to maintain the status quo. They wanted quiet. They didn't want any trouble. They wanted to prevent something instead of see something happen. Blind Bartimaeus had faith but this situation revealed a lack of faith in the disciples.

Then we look at Jesus. He is a true leader. He has and executes what fictional leaders lack. I fear that our young people are learning leadership from movies, television and games and it is dangerous because they see results that are contrived and straw man (a weakened version of a person set up only so it can be shot down) competition that causes difficulties in life because real interactions won't follow the fictional model.

Jesus doesn't just heal Bartimaeus. He corrects His disciples and lets them do what we are to do also. We bring people to the King. We communicate the love of the King.

I like how Jesus says, 'Go your way.' to Bartimaeus. That is grace isn't it? Jesus gives this man what was out of reach and also gives him liberty. Bartimaeus decides that 'his way' will be to follow Jesus. If the disciples had their way he would still be blind but begging quietly.

How will we see disruption? Is it a problem to be prevented or is it an opportunity for redemption?

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Those Who Turn Many

Those who are wise shall shine...

"At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." - Daniel 12:1-3 ESV

'Those who turn many' is one word in Hebrew. It is 'rab' (Strong's H7227) and as an adjective, it means many, abounding in or 'more numerous than.' but it can also be used as a noun and as a noun it means Captain or leader.

Here is a different translation...

"And those teaching do shine as the brightness of the expanse, and those justifying the multitude as stars to the age and for ever." - Daniel 12:3 YLT

In other words... We provide leadership in presenting divine viewpoint and many turn to God. The term 'soul winner' sounds antiquated or religious to some but it is a good fit for what Daniel is proclaiming here. A person who has made it their mission to provide leadership in seeing many people turn to God and His righteousness. It isn't a person who pounds people over the head about their sin. It is the person who points to the graveyard and says, 'All those people are going to stand before God. Some will 'wake' to everlasting life and others to shame and everlasting contempt. Believe in Jesus, the righteous One, and you won't be ashamed.'

This isn't about a natural leadership gift. This brightness will be determined by a decision to live a life that gives others exposure to divine viewpoint. Anyone can shine. Shy people and outgoing ones... quiet and loud... intellectual and plain speaking people. We provide leadership through imparting wisdom and God does the turning.

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Invest With What We Have

'They gave me a chance when no one else would.' How many success stories have that pivotal point somewhere in the mix?

Trust pays great dividends but it also has great consequences if it is misplaced.

This weekend a was thinking about success stories and great tragedies. These were all things I witnessed with my own eyes. People I know or knew. Some damaged because a loved one trusted the wrong person. Some redeemed because a person made a decision not to 'know someone after the flesh' and 'give them a chance when no one else would' because of belief in a new identity even if that new identity wasn't visible yet.

"In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels I charge you to keep these rules without prejudging, doing nothing from partiality. Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands..." - 1 Timothy 5:21-22 ESV

'Laying on of hands' speaks of trust and promotion. I have seen men promote other men as a means of investment and it rarely goes well. If authority says, 'We trust this person. They have what is needed.' but they really don't that authority just gets undermined and people get hurt.

"The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is the slave of the lender." - Proverbs 22:7 ESV

I saw this passage in a new light this weekend. We give. If we lend then we are making a slave. God gave to those who could never pay Him back. No payment could ever be enough. Grace makes us givers because we have something to give. We never borrow to give. We only give what we have or we become slaves.

Trust works that way also. I can't trust if I have no trust but if I have trust I can trust. If we trust hoping to get something in return it is a counterfeit investment but if we see 'Aaron's rod' bud it means we have something. God gave life to that dead stick and it was a witness. We look for the same witness.

"Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will repay him for his deed." - Proverbs 19:17 ESV

Faith in God makes us rich in trust. We have something but we are wise in how we use it. If there is nothing there throwing trust at the situation isn't going to make something happen. But if there is something there... even if it is a smoking flax looking like it is just about to die we can gently use trust to coax that flame back to life.

I marvel at what God entrusts to man. He is amazing really.

Don't we all want to be people who, 'gave someone a chance when no one else would'? I do. I'm just not going to gamble with what doesn't belong to me. I will give away some, or even all, of what does and God has promised He will repay.

Hyper-spirituality is investing what I don't own. Pragmatism is being so poor that I can only operate by my 5 senses. Sowing seeds of grace words and trusting that they won't return void is the place where miracles can happen because God is present in the investment.

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Sevenfold Leadership

Last night at coffee we spoke about Jesus' amazing responses to people and the uniqueness of His, 'Come follow me' leadership.

We touched on a few of the subjects that we have discussed here in this early morning blog. I am always amazed at what God does. Nothing is wasted. Not only that... God has multiple uses for things he puts in our life.

"Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the LORD binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow." - Isaiah 30:26 ESV

I love this passage. It is a 'finished work' passage... seven always speaks of completion... creation and the rest that took place afterwards took seven days... so many sevens in the scripture.

The moon has the night time reflection of the sun. We could say the sun is just brighter but God makes it seem like all seven days worth of light are shining at once.

"When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, 'It is finished,' and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." - John 19:30 ESV

Jesus' whole full life was shining in this moment and it is our healing. It makes even our nights brighter.

Thank You God!

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Find Mercy

Many thoughts this morning.

One was, 'giving people assignments'...

Jesus did it here:

"And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?' But when he heard it, he said, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.' " - Matthew 9:11-13 ESV

Only a disciple has a desire to, 'Go learn.'

Learning about mercy is what separates the men from the boys.

The Pharisees sought to delegitimize Jesus as a teacher but Jesus gave them the essence of what a teacher Is.

Oh God... teach me mercy... it seems I need to relearn it again and again. Each time it becomes fresh I turn away from critiquing and focus on healing. Healing Is Your focus.

I want to be very careful who I give assignments to. It can really turn people off. At the same time I want to very available to God's assignments... finding mercy is always going to be one of His top priorities.

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Joab And Jonathan

This morning my thoughts linger on stooges, and not the three funny ones. There is a servant leadership but then there is one that is absent of grace. That leadership values expedience and uses leverage.

David's general Joab had stooges. This man was loyal to David but not to God. This passage takes place during a rebellion in Israel. Absolam, one of David's sons, was trying to take his father's throne by force...

"And Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was suspended between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. And a certain man saw it and told Joab, 'Behold, I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.' Joab said to the man who told him, 'What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.' But the man said to Joab, 'Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not reach out my hand against the king's son, for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, 'For my sake protect the young man Absalom.' On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his life (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.' Joab said, 'I will not waste time like this with you.' And he took three javelins in his hand and thrust them into the heart of Absalom while he was still alive in the oak. And ten young men, Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him and killed him." - 2 Samuel 18:9-15 ESV

The nameless man was loyal to God and King but Joab's stooges were loyal to Joab. If you are stooge then you will end up with blood on your hands and guilt in your heart.

There was another man who was a noble leader in Israel. He also had an armor bearer in a different war. Notice this man's dealings with him.

"Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, 'Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us, for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.' And his armor-bearer said to him, 'Do all that is in your heart. Do as you wish. Behold, I am with you heart and soul.' Then Jonathan said, 'Behold, we will cross over to the men, and we will show ourselves to them. If they say to us, 'Wait until we come to you,' then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. But if they say, 'Come up to us,' then we will go up, for the LORD has given them into our hand. And this shall be the sign to us.' So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines. And the Philistines said, 'Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.' And the men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armor-bearer and said, 'Come up to us, and we will show you a thing.' And Jonathan said to his armor-bearer, 'Come up after me, for the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel.' Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, and his armor-bearer after him. And they fell before Jonathan, and his armor-bearer killed them after him. And that first strike, which Jonathan and his armor-bearer made, killed about twenty men within as it were half a furrow's length in an acre of land. And there was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. The garrison and even the raiders trembled, the earth quaked, and it became a very great panic." - 1 Samuel 14:6-15 ESV

Jonathan's armor bearer was no stooge. Jonathan and this man had a grace collaboration. There was mutual respect. There was faith.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." - Ephesians 6:12 KJV

Our enemies are not flesh and blood but there is a spiritual warfare that wars against our life. Our love and support for one another makes a difference in that battle.

It is funny that there is often a Joab serving a David and that man is high up on the ladder of leadership. He can rise so high that he often comes between you and the King. We have to encounter these men in our life. We must be wise in how we deal with them. Exposure is not often a wise option. If we opt out entirely then we miss out on being with the king.

Loyalty to God first is primary. Men of God will have blind-spots as anointed words flow from their lips. God lets these Joabs stay in the mix. Perhaps it is a braking mechanism of some kind just as he allows tares to be sown in with the wheat. God knows why He allows these things. We often don't.

Joab deals with a nameless man in 2 Samuel chapter 18 and we learn about integrity by being witnesses to this conversation.

God let us be nameless but loyal people who honor You as we honor those with vision in our midst. As we honor our Heavenly king and resist the stooge mentality we trust that our conversation will make You visible in the world. Give us grace collaborators God. We cast away the Joab mentality. Let it be far from us. At the same time if we must work near that spirit give us creativity to give things over to You as situations arise. Thank You God. We worship You.

You will deal with the Joabs in good season.We want to live our lives with clean hands.

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Behold The Excellent God

Have you ever gone into a restaurant where the food is good and the service is good and think, 'Wow, This is how a restaurant can be if people really care.' The bathrooms are clean and nice. The staff doesn't treat you like you're invisible because they understand customer service and have set a high standard of excellence.

Or maybe it is a person's home. The style of decoration may be different but you are knocked over when you enter each room because of the care and taste these people have and the ability they have to express themselves in the way they keep their living environment.

Excellence. We can envy it or we can just have it ourselves and appreciate it without envy.

My God is an excellent God and He makes those that know Him excellent.

"And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day... And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth... And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day." - Genesis 1:3-5, 25-26, 31 KJV

Everyone in the world has value and every person is important but not everything is excellent. When you find something excellent you can appreciate it and it always has people or one person behind that excellence. If that influence wanes then the quality goes downhill.

The bathrooms aren't as clean. The recipes may be the same but the food isn't as hot and the waiters care more about talking to each other than they do about creating an experience for their guests.

{Sigh}

As I wake up this morning I'm tired and very aware of my frailty as a human being but I turn my face to an excellent unchanging God.

"Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy gentleness hath made me great." - 2 Samuel 22:36 KJV

Yes! Not just good. Greatness. Not just going through the motions. Creative excellence that stands out as cleaned, oiled and firing on all cylinders.

"Shake yourself from the dust and arise; be seated, O Jerusalem; loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion." - Isaiah 52:2 ESV

Shake off the bands of mediocrity. Arise and rest in the excellent God of all grace.

Let's joke and laugh and shake off the dust. Let's look in God's direction and behold His Majesty. Sure if we looked at the circumstances we might have reasons to be discouraged but let's look past the circumstances and gaze at a perfect throne where everything is in place just as it should be. It is the best of the best and we are transformed just by beholding it.

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--" - Ephesians 2:4-5 ESV

"Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise!" - Psalm 119:154 ESV

"My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!" - Psalm 119:25b ESV

We are quickened by grace. We can be quickened by truth.

Mediocrity isn't an option this morning. 'No' to that thinking. Oh God... We say 'Yes.' to you this morning. We look at you and marvel. Let the dust of accusation and depression be far from us. Let our faces be warm with the light of your presence this morning and all through the day. Thank you God. What would we be without You? You are our light and our salvation.

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The Leadership Of Grace

God always finds a voice. The Bible is full of accounts where this principle is revealed.

I've been thinking of Moses and his leadership style the last few days. It's funny how in an emergency some people rise up as leaders that would not normally be considered leaders. The fire alarm sounds and for those few moments a person becomes a leader because there is a crisis. Moses was that kind of leader. He was a voice that God raised up for the generation he was in.

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high," - Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV

Jesus wasn't filling in because it was an emergency. Jesus is leadership incarnate. He came as a servant. He heeded the voice of His Father in Heaven. He was responsive not reactive.

Perhaps our first response can be a reactive one. If we are not prepared we rely on crisis oriented leadership that just wants to get everyone to safety. But the voice that speaks to us isn't trying to corral us. Grace is more than that. It isn't just an emergency measure.

I need to hear His voice first in order to be prepared for life.

"Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them." - Hebrews 13:9 ESV

Moses was a provision for His generation. Jesus is the provision for every generation. He is my portion in this life. If I hear Him then I can respond crisis or no crisis.

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Rising In The Ranks

"Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king's place. There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind." - Ecclesiastes 4:13-16 ESV

Hidden in the book of Ecclesiastes is a passage where Solomon honors the memory of his father David. David was the wise Shepard boy who rose from humble beginnings to be king. Solomon could see the memory of his Father's reign fading from public consciousness and it troubled him.

Ecclesiastes is written from a backslidden man's perspective. Solomon was wise and he saw his father as wise. But we know David didn't get to be king because of his wisdom. Samuel anointed David to be king.

"Then Samuel said to Jesse, 'Are all your sons here?' And he said, 'There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.' And Samuel said to Jesse, 'Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.' And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, 'Arise, anoint him, for this is he.' Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward." - 1 Samuel 16:11-13a ESV

Solomon is a man who has lost something. He is wise but not discerning. He has a redemptive history but he misses the redeemer that is in his history. He is right about the fickle public and their short memory but he is wrong also.

David's time isn't over.

"I will rescue my flock; they shall no longer be a prey. And I will judge between sheep and sheep. And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the LORD; I have spoken." - Ezekiel 34:22-24 ESV

Ezekiel is written long after the reigns of David and Solomon. David has a future that is still in humanities future. The word prince there is the Hebrew word Nasiy (Strong's H5387) and it means a leader who is rising in the ranks.

If we look at ministry through tired eyes we see the short memory of people but if God gives us eagle eyes we see the rising in the ranks of grace. Burial always comes before resurrection.

When I think of those who have come before me I honor their memory knowing that not many others will but their ministry isn't over nor was it executed by some natural power or quality that they possessed themselves alone. They did what they did because of God's grace. Let's do what we do by God's grace also.

"The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful - for he cannot deny himself." - 2 Timothy 2:11-13 ESV

I don't want to be wise like Solomon was in the book of Ecclesiastes. I see that book as one that points out the traps of intellect divorced momentarily from divine perspective. I want to have the mind of Christ. He is the Alpha and Omega. He sees every moment based of the beginning and the end of time.

God give us your mind today. Let us not judge by what we see and hear only. Give us righteous gracious judgement that sees redemption as finished on the cross and sees our fellows based on what You have done and not what they have accomplished or where they have failed. Thank You God. Thank You for not leaving us stranded in time. Thank You for saving us from the trap of natural thinking. Thank You God.

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Some Spiritual Gift

Spiritual leaders have the privilege to impart something special.

"For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you - that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine." - Romans 1:9-12 ESV

This spiritual gift goes beyond time, care and words. It is an intangible 'something' that can't be replaced.

"Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." - 1 Timothy 4:14-16 ESV

We live in a time where this is downgraded and minimized. People can focus on falsehood and flaws to the point where this is lost but this is a real dynamic. It is a vital dynamic.

"Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." - James 5:14 ESV

Why does it say the elders? Can't anyone do this? No. Not just anyone. Not all the time. Some healings are a witness to the assembly that has gathered because of spiritual leadership.

"Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, 'You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,' and, 'The laborer deserves his wages.' Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses." - 1 Timothy 5:17-19 ESV

Spiritual leaders can't act alone. Most will anyway to the best of their ability. Like an ox they will lumber forward. A muzzled ox isn't going to be able to get to the places they need to go.

Double honor isn't for manipulation. No. Never. Not one time.

Double honor is the second look where you pause and say, 'This person has something special from God.' Then you act on that recognition. It isn't bowing and scraping. It isn't worship. Worship is for God alone. It is tangible lasting recognition and support.

Let's look at the first passage again.

"For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you - that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine." - Romans 1:9-12 ESV

Who is doing this? Who has this mindset? Only a few people do. There are only a handful of people that care for your soul and dig into the storehouse of their life to give something to you. Mark them. Take notice. Give support to them and i'm not just talking about money.

"For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain," - Titus 1:7 ESV

The Greek word translated overseer here is Episkopos (Strong's G1985) and it means 'one who is looking over' the situation. They are a person who sees past the natural. They are a shepherd who is planning past the present pasture to move the sheep into a safe harbor for the next season. They see beyond the marital and financial problem. They give eternal perspective. They yearn for expansion.

Yes. A spiritual leader has something to impart. Help them to get to where they are going. These are the kinds of things that will come up at the reward seat of Christ. It will matter then to God because it matters now.

God. Open our eyes to see beyond ourselves. Help us to be people who nourish a vision. Make us people who honor, love and support others. Give us a larger world that goes beyond our small circle and make us a blessing to those few who labor to make that circle larger and larger.

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