Hope is the confident assurance that someone benevolent has things under control. When the goodness of the person in charge is in question or the confidence that things will be handled correctly is shaken people lose hope.
A person without hope must rely on whatever resources are at hand. They will despair, compromise or just try to take control of what they can.
Control requires effort.
"For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." 2 Timothy 1:12 KJV
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Matthew 6:19-21 KJV
"By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Romans 5:2 KJV
Faith gives us access to the knowledge that we are the beneficiaries of God's goodness and care. Pure grace is very stable.
If our work has to contribute to any of this it casts a shadow on our hope. That hope can truly be eclipsed in peoples lives if the Gospel of Grace is tampered with. Why? Because control is then shifted from God to us... or to other people. Anyone but God will prove to be unreliable. Treasure must be stored in a safe place for the soul to be at rest.
"and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:5 ESV
The human part of God's plan has been finished by Jesus. When that is revealed to us and we mix faith with the reality of God's gracious nature and that His far reaching plan has taken care us us in life and in death our inner being rejoices and we desire God to be revealed to others.
The only thing on my spiritual to do list today is to believe. Our treasure is safe.
"Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." John 6:28-29 KJV
That is the 'obedience of the faith' that we are called to and we may even fail in that area and if we do we can say 'turn me and I will be turned.'
"Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief!' " Mark 9:24 ESV
A word of grace will restore our hope because it reestablishes who is in charge and the goodness of the One in charge. Every important thing that is ours is under His constant care.
"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Matthew 16:25-26 KJV
A believer in Christ has an anchor for the soul. Christ is the anchor of our soul and that anchor holds through every storm of life.
The Bible outlines God's plan for mankind from beginning to end. The future is safe. God has written all about what will be in broad strokes that no one can alter.
There is no need to live any part of the day with shadows cast over our hope. Our past is gone and our gracious God is in control of our present and our future. Our soul is safe. We can rest and worship from a place of rest.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Friday, June 7, 2013
Major on the Majors
I used to spend time down at the Bible college at night when I was taking classes in the 90's. For some of the slots that I had free I would walk people to their cars and hang out with Lloyd who worked security at the school and Church. What a graced out guy. He had eagle eyes (I'm sure he still does) and He knew all the characters in the area and around the Church.
Sometimes I would go with Him to the bank to do deposits for the Church and when we would ride there he listened to the police scanner. He was very edifying and safety was his ministry. He was keenly aware of danger and cared deeply for people.
Our Pastor however never spoke about the characters that sometimes wandered through the parking lot outside the Church and He never listened to the police scanner... Maybe because he had Lloyd and the others there to do that for Him. He spoke about hope, healing and missions. He talked about God, redemption and the Bible. He covered danger from the pulpit but the Church was made to feel like a safe place.
While danger must be addressed and it is important to address it. It can't be emphasized as a major emphasis.
The folks that are hurting in Oklahoma are no doubt talking a lot about the Tornado that devastated their homes and lives. Our hearts go out and our prayers go up for those folks. Tornado talk will go on for a while and then hopefully life will begin again and they will talk about it less and less. If it is the Tornado this.. and the Tornado that... and it goes on and on for years and decades in a household as a main topic of conversation it will be a sad household with few joyful pictures of children playing and water gun fights.
If there are burglaries in my area and people are having their homes broken into I will have a conversation about it with my family or more than one. We will lock the basement windows and not leave the garage door open but other than the precautions we will go on with our lives in peace and joy (and rebound). I'm not driving around my neighborhood with a police scanner and it won't be the main topic at dinner every night.
But, then again that is not my ministry. Not everyone has Lloyd's calling.
Paul lived His life under Roman rule. The Roman government was not kind. Individual freedom were not valued. The day to day news likely carried horrific stories about atrocities that would sicken us if we heard about them. You don't see much mentioned in Paul's writings. He exposed the cosmic system underneath the system you see on the surface.
He had better things to focus on.
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding." Romans 14:17-19 ESV
The kingdom of God is about peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Tares are a footnote... and so are false teachers and legalism and carnality. Bad government will pass away.
Satan and the whole demonic host is a footnote in history. Redemption and glory will be the main themes. Grace and mercy will be heavily emphasized. Much will be written about Jesus and people of faith functioning in faith and revealing eternal things in time and space.
Yes. The victors will write the history that is remembered. In this case the victor is the righteous judge and King of Kings.
By all means let us right wrongs and protect freedoms. Let's live wisely and safely. Let's clean up the messes that need to be cleaned up and help folks rebuild their lives. Too many are hungry and sick. Let's feed, help, love and bind up wounds. Let us showcase the eternal while doing it. Let's emphasize the safety we have in the Savior as a main topic. He is the one who will be remembered. If we make Him a footnote in our day to day conversation we have the whole thing upside down.
"Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." Luke 9:60 KJV
*A special thank you to all the Lloyds out there that make doing this possible
Sometimes I would go with Him to the bank to do deposits for the Church and when we would ride there he listened to the police scanner. He was very edifying and safety was his ministry. He was keenly aware of danger and cared deeply for people.
Our Pastor however never spoke about the characters that sometimes wandered through the parking lot outside the Church and He never listened to the police scanner... Maybe because he had Lloyd and the others there to do that for Him. He spoke about hope, healing and missions. He talked about God, redemption and the Bible. He covered danger from the pulpit but the Church was made to feel like a safe place.
While danger must be addressed and it is important to address it. It can't be emphasized as a major emphasis.
The folks that are hurting in Oklahoma are no doubt talking a lot about the Tornado that devastated their homes and lives. Our hearts go out and our prayers go up for those folks. Tornado talk will go on for a while and then hopefully life will begin again and they will talk about it less and less. If it is the Tornado this.. and the Tornado that... and it goes on and on for years and decades in a household as a main topic of conversation it will be a sad household with few joyful pictures of children playing and water gun fights.
If there are burglaries in my area and people are having their homes broken into I will have a conversation about it with my family or more than one. We will lock the basement windows and not leave the garage door open but other than the precautions we will go on with our lives in peace and joy (and rebound). I'm not driving around my neighborhood with a police scanner and it won't be the main topic at dinner every night.
But, then again that is not my ministry. Not everyone has Lloyd's calling.
Paul lived His life under Roman rule. The Roman government was not kind. Individual freedom were not valued. The day to day news likely carried horrific stories about atrocities that would sicken us if we heard about them. You don't see much mentioned in Paul's writings. He exposed the cosmic system underneath the system you see on the surface.
He had better things to focus on.
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding." Romans 14:17-19 ESV
The kingdom of God is about peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Tares are a footnote... and so are false teachers and legalism and carnality. Bad government will pass away.
Satan and the whole demonic host is a footnote in history. Redemption and glory will be the main themes. Grace and mercy will be heavily emphasized. Much will be written about Jesus and people of faith functioning in faith and revealing eternal things in time and space.
Yes. The victors will write the history that is remembered. In this case the victor is the righteous judge and King of Kings.
By all means let us right wrongs and protect freedoms. Let's live wisely and safely. Let's clean up the messes that need to be cleaned up and help folks rebuild their lives. Too many are hungry and sick. Let's feed, help, love and bind up wounds. Let us showcase the eternal while doing it. Let's emphasize the safety we have in the Savior as a main topic. He is the one who will be remembered. If we make Him a footnote in our day to day conversation we have the whole thing upside down.
"Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." Luke 9:60 KJV
*A special thank you to all the Lloyds out there that make doing this possible
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Greet and Love in Wisdom
"Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you. I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you." Romans 16:16-20 ESV
Wow. Have these verses been misused by many but they are so important to understand. We are not be naive. Naive people are easy marks. Grace has a certain sound and we are to listen for it. We are to become discerning of what is wholesome and eternal.
In the world at large and in the Church there are people who are very gifted but they divide and create obstacles. It is ignored because they are gifted. They are producers because of their natural talents and gifts so they are given leeway in their ministry of division.
The beautiful thing about grace and grace teaching is that it gently exposes evil for what it is without exploring evil in an infecting way. What the Bible teaches arms people with real armor without giving them nightmares. Grace gives security and unity. It providing a wall around our city while breaking down the middle wall of partition that separates us from experiencing communion with God and true fellowship with one another.
We are to greet one another with a holy kiss. Beware of those who want to whisper in your ear about why you shouldn't accept that one and why this one is disqualified. It is our God of peace who will crush Satan under our feet in due season. God doesn't use dividers as helpers in this process. Yes, there are tares mixed in the wheat... God knows all about it.
"Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith - to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen." Romans 16:25-27 ESV
The message is a message of strengthening and revealing what is true and wholesome. Light dispels darkness. We deal with darkness head on with light not whispers. We include. We love. We proclaim faith. Shepherds protect the sheep with a rod and they use the rod as needed. The message is one of safety. We call people to a city of refuge where they can live without fear. The door is still open to an Ark where they will be dry. The guilty need a payment for their sins. We all need a place where we can function in purity.
The grace message repels the predator who is hiding under a cloak of goodness because it says, "No one is good but God." and it invites the weak and damaged by saying, "No one is as good for you as God is."
Wow. Have these verses been misused by many but they are so important to understand. We are not be naive. Naive people are easy marks. Grace has a certain sound and we are to listen for it. We are to become discerning of what is wholesome and eternal.
In the world at large and in the Church there are people who are very gifted but they divide and create obstacles. It is ignored because they are gifted. They are producers because of their natural talents and gifts so they are given leeway in their ministry of division.
The beautiful thing about grace and grace teaching is that it gently exposes evil for what it is without exploring evil in an infecting way. What the Bible teaches arms people with real armor without giving them nightmares. Grace gives security and unity. It providing a wall around our city while breaking down the middle wall of partition that separates us from experiencing communion with God and true fellowship with one another.
We are to greet one another with a holy kiss. Beware of those who want to whisper in your ear about why you shouldn't accept that one and why this one is disqualified. It is our God of peace who will crush Satan under our feet in due season. God doesn't use dividers as helpers in this process. Yes, there are tares mixed in the wheat... God knows all about it.
"Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith - to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen." Romans 16:25-27 ESV
The message is a message of strengthening and revealing what is true and wholesome. Light dispels darkness. We deal with darkness head on with light not whispers. We include. We love. We proclaim faith. Shepherds protect the sheep with a rod and they use the rod as needed. The message is one of safety. We call people to a city of refuge where they can live without fear. The door is still open to an Ark where they will be dry. The guilty need a payment for their sins. We all need a place where we can function in purity.
The grace message repels the predator who is hiding under a cloak of goodness because it says, "No one is good but God." and it invites the weak and damaged by saying, "No one is as good for you as God is."
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Take a Flask of Oil
"To the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ" Ephesians 1:6-9 ESV
"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places" Ephesians 1:16-20 ESV
Wow. What have we gotten ourselves into?
Or better yet what has God gotten us into?
God wants to lavish love on us. He has already set up a 'trust fund' for us as children when we believed in Christ. Now He wants to open our eyes to the richness or the hope, the consequence of His exercised power and the scope of His Love as it is displayed in Christ.
"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ... But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut." Matthew 25:1-4, 9-10 ESV
In application... let's take wisdom and richness with us today so that in the circumstances of the day we will have what we need to have a path that is lit by God's light. Let's seek Him early... we won't regret that we did.
In the crisis or the triumph we can have the wisdom of an inheritance and the richness of a lavished love if we take the flask of oil with us on our journey.
"I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places" Ephesians 1:16-20 ESV
Wow. What have we gotten ourselves into?
Or better yet what has God gotten us into?
God wants to lavish love on us. He has already set up a 'trust fund' for us as children when we believed in Christ. Now He wants to open our eyes to the richness or the hope, the consequence of His exercised power and the scope of His Love as it is displayed in Christ.
"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ... But the wise answered, saying, 'Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut." Matthew 25:1-4, 9-10 ESV
In application... let's take wisdom and richness with us today so that in the circumstances of the day we will have what we need to have a path that is lit by God's light. Let's seek Him early... we won't regret that we did.
In the crisis or the triumph we can have the wisdom of an inheritance and the richness of a lavished love if we take the flask of oil with us on our journey.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
God Gave Us a Book
God gave mankind a book. Not a pamphlet or a paragraph... not a brochure or a manual. It isn't just filled with stories. or poems, or instructions, or legal information only. The Book is filled with so many things. It is long but not so lengthy that a man or woman can't read it cover to cover in a years time.
For one thing... what a loving gesture that is.
I have thought that all of creation is, in a way, god's 'illustration' for His divine masterpiece. All the people, animals, stars, tastes and sounds each person sees and manifold sights that no man has ever seen... all the distant sights around distant stars and microscopic sights are sights we just get glimpses of...
"Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." Luke 21:33; Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31 KJV
They can't be illustrations like we think of them. They are not printed in-between the covers as a permanent part of the book. The words will stay and these pictures will fade. The words will last and last and last. So will the the people who are made of the book. They also will last.
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." 1 Peter 1:23 KJV
"You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NKJV
Jesus is called the Word (see John 1) an He Is life. The Trinity is the author of our lives and Christ is the author of our faith and yet we are no dry characters in two dimensions. We are participants that God breathed His very life into. Amazing.
Last night. I was thinking about the things the Book is good for and what it is not good for. The list of what it is good for is long and varied.
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
Here is a good exhortation for us:
"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." 2 Timothy 4:1-2 ESV
Here is a good warning about the book:
"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." Revelation 22:18-19 ESV
Why? Because it is God's message and He doesn't want it tampered with or changed. He wants the instruments to retain their shape.
"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:12-13 NKJV
Grace reveals the Bible to be a scalpel and a sword. Grace shows us the smile on God's face. It reveals that the sword is for us and not against us.
"He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD." Isaiah 2:4-5 ESV
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." Matthew 10:16 KJV
The Book makes me a lover and a fighter. The Book is a sword of Life.
For one thing... what a loving gesture that is.
I have thought that all of creation is, in a way, god's 'illustration' for His divine masterpiece. All the people, animals, stars, tastes and sounds each person sees and manifold sights that no man has ever seen... all the distant sights around distant stars and microscopic sights are sights we just get glimpses of...
"Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." Luke 21:33; Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31 KJV
They can't be illustrations like we think of them. They are not printed in-between the covers as a permanent part of the book. The words will stay and these pictures will fade. The words will last and last and last. So will the the people who are made of the book. They also will last.
"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." 1 Peter 1:23 KJV
"You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NKJV
Jesus is called the Word (see John 1) an He Is life. The Trinity is the author of our lives and Christ is the author of our faith and yet we are no dry characters in two dimensions. We are participants that God breathed His very life into. Amazing.
Last night. I was thinking about the things the Book is good for and what it is not good for. The list of what it is good for is long and varied.
"All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." Timothy 3:16-17 ESV
Here is a good exhortation for us:
"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching." 2 Timothy 4:1-2 ESV
Here is a good warning about the book:
"I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." Revelation 22:18-19 ESV
Why? Because it is God's message and He doesn't want it tampered with or changed. He wants the instruments to retain their shape.
"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." Hebrews 4:12-13 NKJV
Grace reveals the Bible to be a scalpel and a sword. Grace shows us the smile on God's face. It reveals that the sword is for us and not against us.
"He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD." Isaiah 2:4-5 ESV
"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." Matthew 10:16 KJV
The Book makes me a lover and a fighter. The Book is a sword of Life.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Seeing the Pattern and Winning the Race
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 ESV
He speaks of the single mindedness of competition and yet in the verses before he extols the flexibility and adaptability of communication and identification.
"To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings." 1 Corinthians 9:21-23 ESV
Have you ever heard an athlete extol the virtues of perceived weakness?? If anything athletes (and fans) talk more 'smack' than any people on the planet. They ooze confidence and even belittle one another in humor to display the advantage.
Only one wins the race... only one... that part always sticks with me. Who is that one in light of scripture? Who won the race? Who finished the work? Who competed and reigns as victor.
Are we running to be the winner or are we running as winners because we see something from the above sight that I talked about in the previous post? I must have a single-mindedness like an athlete does, that is clea,r but what am I seeing? What is my focus? What is my victory?
"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" 1 John 5:4-5 ESV
Our victory is a finished work victory and our race is a finished work race. Only one wins... only one has won.
"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 KJV
Do we see it? If we see it and ask God we can have fire that does not consume the our frail human nature. We are like the burning bush that Moses saw... it puts off no smoke and remains fresh and unchanged by the flames. The source of it's light is vision and not human fuel. It is seen so that God can be heard.
"And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, ... And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain." Exodus 25:34, 40 ESV
Somehow God showed Moses how he saw the tabernacle and then Moses had that above sight and God added people who had His Spirit resting on them... divinely skilled people to do the work.
We see the pattern of a risen Savior in Heaven. A man who moved from person to person winning souls in the Gospel of John and now dons the golden crown. With that pattern the appearance of weakness does not threaten our victory.
God please take the victory we are standing in and place it on our heads this morning. Help us to speak faith and not let our natural dictate to us our state of mind. You are our victory. Quicken us. Give us mental fortitude apart from striving. Give us confidence apart from boasting. Help us to present grace apart from any hint of work. Let us live in the victory that has been won.
He speaks of the single mindedness of competition and yet in the verses before he extols the flexibility and adaptability of communication and identification.
"To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings." 1 Corinthians 9:21-23 ESV
Have you ever heard an athlete extol the virtues of perceived weakness?? If anything athletes (and fans) talk more 'smack' than any people on the planet. They ooze confidence and even belittle one another in humor to display the advantage.
Only one wins the race... only one... that part always sticks with me. Who is that one in light of scripture? Who won the race? Who finished the work? Who competed and reigns as victor.
Are we running to be the winner or are we running as winners because we see something from the above sight that I talked about in the previous post? I must have a single-mindedness like an athlete does, that is clea,r but what am I seeing? What is my focus? What is my victory?
"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" 1 John 5:4-5 ESV
Our victory is a finished work victory and our race is a finished work race. Only one wins... only one has won.
"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 KJV
Do we see it? If we see it and ask God we can have fire that does not consume the our frail human nature. We are like the burning bush that Moses saw... it puts off no smoke and remains fresh and unchanged by the flames. The source of it's light is vision and not human fuel. It is seen so that God can be heard.
"And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, ... And see that you make them after the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain." Exodus 25:34, 40 ESV
Somehow God showed Moses how he saw the tabernacle and then Moses had that above sight and God added people who had His Spirit resting on them... divinely skilled people to do the work.
We see the pattern of a risen Savior in Heaven. A man who moved from person to person winning souls in the Gospel of John and now dons the golden crown. With that pattern the appearance of weakness does not threaten our victory.
God please take the victory we are standing in and place it on our heads this morning. Help us to speak faith and not let our natural dictate to us our state of mind. You are our victory. Quicken us. Give us mental fortitude apart from striving. Give us confidence apart from boasting. Help us to present grace apart from any hint of work. Let us live in the victory that has been won.
Upper Vision
"It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do." 1 Timothy 3:1 NASB
Here is a rough re-translation of this verse that reveals some of the Greek used in the verse. 'This is a word of faith. If anyone stretches in yearning towards what God has shown them from above that beautiful enterprise will have passion from above.'
An overseer is a visionary. One who sees and one who feels. Something has been revealed from above and they have been given a birds-eye view of it. Heaven's viewpoint has been imparted to a man.
"An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)" 1 Timothy 3:2-5 NASB
This person must be a 'one woman' man. It isn't talking about the state of a marriage or necessity of marriage. It is talking about a loyalty of heart and mind.
The things listed are not requirements given like a checklist given in a job posting. God is not looking for strong men. He is saying that if a man has seen and desires to stretch out his arm to a work that is only possible by God's power there will be a passion and a stability and single mindedness that comes with that kind of endeavor. Stability will be produced because home life, the pursuit of pleasure, relationships with people and money have been revealed to come under the overarching importance of what God has done. The man has gotten a glimpse of the fact that God's will in Heaven can really be revealed in the Earth in some special way.
This man decides to give his life over for the cause that is produced by what he has seen. This man has seen a purpose greater than himself and his wants and needs and decides to put all his eggs in that basket.
Good administration will be needed to see the vision come to pass but it is not necessarily the order and organization of gifted administrator that is needed for the visionary. A person with those gifts can be added to the work as it unfolds. What is needed is the selfless life of a father who in grace leads his home and says, 'Our family is very important but we don't live for just ourselves. There are important things to do in life and we do them.' he doesn't have a 'I just want you to be happy attitude.' He says 'I have joy because I live for something bigger. I want you to have that joy and that dignity.' That man's children may not all embrace the vision of the family but it isn't because the vision has not been clearly set forth in grace. How can a man lead in the Church if he is not this way in the home? It will just be a job... God is not looking for more employees. He wants men who will see what He sees and not turn away from what they see. Men who will take the little strength they have and use it to stretch, not do, but stretch, yearn, dream and plan.
"and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." 1 Timothy 3:6-7 NASB
This person can't be too green. If they are they will confuse their ability with the work. They will take what God has shown them and write themselves into the script giving themselves titles and importance that just doesn't exist.
God's work is God's work. God's truth remains true with or without us. God uses us in spite of ourselves we add nothing. We are vessels of passion and we can be content to let God pour Himself into us and through us. If work is mingled in it will leave a place for the accuser to come in and condemn.
A visionary will see the value of perception. He will value what he sees and what others see. If he is so single minded that he runs over the people around him and the community he lives in he will be mocked and misunderstood. The endeavor given from God is a beautiful enterprise. The visionary becomes a communicator that imparts that beauty to others. He unveils what God has unveiled to him. His words and laid down life will produce a degree of respect in the community. Not everyone will feel that way. There are some who will oppose the work because it is a work of God. That is the way it is.
A visionary evangelizes people. He may not have the gift of evangelism but what he has seen is executed for the purpose of salvation and preservation. His individual gospel ministry will keep His vision in focus. His connection and desire to connect others to the above life is of utmost priority. Otherwise he will be bogged down in terrestrial details.
Let's not let the lists given in verses like these intimidate us. We are trees of righteousness. If grace shines on us and we refuse to turn away from it the new life in us will begin to stretch towards it like trees leaning and growing towards the sunlight. Our single mindedness is a series of choices we make not to turn away... even when other attractive sights demand our attention. Everything else will fall into place as we do the next thing by faith in the wisdom that is taught to us in the anointing. (see 1 John 2:27)
In grace God can show us His desires. Things that can be. Things that God wants to happen in the world. Any man can become a hero by grace. Christ in them is already heroic.
"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:9-10 KJV
Yes God. Your will be done. Give us upper vision and upper passion for what You have already accomplished and what it can mean in people's lives in foreign lands and right here in our own homes. It is a paradox that Christ's finished work reveals to us how much work there is to be done in the world. Open our eyes Lord to see You and to see what is only possible by faith.
Here is a rough re-translation of this verse that reveals some of the Greek used in the verse. 'This is a word of faith. If anyone stretches in yearning towards what God has shown them from above that beautiful enterprise will have passion from above.'
An overseer is a visionary. One who sees and one who feels. Something has been revealed from above and they have been given a birds-eye view of it. Heaven's viewpoint has been imparted to a man.
"An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)" 1 Timothy 3:2-5 NASB
This person must be a 'one woman' man. It isn't talking about the state of a marriage or necessity of marriage. It is talking about a loyalty of heart and mind.
The things listed are not requirements given like a checklist given in a job posting. God is not looking for strong men. He is saying that if a man has seen and desires to stretch out his arm to a work that is only possible by God's power there will be a passion and a stability and single mindedness that comes with that kind of endeavor. Stability will be produced because home life, the pursuit of pleasure, relationships with people and money have been revealed to come under the overarching importance of what God has done. The man has gotten a glimpse of the fact that God's will in Heaven can really be revealed in the Earth in some special way.
This man decides to give his life over for the cause that is produced by what he has seen. This man has seen a purpose greater than himself and his wants and needs and decides to put all his eggs in that basket.
Good administration will be needed to see the vision come to pass but it is not necessarily the order and organization of gifted administrator that is needed for the visionary. A person with those gifts can be added to the work as it unfolds. What is needed is the selfless life of a father who in grace leads his home and says, 'Our family is very important but we don't live for just ourselves. There are important things to do in life and we do them.' he doesn't have a 'I just want you to be happy attitude.' He says 'I have joy because I live for something bigger. I want you to have that joy and that dignity.' That man's children may not all embrace the vision of the family but it isn't because the vision has not been clearly set forth in grace. How can a man lead in the Church if he is not this way in the home? It will just be a job... God is not looking for more employees. He wants men who will see what He sees and not turn away from what they see. Men who will take the little strength they have and use it to stretch, not do, but stretch, yearn, dream and plan.
"and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil." 1 Timothy 3:6-7 NASB
This person can't be too green. If they are they will confuse their ability with the work. They will take what God has shown them and write themselves into the script giving themselves titles and importance that just doesn't exist.
God's work is God's work. God's truth remains true with or without us. God uses us in spite of ourselves we add nothing. We are vessels of passion and we can be content to let God pour Himself into us and through us. If work is mingled in it will leave a place for the accuser to come in and condemn.
A visionary will see the value of perception. He will value what he sees and what others see. If he is so single minded that he runs over the people around him and the community he lives in he will be mocked and misunderstood. The endeavor given from God is a beautiful enterprise. The visionary becomes a communicator that imparts that beauty to others. He unveils what God has unveiled to him. His words and laid down life will produce a degree of respect in the community. Not everyone will feel that way. There are some who will oppose the work because it is a work of God. That is the way it is.
A visionary evangelizes people. He may not have the gift of evangelism but what he has seen is executed for the purpose of salvation and preservation. His individual gospel ministry will keep His vision in focus. His connection and desire to connect others to the above life is of utmost priority. Otherwise he will be bogged down in terrestrial details.
Let's not let the lists given in verses like these intimidate us. We are trees of righteousness. If grace shines on us and we refuse to turn away from it the new life in us will begin to stretch towards it like trees leaning and growing towards the sunlight. Our single mindedness is a series of choices we make not to turn away... even when other attractive sights demand our attention. Everything else will fall into place as we do the next thing by faith in the wisdom that is taught to us in the anointing. (see 1 John 2:27)
In grace God can show us His desires. Things that can be. Things that God wants to happen in the world. Any man can become a hero by grace. Christ in them is already heroic.
"After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matthew 6:9-10 KJV
Yes God. Your will be done. Give us upper vision and upper passion for what You have already accomplished and what it can mean in people's lives in foreign lands and right here in our own homes. It is a paradox that Christ's finished work reveals to us how much work there is to be done in the world. Open our eyes Lord to see You and to see what is only possible by faith.
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