- God is good. Mankind isn't.
- We can respond to 'good' but we can not initiate true goodness on our own. Self preservation or gain is always in the mix.
- We can however initiate based on what we have recieved. God's Spirit leads us down a road we would not go on our own. That is the only kind of initation that does not add to the corruption we see around us.
"What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building." - 1 Corinthians 3:5-9 ESV
I have not seen this belief system anywhere else but in the Bible and it is the only way I see to have a truly healthy self image.
If we abandon trying to do 'good' and exalt the One who has done 'good' then we find ourselves living life in a different way without guilt or shame.
I am suspicous of and eventually must denounce any theology or philosophy that does not promote this view because it obscures who God Is and pushs people to try to perform in a way that is impossible.
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Showing posts with label Collaboration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Collaboration. Show all posts
Friday, May 22, 2020
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Give Yourselves To Humble Tasks
"Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men." - Romans 12:16-17 NKJV
That phrase 'associate with the humble' can also be translated 'give yourselves to humble tasks'.
This is good counsel. People can really get messed up when they 'over think'. I'm all for delving into deep waters. If you read what I write you can see that but I find it very therapeutic to collect the chairs at the end of the meeting or help set something up.
I don't want to argue theology.
Yes, We need to get things right but let's do it in kindness and simplicity. Let's clean up together. Let's drink a coffee and have a laugh. Let's marvel at the risen Saviour who conquered death to give us life and draw us close.
"Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men." - Romans 12:17 NKJV
What good is getting it all right if we are not loving one another? Do we have it right if that is not happening?
Prayer. Forgiveness. Fellowship. Kindness. A simple cup of water.
All of it with Jesus at the center. That is a spiritual life.
--
That phrase 'associate with the humble' can also be translated 'give yourselves to humble tasks'.
This is good counsel. People can really get messed up when they 'over think'. I'm all for delving into deep waters. If you read what I write you can see that but I find it very therapeutic to collect the chairs at the end of the meeting or help set something up.
I don't want to argue theology.
Yes, We need to get things right but let's do it in kindness and simplicity. Let's clean up together. Let's drink a coffee and have a laugh. Let's marvel at the risen Saviour who conquered death to give us life and draw us close.
"Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men." - Romans 12:17 NKJV
What good is getting it all right if we are not loving one another? Do we have it right if that is not happening?
Prayer. Forgiveness. Fellowship. Kindness. A simple cup of water.
All of it with Jesus at the center. That is a spiritual life.
--
Friday, July 29, 2016
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.
--
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.
--
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
The Single Eye
"The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness." - Luke 11:34 KJV
Having a single eye.
The Greek word there is haplous (Strong's G573) and it is best translated in the KJV. Other translations say healthy or something like it but we have two eyes don't we? Each eye is only healthy when it is in focus with the other eye. It can be healthy on it's own but we can only see clearly if it is single.
This speaks to me of eternal perspective. Eternal perspective sees with God. The world is truly in focus. Is our eye the left one or the right one? Both are His and both are ours. It is the focus that matters
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." - Matthew 6:33 ESV
I don't know about you but I get annoyed when I walk by a security desk and they don't seem to see me. That is a the largest part of their job. They need to see everything. That is the contribution that they are bringing to the well being of the place they are guarding.
The single eyed person is not looking for sin. They are looking with God. God has eyes of grace. Sin is paid for. They can pray because they see things. They spot evil and act accordingly. They seek God's kingdom. They are looking for what will last forever and focusing their energy on those things that replenish life.
Perhaps yesterday our eye was unhealthy because we saw situations or circumstances and made judgments by sight. But what about today? Can we look with God? Can we look seeing the cross behind us. Can we see Heaven and Hell before us? Everyone we are dealing with is going one place or the other and God desires that none would perish.
God give us a single eye. Add an eternal dimension to our sight so that our eye is filled with light. Thank You God. Thank You for having a pace that is quick enough for us to move forward but just right for us to join You and follow You at any moment. We want to see what You see. We want a single eye.
--
Having a single eye.
The Greek word there is haplous (Strong's G573) and it is best translated in the KJV. Other translations say healthy or something like it but we have two eyes don't we? Each eye is only healthy when it is in focus with the other eye. It can be healthy on it's own but we can only see clearly if it is single.
This speaks to me of eternal perspective. Eternal perspective sees with God. The world is truly in focus. Is our eye the left one or the right one? Both are His and both are ours. It is the focus that matters
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." - Matthew 6:33 ESV
I don't know about you but I get annoyed when I walk by a security desk and they don't seem to see me. That is a the largest part of their job. They need to see everything. That is the contribution that they are bringing to the well being of the place they are guarding.
The single eyed person is not looking for sin. They are looking with God. God has eyes of grace. Sin is paid for. They can pray because they see things. They spot evil and act accordingly. They seek God's kingdom. They are looking for what will last forever and focusing their energy on those things that replenish life.
Perhaps yesterday our eye was unhealthy because we saw situations or circumstances and made judgments by sight. But what about today? Can we look with God? Can we look seeing the cross behind us. Can we see Heaven and Hell before us? Everyone we are dealing with is going one place or the other and God desires that none would perish.
God give us a single eye. Add an eternal dimension to our sight so that our eye is filled with light. Thank You God. Thank You for having a pace that is quick enough for us to move forward but just right for us to join You and follow You at any moment. We want to see what You see. We want a single eye.
--
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