"And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits." Mark 6:7 ESV
What does this passage say to you? I woke up thinking about this. I think that evangelism works this way today also. It is God pairing together two or more people, sometimes strangers or people who have little in common, and sending them out So that they can bring people back to Him after a witness of power on those two people's lives.
This isn't about me being a nice person at work. That's fine but it isn't necessarily evangelism. I see a structure. I see people going out that have a place... a place where a person is manifested... to bring people home to.
I have seen people leave the structure that allows them to evangelize and then that aspect of their life drys up. I have seasons like that. Let's face it not everyone has the make up to disciple people in faith one on one. Most people need a group or at least the support of a group. I was always taught that winning someone and then leaving them undiscipled is paramount to abandoning a child. You just don't do it and I see the logic of that. A person who believes in Jesus has become new. They have a new identity and they need someone as a guide or it would be very easy to get lost in the woods.
I'm very glad God used a group of people to come and get me. That imperfect team had the power of love. I saw that love and that imperfection. It was a group that could live as imperfect people made perfect in a thinking atmosphere of grace and truth. I go because that group went and I don't have to be perfect to do it. I do however need a place to bring people home to where they can meet Jesus.
I'm not saying that 'place' needs to have a name over the door and a cross on the wall but how else does this 'two by two' dynamic happen? What does that passage say to you? Can you afford to tear it out of your Bible or write it off as being written to some other group of people? There was a power placed on those two people. If we live outside that structure isn't it right to say that we might also be living without that power?
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Showing posts with label Structure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Structure. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
Wednesday, January 3, 2018
The Wise Men Arrived Later
In my book ('Ariel's Harmony of the Gospels') Dr Fruchtenbaum puts Matthew 2 (the arrival of the wise men / Persecution by Herod) categorically and chronologically after Christ birth, circumcision and presentation in the temple to Simeon and Hannah (Luke 2:22-38) and it makes a great deal of sense to me. It took a few weeks for word to get around. The parents waiting eight days before circumcision.
Theologically it works but in a way it messes up my Christmas story idea of the wise men walking into a barnyard scene the night of the birth with angels still singing in the background.
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek... Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:" - Romans 1:16; 2:9-10 KJV
In one sense this is a fulfilment of this idea. Salvation, Jesus, was presented to these older Israelites first and then the wise men came and saw Him afterwards.
I love when the Bible breaks my structures. Ideas can crystallize but the Bible is a living book. Just being in the Bible gives God this wonderful opening to access our soul by His Spirit in an objective way.
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." - John 14:26 ESV
What a great promise for those who are available to be Spirit taught. God will bring what He has taught us back. He uses people, preaching, reading, meditating and other methods to teach us but once we have it we can never lose it. God can access it at any moment and bring it 'out of storage' for us to communicate when the moment is right.
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Theologically it works but in a way it messes up my Christmas story idea of the wise men walking into a barnyard scene the night of the birth with angels still singing in the background.
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek... Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:" - Romans 1:16; 2:9-10 KJV
In one sense this is a fulfilment of this idea. Salvation, Jesus, was presented to these older Israelites first and then the wise men came and saw Him afterwards.
I love when the Bible breaks my structures. Ideas can crystallize but the Bible is a living book. Just being in the Bible gives God this wonderful opening to access our soul by His Spirit in an objective way.
"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." - John 14:26 ESV
What a great promise for those who are available to be Spirit taught. God will bring what He has taught us back. He uses people, preaching, reading, meditating and other methods to teach us but once we have it we can never lose it. God can access it at any moment and bring it 'out of storage' for us to communicate when the moment is right.
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Friday, February 10, 2017
Giving A Name
People need to assign names to things... songs, books, pets, etc...
It just seems to be how our brains relate to the world around us.
If I am trying to tell someone about a song and I can't remember 'the title' it seems natural to pick out a phrase that stands out and make that the title in my mind.
'You know... the 'bye bye American pie' song...'
The person who I am talking to begins to search through the catalog in their brain to find the matching association.
"Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him." - Genesis 2:19-20 ESV
God wanted to see what Adam would call them? Interesting. The first comedy show and God was the audience.
Contrast, association, recurrence, comparison, particularization (general to specific), generalization (specific to general), causation, substantiation, cruciality, climax, repetition, dominance, proportion, balance, sequence and progression. Just a few ideas that all revolve around a label or title of some kind.
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." - Philippians 2:5-11 ESV
What name will you give God's Son? God has given Him a name. Actually He has revealed the name that 'always was.' If we name Him with the same name then our contrasts, associations and progressions will begin to fall along rational and realistic lines... Heavenly lines.
Thinking 'with God' is a great privilege. It starts with agreement about His Son. He Is the Alpha and Omega of thinking with God.
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It just seems to be how our brains relate to the world around us.
If I am trying to tell someone about a song and I can't remember 'the title' it seems natural to pick out a phrase that stands out and make that the title in my mind.
'You know... the 'bye bye American pie' song...'
The person who I am talking to begins to search through the catalog in their brain to find the matching association.
"Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him." - Genesis 2:19-20 ESV
God wanted to see what Adam would call them? Interesting. The first comedy show and God was the audience.
Contrast, association, recurrence, comparison, particularization (general to specific), generalization (specific to general), causation, substantiation, cruciality, climax, repetition, dominance, proportion, balance, sequence and progression. Just a few ideas that all revolve around a label or title of some kind.
"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." - Philippians 2:5-11 ESV
What name will you give God's Son? God has given Him a name. Actually He has revealed the name that 'always was.' If we name Him with the same name then our contrasts, associations and progressions will begin to fall along rational and realistic lines... Heavenly lines.
Thinking 'with God' is a great privilege. It starts with agreement about His Son. He Is the Alpha and Omega of thinking with God.
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Wednesday, January 21, 2015
The Need For Space
The last few days I have been thinking about 'structured living' and how useful it is. The trains run on time because there is a structure to the process that many people adhere to. The train schedule we see is just the surface schedule that is seen by the passengers behind that schedule are maintenance schedules and a hundred other schedules only a select few see. But, the result is that at 10:03am the door opens, we get in, and we sit down to go where we need to be.
We need structure so that we can have order but we also need to have space.
"Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me." - Psalm 18:15-19 ESV
When the schedules behind our visible schedules are revealed we are overwhelmed. God must structure our lives with grace is order for us to function according to our design. He must bring us to the wide place of freedom. No program is going to get us there.
Perhaps the 'strong enemy' is the program that wants to swallow us up and spit out a little drone that just functions well in the systems of the world... be here... do this... say that... lean right... disagree with them.
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.
Like the partridge that gathers a brood that she did not hatch, so is he who gets riches but not by justice; in the midst of his days they will leave him, and at his end he will be a fool.
A glorious throne set on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water.
Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise." - Jeremiah 17:7-14 ESV
The tree that sends out roots by faith looking for the water has a structure but that structure is not imposed on others. The tree looks for water and we send roots out to the sanctuary that we are given. It is right beside us. In times of drought it is right there and full of life that will result in fruit season after season.
But, If we sit on the eggs of our own structures or ones that have been imposed on us those eggs may hatch but they won't be ours. Those birds will fly away and become little Ishmaels (mocking children born of our effort but not of faith).
God's wide place produces fruit like Isaac and those children are of us and they become a heritage.
I want structure. It is useful but the most important structure is the one that directs me to put down roots by faith. It is the redemptive structure that consistently seeks to save with seeds of grace words and Gospel hope.
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We need structure so that we can have order but we also need to have space.
"Then the channels of the sea were seen, and the foundations of the world were laid bare at your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of your nostrils. He sent from on high, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He rescued me from my strong enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a broad place; he rescued me, because he delighted in me." - Psalm 18:15-19 ESV
When the schedules behind our visible schedules are revealed we are overwhelmed. God must structure our lives with grace is order for us to function according to our design. He must bring us to the wide place of freedom. No program is going to get us there.
Perhaps the 'strong enemy' is the program that wants to swallow us up and spit out a little drone that just functions well in the systems of the world... be here... do this... say that... lean right... disagree with them.
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.
Like the partridge that gathers a brood that she did not hatch, so is he who gets riches but not by justice; in the midst of his days they will leave him, and at his end he will be a fool.
A glorious throne set on high from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. O LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you shall be put to shame; those who turn away from you shall be written in the earth, for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water.
Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise." - Jeremiah 17:7-14 ESV
The tree that sends out roots by faith looking for the water has a structure but that structure is not imposed on others. The tree looks for water and we send roots out to the sanctuary that we are given. It is right beside us. In times of drought it is right there and full of life that will result in fruit season after season.
But, If we sit on the eggs of our own structures or ones that have been imposed on us those eggs may hatch but they won't be ours. Those birds will fly away and become little Ishmaels (mocking children born of our effort but not of faith).
God's wide place produces fruit like Isaac and those children are of us and they become a heritage.
I want structure. It is useful but the most important structure is the one that directs me to put down roots by faith. It is the redemptive structure that consistently seeks to save with seeds of grace words and Gospel hope.
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Monday, February 10, 2014
Structure In The Wilderness And Mission in The Promised Land
Reading Psalm 90 This morning. I think a key to understanding and relating to this Psalm is seeing that it is a Psalm of Moses...
"A Prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You return man to dust and say, 'Return, O children of man!' For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!" - Psalms 90:1-17 ESV
Moses is so systematic and structured... counting and measuring... affliction and work. The prayer of the man of the Law is, 'Establish the work of our hands!'. Moses lead the children of Israel through the desert as nomads... the work of their hands was never established. As soon as they got settled somewhere the pillar of cloud moved and they had to pack up and start over somewhere else. Amazing.
When the children of Israel crossed the red sea they were saved but they wandered until they crossed over the Jordan river. The Jordan river talks about co-Crucifixion. Moses could not go with them. It could not be law and counting and structure. Now it would be Joshua. The man who had a different spirit. A taker of what was given. A warrior. Not a structured scholar but a simple believer. A man of mission. Both men are types of Christ but Christ is the substance.
"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.' " - Matthew 28:18-20 ESV
The substance is grace. Grace had to come directly from the source. We see grace in men in the old testament... David especially... but Christ writes his words directly on our hearts. The work of our hands will never be established wandering in the wilderness... the work can and has been established by Jesus Christ... passing over Jordan and into the promised land we begin to take what God has already given us.
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"A Prayer of Moses, the man of God. Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You return man to dust and say, 'Return, O children of man!' For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are brought to an end by your anger; by your wrath we are dismayed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence. For all our days pass away under your wrath; we bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil. Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!" - Psalms 90:1-17 ESV
Moses is so systematic and structured... counting and measuring... affliction and work. The prayer of the man of the Law is, 'Establish the work of our hands!'. Moses lead the children of Israel through the desert as nomads... the work of their hands was never established. As soon as they got settled somewhere the pillar of cloud moved and they had to pack up and start over somewhere else. Amazing.
When the children of Israel crossed the red sea they were saved but they wandered until they crossed over the Jordan river. The Jordan river talks about co-Crucifixion. Moses could not go with them. It could not be law and counting and structure. Now it would be Joshua. The man who had a different spirit. A taker of what was given. A warrior. Not a structured scholar but a simple believer. A man of mission. Both men are types of Christ but Christ is the substance.
"And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.' " - Matthew 28:18-20 ESV
The substance is grace. Grace had to come directly from the source. We see grace in men in the old testament... David especially... but Christ writes his words directly on our hearts. The work of our hands will never be established wandering in the wilderness... the work can and has been established by Jesus Christ... passing over Jordan and into the promised land we begin to take what God has already given us.
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