To those in other cultures, this image is probably not much of a revelation.  However, to those of us in the west, especially in the USA, where independence is the norm, even worshiped, the idea of needing help and offering help is pretty revolutionary.  Here, the norm is “everyone for themselves” and “dog eat dog”, each climbing over the bodies of those in the way.  It is so sad that independence has become such total self-centeredness.

As I look back at my life so far, I see so many who have given me a “hand up”.  And often are great expense to themselves.  I am so grateful for them.  Folks who have been fathers and mothers to me, in the best of ways.  Mentoring, challenging, comforting, coming alongside… so much more.

Even now, in my senior years, there are still folks I look “up” to, who are offering much in my life.  And, too, for them I am grateful.

Now, perhaps more than in the past, I’m offering my hand to those who need it. Being a mentor, offering help, encouragement, even challenge.  Keeping my link in the chain strong and connected.  It isn’t easy as there are constant things working to isolate and weaken the connections.  Yet, with Jesus’ help, I’m choosing to “hang in there” for the sake of those who follow.  To break the selfishness and self-focus.  To remain a son and be a father.

Might I offer an encouragement to you who read this.  Become aware of those on either side of you.  Keep connected in both directions.  Life isn’t meant to be lived alone.  Be courageous and buck the norm and remain vital, receiving from some and giving to others.

We are His witnesses only to the degree we have encountered His power.

We must constantly be reminded of who we are in God and who God is in our lives, because that’s what positions us to move with Him again today as He demonstrates His power in and through us. Our most profound distinction as the people of God is that He is present and active among us. He is our true inheritance and our exceedingly great reward.

The purpose of God’s wondrous stories is to draw us into the passionate pursuit of more of His presence. His intention is to draw us to live under the influence of His presence rather than simply obeying His principles. He has called us to Himself through His kindness, as it’s the kindness of God that leads us to repentance.

Consider this: nearly every great leader of the Bible experienced the miraculous and/or supernatural—yet many Christians try to live without them. Exposure to the supernatural works of God changes the capacity of leaders to lead, thereby changing the bent of the people of God to pursue Him. Such exposure is the equivalent of a spiritual change of DNA. Something is altered in that person that enables him or her to lead in such a way that the people of God inherit a heart for God through that leader’s influence. True apostolic leadership always empowers rather than controls, and empowering a passion for God is one of the most necessary, yet often least cultivated skills, a spiritual leader possesses.

The absence of miracles seldom produces a life of radical obedience to God.

———-

I’m reading this on my Kindle so I don’t have page numbers.

Many of us, while grateful for the fact we are God’s kids, live our lives more as household servants.  “Obedience is better than sacrifice” is our motto.  “Not my will but yours be done.”  “Speak for your servant is listening”.

But there is more that God desires.  Jesus said, in John 15.15, that it isn’t servants but friends that He will show all the Father has for us.  “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

Being friends is a choice, John 15:16.  Jesus chooses to be our friend.  Intimacy, enjoying one another, partnering, respect, listening.  Even changing His plans because we ask.  Wow!  This is so much more than master-servant or even parent-child.  Friends share their plans with each other.  (Gen 18.17 Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do.”   John 15.7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you”

Being His child is the first step, John 1.12  “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God^.” We can’t be His friend without first being His child since that’s the way He wants it.   Enjoy being His child, being able to call him Daddy, snuggle up to Him, basking in His love.  But remember, He also chooses to be our friend.  He enjoys us, being with us, doing things together, sharing and listening.  Being friends!  Amazing…

So ask Father God for more love and the courage, strength and perseverance that come with it.  As His love flows through us, we can “do all things” that He promised.

This teaching on “more of Him and less of me” sounds very pious.  Along with it is the theme of “Not my will but yours be done”.  However, these have, in my opinion, some very serious problems.  First, they are heart’s desires killers.  And they lead us to suppress and put down who we really are.

A couple of scriptures are frequently quoted to support these themes:  Gal 2:20 It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me” and Jesus’ telling us to “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”  Is the Lord telling us to just become empty shells (vessels)?  To become a clone of Jesus?  Is that what “being filled with Holy Spirit” means?  That certainly is something for each of us to prayerfully come to a position on.  It affects so much of how we live.

As I look at the whole scripture I’ve come to a different view.  Paul points out to us that we are flesh and spirit.  Our spirit, our true self, is joined with Holy Spirit.  We are to corral our flesh and strengthen our true self.  Note that we have a spirit ourselves.  It has come alive when we are accepted into God’s family thru faith in Jesus.  Holy Spirit joins with our spirit, He isn’t “our” spirit.   Jesus even has a new name for our true selves that he will give us when we join Him in Heaven.

So my call and challenge is to deny my flesh and let Jesus live in and thru my true self.

Here are a couple of illustrations that I’ve found helpful.

Clark Kent and Superman

In many ways this is much like me.  The true Donald, joined with Jesus, is just like Superman.  Look at all the power that Holy Spirit has flowing thru us.  Yet most of the time, all folks see is ordinary Donald, not supernatural Donald.  So I’m exhorted by scripture to let more of supernatural Donald (Christ living in me) be seen by others.

Light under a basket

Jesus tells us we are lights for the world and to not put them under a basket.  Again, our real selves, empowered by Holy Spirit can and is covered (under a basket) all too much.

Dirty Lantern

Picture an old fashion gas lantern, one whose panes are dirty and cloudy.  There is a flame inside (our true self) but it is tough for others to see.  Our call is to let God clean us so the flame can be seen.

Ps 37.4 talks about trusting God and He will give us the desires of our heart.  Ezekiel 36.26 tells us that “I (the Lord) will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you”.  It is our new heart (true self) whose desires God will give.  He certainly doesn’t say we are to kill our desires but to make sure they are in alignment with His.  This is quite different from “not my will but yours”.

My prayer is this, “Father, align my will and desires to Yours”.  Then I can live from my heart, which according to scripture, is a place of great strength.

I have just finished reading a book Rachel gave me for Christmas entitled ‘The Church of Facebook’ by Jesse Rice, former worship arts director at John Ortberg’s church in Menlo Park, California.

Rice offers a fascinating look at the ways in which email, instant messaging, cell phones, texting, blogging, and particularly social media such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter are changing the ways we think about and experience community & connection.

Rice offers observations of particular interest to us as coaches:

“If we are to make sense of why certain kinds of connection are beneficial and certain others aren’t, we must be more precise in our definition of ‘connection’. We have to get clear on what kind of connection has the power to secure, grow, free, and transform us.” (p. 45)

“…the recipe for the kind of connection we’re trying to define is one that includes authenticity and depth. It is sprinkled with protective safety and dignifying freedom. It contains heaping portions of loving concern for our becoming a better, more whole person. It is seasoned with access to transformative power.” (p.47)

Sounds like, among other things, a strong discipling relationship!

Citing such trends as the disappearance of small communities (and even front porches), transient careers and employment, breakdown of marriage and the family, and the ever-present influence of media and pop culture, he argues that our core need for community & connection – for ‘belonging’ – is becoming increasingly difficult to meet.

One result is the unprecedented movement to ‘virtual communities’ in which we can feel instantly and constantly connected, even as that connection often serves to further erode our connection with real-world relationships. Rice again:

“While our social connections are growing exponentially, the number of people with whom we feel safe to trust the most important parts of ourselves is clearly shrinking.

…the more connected we are, the more the quality of our connections suffer.’ (p.109)

“In effect the hyperconnection of Facebook changes the nature of our relationships by turning our friends into audiences and us into performers.” (p.112)

The implications of that last sentence are extremely disturbing.

Rice doesn’t advocate a flight from technology but he does emphasize the importance of wisdom, discernment and restraint in its use. He also urges a fresh commitment to authenticity in our relationshps, both real and virtual.

“…our true nature – that is, our nature that reflects the image of God – is naturally oriented toward personal responsibility. It is naturally oriented toward intimacy. It is naturally oriented toward caring for the needs of others. It is naturally oriented toward working hard for what matters most.

As a result, when we think, speak, and act from our true nature, we will always be a benefit to others while reaping benefit for ourselves. Conversely we can know that whenever we choose to act carelessly, choose to relate superficially, choose to avoid the difficult stuff in life merely because it’s uncomfortable, we are not living out of our true nature. Instead we are being inauthentic.” (p.207)

Focus Expansion/Tunnel Vision

A little exercise to show this one.  First, look around the room you are in looking for anything red.  Pay close attention to where each is.  Got them?  Now close your eyes.  Got them closed?  Now, where are all the blue items?  Didn’t notice them very much, did you since you were “focused” on all things red.

This exercise demonstrates how powerful our ability to focus is.  We see what we looking for.  If we are looking for the positive, we find it.  If for things that are broken or wrong, that is what we find.  This power of focus brought to mind the Bible verse, Philippians 4.8  “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think (focus) about such things.”  I added focus.

Focusing Forward or Backward

To illustrate this Gina used losing weight as an example.  Let’s say that your current weight is 180 and you want to be at 140.  As you start your weight loss program you are highly motivated because 180 is so high above your target of 140.

Focusing backward:  As you begin to fall below 180 you see how far you have dropped.  Although you can celebrate your losses (focusing backward to where you started), the more you lose the less motivated you are.

Focusing forward:  For this you look at where you want to be.  You started with a need to lose 40 pounds. As you weight drops you are getting closer and closer to 140.  Again you celebrate but you are celebrating the reduction of the 40 to smaller and smaller amount.  Because you are getting closer and closer and the amount to lose is smaller and smaller, it motivates you to keep going, in fact the motivation increases.

Although her example was weight loss, it applies to any goals we have.  First we need to really accept were we are today.  No condemnation, guilt or blame.  What is is what is.  Set a realistic measureable goal.  Then focus on achieving the goal and celebrate (focus) on each step closer to it.  Paul says, in Philippians 3.13-1 “But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead (focusing forward), I press on (focus) toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

This year, by God’s grace, I will turn around (what repent means by the way) and focus on the true, noble, right, pure, lovely admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.  I will be looking for what God is up to in my life and those around me recognizing that Father God is working for my very best and the best of all.

Purpose – A relationship with Jesus is the answer to: “Why am I here?” A picture of everything God is doing in the Kingdom with his people is liberating, exciting, romantic… an adventure filled with the tempest of warfare, the thrill of heroism, the camaraderie of friends, and the generosity of abundance. Each of us has a unique and specific inheritance that we can choose to possess right now. Choose life… in fact, choose abundant life. Let the Lord overflow your cup so much that others get blessed, too

I realized that I haven’t added a blog post for several months now.  I’ve been in a season of drawing closer with Father God and haven’t had a lot to say.

Many of us are our own worst enemies, struggling with self-doubt, guilt, shame etc.  And we have been living under the lie of “that’s just the way we are.”

Some of us have actually used Scripture to reinforce the lie:

• “All have sinned and fall short.”  So I’m just a sinner, always falling short.
• “The heart is deceitfully wicked,” so I’m wicked.

Why do I call that statement a lie?  Because God says in His word that we are loved, accepted, seated with Christ, able to do all things thru Christ, forgiven, empowered, washed in His blood.  The list goes on and on.

What do the words I speak have to do with this?  First, I can agree with the lie and make statements supporting that.  Or I can agree with God’s truth and speak that way.

Let me give some examples.  Most of my life I’ve struggled with music, singing and worship.  I was deeply wounded repeatedly in that area.  Recently, thru some times of prayer and healing, Father God has told me that He is giving me a new song and a love for music.

For years I would say “I’ve been wounded in this area” and use that to dismiss myself from music etc.   Now I can continue saying that, focused on the past, the wound and the lie it taught me.  Or I can believe what Father God has said and speak that forth.

When I speak out the truth that God is giving me a new song and a love for music it does a number of things.

1. Confronts the lie
2. Builds an expectancy
3. Opens my eyes and heart to how He is working in my life
4. Gives hope and encouragement
5. Draws me closer to God
6. Is living in faith

(Please don’t take this as yet another thing to add to the list of things that you are failing with.  (I spent way too much of my life doing just that.)  Instead, if you are struggling believing the truth of what Holy Spirit is showing you, don’t condemn yourself, He isn’t.  Instead let it be an opportunity to come to Father God and ask Him to show you why you struggle and how He wants to heal you.)

Ask God what He thinks of you.  If what you are hearing isn’t matching what He has said in His Word, ask Him why and what to do about it.   Ask Holy Spirit to help you take every thought, emotion and action under His control based on truth and not the lies.  Remember what your mom told you, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”  Don’t use the excuse of “that’s just the way I am.”  Build yourself up by what you say.

I felt very much like Paul must’ve felt. So many things in my heart, and yet I needed to lay a simple foundation. This is one of the dilemmas that pastors face in many countries — including our own. Overall, the lack of substantial and sustained teaching creates a hodgepodge of maturity levels among Christians. Where does the pastor begin? What basics need to be taught, in order to teach things that lead to greater maturity? Frankly, many pastors/teachers lack a systematic understanding of how the building blocks of the word of God fit together. This makes it extremely difficult to teach people in a sustained, coherent manner.