Joshua7:11 Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I commanded them; they have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen and lied and put them among their own belongings. 12 Therefore the people of Israel cannot stand before their enemies. They turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become devoted for destruction. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. 13 Get up! Consecrate the people and say, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord, God of Israel, “There are devoted things in your midst, O Israel. You cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.”
One of the richest joys of my youth was my moms Carolina poundcake. We used to eat it hot, straight from the oven when the crust was crispy and the inside fluffy and moist. It really does make my mouth water and remind me of one day when my mom, my brother and I consumed an entire poundcake in one sitting as we watched the thriller, " Hush , Hush , Sweet Charlotte".
These cakes were so longed for at my house that one day my brother decided he was going to whip one up while mom was outside talking with our neighbors. Chris is a smart guy so at age 9 he systematically followed the instructions as he preheated the oven and whipped the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. His execution was on point, but there was one problem. Christ thought that "2 tsp b.p." stood for 2 teaspoons of black pepper, not baking powder. There is a significant difference in the two and it was amazing how those two little teaspoons changed both the taste and the composition of the cake. Lets just say it not only tasted bad, it tasted really bad and the texture of the cake was not up to snuff either. It did not take us but one bite each to understand something was wrong. 2 little teaspoons ruined an entire cake made up of about two pounds of batter.
The passage of scripture above in Joshua is the infamous sin in the camp scene, where the whole congregation of Jews suffered because one man disobeyed God. This sinner, Achan took household idols as spoil as they defeated Jericho, and God had forbidden that very thing. The result was that when the Israelites went to fight at Ai, God was fighting against them, not for them. This one man out of hundreds of thousands had brought sin into the camp and the result was that all suffered. God charged Joshua to purge this sin, so Achan was identified as the perpetrator and stoned to death. The sin was eliminated and fellowship with God was restored. Since God was once again with the Israelites, they were then able to conquer all they fought as they entered the promise land.
God has a serious hate for sin as it strikes against Him first and hardest. I don't think we hate it near enough as we seem to try and manage our sin habits keeping them at a convenient arms length until we need them. Jesus died so they would be crucified, and oh by the way sin is way to strong for any of us to manage.
The effects of sin, even a little bit in our lives, will damper our communion with God and it effects everyone around us, not just ourselves. Everyone that is in your life will suffer as a result of harboring even tiny little innocent doses of sin. Our pride will destroy us and our friendships, so will gossip, alcohol, drugs, tobacco and over indulging. Our vanity will drive others from us and drive our kids to be self serving narcissists. Our greed will keep us away from our families and disrupt the dynamics God designed. Our lust will drive a wedge between our marriages and snatch pure Love from our kids lives and fuel wrong desires that hold us captive. The list could go on for days......
The clear point is this: just as 2 tsp of black pepper ruined a delightful pound cake, our "small" sins will ruin us and our families, friends and co-workers if they are not crucified at the Cross. All sin strikes against the Father, pours more wrath on Jesus hanging on the Cross and dampens the flame of the Spirit burning in us. If the Trinity is at work vibrantly in our souls our lives will bring a warm healing to those in our lives that is as delicious as my mom's poundcake. If sin gets its hold then the world gets a dose of a nasty, malformed black pepper pound cake.
Even though my analogy is light hearted, lets not kid ourselves. Sin is a heavy, dark thing that leaves us to deflated, lost and miserable. Sin is a powerful evil that camoflauges itself as attractive desires. Examine your selves and purge yours at the feet of the Cross or it will wreak havoc in your life and those you love.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Scammed
Romans 2:4 Or do you suppose on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Acts 26:20 ...and also to the gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance
A couple of years ago a good friend of mine got burned by an on-line car salesman. My friend selected the vehicle on-line, had some phone conversations that led to an agreed upon price, and then wired the money to the man in Houston, Tx. The only problem was that when he got to Houston, the man, the car and the company this man worked for, were no where to be found. My friend had been scammed. He had held up his end of the bargain and was owed a car, instead he got a 16,000 hole in his wallet. The FBI is still on the case as we speak.
Do you think that we try to scam God and His grace? It sounds harsh, but it is something we must look at it. Throughout the Bible, God's grace has a clear end result of eliminating sin, not enabling it. Look at the passages above at what Paul is saying. Clearly he warns those who take for granted and even manipulate grace to validate their sin instead of crucify it. I know for many years I tried to scam God as I wanted forgiveness, but I wanted to continue in the sin that incurred the guilt that needed forgiving, more than I wanted Him. That is the heart of a scammer. Twisting the deal to serve your best temporary interest.
When I look back at the times when I "supposed" upon God's grace, I have great remorse. Not that I am perfect now, but I can see how dangerous it is to try and manipulate God's grace. When His grace is alive in our lives it will bear fruit of repentance. If we are truly repentant, we will leave sin behind and our desire to sin will shift to a desire to worship Christ. We will stop worshipping created things like ourselves, money and other people and we will exalt Christ, the one who makes it possible.
Are you a scammer? Are you using Christ to justify and enable your sin? Do you believe Paul's words that grace is meant to lead you to repentance? Do you understand that repentance is more than an emotional sorrow for your actions, but rather a deep seated hatred for the sin and a true desire to leave it behind and walk towards Christ?
These are all great questions to walk through at the heart level. Just as we all can see clearly how wrong my friend was done, can we all see how easy we can scam God? It is right their in front of us all in our culture. It should raise hairs on the back of our necks.
Acts 26:20 ...and also to the gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance
A couple of years ago a good friend of mine got burned by an on-line car salesman. My friend selected the vehicle on-line, had some phone conversations that led to an agreed upon price, and then wired the money to the man in Houston, Tx. The only problem was that when he got to Houston, the man, the car and the company this man worked for, were no where to be found. My friend had been scammed. He had held up his end of the bargain and was owed a car, instead he got a 16,000 hole in his wallet. The FBI is still on the case as we speak.
Do you think that we try to scam God and His grace? It sounds harsh, but it is something we must look at it. Throughout the Bible, God's grace has a clear end result of eliminating sin, not enabling it. Look at the passages above at what Paul is saying. Clearly he warns those who take for granted and even manipulate grace to validate their sin instead of crucify it. I know for many years I tried to scam God as I wanted forgiveness, but I wanted to continue in the sin that incurred the guilt that needed forgiving, more than I wanted Him. That is the heart of a scammer. Twisting the deal to serve your best temporary interest.
When I look back at the times when I "supposed" upon God's grace, I have great remorse. Not that I am perfect now, but I can see how dangerous it is to try and manipulate God's grace. When His grace is alive in our lives it will bear fruit of repentance. If we are truly repentant, we will leave sin behind and our desire to sin will shift to a desire to worship Christ. We will stop worshipping created things like ourselves, money and other people and we will exalt Christ, the one who makes it possible.
Are you a scammer? Are you using Christ to justify and enable your sin? Do you believe Paul's words that grace is meant to lead you to repentance? Do you understand that repentance is more than an emotional sorrow for your actions, but rather a deep seated hatred for the sin and a true desire to leave it behind and walk towards Christ?
These are all great questions to walk through at the heart level. Just as we all can see clearly how wrong my friend was done, can we all see how easy we can scam God? It is right their in front of us all in our culture. It should raise hairs on the back of our necks.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Spiritual Scurvy
11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
One of the silent killers of US and Filipino POWs in WWII was scurvy. Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C. Without it, you are unable to produce collagen and other so your body starts to self destruct. Progressive signs are tooth loss, rashes, cankerous sores in your mouth and eventually death. The POWs' diets were limited to small amounts of white rice often laced with worms. The rice is just a starch so the worms, though gross, at least provided some protein. As these men started to realize that scurvy was setting in across the camp, the prisoners realized that volunteering for the farming detail would allow them access to naturally growing citrus trees on the edges of the field. The harsh treatment by the Japanese, drove tens of thousands to death. It is ironic that a small amount of fruit saved the lives of many more.
When you get to the heart of Philippians 1:11 above, Paul is saying eat from the tree of life by communing with Jesus and His Glory. It reinforces Jesus charge to eat His flesh and drink His blood. Jesus wants us to consume Him, and in turn be consumed by Him.
The old saying "you are what you eat" is as true spiritually as it is physically. Just as a physical diet deprived of vitamin C leads to death so does a Spiritual life devoid of communion with God through Christ. A spirit separated from its maker will shrivel and die, just like many of the POWs in Cabanatuan, one of the infamous Japanese POW camps. Time spent worshipping personally, with a small group and corporately is the spiritual cure for spiritually scurvy, a.k.a. sin and depravity of man.
Our culture, even inside the Church, seems more obsessed with learning about God and the things of God, than just simply worshipping Him. All of the best books and sermons miss their mark in your life if they don't send you searching the depth of your soul to Exhalt Christ. If the learning about Holy precepts and models for Church life are devoid of the Spirit, then what is the point? That looks like the POWs having a guaranteed escape route, yet the scurvy has them to weak to walk down it.
One of the great truths of the bible is this: Worship God, the one true God through Christ or die. It is that simple. That comes only from God by grace, but it is our privileged responsibility to be filled with life by eating the "fruit of righteousness" as Paul says.
The harsh truth is this: We are all built to consume, desire and worship something so that is occurring in all of our lives. When that is directed to something other than exhalting Christ, it is called idolatry. Idolatry covered by a religious veneer like going to church for an hour a week while our daily thoughts, concerns and desires are consumed by something else is the darkest trap around. It is a large one that has snared many throughout the years and is living large today in the good ol' USA.
Are you being filled with Fruit of righteousness? If not, then these words will lead you to start justifying the very idol(s) that you are being consumed with and by.
One of the silent killers of US and Filipino POWs in WWII was scurvy. Scurvy is caused by a lack of vitamin C. Without it, you are unable to produce collagen and other so your body starts to self destruct. Progressive signs are tooth loss, rashes, cankerous sores in your mouth and eventually death. The POWs' diets were limited to small amounts of white rice often laced with worms. The rice is just a starch so the worms, though gross, at least provided some protein. As these men started to realize that scurvy was setting in across the camp, the prisoners realized that volunteering for the farming detail would allow them access to naturally growing citrus trees on the edges of the field. The harsh treatment by the Japanese, drove tens of thousands to death. It is ironic that a small amount of fruit saved the lives of many more.
When you get to the heart of Philippians 1:11 above, Paul is saying eat from the tree of life by communing with Jesus and His Glory. It reinforces Jesus charge to eat His flesh and drink His blood. Jesus wants us to consume Him, and in turn be consumed by Him.
The old saying "you are what you eat" is as true spiritually as it is physically. Just as a physical diet deprived of vitamin C leads to death so does a Spiritual life devoid of communion with God through Christ. A spirit separated from its maker will shrivel and die, just like many of the POWs in Cabanatuan, one of the infamous Japanese POW camps. Time spent worshipping personally, with a small group and corporately is the spiritual cure for spiritually scurvy, a.k.a. sin and depravity of man.
Our culture, even inside the Church, seems more obsessed with learning about God and the things of God, than just simply worshipping Him. All of the best books and sermons miss their mark in your life if they don't send you searching the depth of your soul to Exhalt Christ. If the learning about Holy precepts and models for Church life are devoid of the Spirit, then what is the point? That looks like the POWs having a guaranteed escape route, yet the scurvy has them to weak to walk down it.
One of the great truths of the bible is this: Worship God, the one true God through Christ or die. It is that simple. That comes only from God by grace, but it is our privileged responsibility to be filled with life by eating the "fruit of righteousness" as Paul says.
The harsh truth is this: We are all built to consume, desire and worship something so that is occurring in all of our lives. When that is directed to something other than exhalting Christ, it is called idolatry. Idolatry covered by a religious veneer like going to church for an hour a week while our daily thoughts, concerns and desires are consumed by something else is the darkest trap around. It is a large one that has snared many throughout the years and is living large today in the good ol' USA.
Are you being filled with Fruit of righteousness? If not, then these words will lead you to start justifying the very idol(s) that you are being consumed with and by.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
P.O.W.
2 Timothy 1:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
The history of mankind is quite interesting and is a fruitful ground for learning. WWII for some reason, has always intigued me. Part of that reason is because my grandfather participated in the Normandy invasion on day three, so I have personal attachment. The other part is that there are so many kingdom precepts that we can learn from studying actions taken during the war.
One of those precepts is the processing of P.O.W.s. I want to be careful to not imply that all scenarios were handled equally as they were not. Places and events like Auswitch, the Bataan death March and Dachau are some of the most grusome acts of Evil this side of the cross, and I in no way want to belittle the grief of those who suffered there. What I would like to reflect on is what usually happened when a particular force was in the process of being captured. As looming defeat became clear, those losing the battle had two options. Option one is that they could choose to fight against the greater force until they died. Option two is that they could choose to surrender, and put their lives in the hands of the captors.
When you think about an armed forces surrender many things are clear. They are forced to approach the conquerors humbly with hands up in the air as a symbol of submission. Secondly, they are stripped of the weapons that could be used to do the conquering force harm. Those who surrender are fragile, powerless and must choose to live under total control of another, giving up all freedoms. I believe that this picture of being a P.O.W. was how Paul saw himself. I believe it is the only offer Jesus gives us as well. Go back and read the verses above and pray through what Jesus is really after in us and what drove Paul.
The obvious difference between surrendering to Christ and an opposing armed forces, comes after the surrender. If, like Paul, we become His prisoner as we surrender our flesh to Christ, we live vibrantly from the spirit outward. If we refuse to become His prisoner and continue to fight Him, we die from the flesh inward.
It really is that simple. God through Christ is waging war against sin and we can fight that or become a P.O.W. of Christ. It seems that message has been diluted in past years and we think that we can have both the life extending value found in surrender, yet keep our own agendas, dwell in sin and submit to no one. This is not only non-scriptural it does not make sense.
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
The history of mankind is quite interesting and is a fruitful ground for learning. WWII for some reason, has always intigued me. Part of that reason is because my grandfather participated in the Normandy invasion on day three, so I have personal attachment. The other part is that there are so many kingdom precepts that we can learn from studying actions taken during the war.
One of those precepts is the processing of P.O.W.s. I want to be careful to not imply that all scenarios were handled equally as they were not. Places and events like Auswitch, the Bataan death March and Dachau are some of the most grusome acts of Evil this side of the cross, and I in no way want to belittle the grief of those who suffered there. What I would like to reflect on is what usually happened when a particular force was in the process of being captured. As looming defeat became clear, those losing the battle had two options. Option one is that they could choose to fight against the greater force until they died. Option two is that they could choose to surrender, and put their lives in the hands of the captors.
When you think about an armed forces surrender many things are clear. They are forced to approach the conquerors humbly with hands up in the air as a symbol of submission. Secondly, they are stripped of the weapons that could be used to do the conquering force harm. Those who surrender are fragile, powerless and must choose to live under total control of another, giving up all freedoms. I believe that this picture of being a P.O.W. was how Paul saw himself. I believe it is the only offer Jesus gives us as well. Go back and read the verses above and pray through what Jesus is really after in us and what drove Paul.
The obvious difference between surrendering to Christ and an opposing armed forces, comes after the surrender. If, like Paul, we become His prisoner as we surrender our flesh to Christ, we live vibrantly from the spirit outward. If we refuse to become His prisoner and continue to fight Him, we die from the flesh inward.
It really is that simple. God through Christ is waging war against sin and we can fight that or become a P.O.W. of Christ. It seems that message has been diluted in past years and we think that we can have both the life extending value found in surrender, yet keep our own agendas, dwell in sin and submit to no one. This is not only non-scriptural it does not make sense.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
To each His Own
Acts 1:25 "...this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.”
We all have many choices in life. A choice is defined as determining the merits of multiple options and selecting one of them. One of my favorite country songs that expresses the regret of Bad choices despite warnings form others is "Choices" by George Jones.
I've had choices
Since the day that I was born
There were voices
That told me right from wrong
If I had listened
No I wouldn't be here today
Living and dying
With the choices I made
I was tempted
By an early age I found
I liked drinkin'
Oh, and I never turned it down
There were loved ones
But I turned them all away
Now I'm living and dying
With the choices I made
I guess I'm payin'
For the things that I have done
If I could go back
Oh, Lord knows I'd run
But I'm still losin'
This game of life I play
Living and dying
With the choices I made
Old George brings up some bad choices, regrets and consequences of his life. I know I have made some that I would like to have back as well. One thing that comes to light when you look at the offer of Christ, is that you get what you want. If you want life, you choose Christ and get it. If you don't, then you reject it and get death. Look at the sad words describing Judas in Acts one above "which Judas turned aside to go to His own place". Judas did not want to follow and instead he wanted to do things his way. The disturbing reality is that he got exactly that, his own place, the place he deserved which is eternal torment. Jesus allowed Judas to choose what he wanted and then gave it to him.
I think that this needs to be carefully applied to our lives. Whose way are you following, yours or Jesus'? That is one huge question when we consider that following our own way places us squarely in the camp with Judas. No matter what religious activities we engage in, each of us must truly assess if we are living for Him or for ourselves. If we live for our selves, we will die apart form Him. If we live sold out for Christ we will live with Him. Where are you in this picture?
We all have many choices in life. A choice is defined as determining the merits of multiple options and selecting one of them. One of my favorite country songs that expresses the regret of Bad choices despite warnings form others is "Choices" by George Jones.
I've had choices
Since the day that I was born
There were voices
That told me right from wrong
If I had listened
No I wouldn't be here today
Living and dying
With the choices I made
I was tempted
By an early age I found
I liked drinkin'
Oh, and I never turned it down
There were loved ones
But I turned them all away
Now I'm living and dying
With the choices I made
I guess I'm payin'
For the things that I have done
If I could go back
Oh, Lord knows I'd run
But I'm still losin'
This game of life I play
Living and dying
With the choices I made
Old George brings up some bad choices, regrets and consequences of his life. I know I have made some that I would like to have back as well. One thing that comes to light when you look at the offer of Christ, is that you get what you want. If you want life, you choose Christ and get it. If you don't, then you reject it and get death. Look at the sad words describing Judas in Acts one above "which Judas turned aside to go to His own place". Judas did not want to follow and instead he wanted to do things his way. The disturbing reality is that he got exactly that, his own place, the place he deserved which is eternal torment. Jesus allowed Judas to choose what he wanted and then gave it to him.
I think that this needs to be carefully applied to our lives. Whose way are you following, yours or Jesus'? That is one huge question when we consider that following our own way places us squarely in the camp with Judas. No matter what religious activities we engage in, each of us must truly assess if we are living for Him or for ourselves. If we live for our selves, we will die apart form Him. If we live sold out for Christ we will live with Him. Where are you in this picture?
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Direction
Acts 11:9 But the voice answered a second time from Heaven, "What God has made clean, do not call common"
Acts 11:12 And the spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction.
When I felt led to start my own business about 13 years ago, my initial start was with great resolve. I was tired of working for others who didn't exactly want to serve customers in the way I felt was needed to be exceptional, and that fueled my launch. As time marched on we had our ups and downs, and as a result of one of those down times I begin to have my doubts. One night I went home and began to express these doubts to Evie my wife. I will never gorget her reply," I have no doubt that you will be succesful, you can do anything you set your mind to". The resolve and confidence that sprung from that statement was enormous. Her encouragement that night was greatly needed as she pointed me back to my original purpose. There were many days were those words kept my feet shuffling in search of work.
I think one of the great mysteries, and unfortunately greatest debates in Christendom, is the role of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life. I tend to over simplyfiy things, but this one seems rather clear to me. He is God in us. The precepts found in the Word of God, he echoes. The work of God, he leads us to and empowers. The words of God, he creates in our souls to express to the world. The sin that tries to invade, He convicts and attacks like a father defending His house form a midnight robber. He leads, guides, clarifies, empowers, convicts as He burns with Holy embers of God's glory in our souls.
When you look at the verses above, you will see Peter rely on the Holy Spirit with great confidence. God has shown Him a vision three times to preach to the gentiles. God sets the stage as gentiles show up as the trance of visions comes to end. Peter has been given clear direction to go with them and preach Christ. But then notice verse 12, " And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinctions". Peter knows the Spirit's voice intently and has great confdence and trust of it. He not only has God's revelation and direction from outside His body, but from inside the depths of His soul. That is the only way He had the resolve to do something as bold as break all of the Jewish laws about association with Gentiles (Acts 10:28). Peter knows what to do, has it confirmed from the inside of His soul and is empowered by that Holy Spirit to make it happen. Therefore the work he set out to do was clearly revolutionary and miraculous, because it was not his, it was God's.
I know there are times when I struggle for clarity with the Holy Spirit. The times when I hear his voice clearly, as it magnifies the work of Christ, are the most content and sweetest days I know of. The work that He has done through me in those times are truly way above my pay grade, and have Holy finger prints all over them. This clear conversation between me and a Holy God is the number one thing I want and seek in this life, as it was the very thing I was designed to be.
So where do you stand in this picture of dialogue with the Spirit. I hope deep and clear. If all of this sounds strange and mystic to you, I would encourage you to pray for the Grace to sit at the feet of Jesus until you learn to know His voice. Jesus himself said, "My sheep know my voice". We initially hear it from outside our bodies but the Spirit shouts Christ from deep within. It is a gift beyond expression to be able to walk through life with God's intimate direction blazing the trail in front of you. Is that going on in your life?
Acts 11:12 And the spirit told me to go with them, making no distinction.
When I felt led to start my own business about 13 years ago, my initial start was with great resolve. I was tired of working for others who didn't exactly want to serve customers in the way I felt was needed to be exceptional, and that fueled my launch. As time marched on we had our ups and downs, and as a result of one of those down times I begin to have my doubts. One night I went home and began to express these doubts to Evie my wife. I will never gorget her reply," I have no doubt that you will be succesful, you can do anything you set your mind to". The resolve and confidence that sprung from that statement was enormous. Her encouragement that night was greatly needed as she pointed me back to my original purpose. There were many days were those words kept my feet shuffling in search of work.
I think one of the great mysteries, and unfortunately greatest debates in Christendom, is the role of the Holy Spirit in a believer's life. I tend to over simplyfiy things, but this one seems rather clear to me. He is God in us. The precepts found in the Word of God, he echoes. The work of God, he leads us to and empowers. The words of God, he creates in our souls to express to the world. The sin that tries to invade, He convicts and attacks like a father defending His house form a midnight robber. He leads, guides, clarifies, empowers, convicts as He burns with Holy embers of God's glory in our souls.
When you look at the verses above, you will see Peter rely on the Holy Spirit with great confidence. God has shown Him a vision three times to preach to the gentiles. God sets the stage as gentiles show up as the trance of visions comes to end. Peter has been given clear direction to go with them and preach Christ. But then notice verse 12, " And the Spirit told me to go with them, making no distinctions". Peter knows the Spirit's voice intently and has great confdence and trust of it. He not only has God's revelation and direction from outside His body, but from inside the depths of His soul. That is the only way He had the resolve to do something as bold as break all of the Jewish laws about association with Gentiles (Acts 10:28). Peter knows what to do, has it confirmed from the inside of His soul and is empowered by that Holy Spirit to make it happen. Therefore the work he set out to do was clearly revolutionary and miraculous, because it was not his, it was God's.
I know there are times when I struggle for clarity with the Holy Spirit. The times when I hear his voice clearly, as it magnifies the work of Christ, are the most content and sweetest days I know of. The work that He has done through me in those times are truly way above my pay grade, and have Holy finger prints all over them. This clear conversation between me and a Holy God is the number one thing I want and seek in this life, as it was the very thing I was designed to be.
So where do you stand in this picture of dialogue with the Spirit. I hope deep and clear. If all of this sounds strange and mystic to you, I would encourage you to pray for the Grace to sit at the feet of Jesus until you learn to know His voice. Jesus himself said, "My sheep know my voice". We initially hear it from outside our bodies but the Spirit shouts Christ from deep within. It is a gift beyond expression to be able to walk through life with God's intimate direction blazing the trail in front of you. Is that going on in your life?
Friday, January 21, 2011
Parris Island discipleship
Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus
Acts 5:32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Acts 9:17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.
The US marine core...the few the proud, the Marines. All who know of them acknowledge them as elite warriors prepared to do battle. How does that occur? What makes them so special? Preparation and purpose. Parris Island is the place where that purpose and preparation is pressed into the recruits permanently, like a coffee stains on a white table cloth. To become a Marine you must pass a 13 week crash course which seeks to strip you of your individualism, weaknesses and self serving agendas and then rebuilds a new identity for you as a US Marine, with a single purpose to fight until death for the core. You go into Parris Island as an individual, you leave as a Marine, if you don't reject the process and quit.
I believe that it is no coincidence that the final test to pass to become a marine is a 54 hour war simulation called "the Crucible". A crucible is a container that is used in metalworking that is able to withstand higher temperatures than all of the other contents that will be put inside it. The crucible is used to contain and hold together all of the items put inside it as they are reconstituted and altered.This is exactly what happens to Marines as they are pushed past their natural physical and emotional limits. The crucible demands that the recruits rely on their leaders and others for survival and in the process they learn that they are not capable of success in their own strength. The result of those who successfully pass the crucible is someone who has bought into the purpose of the Marine core and is honored to be apart of something much greater than himself.
When you look through the history of the Church, broadcast loudly in acts and compare it to Marine training, you can see many parallels in the processes. The obvious major difference is that the Christian discipleship process is spiritual, initiated and activated by the Holy spirit that spills over into the emotional, mental and physical spheres of life where the Marine process is not based on a spiritual foundation alone, even though I am sure many Marines might argue that point.
When you look at the verses above in acts you see a focus on self denial, burying yourself in baptism and submitting to obedience of God as markers of the Holy Spirit. It is amazing when you read through Saul's conversion to Paul you can see the total 180 degree change in the man, purpose, desire and in turn life's actions. Once Saul became Paul, he rushed to obedience in baptism when just days earlier he was wreaking havoc against those who were submitting to God in that same action. It is truly amazing when you think it through. If we are followers of Christ, we should be able to see our own true repentance, our own submission and our joyful willingness to live for God's purposes as we drop our self serving identities. We should be able to tangibly see the functioning of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we recognize our need for God's help to make it through this crucible of life and death. It is only when we have been stripped of ourselves and have been built up in the spirit that we will live for Christ and not ourselves. It is exactly what John the Baptist expresses in John 3:30, "he must increase , but I must decrease". It seems that for me, my "Parris Island" experience as a Christ follower never ends as I am constantly met with reminders of my inabilities and his supremacy in all. I praise God that He did not let me go through this crucible alone because I would have ended up like many who just couldn't take the pressures at Parris Island and just decide that their old life, though lacking, will just have to do.
Acts 5:32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”
Acts 9:17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened.
The US marine core...the few the proud, the Marines. All who know of them acknowledge them as elite warriors prepared to do battle. How does that occur? What makes them so special? Preparation and purpose. Parris Island is the place where that purpose and preparation is pressed into the recruits permanently, like a coffee stains on a white table cloth. To become a Marine you must pass a 13 week crash course which seeks to strip you of your individualism, weaknesses and self serving agendas and then rebuilds a new identity for you as a US Marine, with a single purpose to fight until death for the core. You go into Parris Island as an individual, you leave as a Marine, if you don't reject the process and quit.
I believe that it is no coincidence that the final test to pass to become a marine is a 54 hour war simulation called "the Crucible". A crucible is a container that is used in metalworking that is able to withstand higher temperatures than all of the other contents that will be put inside it. The crucible is used to contain and hold together all of the items put inside it as they are reconstituted and altered.This is exactly what happens to Marines as they are pushed past their natural physical and emotional limits. The crucible demands that the recruits rely on their leaders and others for survival and in the process they learn that they are not capable of success in their own strength. The result of those who successfully pass the crucible is someone who has bought into the purpose of the Marine core and is honored to be apart of something much greater than himself.
When you look through the history of the Church, broadcast loudly in acts and compare it to Marine training, you can see many parallels in the processes. The obvious major difference is that the Christian discipleship process is spiritual, initiated and activated by the Holy spirit that spills over into the emotional, mental and physical spheres of life where the Marine process is not based on a spiritual foundation alone, even though I am sure many Marines might argue that point.
When you look at the verses above in acts you see a focus on self denial, burying yourself in baptism and submitting to obedience of God as markers of the Holy Spirit. It is amazing when you read through Saul's conversion to Paul you can see the total 180 degree change in the man, purpose, desire and in turn life's actions. Once Saul became Paul, he rushed to obedience in baptism when just days earlier he was wreaking havoc against those who were submitting to God in that same action. It is truly amazing when you think it through. If we are followers of Christ, we should be able to see our own true repentance, our own submission and our joyful willingness to live for God's purposes as we drop our self serving identities. We should be able to tangibly see the functioning of the Holy Spirit in our lives as we recognize our need for God's help to make it through this crucible of life and death. It is only when we have been stripped of ourselves and have been built up in the spirit that we will live for Christ and not ourselves. It is exactly what John the Baptist expresses in John 3:30, "he must increase , but I must decrease". It seems that for me, my "Parris Island" experience as a Christ follower never ends as I am constantly met with reminders of my inabilities and his supremacy in all. I praise God that He did not let me go through this crucible alone because I would have ended up like many who just couldn't take the pressures at Parris Island and just decide that their old life, though lacking, will just have to do.
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