The great dream of a lot of people is to be their own boss. Starting from childhood we strive to be independent, capable of looking after ourselves. As teens we dreamed of the day we would be out on our own, making our own rules. As adults we looked for some way of creating our own business so we would not have a boss to whom to answer. But it is all just a great illusion.
There is no real independence because there is always some kind of authority over us. We have the laws of society. We have the government and all their regulations. If we own a house we are subject to the municipal by-laws. If we are renting we are subject to the landlord. If we buy a car and finance it we are subject to the bank. The same with a house. If we are married we are governed by our responsibilities of relationship with our spouse. If we are parents we are governed by our responsibilities to our children. Even as pet owners we subject ourselves to the governance of responsibility. Independence is an illusion.
Christians should clearly understand that if this is true for a physical world it is even more so for the spiritual. No one is free and independent. Everyone is subject to their sinful nature. Those who have been freed from this bondage have become subject to Jesus' righteousness. Paul, the apostle, told us we have a basic choice: We can be slaves to our sinful nature or we can be slaves to Yahweh's righteousness. Whatever our choice, we are slaves to whatever we serve.
When Satan tried to tempt Jesus by offering him a short-cut to ruling over the earth, avoiding the cross, Jesus quickly put him in his place by reminding him of the order of things:
“Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ” (Luke 4:8)
Jesus had not illusion of independence. Here is the Word of God incarnate, the Son of God, who set aside the divine to come as one of us, to die in our place, all at the will of Father. Jesus could not do this unless he kept his place and attitude as a servant. No short cuts. No easy fixes. No subjecting everything to the approval of his own will. He came to serve. In fact. we find these same words when Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from the cross. If you remember, Peter had just confessed Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God. When Jesus started explaining how things were going to play out, Peter got after Jesus and told him that this was not the way. He wanted Jesus to avoid the cross. Jesus turned to Peter and said:
“Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23)
Seeking individuality, independence, our own glory, is a sign of spiritual immaturity and a lack of understanding concerning our relationship with Father. We are his children but we are children who serve the Father. Our concern should not be for ourselves but for the will of the One we serve. We should not be trying to achieve greater independence but instead we should be striving to learn greater dependency on the Spirit, learning to do the will of the Father. We need to begin to say to many things and people in our lives "Get behind me, Satan" as we worship the Lord our God, and him only serve.
Showing posts with label submission. Show all posts
Showing posts with label submission. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Friday, March 14, 2014
Do You Stand Or Bow In Worship?
I can be a very stubborn man and something I have learned over the years is that being stubborn is a stupid thing. Stubborn is not the same thing as determined. When you are determined you have the drive and energy to go to the end of what you are doing. Determination still leaves you open to instruction and correction that will help you achieve your goal. A stubborn nature closes you off from everything, even those things that would make it better or even easier for you to reach your goal. Being stubborn can ruin a person. In case I didn't make my point: Being stubborn is not good.
Being stubborn means that you harden your heart, even to Yahweh. Think of king Asa for a moment. He was a good king, honoured by Yahweh, but when he made a mistake and was corrected for it, Asa hardened his heart and would no longer seek Yahweh's help for anything. Scriptures say that he got a foot disease and even then would not seek Yahweh's healing but instead turned to physicians. Five years later he died. That's compared to king Hezekiah who, when Yahweh announced it was time for his death, humbled himself before Yahweh. Yahweh looked at this, was blessed by it and extended his life by 15 years.
The biggest example of stubbornness or hardened hearts are the generation of Israelites who were rescued from Egypt. These people could not take instruction to save their life. With every turn they were questioning Moses and doubting Yahweh. They were like a mule that refused to be dragged to the watering hole. When presented with the Promised Land they refused to trust Yahweh to enter to possess it. Then, when they were told the resulting correction, they refused to submit to the correction and tried to enter the Land, resulting in death. Of them Yahweh said:
“Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion,
As in the day of trial in the wilderness,
When your fathers tested Me;
They tried Me, though they saw My work.
For forty years I was grieved with that generation,
And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts,
And they do not know My ways.’
So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’” (Psalm 95:8-11)
We have no ground to stand on to judge these people. We have been no less rebellious and stubborn at times when we have been instructed to do something we don't understand or we don't want to do. Forgiveness is often a hard thing for us to obey, or to love those who persecute us. I would say those are harder things for us to obey than if Jesus asked us to move to China to start a church. It is usually the daily things that we struggle to submit ourselves to than the big stuff. But consider the call to worship found in this same psalm:
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep of His hand. (vv. 6-7)
It is here that the psalmist writes, if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Notice the posture in worship: bow down, kneel. These are positions of submission, humbleness, recognizing the authority of Yahweh over us. How can we worship if our stubbornness keeps us on our feet, refusing to bow and submit to Father's instructions? So many scriptures reveal to us that Yahweh is not interested in lip worship; he desires the whole heart, mind, and soul.
The attitudes of stubbornness, pride, know-it-all, destroy the relationship our Father desires with us. The last thing he wants to say to us is "They shall not enter my rest". But he will. The last thing he wants to see happen is us die with "foot disease". But he will. There is no way we can be in the presence of our God without an attitude of humbleness, and stubbornness is not the route to humbleness. As you move throughout your day today and you are desiring to hear the voice of Jesus for direction and instruction, ask yourself if you are trying to stand in his presence or if you are bowing before him.
Being stubborn means that you harden your heart, even to Yahweh. Think of king Asa for a moment. He was a good king, honoured by Yahweh, but when he made a mistake and was corrected for it, Asa hardened his heart and would no longer seek Yahweh's help for anything. Scriptures say that he got a foot disease and even then would not seek Yahweh's healing but instead turned to physicians. Five years later he died. That's compared to king Hezekiah who, when Yahweh announced it was time for his death, humbled himself before Yahweh. Yahweh looked at this, was blessed by it and extended his life by 15 years.
The biggest example of stubbornness or hardened hearts are the generation of Israelites who were rescued from Egypt. These people could not take instruction to save their life. With every turn they were questioning Moses and doubting Yahweh. They were like a mule that refused to be dragged to the watering hole. When presented with the Promised Land they refused to trust Yahweh to enter to possess it. Then, when they were told the resulting correction, they refused to submit to the correction and tried to enter the Land, resulting in death. Of them Yahweh said:
“Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion,
As in the day of trial in the wilderness,
When your fathers tested Me;
They tried Me, though they saw My work.
For forty years I was grieved with that generation,
And said, ‘It is a people who go astray in their hearts,
And they do not know My ways.’
So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’” (Psalm 95:8-11)
We have no ground to stand on to judge these people. We have been no less rebellious and stubborn at times when we have been instructed to do something we don't understand or we don't want to do. Forgiveness is often a hard thing for us to obey, or to love those who persecute us. I would say those are harder things for us to obey than if Jesus asked us to move to China to start a church. It is usually the daily things that we struggle to submit ourselves to than the big stuff. But consider the call to worship found in this same psalm:
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God,
And we are the people of His pasture,
And the sheep of His hand. (vv. 6-7)
It is here that the psalmist writes, if you will hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Notice the posture in worship: bow down, kneel. These are positions of submission, humbleness, recognizing the authority of Yahweh over us. How can we worship if our stubbornness keeps us on our feet, refusing to bow and submit to Father's instructions? So many scriptures reveal to us that Yahweh is not interested in lip worship; he desires the whole heart, mind, and soul.
The attitudes of stubbornness, pride, know-it-all, destroy the relationship our Father desires with us. The last thing he wants to say to us is "They shall not enter my rest". But he will. The last thing he wants to see happen is us die with "foot disease". But he will. There is no way we can be in the presence of our God without an attitude of humbleness, and stubbornness is not the route to humbleness. As you move throughout your day today and you are desiring to hear the voice of Jesus for direction and instruction, ask yourself if you are trying to stand in his presence or if you are bowing before him.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Is it 'Sent' Or 'Went'?
There is definitely a difference between going out and being sent. The difference is self-determination. Are we directing our own paths or is the Spirit? We can sacrifice anything we want to serve Jesus. We can do whatever we want to serve Jesus. We could probably even do a great job, but is it what the Father wants? It isn't about our sacrifice and what we want. It is always about the Father's will.
I think one of the things that encouraged Moses the most during his leadership of the newly forming nation of Israel was that he didn't choose the job but the job was chosen for him. In the face of every rebellion and every challenge he was able to say, "This is what Yahweh says".
At one stage there was a great rebellion against Moses but Moses did not defend himself. It was always Yahweh that defended him because he was Yahweh's servant. Moses knew what was about to happen to the leaders of this rebellion and he said to the people:
By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. (Numbers 16:28)
Basically he was saying, look to the fact of if I defend myself or if I am defended. Moses never said he was worthy of the position but it was well known that Yahweh had placed him in it. During those lonely times of leadership, during the rebellions, during the self-doubt, that single thought must have been his greatest comfort.
Consider Jesus, who did not go out but was sent by the Father. Throughout his ministry he told everyone he was sent to represent the Father and to do his will. Read John 5 for a greater insight into this but in summary I quote:
I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. (John 5:36)
Apostle Paul's testimony was also one of being sent. Paul did not wake up one day and decide to join the Church and spend the rest of his life going in and out of jail while telling people about Jesus. He knew his commission and who had commissioned him. Throughout his ministry he was consumed with the desire to fulfil Jesus' will. What a comfort it must have been as a prisoner to know he had not chosen this life for himself but that he had been sent.
We too have been sent but are we submitted to that will? Are we a "take charge" sort of person and do what we feel is best; afterall, Yahweh did create us with a brain. The only problem then is we can find ourselves in difficult places like Moses where self-doubt will destroy us. If we made our own decisions and stand in our own messes we will find it hard to find assurances. It is only when we listen, obey and stand in the confidence of having been sent that we are able to trust that it is all under control. If you have been chosen for the job than the Father has your back. He will provide for you, defend you, give you wisdom and equip you in every way. You need only trust, obey and operate in the authority he has given you. But this confidence is only yours when you know you have been sent and you did not choose this for yourself.
I think one of the things that encouraged Moses the most during his leadership of the newly forming nation of Israel was that he didn't choose the job but the job was chosen for him. In the face of every rebellion and every challenge he was able to say, "This is what Yahweh says".
At one stage there was a great rebellion against Moses but Moses did not defend himself. It was always Yahweh that defended him because he was Yahweh's servant. Moses knew what was about to happen to the leaders of this rebellion and he said to the people:
By this you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. (Numbers 16:28)
Basically he was saying, look to the fact of if I defend myself or if I am defended. Moses never said he was worthy of the position but it was well known that Yahweh had placed him in it. During those lonely times of leadership, during the rebellions, during the self-doubt, that single thought must have been his greatest comfort.
Consider Jesus, who did not go out but was sent by the Father. Throughout his ministry he told everyone he was sent to represent the Father and to do his will. Read John 5 for a greater insight into this but in summary I quote:
I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me. (John 5:36)
Apostle Paul's testimony was also one of being sent. Paul did not wake up one day and decide to join the Church and spend the rest of his life going in and out of jail while telling people about Jesus. He knew his commission and who had commissioned him. Throughout his ministry he was consumed with the desire to fulfil Jesus' will. What a comfort it must have been as a prisoner to know he had not chosen this life for himself but that he had been sent.
We too have been sent but are we submitted to that will? Are we a "take charge" sort of person and do what we feel is best; afterall, Yahweh did create us with a brain. The only problem then is we can find ourselves in difficult places like Moses where self-doubt will destroy us. If we made our own decisions and stand in our own messes we will find it hard to find assurances. It is only when we listen, obey and stand in the confidence of having been sent that we are able to trust that it is all under control. If you have been chosen for the job than the Father has your back. He will provide for you, defend you, give you wisdom and equip you in every way. You need only trust, obey and operate in the authority he has given you. But this confidence is only yours when you know you have been sent and you did not choose this for yourself.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
It Is Suppose To Be Way Different Than This
It only makes sense, doesn't it?
Always trust God.
And we think we do.
But we don't.
We trust him with certain things which makes us feel like we are trusting him with everything because we seldom actually examine ourselves. We seldom ask ourselves the hard questions and when we do we are always able to justify ourselves. "Well, God gave us intelligence to think for ourselves." But that's not what the Lord said through Solomon:
With all your heart
you must trust the Lord
and not your own judgment. (Proverbs 3:5)
Do not trust your own judgment. The reason is because God's ways are not our ways and God's thoughts are so much higher than our own. Our mind, our perspective, even our system of thinking has been crafted by the sinful nature of man. It is not natural for us to know God's ways. It is not normal for us to know his mind. However, through Jesus he has made it possible for us to know his mind, to know his ways, to know what we are to do, but it requires us to be centered on him, to be alive in Jesus, to be one with Jesus.
This is important because we think we are living according to God's will when we are actually following our own. We think we are being directed by him but we are being directed by the "common sense" (common sin) of this world. If we would really open ourselves to God's direction it would blow our mind. But we restrain ourselves by the knowledge of this world instead of living life in abundance through the promises of God. Even though God directs us, we walk according to the wisdom of this world. Instead of believing all things are possible through him who gives us strength, we walk away from God's anointing because the wisdom of the world says it is impossible.
I don't know; are we all reading the same Bible? Can't we read the testimony of those who walked before us? Can we state that we trust in the same way they did? I mean with your family, finances, job, health, education, friends, love? Who is going to plan the size of your family? The wisdom of this world or God? Who is going to decide the work of your hands? The wisdom of this world or God? Who is going to provide for you and your family? The wisdom of this world or God? If God is not directing in these simple things then you will also not allow him to direct your place in the Body of Christ, in ministry. Trust is trust. It is not a partial thing but the whole. And when we trust, God will direct:
Always let him lead you,
and he will clear the road
for you to follow. (v. 6)
Always let him lead you. That is a direct and honest question to ask yourself today: Who is leading me? Can you, with confidence, declare that you are not directing your own path but have laid down all your will and are walking in the Father's? Most of us can't because we have not been trained. We have had no one come along side us and question us on this. We have had no one challenge us in our perspective and decisions because most of us think our wisdom is the Lord's:
Don’t ever think that you
are wise enough,
but respect the Lord
and stay away from evil. (v. 7)
Respect means obedience. Not when we feel like it but because love compels to lay it all down before our King. We need to become radical in our desire for the Father's will. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to break down our old way of understanding and allow our minds to be renewed:
I don't know about you but I am tired of the facade. I want to see as God sees and I want to see what he wants me to see. I want to stop being governed by the rules of this world and start submitting myself to God's promises and principles. I want to stop listening to those who tell me something is impossible when God has told me that through Jesus all things are possible. Too often I have been back and forth in my thinking, but no more. It's the Kingdom of God or it's nothing. It's God's way or no way. Change the way I think Lord and give me eyes to see your design and a willing spirit to accept it.
I trust you.
Always trust God.
And we think we do.
But we don't.
We trust him with certain things which makes us feel like we are trusting him with everything because we seldom actually examine ourselves. We seldom ask ourselves the hard questions and when we do we are always able to justify ourselves. "Well, God gave us intelligence to think for ourselves." But that's not what the Lord said through Solomon:
With all your heart
you must trust the Lord
and not your own judgment. (Proverbs 3:5)
Do not trust your own judgment. The reason is because God's ways are not our ways and God's thoughts are so much higher than our own. Our mind, our perspective, even our system of thinking has been crafted by the sinful nature of man. It is not natural for us to know God's ways. It is not normal for us to know his mind. However, through Jesus he has made it possible for us to know his mind, to know his ways, to know what we are to do, but it requires us to be centered on him, to be alive in Jesus, to be one with Jesus.
This is important because we think we are living according to God's will when we are actually following our own. We think we are being directed by him but we are being directed by the "common sense" (common sin) of this world. If we would really open ourselves to God's direction it would blow our mind. But we restrain ourselves by the knowledge of this world instead of living life in abundance through the promises of God. Even though God directs us, we walk according to the wisdom of this world. Instead of believing all things are possible through him who gives us strength, we walk away from God's anointing because the wisdom of the world says it is impossible.
I don't know; are we all reading the same Bible? Can't we read the testimony of those who walked before us? Can we state that we trust in the same way they did? I mean with your family, finances, job, health, education, friends, love? Who is going to plan the size of your family? The wisdom of this world or God? Who is going to decide the work of your hands? The wisdom of this world or God? Who is going to provide for you and your family? The wisdom of this world or God? If God is not directing in these simple things then you will also not allow him to direct your place in the Body of Christ, in ministry. Trust is trust. It is not a partial thing but the whole. And when we trust, God will direct:
Always let him lead you,
and he will clear the road
for you to follow. (v. 6)
Always let him lead you. That is a direct and honest question to ask yourself today: Who is leading me? Can you, with confidence, declare that you are not directing your own path but have laid down all your will and are walking in the Father's? Most of us can't because we have not been trained. We have had no one come along side us and question us on this. We have had no one challenge us in our perspective and decisions because most of us think our wisdom is the Lord's:
Don’t ever think that you
are wise enough,
but respect the Lord
and stay away from evil. (v. 7)
Respect means obedience. Not when we feel like it but because love compels to lay it all down before our King. We need to become radical in our desire for the Father's will. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to break down our old way of understanding and allow our minds to be renewed:
- Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him. (Romans 12:2)
I don't know about you but I am tired of the facade. I want to see as God sees and I want to see what he wants me to see. I want to stop being governed by the rules of this world and start submitting myself to God's promises and principles. I want to stop listening to those who tell me something is impossible when God has told me that through Jesus all things are possible. Too often I have been back and forth in my thinking, but no more. It's the Kingdom of God or it's nothing. It's God's way or no way. Change the way I think Lord and give me eyes to see your design and a willing spirit to accept it.
I trust you.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Radical Teachings Of The Bible
We often use our circumstances as an excuse for our attitude or reaction to things. We feel justified in what we say or do when there is just cause behind it. It makes us feel better but it also prevents us from being accountable for our actions. The thing is, it doesn't work that way for Christians. Regardless of our circumstances we are to follow the direction of the Spirit and the Spirit always directs us in words and actions of love. No excuses.
What is the worse possible human condition you think you can be found in? How about when all freedom and rights are stripped away from you? Maybe, when you are treated like a possession, no better than a piece of furniture? We call it slavery and it is still going strong in this world. How would you react if you were found in that circumstance? Stolen off the streets, smuggled out of the country and sold to the highest bidder. What would you do? Well, here is how radical Christianity is:
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. (Ephesians 6:5)
Yes, the attitude of submission goes even that far, regardless of your circumstances. Remember, when Jesus told us to love our enemy it was not just words he was speaking. Did you think he was just talking about kind thoughts you were to have? Love equals action. If as a slave we are to obey with respect and fear, emptying ourselves of self so we can obey with sincerity of heart, and have the same attitude as if we were obeying Jesus, how much more in every other circumstance of our life?
What about that teacher that always seems so hard on you? Everything in you wants to tell that teacher off. What about your parents who treat you so unfairly? How about that boss that keeps changing things and expecting so much out of you? What about that police office that always seems to pick on you? The flesh tells you to rise up in rebellion but the Spirit in you yells obedience with respect, fear and sincerity.
I have to be honest, these words are convicting me this morning. My church is small so to help take some of the financial burden off of it I work as a customer service professional from home. I am not always respectful in my attitude toward the company I work for. I often find their expectations to be unfair. There is a rebellion in my heart toward them and I am not sure I have always given my best effort. I have been robbing Jesus of his glory. I can't say that I have been in step with the Spirit with this:
Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. (Ephesians 6:6)
What is the will of God? Submission. That I would submit to the demands and expectations of the company I work for and do it with sincerity. This truth is hard when I examine my attitude toward different circumstances in my life. What is my attitude like to all authority in my life, from bus driver to Prime Minister? If this is what slaves were being told, how much more should we check our attitude. It's not about us; it is about the glory Jesus receives in our Christ-like attitude:
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. (Ephesians 6:7-8)
As if you were serving the Lord, not men. Yes, this applies to that teacher, boss, police officer who treats you unfairly. Is there anything more unfair in life than being a slave? If this is the expectation for a Christian slaves, how much more a person with freedom? The most radical thought out of all of this is that the riches of this world hold no value to us compared to doing the will of God, because our reward is coming. Our reward is not found here. We are not to seek things for our own benefit but always for the benefit of others. We are servants. Our reward is coming. Trust Jesus, live a life of submission and serve with sincerity of love.
What is the worse possible human condition you think you can be found in? How about when all freedom and rights are stripped away from you? Maybe, when you are treated like a possession, no better than a piece of furniture? We call it slavery and it is still going strong in this world. How would you react if you were found in that circumstance? Stolen off the streets, smuggled out of the country and sold to the highest bidder. What would you do? Well, here is how radical Christianity is:
Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. (Ephesians 6:5)
Yes, the attitude of submission goes even that far, regardless of your circumstances. Remember, when Jesus told us to love our enemy it was not just words he was speaking. Did you think he was just talking about kind thoughts you were to have? Love equals action. If as a slave we are to obey with respect and fear, emptying ourselves of self so we can obey with sincerity of heart, and have the same attitude as if we were obeying Jesus, how much more in every other circumstance of our life?
What about that teacher that always seems so hard on you? Everything in you wants to tell that teacher off. What about your parents who treat you so unfairly? How about that boss that keeps changing things and expecting so much out of you? What about that police office that always seems to pick on you? The flesh tells you to rise up in rebellion but the Spirit in you yells obedience with respect, fear and sincerity.
I have to be honest, these words are convicting me this morning. My church is small so to help take some of the financial burden off of it I work as a customer service professional from home. I am not always respectful in my attitude toward the company I work for. I often find their expectations to be unfair. There is a rebellion in my heart toward them and I am not sure I have always given my best effort. I have been robbing Jesus of his glory. I can't say that I have been in step with the Spirit with this:
Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. (Ephesians 6:6)
What is the will of God? Submission. That I would submit to the demands and expectations of the company I work for and do it with sincerity. This truth is hard when I examine my attitude toward different circumstances in my life. What is my attitude like to all authority in my life, from bus driver to Prime Minister? If this is what slaves were being told, how much more should we check our attitude. It's not about us; it is about the glory Jesus receives in our Christ-like attitude:
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. (Ephesians 6:7-8)
As if you were serving the Lord, not men. Yes, this applies to that teacher, boss, police officer who treats you unfairly. Is there anything more unfair in life than being a slave? If this is the expectation for a Christian slaves, how much more a person with freedom? The most radical thought out of all of this is that the riches of this world hold no value to us compared to doing the will of God, because our reward is coming. Our reward is not found here. We are not to seek things for our own benefit but always for the benefit of others. We are servants. Our reward is coming. Trust Jesus, live a life of submission and serve with sincerity of love.
Monday, November 12, 2012
Is Rebellion Natural For A Teen?
Rebellion is natural to our flesh. Since the days of Adam it is natural in our human nature to rebel against authority, especially God's. So of course it is only natural in our flesh for teenagers to rebel against their parents. Parents are the ultimate authority in a child's life so if there is going to be any form of rebellion it is going to be aimed at those parents. It can be more complicated than that but this is the truth of the matter in simplified form. However, as Christians we are a new creation, we no longer live according to our flesh but by the Spirit of God. Rebellion is not part of our nature any more.
I hear from teens all the time who are struggling in their relationship with their parents. Sometimes it is because the teens are being selfish and self-centered and other times because the teen simply wants to follow Jesus. Sometimes parents are totally lost in selfishness and others are extremely opposed to Jesus. What then? What is a Christian to do?
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (Ephesians 6:1)
This is part of God's address concerning submission. In the same way a wife is to submit to her husband and a husband is to love his wife, a child is to submit to his parents and his parents are to love the child. Those are big words, submit and love, and if you haven't read my two previous posts you should to understand what the God means by those words.
Rebellion is not excusable in God's sight. He is responsible for all authority in this world and he has purpose for it. If the authority is not meeting his purpose God sends correction or removes it. This goes for all authority, which is hard for us to understand.
Consider Jesus when he was cornered about paying taxes to the conqueror of Israel. Caesar had invaded and conquered Israel at this time and, as is normal for any government, they taxed the people. When asked about this treatment of God's children Jesus simply said to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. No rebellion there, even against those who ruled over God's children.
No parent is perfect and often there are plenty of mistakes and misunderstandings. There can be a huge battle of the will, but, led by the Spirit, a parents' response should be one of love. But love does not mean giving into whatever a child wants just as God does not spoil us by giving what we want. If we ask for poison God will not provide it and parents are not permitted to give to a child what would harm him. Teens cannot always understand this because they are still learning, exploring, discovering the great mysteries of life. But parents can also be unfair and it is here that God is working maturity into a teens character, if they trust Jesus.
Yes, it is a matter of trust. Teens who have learned to trust Jesus with every aspect of their life are able to submit, even to the unfairness of their parents. It is for their own benefit:
“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:3)
The promise for obedience is that it will go well with you and you will have a long life. If you learn to allow the Spirit to destroy the ugly spirit of rebellion in you great things will come your way. When you learn to walk in submission to God his blessings flow through you like a tremendous river. But you can't be in rebellion against authority and be submitted to God. You cannot have a divided heart.
Obedience and honour, there is no way around them when you follow Jesus. Just as he submitted to his parents when he was a child, so do children today. When he did it everyone was amazed and blessed by him. If you are a teen, you will minister more through your obedience to your parents than you will with any words you speak. In the same way, any rebellion you display will rob Jesus of his glory. Maybe not something you want to hear today but it is something you must understand.
I hear from teens all the time who are struggling in their relationship with their parents. Sometimes it is because the teens are being selfish and self-centered and other times because the teen simply wants to follow Jesus. Sometimes parents are totally lost in selfishness and others are extremely opposed to Jesus. What then? What is a Christian to do?
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. (Ephesians 6:1)
This is part of God's address concerning submission. In the same way a wife is to submit to her husband and a husband is to love his wife, a child is to submit to his parents and his parents are to love the child. Those are big words, submit and love, and if you haven't read my two previous posts you should to understand what the God means by those words.
Rebellion is not excusable in God's sight. He is responsible for all authority in this world and he has purpose for it. If the authority is not meeting his purpose God sends correction or removes it. This goes for all authority, which is hard for us to understand.
Consider Jesus when he was cornered about paying taxes to the conqueror of Israel. Caesar had invaded and conquered Israel at this time and, as is normal for any government, they taxed the people. When asked about this treatment of God's children Jesus simply said to give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God. No rebellion there, even against those who ruled over God's children.
No parent is perfect and often there are plenty of mistakes and misunderstandings. There can be a huge battle of the will, but, led by the Spirit, a parents' response should be one of love. But love does not mean giving into whatever a child wants just as God does not spoil us by giving what we want. If we ask for poison God will not provide it and parents are not permitted to give to a child what would harm him. Teens cannot always understand this because they are still learning, exploring, discovering the great mysteries of life. But parents can also be unfair and it is here that God is working maturity into a teens character, if they trust Jesus.
Yes, it is a matter of trust. Teens who have learned to trust Jesus with every aspect of their life are able to submit, even to the unfairness of their parents. It is for their own benefit:
“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—“that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:3)
The promise for obedience is that it will go well with you and you will have a long life. If you learn to allow the Spirit to destroy the ugly spirit of rebellion in you great things will come your way. When you learn to walk in submission to God his blessings flow through you like a tremendous river. But you can't be in rebellion against authority and be submitted to God. You cannot have a divided heart.
Obedience and honour, there is no way around them when you follow Jesus. Just as he submitted to his parents when he was a child, so do children today. When he did it everyone was amazed and blessed by him. If you are a teen, you will minister more through your obedience to your parents than you will with any words you speak. In the same way, any rebellion you display will rob Jesus of his glory. Maybe not something you want to hear today but it is something you must understand.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Blessings Flow In Submission
The Church is so different than the world that it cannot be understood by the darkness. Even the words we use are different in meaning. Love, in the Church has a far greater character than the love spoken of in the world. It is the same with the word submit.
If you tell someone in the world they have to submit, walls will come up pretty quickly. Yielding, trusting, giving up rights is not something that anyone in the world accepts easily. We see ourselves as freedom fighters and we will move heaven and earth to keep our rights, or so we think. But in the Church the word submit means to open ourselves to receive from others. It involves love and trust. Not trusting others necessarily but trusting God who works through them.
If you tell a woman in the world that she has to submit to her husband you will probably get an earful. The word means something different to them. But in the Church it comes loaded with a richness that overflows with trust and love:
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:22-24)
Let's set aside the husband's responsibility until tomorrow and just focus on the wife here. I am assuming in this situation that the husband is a Holy Spirit, Jesus following man whose personal goal in life is to increase in his revelation of love. It is the woman's responsibility to trust what Jesus is doing through her husband. She must trust his words of encouragement, believing that Jesus is blessing her through her husband.
To receive the blessings of God we must submit ourselves, casting off our fear and opinions, to be open to receive from his hand what he offers us. Wives must see their husbands as a blessing, the person God will use to bless them. Husbands are a source of encouragement as they remind their wives of the glory of God. They have a huge responsibility in this relationship to love their wives as Jesus loves the Church, but the wives have equal responsibility to love their husbands as the Church loves Jesus.
It really comes down to a trust issue. Do wives trust Jesus to use their husbands to bless them? Imagine the blessings we miss out on when we fight against God. How can he bless those who fight against receiving those blessings? The same is true in a marriage. How can God bless the wife through the husband if the wife is constantly putting her husband down, calling him names, picking fights, arguing over everything and insisting on her way of doing things. Marriage is most certainly a partnership but it is clear in the Word how God works in a marriage.
It is true that none of this applies if the woman has married someone who is lost in the darkness and does not know Jesus. There are big problems with trust in that situation and it is part of the reason that Jesus told us not to be unequally yoked. Marriage works when Jesus remains the center of the relationship and continues to be the reason for being.
I realize that this is not a popular notion, even in the Church, and it's because we have allowed the attitude and wisdom of the world to darken our understanding of God's wisdom. If we look at submission from the world's perspective it is a nasty and ugly thing. If we understand marriage from God's perspective we understand that submission is a beautiful thing, an act of love and trust. We see husbands as representatives of Jesus, overflowing with love, self-sacrifice, Godly direction, hope, great lovers of their wives and no one else. When we look at men's responsibility tomorrow you will see how submission can be the most natural response to love.
If you tell someone in the world they have to submit, walls will come up pretty quickly. Yielding, trusting, giving up rights is not something that anyone in the world accepts easily. We see ourselves as freedom fighters and we will move heaven and earth to keep our rights, or so we think. But in the Church the word submit means to open ourselves to receive from others. It involves love and trust. Not trusting others necessarily but trusting God who works through them.
If you tell a woman in the world that she has to submit to her husband you will probably get an earful. The word means something different to them. But in the Church it comes loaded with a richness that overflows with trust and love:
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:22-24)
Let's set aside the husband's responsibility until tomorrow and just focus on the wife here. I am assuming in this situation that the husband is a Holy Spirit, Jesus following man whose personal goal in life is to increase in his revelation of love. It is the woman's responsibility to trust what Jesus is doing through her husband. She must trust his words of encouragement, believing that Jesus is blessing her through her husband.
To receive the blessings of God we must submit ourselves, casting off our fear and opinions, to be open to receive from his hand what he offers us. Wives must see their husbands as a blessing, the person God will use to bless them. Husbands are a source of encouragement as they remind their wives of the glory of God. They have a huge responsibility in this relationship to love their wives as Jesus loves the Church, but the wives have equal responsibility to love their husbands as the Church loves Jesus.
It really comes down to a trust issue. Do wives trust Jesus to use their husbands to bless them? Imagine the blessings we miss out on when we fight against God. How can he bless those who fight against receiving those blessings? The same is true in a marriage. How can God bless the wife through the husband if the wife is constantly putting her husband down, calling him names, picking fights, arguing over everything and insisting on her way of doing things. Marriage is most certainly a partnership but it is clear in the Word how God works in a marriage.
It is true that none of this applies if the woman has married someone who is lost in the darkness and does not know Jesus. There are big problems with trust in that situation and it is part of the reason that Jesus told us not to be unequally yoked. Marriage works when Jesus remains the center of the relationship and continues to be the reason for being.
I realize that this is not a popular notion, even in the Church, and it's because we have allowed the attitude and wisdom of the world to darken our understanding of God's wisdom. If we look at submission from the world's perspective it is a nasty and ugly thing. If we understand marriage from God's perspective we understand that submission is a beautiful thing, an act of love and trust. We see husbands as representatives of Jesus, overflowing with love, self-sacrifice, Godly direction, hope, great lovers of their wives and no one else. When we look at men's responsibility tomorrow you will see how submission can be the most natural response to love.
Monday, February 13, 2012
What's Up With Paul Telling Women To Be Quiet In The Church?
There are a few things in the Word of God that are hard for us to understand or accept in this "modern" age. One of those things is the attitude toward women. For a long time there has been a quiet debate in the Body as to the place of women. It may sound like a silly thing to discuss in an age when equal rights was dealt with a long time ago and we have moved on to other matters. However, it is still there in the Bible. What are we to do with this?
First of all, let us understand where we all are in our relationship with Jesus:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
There are your equal rights long before such a phrase was ever uttered. This is a wonderful passage, beautiful in it's writing and application. The context needs to be read:
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)
Many people would like to leave it there and walk away but there are several passages that need to be dealt with that may make some people uncomfortable. Although our relationship with God puts us all on the same footing, God has set up a certain order for things in the Body of Christ in this world.
We may have messed things up with our own ideas but there is a type of authority God has put in place. Not authority as we understand authority but instead an authority of service. In order for people to receive from this authority there has to be a volunteer submission to it. For instance, within the context of the Body God has called a select number of people to act as servant authorities. They are the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These are the training servants to the Church, who have the responsibility to train believers in works of service. Look it up for yourself in Ephesians 4.
In this same way God has placed the husband in this servant authority to his wife. Paul commands the husband:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:25-33)
I apologize that I shared so much here but it is a beautiful passage that must be read in its entirety. When a husband takes his proper place and is mature in the Lord he sees his role as fulfilling, completing and increasing his wife. His greatest joy is to offer himself to her to see her blessed, multiplied, and again I use the word, increased. But in order to receive this blessing the wife must do the same thing the Church must do with Jesus:
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:22-24)
It is unfortunate that we have allowed the world to taint our understanding of authority and submission because God's definition is a beautiful relationship that is not based on power but on love. Jesus does not force himself on anyone nor should he be forced on anyone. The relationship only works when, out of love, we gladly surrender ourselves to him and he in turn lavishes us with his love. This is marriage.
So now, when we read Paul's statement to Timothy we can better understand what Paul is promoting here:
A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. (1 Timothy 2:11)
"Woman" here is also translated as wife. Who is the wife suppose to be in submission to? Her husband, who is her covering, who has a relationship with her to see her increase. This is also in context to worship. The passage continues:
I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. (1 Timothy 2:12)
Understand again here that "woman" and "man" also translate as wife and husband. It is out of sync with God's order that a husband should have to be taught by his wife. The roles are reversed. Unfortunately we have a lot of that in our current age but it is seldom the woman's fault. Men do not act like real men. They shirk their responsibilities. They are lazy and do not want to take the place of authority servant. They are selfish and just want to pursue their own interests. They allow their wife to go off to church and take their place while they go golfing or watch their sports. The reason women make up so much of the leadership in churches now is because men have failed to take their place.
Not much has changed. Adam would have saved us all a lot of trouble if he had just been the man who should have been. God placed everything under his authority but he couldn't even say no to his wife when she faced temptation. He wasn't there to protect her, defend her, cover her. Oh, he was there physically but he wasn't spiritually and he allowed her to lead him instead of him leading her.
Think what you want about God's order but his Word never changes. In the context of two people filled by the Spirit of God, this is a beautiful thing. It only gets messed up when we allow selfishness, sin and the world's wisdom to enter in. Men, take your place. Love your wife in the same way Jesus loves his Bride. Give yourself fully to her and desire her increase. Women, respect you husband which is the highest form of love. Submit to him in the same manner as the Church submits to Jesus so that you may receive the blessings God will pour into you through him. Let this be done according to God's wisdom and will, not man's.
First of all, let us understand where we all are in our relationship with Jesus:
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28)
There are your equal rights long before such a phrase was ever uttered. This is a wonderful passage, beautiful in it's writing and application. The context needs to be read:
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)
Many people would like to leave it there and walk away but there are several passages that need to be dealt with that may make some people uncomfortable. Although our relationship with God puts us all on the same footing, God has set up a certain order for things in the Body of Christ in this world.
We may have messed things up with our own ideas but there is a type of authority God has put in place. Not authority as we understand authority but instead an authority of service. In order for people to receive from this authority there has to be a volunteer submission to it. For instance, within the context of the Body God has called a select number of people to act as servant authorities. They are the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These are the training servants to the Church, who have the responsibility to train believers in works of service. Look it up for yourself in Ephesians 4.
In this same way God has placed the husband in this servant authority to his wife. Paul commands the husband:
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. (Ephesians 5:25-33)
I apologize that I shared so much here but it is a beautiful passage that must be read in its entirety. When a husband takes his proper place and is mature in the Lord he sees his role as fulfilling, completing and increasing his wife. His greatest joy is to offer himself to her to see her blessed, multiplied, and again I use the word, increased. But in order to receive this blessing the wife must do the same thing the Church must do with Jesus:
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:22-24)
It is unfortunate that we have allowed the world to taint our understanding of authority and submission because God's definition is a beautiful relationship that is not based on power but on love. Jesus does not force himself on anyone nor should he be forced on anyone. The relationship only works when, out of love, we gladly surrender ourselves to him and he in turn lavishes us with his love. This is marriage.
So now, when we read Paul's statement to Timothy we can better understand what Paul is promoting here:
A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. (1 Timothy 2:11)
"Woman" here is also translated as wife. Who is the wife suppose to be in submission to? Her husband, who is her covering, who has a relationship with her to see her increase. This is also in context to worship. The passage continues:
I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. (1 Timothy 2:12)
Understand again here that "woman" and "man" also translate as wife and husband. It is out of sync with God's order that a husband should have to be taught by his wife. The roles are reversed. Unfortunately we have a lot of that in our current age but it is seldom the woman's fault. Men do not act like real men. They shirk their responsibilities. They are lazy and do not want to take the place of authority servant. They are selfish and just want to pursue their own interests. They allow their wife to go off to church and take their place while they go golfing or watch their sports. The reason women make up so much of the leadership in churches now is because men have failed to take their place.
Not much has changed. Adam would have saved us all a lot of trouble if he had just been the man who should have been. God placed everything under his authority but he couldn't even say no to his wife when she faced temptation. He wasn't there to protect her, defend her, cover her. Oh, he was there physically but he wasn't spiritually and he allowed her to lead him instead of him leading her.
Think what you want about God's order but his Word never changes. In the context of two people filled by the Spirit of God, this is a beautiful thing. It only gets messed up when we allow selfishness, sin and the world's wisdom to enter in. Men, take your place. Love your wife in the same way Jesus loves his Bride. Give yourself fully to her and desire her increase. Women, respect you husband which is the highest form of love. Submit to him in the same manner as the Church submits to Jesus so that you may receive the blessings God will pour into you through him. Let this be done according to God's wisdom and will, not man's.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Obedience Is Never Easy For The Rebellious Heart
Most of us want to know there is a purpose and perhaps a plan for our lives. Possessing such knowledge or hope gives us a sense of security and peace. None of us want to live with the thought that we are here by chance, by some freak accident, with no purpose other than to eat, breathe, live and then die. I think each of us has some desire to leave our mark on this place, perhaps to make it a little more pleasant for others to live. Yet, even with such a desire, we want that purpose to be something we want and not what someone else wants. We want to be the captains of our own destinies, to plot our own course and to arrive at some place of remarkable achievement. However, we can't have it both ways. Either we have a purpose or we are plotting our own course.
Many people waste their lives trying to figure out God's specific will for them. They sit and watch life pass them by, waiting to hear a voice or see a pointing finger in the sky. Personally I do not think it works that way. My own calling came first as a nagging realization of the direction God was pointing me in and I immediately coiled against the notion. This would prove to be my recurring reaction to God's expressed will for me. He shows me; I reject the direction; he insists; I protest; he gives me a clear fork in the road to make a choice; I repent and submit. But these moments only occur along the pathway. I never stop moving but always press on. I was once told that if I did not know the direction to go I should continue straight on until I received the instruction to turn one way or the other. Sometimes the instruction is as simple as "serve me where you are; love people in my name". He may move me around from "pillar to post" but the instruction where I am is always the same, "love them in my name".
The big problem with living God's will for our lives is that our will has to die. Perhaps there may be a protest in us at first, just as there was in Jesus' parable of the obedient son. We may say no at first but at the end of the day a loving son submits to his Father's will. There must be a willingness to say, "not my will but yours be done". However, the rebellious son can sometimes have the appearance of obedience but when the sun sets, his rebellion is obvious. We can even sometimes fool ourselves into thinking we are obedient but our rebellion is gross and obvious to God. King Herod is an example of this rebellion.
The Magi have come in search of the great king who had been born according to prophecy. The signs had all come together and they had come to pay homage. King Herod consulted his own wise men and was informed of the prophecies. This is a clear indication of God's will, of what was to come. However, the king enjoyed his job, his position, his power, and he had no plan to give it up, even to God. The king was suppose to be God's representative to the people but Herod probably never stepped into his purpose. He had the position but he failed to walk in his purpose. Not claiming this purpose, Herod was only interested in preserving his position and power. He actually thought he could plot against God. What a foolish man, but no more foolish than we are at times in our lives. Something seemed to be lacking in his Jewish instruction as it seems to be lacking in our Christian instruction. Do we not realize who our God is?
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:11-12)
If our rebellion only affected us perhaps we could have the attitude that it is up to us, but rebellion and sin rarely affect only the perpetrator. When we rebel against God, when we willingly enter into sin, it affects everyone we know and who we encounter. Herod's rebellion had an immediate and historical impact. In an attempt to foil God's will Herod went about as far as a person can go:
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. (Matthew 2:16)
The significant thing here is that Herod did not derail God's plans or will and actually played a role in fulfilling some of the prophecies, but it did not have to be like that. Herod could have played a great role in God's will and he could have lived up to his purpose in his will. The frightening thing is that this is the usual pattern of rebellion against God. It is always a messy affair, with many people hurt or killed (emotionally, physically) in the whole affair. Nothing we do can frustrate the will of our Father. Regardless of our actions God will see his plans through to the end. Is it not wiser to join our Father in his work, to submit to his will, to be part of his great work then to come to our end in rebellion and all it entails? In Isaiah we find this warning:
Woe to the obstinate children,"
declares the LORD,
"to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,
heaping sin upon sin. (Isaiah 30:1)
He describes the rebellious with these words:
These are rebellious people, deceitful children,
children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction.
They say to the seers,
"See no more visions!"
and to the prophets,
"Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things,
prophesy illusions.
Leave this way,
get off this path,
and stop confronting us
with the Holy One of Israel!" (Isaiah 30:9-11)
And he reminds us:
This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength. (Isaiah 30:15)
Jesus taught us that the only way we could follow him is if we die to ourselves. Some have said the problem with living sacrifices is that they keep crawling off the alter. We have to give up everything that belongs to us in order to be able to live a servant's life, submitted to the Father's will. It does not matter what we want when we are called upon to change our course according to the Father's will. It may not even be a change of course but simply the completion of purpose as it was for Jesus. We think that his prayer was simple until we are in that same place of giving up what we possess in order to possess what the Father has intended for us. Then the simple prayer of "not my will but yours be done" comes at the cost of sweating great drops of blood. It is sometimes a wrestling and arguing before we arrive at the point of submission. Regardless of how we get there, we must all arrive at that place of submitting to the Father's will. Perhaps it is the hardest thing you have ever had to do and perhaps many will come against your decision or action. It does not matter, just do it and receive the joy and peace of knowing you are walking in step with the Spirit of God.
Many people waste their lives trying to figure out God's specific will for them. They sit and watch life pass them by, waiting to hear a voice or see a pointing finger in the sky. Personally I do not think it works that way. My own calling came first as a nagging realization of the direction God was pointing me in and I immediately coiled against the notion. This would prove to be my recurring reaction to God's expressed will for me. He shows me; I reject the direction; he insists; I protest; he gives me a clear fork in the road to make a choice; I repent and submit. But these moments only occur along the pathway. I never stop moving but always press on. I was once told that if I did not know the direction to go I should continue straight on until I received the instruction to turn one way or the other. Sometimes the instruction is as simple as "serve me where you are; love people in my name". He may move me around from "pillar to post" but the instruction where I am is always the same, "love them in my name".
The big problem with living God's will for our lives is that our will has to die. Perhaps there may be a protest in us at first, just as there was in Jesus' parable of the obedient son. We may say no at first but at the end of the day a loving son submits to his Father's will. There must be a willingness to say, "not my will but yours be done". However, the rebellious son can sometimes have the appearance of obedience but when the sun sets, his rebellion is obvious. We can even sometimes fool ourselves into thinking we are obedient but our rebellion is gross and obvious to God. King Herod is an example of this rebellion.
The Magi have come in search of the great king who had been born according to prophecy. The signs had all come together and they had come to pay homage. King Herod consulted his own wise men and was informed of the prophecies. This is a clear indication of God's will, of what was to come. However, the king enjoyed his job, his position, his power, and he had no plan to give it up, even to God. The king was suppose to be God's representative to the people but Herod probably never stepped into his purpose. He had the position but he failed to walk in his purpose. Not claiming this purpose, Herod was only interested in preserving his position and power. He actually thought he could plot against God. What a foolish man, but no more foolish than we are at times in our lives. Something seemed to be lacking in his Jewish instruction as it seems to be lacking in our Christian instruction. Do we not realize who our God is?
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:11-12)
If our rebellion only affected us perhaps we could have the attitude that it is up to us, but rebellion and sin rarely affect only the perpetrator. When we rebel against God, when we willingly enter into sin, it affects everyone we know and who we encounter. Herod's rebellion had an immediate and historical impact. In an attempt to foil God's will Herod went about as far as a person can go:
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. (Matthew 2:16)
The significant thing here is that Herod did not derail God's plans or will and actually played a role in fulfilling some of the prophecies, but it did not have to be like that. Herod could have played a great role in God's will and he could have lived up to his purpose in his will. The frightening thing is that this is the usual pattern of rebellion against God. It is always a messy affair, with many people hurt or killed (emotionally, physically) in the whole affair. Nothing we do can frustrate the will of our Father. Regardless of our actions God will see his plans through to the end. Is it not wiser to join our Father in his work, to submit to his will, to be part of his great work then to come to our end in rebellion and all it entails? In Isaiah we find this warning:
Woe to the obstinate children,"
declares the LORD,
"to those who carry out plans that are not mine,
forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit,
heaping sin upon sin. (Isaiah 30:1)
He describes the rebellious with these words:
These are rebellious people, deceitful children,
children unwilling to listen to the LORD's instruction.
They say to the seers,
"See no more visions!"
and to the prophets,
"Give us no more visions of what is right!
Tell us pleasant things,
prophesy illusions.
Leave this way,
get off this path,
and stop confronting us
with the Holy One of Israel!" (Isaiah 30:9-11)
And he reminds us:
This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength. (Isaiah 30:15)
Jesus taught us that the only way we could follow him is if we die to ourselves. Some have said the problem with living sacrifices is that they keep crawling off the alter. We have to give up everything that belongs to us in order to be able to live a servant's life, submitted to the Father's will. It does not matter what we want when we are called upon to change our course according to the Father's will. It may not even be a change of course but simply the completion of purpose as it was for Jesus. We think that his prayer was simple until we are in that same place of giving up what we possess in order to possess what the Father has intended for us. Then the simple prayer of "not my will but yours be done" comes at the cost of sweating great drops of blood. It is sometimes a wrestling and arguing before we arrive at the point of submission. Regardless of how we get there, we must all arrive at that place of submitting to the Father's will. Perhaps it is the hardest thing you have ever had to do and perhaps many will come against your decision or action. It does not matter, just do it and receive the joy and peace of knowing you are walking in step with the Spirit of God.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Disobedient By Nature
Good morning my friends,
So they did it. The Israelites were given a long list of instructions of how they were to set up everything and do everything and they did it. You can know they did it because we are given every detail of what they did, right down to the exact offering each leader brought. Maybe to you it is a matter of information overload but it should be a matter of noting the dedication and obedience of these people to God’s instruction. Mind you, it did not last long as they soon went back to their usual disobedient selves.
This brings to mind a question Jesus posed through a story:
"What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'
" 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.
"Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.
"Which of the two did what his father wanted?"
"The first," they answered.
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the
I have left this passage in its context as Jesus used the story to speak to those who were rejecting the direction of the Father. I also want you to consider that this story reveals the heart of the Father toward obedience.
It is not good enough to put on a show for God. He is not interested in actions that lack the proper motivation. That is not to say he is not interested in our actions. However, what he wants is the perfect situation of a heart dedicated to him that provokes obedience in our actions. We can be like the son who says yes to the instructions. We can raise our hands in worship and yell out Amen at the right moments in the preaching but if we walk away and do what our rebellious nature dictates for us to do our words are useless.
Perhaps we are rebellious to begin with. Perhaps we hear what we are suppose to do Perhaps it strikes us as impossible or something we just do not want. We are rebellious toward God and say forget it. But then the Spirit works on us and we submit ourselves to God’s direction, the Father’s will. Jesus tells us this is worth so much more than those empty words of promise to obey.
Obedience to God is not just when it is convenient for us. It is not just on sunny days. The Israelites were obedient when there was no opposition but when opposition presented itself they failed to trust God and fell back into their rebellious ways. Our real challenge is our obedience in the things we do not want to do. I am not going to lie and say it is a simple matter; it isn’t. These are the moments of spiritual crisis and sometimes they last for more than one season as we struggle to submit our rebellious nature to the Father’s will. The strange thing is the Father seems to be very patient in these times. Our success in these struggles is what will define our character.
Some of you parents may be able to relate to the Father as you deal with adolescents who struggle to submit themselves to the will of their parents. We need the strength of the Father to be patient during this season. Just as we have to learn patience in matters we do not want to submit to so do they. It is not easy as they deal with the issues of respect along with their changing perspective of life and the world. We need to keep in mind how much the Father respects us by allowing us to make that decision for ourselves. We often fail our adolescents by not giving them the respect that they also deserve. We owe it to them to listen to their ideas, their concerns, their fears, their dreams. As we listen we discover their hearts and we are better able to understand who they are. We may discover the reasons for their struggle to obey and in understanding we become patient, giving them the time they need to submit to something that is hard for them to submit to.
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