This is not our home

If you happen to listen to contemporary Christian music you will most likely have heard the song "Where I Belong," by building 429. The chorus of the song reminds us that this is not our home, the song reinforces what the Bible teaches that we are strangers and pilgrims here and now, we are to be looking for our heavenly home (Hebrews 11:13).

Chorus:

- All i know is I'm not home yet this is not where I belong take this world and give me Jesus this is not where I belong

Have you ever been somewhere and did not feel that you fit-in or that you just did not belong, it could be a social setting, work environment, or even at church---that feeling of just not belonging SHOULD be part of the christian psyche as we are just passing through this world; because we really belong to another. 

This world-view changes that way the believer lives his life in this world. As this Biblical truth takes root in your life, it begins to change you from the inside out. We are to "set our affection" on things that are above (Colossians 3:1), we are to ''store up treasure in heaven" (Matthew 6:20). 

One of the most fascinating passages in the entire Bible is found in 11 Corinthians 4:18, where the apostle Paul tell the believers:

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

 Some thoughts on this verse:

1. Believers are "not to look at those things that are seen.

2. Believers are to "be looking" at those things that are eternal.

3. The reason why we should not look at the things that are seen---they are just temporary.

4. The reason we should "fix" our attention (spiritual eye) on the things that are not seen---they are eternal.

Father, help us to walk by faith and not by sight. Father, help us to set our affections on those things that are eternal (those things that really matter to You). Give us the wisdom to walk with the thought that this life is like a vapor, it appears for a little time and then it goes away.

The poison of sin

A deadly injection:

We know there are certain injections that can kill a person almost instantly. My grandson (5 years old) is just fascinated by poisonous snakes. The rattlesnake really gets his attention, he is just amazed at the damage that rattlesnake venom can inflict on its prey---the Rattlesnake venom is highly Hemotoxic. The venom travels through the bloodstream, destroying tissue and causing swelling, internal bleeding and intense pain.

We have a book on rattlesnakes and he demands that I explain to him all of the technical words that describe the venom of the rattlesnake. For instance, (Rattlesnake venom is a mixture of 5-15 enyzmes, various metal ions, biogenic amines, lipids, free amino acids, proteins, and polypeptides. It contains components designed to immobilize and disable the prey, as well as digestive enzymes which break down tissue to prepare for later ingestion)---so, I must goggle these words and give him a breakdown, it really is pretty cool to see the hunger for knowledge in such a little guy.

When Adam and Eve turned on God, the poison of sin entered their spiritual veins. The venom of sin destroyed their unbroken fellowship with God, and for the first time they suffered the feeling of being guilty before God.

Now, here is some theology: we all have inherited Adam's guilt and corruption, we all have the venom of sin coursing through our veins. This is what theologians call "original sin." Adam included us in his rebellion against God. Adam represented us; Adam's sin was communicated to us all by imputation (a legal declaration), and also by impartation (moral corruption).

This Biblical idea of imputed sin will cause the sinner to raise his head and deny that he/she is in a state of rebellion against God and in need of a Savior. The Biblical doctrine of sin will cause the unconverted to exclaim, " I'm not really that bad, I may have done some bad things, but I've certainly done more good than bad."

The psalmist puts it like this, "Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me" (Ps. 51:5). The Apostle Paul tells us " All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

Listen finally to the Apostle Paul, where he starts out with our condition before God and then finishes with God's remedy:

 "Yes, Adam's one sin brings condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brings a right relationship with God and new life for everyone (Romans 5:18).

 Father, thank You for bringing us into a right relationship with Yourself. Thank you for Your provision and remedy for our sin---To God be all honor and all glory, Amen.

The Invictus

                    The "Invictus"

The "Invictus" a  nineteenth-century poem by William Earnest Henley, express the lie that Satan told in the garden so long ago: "You will be like God" (Gen. 3:5).

I thank whatever gods that be
For my unconquerable soul...
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

As Christians we must understand the effects of the fall---we now have a predisposition to "do (life) our way." After the fall humanity has had the natural inclination to be autonomous and to throw off the creature-Creator relationship.

The song, 'My Way', by Paul Anka, sums up our desire to "do it our way:"

And now the end is near

And so I face the final curtain,

My friends, I'll say it clear...

And more, much more than this, I did it my way.

For what is a man, what has he got?

If not himself...

The record shows I took the blows -

And did it my way!

It is interesting to understand that there was never a defect in our nature (our humanness), after creating man God declared that His creation was "very good" (Gen.1:31). The tragedy came as a result of what Adam did with the free will that he was created with---Adam and Eve declared their independence from God when they chose to disobey, and do life their own way.

These following lines were found on a painting in a cafe:

I have Taken the pill.

I have hoisted my skirts to my thighs,

Dropped them to may ankles,

Rebelled at the Universities,

Skied at Aspen,

Lived with two men,

married one.

Earned my keep,

Kept my identity,

And frankly...

I'M LOST.

 The Old Testament prophet Isaiah tells us this about ourselves:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way... (53:6).

BUT

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

And that my friend is the gospel.

A few gold nuggets

Here are a few gold nuggets (with some brief commentary) from Robert Murray M'Cheyne (21 May 1813 – 25 March 1843) he was a minister in the Church of Scotland from 1835 to 1843. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Murray_M%27Cheyne

1. For every look at self--take ten looks at Christ! (This keeps us from discouragement and from becoming inward Christians)

2. The greatest need of my people--is my personal holiness. Take heed to yourself. Your own soul is your first and greatest care. Keep up close communion with God. Study likeness to Him in all things. ( We must look at our own sinfulness before we approach others)


3. Unfathomable oceans of grace are in Christ for you. Dive and dive again--you will never come to the bottom of these depths! (This truth will drive away all and any hopelessness)


4. Get your texts from God--your thoughts, your words, from God. In great measure, according to the purity and perfections of the instrument, will be success. It is not great talents God blesses--so much as great likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is a powerful weapon in the hand of God. (God can use any of us, just walk close to Him)


5. A man is what he is on his knees before God--and nothing more.(Nothing to say on this one, but WOW!)

6. Live near to God--and all things will appear little to you in comparison with eternal realities.(Hold all things in this life very, very, very, loosely)


7. Lord make me as holy as a pardoned sinner can be!(The one thing that the Church so desperately needs to have taught to her--the holiness of God)

 Father help us to be HOLY, amen.

HUMILITY

"Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility" Augustine.

 The one lesson that I've learned in my walk with Jesus is that without the working of humility in my life I truly don't have a solid foundation.


When I look at kingdom principles they are all upside down, think about it: when you're weak, you're strong, if you want to be wise become foolish, the first will be last, the greatest among us shall be the servants of all, wow!


It is easy to go to Bible college, seminary, learn the languages (well maybe not the languages), and study theology, but humility is hard, not just hard, it is the dying to your pride and self will. Humility is seeing yourself as God sees you, A.W. Tozer said this of humility:


 "the meek man is not a human mouse afflicted with a sense of his own inferiority. Rather he may be in his moral life as bold as a lion and as strong as Samson; but he has stopped being fooled about himself. He has accepted God's estimate of his own life". 

Father forgive us of our pride---help us to know that we have nothing that we have not received . Help us to walk humbly before you, and help us to have the mind (attitude of Christ) as we journey through life. Give us the grace to ask for your hand to bring about humility into our lives even  if it hurts, AMEN.

Stones in your shoes?

Have you ever tried to walk with stones in your shoes?  It makes the walk very unpleasant and depending on the size of the stone it can make the walk nearly impossible.

There are several mounds of dirt in our neighborhood---the last house is being built, so as you would think those large dirt mounds have been calling out very loudly to my five year old grandson, beckoning him to come down and climb to the top and slide all the way down, again and again.

Every time he would climb to the top and come down he would let me know that he had stones in his shoes.

Think how our sins make our walk with God unpleasant! The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us:

...Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us (12:1).

And we all know that if we IGNORE those pesky stones in our shoes they eventually will cause some serious damage to our soft-tender feet.  And the worst thing that can happen is that we "get used" to those pesky stones and we learn to live with them.

This is one of the scariest verses in the entire Bible:

Holding on to faith and a good conscience, some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith (1Tim. 1:19).

 Christians while we are secure in our salvation it is possible to wound our consciences, and in so doing shipwreck our precious faith. I've seen many believers walking with stones in their shoes and don't even realize the damage that they are doing to their own feet.

Father we know that we can always restore our relationship with you through repentance and confession---help us to keep our feet soft and tender, and allow your word and the work of the Holy Spirit to have its way in our lives. Keep us from wounding our consciences and making our faith powerless.

The Difference Between Enabling and Equipping

I would like to try something a little different in today's post. I've spent a little time doing social work, and during that time, I came across certain patterns of behavior in the clients that I had contact with.

One behavior that was evident to some degree in all clients was their ability to enable negative behaviors in those around them. This was seen in parents toward their children, brothers toward their sisters, and just within the context of the whole family unit.

Enabling behavior is such a broad topic--- with an abundance of research and good books to help one get a good understanding of the topic.

In this post I would like to compare the difference between enabling and the Biblical idea of equipping.

I came across this excellent article on the warning signs of enabling behavior, here are the 20 signs that were listed in the article:

EARLY WARNING SIGNS OF ENABLING

1. Do you find yourself worrying about a person in ways that consume your time, or do you find yourself trying to come up with solutions to his/ her problems rather than letting that person do the solving?

2. Do you find yourself afraid for this person, or convinced that he/she “cannot handle” a situation or relationship without “falling apart”?

3. Do you ever do something for a person which he/she could and even should be doing, in order to learn him/herself?

4. Do you ever excuse this person’s behavior as being a result of “stress, misunderstanding, or difficulty coping,” even when the behavior hurts or inconveniences you?

5. Have you ever considered - or have you - giving this person money, your car, or talked to someone for this person as a way of reducing this person’s pain?

6. Do you feel angry if this person does not follow through with something you have suggested -- or do you worry that you may not be doing enough for this person?

7. Do you ever feel you have a unique and special relationship with this person?

8. Do you feel protective of this person - even though he/she is an adult and is capable of taking care of his/her life?

9. Do you ever wish others in this person’s life would change their behavior or attitudes to make things easier for this person?

10. Do you feel responsible for getting this person help?

11. Do you feel reluctant to refer an individual to a source of help or assistance, uncertain if another person can understand or appreciate this person’s situation the way you do?

12. Do you ever feel manipulated by this person but ignore your feelings?

13. Do you ever feel that no one understands this person as you do?

14. Do you ever feel that you know best what another person needs to do or that you recognize his/her needs better than he/she does?

15. Do you sometimes feel alone in your attempts to help a person or do you feel you may be the only person to help this individual?

16. Do you ever want to make yourself more available to another person, at the expense of your own energy, time, commitments?

17. Do you find yourself realizing that an individual may have more problems than you initially sensed and that you will need to give him/her your support or help for a long time?

18. Do you ever feel, as a result of getting to know this person, that you feel energized and can see yourself helping people like him/her to solve their problems?

19. Have you ever begun to “see yourself” in this person and his/her problems?

20. Has anyone ever suggested to you that you are “too close” to this person or this situation?

Source: http://shalomplace.com/res/enabling.html

After reading and thinking through the above list take the time and ask yourself if you exhibit any of these negative enabling characteristics.

Now, lets look at what it means to equip those around us---and compare the difference between enabling others and equipping them. 

The Apostle Paul's letter to the Church at Ephesus tells us why Christ  gave  believers pastors, teachers, and prophets, Paul says this, now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.Their responsibility is to EQUIP God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.

Vincents Word Studies says this about the word equip that is used in Ephesians: " Only here in the New Testament. In classical Greek of refitting a ship or setting a bone. 

The purpose of pastors, teachers, mothers, fathers, are to bring others to "maturity," (refit the ship, set the bone),  baby Christians are not to stay baby Christians-toddlers are not to stay toddlers-teenagers are not to stay teenagers---and the whole idea behind equipping is to bring a person to be "set on the right course." In the Christian context it is to bring a person to  full trust and dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the parenting context---parents are to allow their own children to "feel" the weight of their own bad choices---parents are to allow their own children to fail, and not pick up the pieces for them. Parents are to provide the "tools" that their children need in order to be independent and not dependent on them.


In the end we as the body of Christ grow in our dependence on Christ---for the Christian being equipped is having the wisdom to know that when we are weak we are strong---it is having the wisdom to know that our sin natures can lead us astray---it is having the wisdom to know that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.

Father give us the wisdom to understand the difference between helping others and enabling others. Father help us to grow in our dependence on you. Help us to grow into full mature believers so that we in turn can minister to the needs of others in the body of Christ.