Endtime Indications - 12/20/07
VIKING WARMTH
Norway's Artic Svalbard archipelago recently been warmer than at any
other time since the end of the Viking Age nearly 800 years ago,
according to a study by the Norwegian Polar Institute. "An the
warming is accelerating," institute glaciologist Elisabeeth Isaksson
told the AFP news agency. The trend was determined by examining ice
core samples taken from Lomonosovfonna, one of the highest glaciers on
the island of Svalbard. During the balmy Viking Age, voyagers from
Europe's Nordic region had access to ice-free seas all the way to
Greenland and North America. The new report comes after a summer that
saw Artic sea ice melt at a record rate, and an autum in which it
refrose more quickly than ever observed before.
4. Stewardship
Principle: God expects you to accept responsibility for wisely
managing and investing the abilities God has entrusted to your care.
The God of the universe invites you to discover that you are His
unique creation. He urges you to accept Him as Lord in all that you
are and all that you do.
When you acknowledge Christ's Lordship of your leadership you give Him
the right to rule over your life and leadership. But, simultaneously,
when you call Him Lord, He gives you a new responsibility called
"stewardship." Stewardship means "to manage and administrate
resources belonging to someone else." As Lord, God is the owner of
your talents and abilities. As steward you are responsible for their
wise use and investment.
Many of Jesus' parables provide insight into the meaning of
stewardship. Let's look at one that is especially helpful.
What Is Stewardship?: A Parable
In Matthew 25:14-29, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. Take a
few minutes and read the parable. This parable teaches some important
lessons about stewardship. First, stewardship means entrusting what
is rightfully yours to another. This is exactly what God does with
you when you present your life and leadership to Him. Presenting your
life to Him means you acknowledge His ownership. By entrusting your
life back to you, God makes you a steward.
Second, though we have different talents (abilities, not money)
entrusted to us, we are each responsible for the wise investment of
precisely those talents that are given to us.
God only expects you to achieve results in your leadership that are
consistent with the measure of skills and abilities He's built into
you. Yet, at the same time, "To whom much is given much is
expected." This phrase doesn't just refer to your abilities. It can
also refer to your knowledge of God and His Word, your citizenship in
a free country, your income, or hundreds of other resources God allows
you to manage.
The more God invests in you, the more He expects of you. It was true
in the parable of the talents, and it's true today. This has
staggering implications for those of us who God has richly blessed.
Third, the goal of a steward is to meet the Lord's expectations. Two
of these stewards knew the master well enough to know that he expected
them to invest his money; the third either understood the master's
expectations and disregarded them or did not know what the master
expected. Either way, the third steward failed.
God has invested talents in you, not only in the form of money, as in
the parable of the talents, but in the form of skills and abilities.
He expects you to invest those talents in work that meets His
expectations.
Understanding the principles in the parable of the talents should help
you understand stewardship better. It provides important insight
regarding who is responsible in your career decisions. Yet
understanding how to make leadership decisions as a steward requires
knowing what your Master expects and who He holds responsible for
making decisions.
Who's in Charge Here?
What does it really mean to take responsibility for the gifts God has
given me, to be a committed steward for my Creator and Lord?
In order to answer this question, you first have to determine WHO is
responsible for deciding how you will use your gifts. When faced with
this question, most Christians reply in one of three ways:
1. "I'll decide, alone, how to use my gifts."
this is the Christian who takes sole responsibility for his life, and
leaves God out of the decision-making process. Why? Because the
person is like the deist who believes that, at one point in time, God
wound up the universe like a great clock, and has left it running ever
since. The deist feels that God really doesn't have the time to get
involved in mundane human affairs. So without any personal attention
or direction from a detached, impersonal Creator, this self-sufficient
Christian is left to answer the stewardship question alone.
Unfortunately, on his own, this person runs the risk of failing to
see, understand, and obey God expectations. And, God is not detached,
impersonal or too busy to be involved in your life. Jesus said,
"Surely I will be with you always, to the very end of the
age." (Matthew 28:20).
2. "I'll just leave it to the Lord."
In contrast to the first Christian who shoulders the entire weight of
decision-making, alone, the second Christian gives that same entire
responsibility over to God. This person believes that God, and God
alone, is solely responsible for telling him how to use his talents,
abilities, and skills in leadership.
While this response sounds more spiritual, it can actually be a way of
avoiding responsibility. It leaves the individual passively awaiting
the results of the law of natural consequences: "Let's wait and see
what happens, and if it fails, it can't be my fault because I didn't
choose!" But isn't it true that to NOT chose is in itself, a choice?
There is a third way that you, as a Christian, can answer the
question, "Who's responsible for deciding how I should use my gifts to
serve God?"
3. "God and me-together."
Jesus deliberately stripped Himself of everything - His divine rights
and privileges - and crossed the unthinkable chasm between God and
man.
Try to imagine the span of that chasm.... The unlimited God became
limited man.... Jesus Christ is God.
....From the world's viewpoint, Jesus had descended as low as a man -
to say nothing of God - could go.
But there was one more downward step, in heaven's eyes the deepest
descent of all: from sinless to sin stained.... Truly, He could go no
lower.
....He knowingly and actively embraced a life of giving, serving,
losing, and dying.
What was, and is, really hard for Jesus' followers to swallow is that
we are called to do the same. To make ourselves nothing.... We must
believe that as painful as it sometimes feels, descending is the only
way to greatness.... Jesus obeyed for the sake of love.
And we, His followers and the recipients of His love, are called to do
the same. When asked about the two greatest commands, Jesus replied:
to love God and to love others. That is what motivated Jesus, and
that is what is to motivate us.
(From Descending into Greatness by Bill Hybels)
God views service and humility as strengths, not weaknesses. What
steps in your relationships can you take to show greater humility?
How can you expand your service to others?
This response combines a balanced and proper measure of God's
sovereignty and your responsibility. This balance is described
beautifully in Philippians 2:12-13, "Continue to work out your
salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to
will and to act according to His good purpose." God expects to be in
a relationship with Him, you can make responsible decisions about how
you can best use your gifts throughout your leadership.
This expectation reveals how insufficient the other two responses are
in recognizing God's deepest desire for you. Since He created you and
sent His only son to live and die for you, is it any wonder that He
wants to be intimately involved in every aspect of your life? God has
already invested too much of Himself in you to expect you to make
those all-important leadership decisions, alone.
In His Hands
Martin Luther
I have held many things in my hands, and lost them all; but whatsoever
I have placed in God's hands, I still possess.
The responsibility for deciding how to be a wise steward does not rest
solely with you, or solely with God. It rests with you and God-
TOGETHER. The Christian who is truly responsible for using his career
for God says, "I am responsible and accountable for making my
decisions-within guidelines established by the Lord."
Understanding the guidelines and knowing what God expects is obviously
very important.
Fortunately, God hasn't left you in the dark regarding His
expectations. he knows what He wants done in the world and the part
he wants you to play in it. let's take a look at a few ways you can
get a better understanding of God and His will.
Tips For Success
Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed.
No matter what good we do, God knows our motivation for doing it. God
judges our motives, not simply our actions.
Conscience is like a compass. If a compass is faulty, you'll quickly
get off course. A conscience gets its signals from the heart, which
can be dulled, hardened, or calloused. Furthermore, a conscience can
be overly sensitive or can even drive one mad....
in order for one's conscience to be a good guide, one the Spirit can
direct, it needs to be healthy, sensitive, and capable of getting
God's message and truth.
....When one realizes the true condition of the heart without God and
ponders the impact of his or her sinfulness, there is an emotional
reaction. I have offended. I have grieved the heart of God. I have
driven nails into Christ's hands with my sins. That does something to
my emotions when I, as a sinner, realize that. When the truth of
forgiveness and grace and God's overwhelming love pour over me, there
is an emotional reaction. And I must admit that. When I realize that
God has reserved a home in heaven for me - a reprobate sinner who was
running in the other direction whe He stopped me, turned me around in
grace, and brought me to Himself - that brings an emotional response.
Don't deny those emotions!...
God gave you a mind. Use it to know Him better. Study the doctrines
that put steel into the cement of your faith. Exercise your mind!!
God gave you a will. use it to obey Him. Make decisions that honor
Him and please Him. Exercise your will!
And God gave you emotions. Don't be afraid of them. Let them out.
Allow your heart to show through. Exercise your emotions!
If we refuse to open up, to allow the full prism of His love and truth
to shine through our lives, we will miss much of the color life has to
offer.
(From Flying Closer to the Flame by Charles Swindoll)
Are you fooling God? It can't be done! You can't just "go through
the motions." Live a genuine life of faith today by praying that God
will guide your heart and mind. Then he will direct your actions.
Discovering God's Expectations
God has spoken to His people in many different ways throughout
history, and He still does today. How can you understand what the
Lord expects of you as a steward?
1. Get into God's Word.
Certainly the principles and guidelines you'll find in God's Word are
important ways to here God's voice. Everyone who wants to clearly and
consistently hear God's voice should read and meditate on God's Word.
The literal meaning of the Greek word for "obey," is "to come under."
Therefore, to obey God's Word, and to submit to (or come under) His
Word out of obedience.
In Scripture, God clearly issues numerous commands, A lot of
Christians complain that Scripture just isn't clear regarding what God
expects them to do. mark Twain wass closer to the truth when he said,
"it's not what I don't understand in the Bible that bothers me, It's
what I DO understand." God's Word is full of black and white truths
that remove the guess work in discovering His will.
Scripture also teaches principles. These are guidelines that require
discretion. They aren't commands, but highly useful truths around
which we can order our lives.
Chuck Swindoll illustrates the distinction between commands and
principles this way: "The sign that reads, 'Speed Limit 35' is a
command. The one that reads, 'Drive carefully,' is a principle."
Both commands and principles are important in discovering God's desire
for your leadership.
2. Look around and within.
Throughout history, God has spoken in some rather unique ways to His
people. One way is through an audible voice. God spoke to Moses
audibly in a burning bush (Exodus 3:4). A second way is through
dreams and visions. God spoke to Joseph in a dream (Matthew 2:13). A
third way is through circumstances. God spoke to Nehemiah through the
disastrous situation in Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1:2-4). Fourthly, God
speaks through human desires. God spoke to King David through the
desires of his heart (Psalm 37:4-5).
While God's voice is most commonly heard through Scripture, He can and
does speak in other ways as believers genuinely and sincerely seek His
leading. These ways aren't the norm. like Scripture, but they can be
used by God to communicate and confirm His will to us. Each way
depends upon a deep, personal, daily walk with God. Your closeness to
the Lord and devotion to His Word are requirements for discerning
God's voice in whatever way He chooses to speak to you.
3. Hear the people of God.
Paul and Barnabas became missionaries because the Holy Spirit spoke
through the elders of their church. God's Spirit guided the early
church "when all the believers were together and had everything in
common" (Acts 2:44). Jesus promised His followers that, "where two or
three come together in My name, there i am with them" (Matthew 18:20).
Our culture advocates a highly individualistic approach to leadership
decision-making. But, there is ample evidence in Scripture that
proves that a group of God's people can often sense God's direction
for your life before, and/or better, than you can.
There are times when group guidance is inappropriate. Some small
groups become dictatorships; others are spiritually anemic and
incapable, or unwilling, to discern God's will. Furthermore, a group
can never be a substitute for your own responsibility in decision
making. But viewed properly, a loving, spiritually-minded community
of believers can be invaluable in helping you discern God's will.
God's Direction in Your Leadership
The principles of Lordship and stewardship are applicable to area of
your Christian life. In CLTI, our specific purpose is to help you
know how to be a wise steward in making good leadership choices under
Christ's Lordship. As you seek to be a good steward for your Lord,
you will discover that God commands you to invest your talents in
purposeful activity called leadership.
Now let us take a look at how you are to relate to God.
IV. Our Relationship with God
One of the many things that the sport of football has taught us is;
that if a team is in trouble, it needs to get down to the basics.
Well what are the basics of human life. let us take a look at what
one famous person has said:
(1 Chronicles 29: 10-15)
"There in front of the whole assembly King David praised the Lord.
He said 'Lord God of our ancestor Jacob, may you be praised forever
and ever! You are great and powerful, glorious, splendid, and
majestic. Everything in heaven and earth is yours and you are king,
supreme ruler over all. All riches and wealth come from you, you rule
everything by your strength and power: and you are able to make
anyone great and strong. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and we
praise your glorious name.
"yet my people and I cannot really give you anything, because
everything is a gift from you, and we have only given back what is
yours already. You know, O Lord, that we pass through life like
exiles and strangers, as our ancestors did. Our days are like passing
shadows and we cannot escape death.'"
What aspects of this prayer are useful today?
Where do you place your hope?
Introduction
Before working on the major parts of this Lesson, take a little time
quietly to read and reflect on the brief quotations below. One may
encourage you, one may challenge you, another you may want too
question. But let them speak to your sense of self-hood in Christian
living at this time. Our calling is both a cross, and a joy.
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent. (Eleanor
Roosevelt)
Who can say more than this rich praise, that you alone are you?
(William Shakespere)
Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things. (Luke
10:41)
What is Jesus' point?
Bu to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to
become children of God. (John 1:12)
What does believing mean to you?
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not
driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not
destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the
life of Jesus may be manifested in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:8--10)
How can these verses help you cope with your present difficulties and
anxieties?
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)
The way we live, the things we say, the attitudes we entertain, the
lifestyle we adopt, the enterprises in which we engage are all
continuously producing either positive or negative results in
society. Far too many people assume they can adopt a neutral stance.
They feel they can be noncommittal. They try to remain detached,
uninvolved with the trauma, turmoil and tension of their times.
Again and again Jesus pointed out that this was impossible. "Either
you are for me, or against me," He said. "You cannot serve two
masters at once. Either you hate one and love the other or vice-
versa...."
We live in an atmosphere of antagonism, and environment of enmity.
Yet amid such adversity Christ calls us to produce peace.
The peace is love, quietly, strongly, persistently meeting every
onslaught against it with good will. It is that inner attitude of
tranquillity and tolerance in the face of angry attacks. It is the
willingness to accept the assaults of others even at the price of
personal humiliation. It implies that even though my enemies and
detractors may be at war with me, I can be at peace with them.
(From Salt for Society by Philip Keller)
How do you exhibit your faith? Do you hurry out the door after church
on Sundays? Or do you take the time to greet and listen to the
concerns of others? Next Sunday, stay and listen. Remember that
listening begins to help those in need.
How do you grow spiritual fruit?
Jesus saw the wearisome burden upon those who had gotten riches and
were trying to hold onto them. He knew the cancerous nature of wealth
and often warned of its danger. He spoke of the "deceitfulness of
riches" (Matt. 13:22). Riches are deceitful precisely because they
lead us to trust in them, and Jesus saw that trap and the spiritual
destructiveness which attends it. This was the burden that bore down
upon the rich young ruler. Not only did he have great possessions,
but more significantly, the great possessions had him. Of all
oppressions his was the most spiritually debilitating.
To all those weighted down by the burden of tomorrow, or any other
burden, Jesus extends a gracious invitation, "Come to me, all who
labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke
upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and
you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden
is light" (Matt. 11:28-30). Our task in the pages that follow is to
seek an understanding of the teaching which is the basis for this call
to liberation, this summons to the peaceful life.
Jesus points to the fact that whatever we fix as our treasure will
obsess our whole life: "For where your treasure is there will your
heart be also" (Matt. 6:21). He was not saying that the heart should
or should not be where the treasure is, but that it will be.
There is no option in this matter: our whole mind will be fixed around
our treasure. When Jesus said that "no one can serve two masters," he
did not mean that it was unwise to serve two masters, but that it was
impossible. If our treasure is in our job, or our family, or any
other earthly thing, our mind will not be on God.
if all within us is honed down to the single treasure of God the
Father and his Kingdom, then we are living as His children. We should
be committed to the goal of a single aim in life and a unselfish
spirit. Jesus lived in this singleness of purpose wit God so
perfectly that he could say without embellishment that he did nothing
of his own accord (John 5:19). His words were the words of the
Father, his deeds the deeds of the Father. And he calls us in our
life to enter this unity of purpose.
Jesus is not telling us to refrain from living life to the fullest.
No, we work, but we work in faith, not in the anxious concern of
distrust. On a practical level, it is at this point that the nagging
problem of "faith versus works" is resolved. We live, centered in
trust and faith and all of our action and work arises out of that
center. It is not fear and anxiety over tomorrow that prompt us to
work, but obedience to God the Father's love for us. We make
provision as it seems right and good (just as the birds do), but what
comes to us is not so much the result of our labor as it is the
gracious gift of God. We live the carefree life of unconcern for
possessions in the midst of our work.
When this spirit of trust pervades all of our efforts, we seek first
Christ's Kingdom and his righteousness, the focus of our thought,
speech, and action God the Father.
"I recommend to you holy simplicity" (Francis de Sales).
All men and women , created in the image of God, are called to develop
as much as possible their capacity to be loving and compassionate
human beings. This is a daunting challenge, when we consider the
'tooth and claw' mentality of so much that surrounds us in our
competitive, violent society, or, from a very different perspective,
when we consider Paul's injunction to 'have this mind among
yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who ...emptied himself,
taking the form of a servant... humbled himself and became obedient
unto death, even death on a cross' (Philippians 2:5-8).
It seems that what is required is both and inner directedness and
resilience, and an inner detachment. Both are God-given gifts. The
seeds of these are dormant, struggling or flourishing with us all, and
reflect the present intermingling of our spirituality, our
psychological well-being, and our perception of the pressures of life
at the moment.
Our Relationship
Now that we know a little more about God and that the Christian God is
the best God. We have learned that not having a god, makes pain a
harsh inevitable reality of life with no meaning.
But you may be asking yourself, if there is a God, as revealed in
Christ (a loving God); then why does such a God create a world and
people in which he knew there would come pain? Or does it? If it
doesn't then why did God create us in such a way6 that we would bring
pain into life?
A key to the answer of these questions is in the focus on ME and
keeping ME at the center. This creates a delusion that I have the
power to change the nature of God. The difficulty with this is that
the Christ of Christianity preached the necessity of losing one's life
in order to find it.
Even going back to the very basics of Christianity we find the Garden
of Eden story the Bible tells of Adam and Eve. We find them dealing
with the temptation "You will be like God" which suggests, "You will
have something even better and more of what you want." We learn from
the Bible and what we reviewed; that what needs to be done about that
part of our being, we can't do ourselves. We need a "higher power."
We are sitting on the throne of our lives as puppet gods. No lasting
fulfillment and meaning can be found in that way of life. None of us
is God; the clear fact of life is that we live with pain, brokenness,
and human limitation?
The Bible sees surrender as a common human need. It is essential in a
successful relationship with God and for having life and having it
abundantly. The Bible also makes it clear that it is a human need we
cannot meet by ourselves. The Bible often speaks of surrender as
being born again, Jesus said it this way, "You must be born again."
The Bible also speaks of a improper relationship; which it calls
"sin." "Sin" relates to placing our "kingship" before "His
kingship." This causes a improper spiritual condition within humans
and our relationship with God, self and others.
The message of the gospel is that God IS, that he IS our God and has
created human life. The mark of "being born again" in the Christian
faith is the confession that "Jesus is Lord." That means that there
is a new occupant on the throne. There is a new center other than
self. Jesus becomes the Way, the Truth, and the Life, for life and in
death. In Jesus, God but also human, we see a human life of service
to others, a person emptied of "ego," praying "Your will be done,"
giving thanks to the Father, and glorifying his name. Jesus said that
this is life, abundant in the midst of the pain, brokenness, and human
limitation. And this is what Paul meant when he said, "If anyone is
in Christ, He is a new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17).
So why isn't everything great as soon as we are "born again."
Although there is something new, the old remains. Being "born again"
does not result in the removal of the tendency to go back to the old
way, but their is something new. The new is "Christ is my Lord in
life and death." He is at the center. There is a new desire
expressed in the prayer, "Your kingdom come. Your will be done on
earth as in heaven." Paul called the old the "flesh" and the new the
"spirit" and describes realistically the battle that exists between
"flesh" and the "spirit."
The way of life includes "one day at a time." Luther expressed it
well in his Small Catechism, "Our sinful self ...should be drowned
through daily repentance; and day after day a new self should arise,"
that the new person may live seeking to do the will of the Lord. The
prayer that needs to arise daily from within is, "Your kingdom come.
Your will be done." The desire of the old is to have it my way. The
desire of the new that comes through "being born again" is that Christ
the Lord will live within and through one's life.
In the Christian message, Christ is revealed as our God who has come
to save us and restore us to a new way of life in the midst of our
pain, brokenness, and limitation.
"Yet to all who received him to those who believed in his name, He
gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12)
Unfortunately, there are people who say they believe in Jesus, but who
show by their way of life that this is not true. It is not enough
just to say we believe in Jesus. To be a child of God, we must also
receive Jesus as our Savior AND Lord. This means turning away from
your sins and believing in Jesus as Savior AND Lord.
When we receive the Lord Jesus and believe in him we became members of
the Family of God. God himself is our Father. So, it is said that
you were "Born Again" as a member of a new family. This is just like
being born a second time. This is why your experience is called a new
birth.
You noow have within you a new life. It is a life according to the
training plan set up for you by the Holy Spirit. This is what we will
be studying in the rest of the course. "Praise be to God... In his
great mercy he has given us a new birth." (1 Peter 1:13). According
to this verse, who was it who caused you to be born again? God.
"If you then though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to
those who ask him!" (Matt. 7:11)
How should this encourage you?
This show's that God the Father in our new family is more loving than
a human father. Because we know that our Heavenly Father loves and
cares for us, we do not need to worry.
"So do not worry; saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we
drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' ...your heavenly Father knows that
you need them." (Matt. 6:31, 32)
Why pray when you can worry?
Many people worry and are troubled about what they will eat and wear.
Jesus said something very interesting about such people, He said:
"The pagans run after all these things."(Matt. 6:32)
What do you do to counteract anxiety in order to concentrate on the
kingdom?
"Be content with what you have because God has said, 'Never will I
leave you; never will I forsake you."(Hebrews 13:5)
How does the work ethic fit into this passage?
Code the list of concerns below with these symbols:
P = my parent's biggest concern
-5 = my biggest concern 5 years ago
+5 = my biggest concern 5 years from now
x = something I can do nothing about
+ = something I can give to God and forget about
* = my biggest concern right now
children: doing OK in school
parents: getting old
job: finding it or loosing it
money: not having enough
advancement: getting ahead
older children: not making it
transition: starting over
mid-life: failing my expectations
health: can't work/pay bills
retirement: feeling useless
future: being left alone
accidents: loved one getting hurt
If you were to take seriously the above Scripture passage, how would
it affect your list above?
a. it would change everything
b. it would change a few things
c. it would change the way I view things
d. it wouldn't change a thing
How do you feel after taking this personal inventory?
a. relieved
b. angry, because these concerns do not go away
c. frustrated, because I know I should not be this way
d. I'll have to think about this
It is important for every believer to know and obey the will of God.
The Bible says:
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go." (Psalm
32:8)
We can be absolutely sure that God will guide us when we are making
important decisions in life.
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts." (Col. 3:15)
In this case, the word "rule" means to "act as a guide or leader."
Another method that God uses to guide us is through circumstances.
When circumstances are favorable God may be saying 'yes," when they
are not favorable; he may be saying "no."
But maybe we are still asking "Why do I need to be 'born again.'
Why be "born again"
"God saw everything that he had made and behold, it was very
good." (Gen. 1:31)
The Bible has certainly much to say about creation and the wrong use
of material things, but here we are brought back to a basic and
reminded that this is God's world.
And in this world: "God shapes man like a potter." (Gen. 2:7).
"For through the living and eternal word of God you have been born
again as the children of a parent who is immortal, but mortal." (1
Peter 1:23)
We are his creation or children (created in his likeness) may select
from our choices what we will, to be. He wants those children who
join Him in heaven, to have made the decision (to join him) after
careful consideration and with a complete commitment of their whole
being. As a result of being his child we must recognize our limits as
creatures under authority of our creator or father.
As we see, we must give up control of our life. So why do we not do
this?
What perspective does this verse give you on your current priorities:
Could it be that it is very difficult to do? In Genesis 2:7 it
indicates that we are created of the world, of earthly desire (in
Hebrew, man - adam - comes from the ground/earth - adamah - cf. I Cor.
15:47), but God has breathed something of himself into man. We are a
blend of earth (and its limitations) with God's "likeness" (and his
joy and freedom).
(1 John 2: 15-17)
"Do not love the world or anything that belongs to the world. If you
love the world, you do not love the Father. Everything that belongs
to the world - what the sinful self desires, what people see and want,
and everything in this world that people are so proud of - none of
this comes from the Father; it all comes from the world. The world
and everything in it that people desire is passing away; but he who
does the will of God lives forever."
Do human desires contradict God's will: Always? Never? How so?
In Genesis 3:15 we see in the words, a recognition of the constant
battle between mankind and his desire for earthly and evil things, as
in the past statement.
While, we are here on earth, we participate in God's training program
for his Children. As part of that program, we are to use his guidance
to learn to live a life that is self-improving and self-fulfilling.
This is reflected in our relationship with our fellow humans, We, as
Christ did, become models for others. This is to be accomplished by
doing the best we can, in satisfying our God placed position in his
Human family. The only way we can meet this goal is through his
guidance (Holy Spirit) and help (grace). One of the key factors and
fruits of our success in this area is our "love" for our fellow-man,
and our God.
What have you become as a result of believing in Jesus Christ and
receiving him as your Lord and Savior?
"Sin" is hurting ourselves, and/or hurting fellow "Children of God,"
and God our Father by not acting in a truly "Loving" and/or Obedient
way. We hurt ourselves by actions on our part that do not help us to
make the decision or which do not prepare us for our future in
Heaven. We hurt ourselves because we are not growing to meet our
goals. We hurt other "Children of God," if we act in a way that does
not help them reach their goals. We hurt God because our "Love" for
him, other "Children of God" and ourselves was not enough to help us
want to be with him.
To what family do you now belong?
(Christian Doctrine-Shirley C. Guthrie, Jr.)
"The Lord God commanded the man saying, 'You may freely eat of every
tree of the garden; but of the knowledge of good and evil you shall
not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die' (Genesis
2:16-17). But the serpent said, 'You will not die. For God knows
that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like
God knowing good and evil' (Genesis 3:4-5)."
"What is the sin of Adam (which means 'Man')? Disobedience? Yes,
because he does what God commanded him not to do... But the deeper
meaning of the story is that man wants to be like God. He is not
content to be a human being in the image of God; he wants to be
divine, God himself. Why? Several answers can be given - an
indication of how profound this story is. We could say that the root
and essence of sin is pride. Man wants to be more than he is. He is
not content to be dependent on God, to let himself be loved and cared
for by God. He wants to be self sufficient and independent, to do
whatever he pleases, and to know everything, so that he does not need
to ask or learn or receive anything. Or we could say that the root
and essence of sin is no belief. Man does not believe that he can
trust God to give him everything he needs and to tell him how he
should live, so he tries to do for himself and give himself what only
God can do for him and give him. He does not believe that he is
really safe and secure under the care and command of God, so he tries
to take care of himself, tells himself how to live. Pride and
unbelief go hand in hand."
"But the point we want to emphasize now is that concrete expression of
sin in this story is man's desire to 'know good and evil.' The desire
to tell ourselves and know for ourselves the difference between good
and evil is sin. According to this story, the root and essence of all
sin."
"The desire to know good and evil is rebellion against God. God alone
is good, and he alone knows what is good and not good. To want to
know and be good by ourselves (to 'establish our own righteousness,'
as Romans 10:2 puts it) means that we do not want to depend on God, to
learn afresh every new day, in every new decision and situation, what
is good and what is not good. We want to know for ourselves, by
ourselves. As soon as we think we do know, then we begin to feel
competent and not only to dictate to other people but to dictate to
God himself what he must be and do and say if he is really good. Nor
do we want day by day constantly to receive from him the ability to do
what is good and avoid evil. We want to have the ability in
ourselves. And as soon as we think we do have it, then we become
certain that "Good" is by definition what I, and those who are like
me, want and do. We no longer need to be judged and corrected by God;
we ourselves have become the infallible judges of good and evil - in
place of God. And that is sin - the sin of good people!"
"Or in short, sin is not loving and not being willing to let ourselves
be loved."
Who made you a child of God?
In Ezra the evil impulse was sown in the heart of Adam, and
transmitted to his descendants (3:2-21).
(2 Esdras 4: 9-11)
"But all I have asked you about is fire, wind, and the day that has
just passed - things that you have experienced. Yet you have given me
no answer. You can't even understand things that you have been
familiar with since you were a child. How then can your little mind
understand the ways of God Most High? Can a man already worn down by
this corrupt world understand the ways of the incorruptible God?"
Give two reasons we should not worry?
Can it be; that as long as we are earth's child we will not fully
understand what we are missing?
(2 Esdras 4: 20-21)
"You have given the right answer," he said. "So why can't you see the
answer to your own problems? For just as trees have their place on
the land, and waves have their place in the sea, so the people of this
world can understand only what goes on in this world, and only
heavenly beings can understand what goes on in heaven."
Maybe if our minds are concentrating on things of Heaven, we can have
a better understanding. Man is given his training and decision
period; along with the fact that he is made in the image of God. Yet
he flouts the obedience due, and makes the wrong choices, therefore
bringing upon himself earthly/evil results; disaster, pain and death,
with no meaning to his existence and more importantly his rejection of
God (or as we may know it, SIN) and our ultimate goal of glory to God
our Father and Creator.
(Psalms 1: 1-2)
"Happy are those who reject the advice of evil men, who do not follow
the example of sinners, or join those who have no use for God.
Instead they find joy in obeying the law of the Lord."
Life offer two roads to travel, the way of the righteous or the way of
the wicked. God provides, protects, and nourishes the righteous
Follow the faithful road. God's reward supersede the benefits of the
wicked.
One marked difference between the faith of our fathers as conceived
by the fathers and the same faith as understood and lived by their
children is that the fathers were concerned with the root of the
matter, while their present-day descendants seem concerned only with
the fruit....
Our fathers looked well to the root of the tree and were willing to
wait with patience for the fruit to appear. We demand the fruit
immediately even though the root may be weak and knobby or missing
altogether. Impatient Christians today explain away the simple
beliefs of the saints of other days and smile off their serious-minded
approach to God and sacred things. They were victims of their own
limited religious outlook, but great and sturdy souls withal who
managed to achieve a satisfying spiritual experience and do a lot of
good in the world in spite of their handicaps....
.... The bough that breaks off from the tree in a storm may bloom
briefly and give to the unthinking passer-by the impression that it is
a healthy and fruitful branch, but its tender blossoms will soon
perish and the bough itself withers and dies. There is no lasting
life apart from the root.
Much that passes for Christianity today is the brief bright effort of
the severed branch to bring forth its fruit in its season. But the
deep laws of life are against it. Preoccupation with appearances and
a corresponding neglect of the out-of-sight root of the true spiritual
life are prophetic signs which go unheeded. Immediate "results" are
all that matter, quick proofs of present success without a thought of
next week or next year.... There is but one test for the religious
leader: success. Everything is forgiven him except failure....
The whole Bible and all the great saints of the past join to tell us
the same thing. "Take nothing for granted," they say to us. "Go back
to the grass roots. Open your hearts and search the Scriptures. Bear
your cross, follow your Lord and pay no heed to the passing religious
vogue. The masses are always wrong. In every generation the number
of the righteous is small. Be sure you are among them."
(From The Best of Tozer compiled by Warren Wiersbe)
What kind of people do you associate with? Who do you turn to for
advice? Is God's Word a priority in your decision making? let these
areas of your life honor God. Thank him for giving his word to guide
you.
Where have you searched for happiness?
Where do you find it?
What is the "law of the Lord" for you?
We have just received confirmation of the joy we will experience by
accepting God's terms for our life. Beside rejection of God or Sin
where does human reliance on other than God lead us?
I leads humans to build to the glory of man, not to the glory of our
Creator. A true son of Adam, he wants to be God himself. He wants to
put himself at the center of God's Creation. "Glory to Men in the
highest" (Gen. 11:4). Man is a creature and his destiny is to seek to
fulfill the purpose he has been created for. This is done by choosing
to be our creators obedient children.
Can you answer a spouse/friend who might say "Why are you becoming a
Christian, i still want to enjoy things with you?"
(Isaiah 48:11)
"What I do is done for my own sake - I will not let my name be
dishonored or let anyone else share the glory that should be mine and
mine alone."
How would you explain to someone; what it means to you, to "Know God?"
It is apparent that our Father in heaven will not share His glory with
us, when we are separated from him. A dominant theme in the Bible is
God's plan to save his creation from its earthly preferences and how
he provides guidance to make the right decision (to join him).
Why should I be "born again?"
(1 peter 1: 14-16)
"Be obedient to God, and do not allow your lives to be shaped by these
desires you had when you were still ignorant. Instead, be holy in all
that you do, just as God who calls you is holy. The scripture says,
'Be holy because i am holy'."
How does Peter's call to holiness challenge you at home? Work?
Community? Church?
Could turning our life over to him, be so difficult if we are looking
at being Holy (dedicated to our religion/spiritually pure)? Why must
we go through childhood or a training period both in our spiritual
growth and in our human growth? In both our spiritual and human life
we have free will and we are initially created with a self centered
will. A being who is centered around his own existence cannot achieve
it's objective. Any growth can only come in relation to the existence
of other creatures. As humans; each human exist for the sole purpose
of aiding the fulfillment of the human race's accomplishments. As
God's children, our purpose is to bring glory to God our Father
through accomplishing what he desires of us. We must then as a Child
of Earth or as a Child of God, learn to control our will.
How would you conquer the difficulties of turning over control of your
life?
(Psalms 25: 8-12)
"Because the Lord is righteous and good he teaches sinners the path
they should follow. He leads the humble in the right way and teaches
them his will.
"With faithfulness and love he leads all who keep his covenant and
obey his commands.
Keep your promise Lord, and forgive my sins; for they are many. Those
who obey the Lord will learn from him the path they should follow."
With what is God's guidance more concerned: Ethics or geography?
Character or direction? Morals or prosperity?
What quality needed for finding God's guidance will you work to
develop?
In the early books of the Bible we see Israel learning the lesson that
they must go forward - into the unknown - with nothing to hold onto
but the presence of God and his guidance to the right path.
What can you do to remember "No Fishing in the pool" of self control?
If the right path should lead us to his glory, why don't we choose
that path?
les us start, by looking at our coach. In our earthly life we show
appreciation to those individuals who provide us with some earthly
benefit. We also recognize those individuals who we consider as great
individuals or who may have accomplished some great feats.
"God is Spirit, and only by the power of his Spirit can people worship
him as he really is." (John 4:24)
As God's children, we have as our spiritual father, the ultimate
person to provide appreciation and praise (glory) to. he created
everlasting life with him.
(Deut. 5:1-4) Implication is made that the revelations of God are
timeless and that his words, whenever they were spoken, are addressed
to us here and now.
In Deut. we learn that his word is available to us, and in John we
learn that through his Spirit and Word we will find some of our help.
Also each individual must repeatedly renew his/her allegiance to God
and accept responsibility for doing his will.
How do we learn that responsibility? In the schools of earth the
student learns how to submit to earthly authority. The person
training for heaven, learns how to submit to God.
But since earthly life is only temporary, it requires less control
than our heavenly growth which can lead us to our future permanent
home. Let us now look at what one of God's wisest heroes has to say
about this area!
(1 Kings 8:29)
"Lord God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on
earth below! You keep your covenant with your people and show them
your love when they live in whole hearted obedience to you."
"I love the church!" Ray exclaimed to me recently. I know it's true.
He loves the grand-parents, the children, the middle-agers, the young
people; he loves the mystics, the pragmatists, the theologians, the
simplists, the immature and the deep, the visionaries and the
plodders, the faithful committee workers who make it happen and the
laggards who have to be cajoled. Ray loves the church! I can't pray
he'll back off; I can only pray he'll have the body and heart to love
it for a long, long time.
And as his wife, I see what the church has done for Ray - deep things
I never could have done.
I told this recently to a young wife, who didn't want her husband to
serve on one of our church committees. "Let your husband go," I
said. "Don't try to overpossess him. If you don't sense that he's
deliberately escaping from his family - which is another matter - then
(I know this sounds heretical) let him plunge into all the church life
he wants to. His heart may need it. Encourage lots of exposure to
godly people. He'll be far better husband and father as a result!"
I told her how the multifaceted, richly diverse Body of Christ has
stretched and challenged Ray in a thousand ways I couldn't - ever - as
one human being. . Sometimes when he's come home, for all the
fatigue, there's a look of splendor shining in his eyes. And when he
does come home, in less time he's a far more effective husband and
father. Oh, yes! The children and I wouldn't trade.
The miracle of the church! Who can explain it? We need all the
relationships God will give us.
(From My Sacrifice, His Fire by Anne Ortlund)
Church membership and participation is an important part of the
Christian walk. Get busy and love God anew.
And this came from Solomon, God's stated wisest man:
(1 Kings 3:12)
"I will give you more wisdom and understanding than anyone has ever
had before or will ever have again."
And from one of the richest:
(1 Kings 3:13)
"I will also give you what you have not asked for, all your life you
will have wealth and honor more than any other king."
It should also be pointed out; that even Solomon recognized in his
request for wisdom, that he needed to let go of self-promotion, in
favor of serving his people. Mankind must learn that valiance,
astuteness and magnificence are not the foundations on which the well-
being of God's children can be based. It must be based on whole
hearted obedience.
God expects all people to use their gifts to do his will. When they
do, everyone else benefits.
The enemy emphasizes the past, with its mistakes and heartaches; the
Comforter exalts the present help of our Lord (Ps. 46:1). The devil
delights in taunting us with our weaknesses, and the Lord reminds us
of the wealth of His riches in grace. Condemnation concerns itself
with our failures; conviction shows us the faithfulness of God. The
tempter teases us with immediate gain, at any cost; the Trustworthy
One tells us of eternal gain, and reminds us of Passion and Patience
in Bunyan's House of the Interpreter. The father of lies magnifies
our problems, by showing their hopelessness, impossibility, and pain;
the God of all grace reminds us of the promises, whereby we can hope
against hope; for "suffering produces perseverance; perseverance,
character; and character, hope; and hope does not disappoint us" (Rom.
5:3-5). Thus we know that pain can mean gain.
The false angel of light would have us walk by sight and earthly
wisdom ("the counsel of the ungodly," Ps. 1:1); the Lord of life, who
sees the end from the beginning, would have us walk by faith (2 Cor.
5:7), and thereby please our heavenly Father (Heb. 11:6). The enemy
would have us see the hosts of evil against us rather than the
hillsides covered with ministering spirits (2 Kings 6:15-17). He
would keep us dwelling upon the injuries from others, until we become
ineffective in service, rather than forgetting the things that are
behind and pressing forward (Phil. 3:13, 14) in the spirit of Him who
said, "Father , forgive them." The Vanquished would have us feel the
nails and the thorns, the Victor would have us see the triumph of
Calvary's tree.
The discipline of discernment requires that we follow the tenets of
divine revelation, lest we fall before the wrath of the tempter. We
are to meet his subtlety, selfishness and sophistry in thee same way
as did the Captain of our salvation, with the unequivocal statement,
"It is written (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10). We also are to live by the Word of
God, and are to worship Him only. We are to believe that as we commit
our way unto the Lord and trust also in Him, He brings to pass His
will (Ps. 37:5). We are to trust that He is able to fill us with the
knowledge of His will (Col. 1:9), and to protect us from the ways of
the destroyer. "When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit
of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him" (Isa. 59:19). As we
submit ourselves without reservation unto God, and resist the devil,
the latter will flee from us (Jas. 4:7).
By the Word, by the Spirit, by faith, by submission to the divine
will, and by resistance to any appeal to self and sin we discern
between the way of God and the path of the destroyer.
(From The Disciplines of Life by V. Raymond Edman)
If you were given Solomon's opportunity to ask for anything, what
would you choose? Would your requests benefit others if God granted
them? In your prayers today, ask God for your heart's desire. Trust
in God's generosity to you.
(Matthew 19:23-24)
Jesus then said to his disciples, "I assure you; it will be very hard
for rich people to enter the Kingdom of heaven. I repeat: it is much
harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle."
If Jesus were to address you where it hurts, what would his hot topic
be?
This biblical statement, as well as the story of the "Rich Man" (Mark
10:17-30), emphasizes the letting go of the love of riches for riches
sake. Instead we need to consider riches as another "gift" or
"ministry" which God provides some of his children, to be used to
promote his "Glory" not "Man's" This is no doubt the hardest
"ministry" to deal with; because it requires letting go of control and
turning it over to God. It means "Trusting" in God to direct you, to
the proper actions.
A word frequently used to reflect this attitude is; stewardship. The
young man who would not "turn it over" left in sorrow while "letting
go" for the sake of being God's child, leads to joy. Wise and
generous use of wealth can be a "ministry," but the pursuit of wealth
for the glory of man can cause the wrong choice on that all important
question; Earth's Child or God's Child?"
In the history of Israel we see that the pursuit of wealth, power,
prestige, and the false sense of security that these things bring, was
not the path that the child of God should follow.
Summary
God expects you to accept responsibility for wisely managing and
investing the abilities He's entrusted to your care. You can't make
these decisions on your own, nor can you abandon them to God. Wise
stewardship choices are ones you make TOGETHER with God. When you
understand what God wants He wants you to do about it, then you can be
a wise steward. To understand God's expectations, you must get into
God's Word, look around and within, and listen to God's people.
Stewardship: What Do YOU Think?
Before continuing on, take a moment to think about these important
questions dealing with stewardship.
1. What are some of the things that keeps more Christians from
adopting the approach of "God and me - together," when determining who
is responsible for using their own gifts? What are your own
hesitations to embracing this attitude of stewardship?
2. Think back on the time(s) that God has "spoken" most clearly to
you. What words, Scripture verses, pictures, or feelings would you
use to describe that experience? How did this time strengthen your
relationship with God?
3. Suppose God were to turn to you today and say, "Well done, good
and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I
will put you in charge of many things." To what accomplishments in
your life would God be referring?
4. In what ways do you believe God wants you to be more responsible
steward of His resources? Take one specific area and outline the
practical steps you might take to become a better steward,
5. Set an "action goal" that will help you apply the principle of
stewardship. Make it measurable and specific. Example: "I'll make a
list of the assets God has placed in my care. I'll then evaluate 'the
return on investment' He's getting on each. Next, I'll choose the
most important asset and set goals for its better use this year."
Leadership Models
Churchill
Having failed to win the approval of their fathers, people frequently
attempt to compensate by winning the devotion of large followings.
The young Churchill idolized his parents even though he often was
painfully neglected. Of his mother, Churchill confessed: "She shone
for me like the Evening Star. I loved her dearly - but at a
distance. My nurse was my confidante." Churchill's father, Lord
Randolph, rarely had time for his son since he was a prominent member
of parliament. Churchill later surmised from his father's
encouragement for him to enter the military: "For years I thought my
father with his experience and flair had discerned in me the qualities
of military genius. But I was told later that he had only come to
the conclusion that I was not clever enough to go to the Bar." When
Churchill's father died, he resigned himself to the fact that "all my
dreams of comradeship with him, of entering Parliament at his side and
in his support, were ended. There remained for me only to pursue his
aims and vindicate his memory." Some leaders developed such
bitterness as children that their anger drove them to positions of
influence as adults.
Student Prayer
Oh heavenly Father, open my eyes to the needs of those around me.
Destroy the spirit of selfishness in my heart, and teach me to give as
you would give. Amen.
For more information go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jeramiahs_back_again/
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