“I Will Instruct You”

Once again from Phil Jackson at Red Letter Christians. I’m really enjoying his insight this week.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.”
Psalm 32:8

A friend of my, Soong-Chan Rah, posted on Facebook once that the heart that is willing to hear a no and obey is the heart that can be trusted with a yes. This is one of the acid tests of our walk with Christ, trusting in the counsel of God in our daily lives and in whatever ministry Christ calls us to. Too many times my plans become God’s plans and then I can and will justify that this is right before God. All because I didn’t want to a tune my ears to hear God’s no. Proverbs 16:2-3 tells us people maybe pure in their own eyes but the Lord examines their motives. Now, Prov 16:3 is our challenge today as we serve and live for God, commit your actions to the Lord and your plans will succeed.

Follow Him

Jesus said, “Follow Me” many times. What do you suppose He meant? I ask because it seems like we’ve decided He meant for us to get others to follow us. This is far from His intent as He warns in Matthew 23:15, “You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You go halfway around the world to make a convert, but once you get him you make him into a replica of yourselves, double-damned.”

Our desire should always be to draw others to Jesus using only the implement of love. His love, the very love that filled your heart should be shared or taught without religious baggage and devoid of go-betweens. “Make disciples” is better read, “Teach (share) My love”.

Leader

One of the reasons Jesus was killed was because He didn’t come to be our leader en masse.

Anointed

Anointed literally means rubbed with oil. Scripture figuratively uses the term to strictly reference the Holy Spirit’s interaction in, around, through and upon a person. Anointing is not intended to bring glory to an individual or to indicate superiority.

It’s Possible

Jesus says, with God all things are possible even those things considered impossible for us. The key here is the “with God” part. So if He says do it, what do we have to fear? We can be daring when we’re following God’s lead and walking with Him moment by moment.

Rearview Mirror

“The more I’ve listened to God, the more I’ve realized I don’t always catch what God is up to in real time either. Some people speak with a great deal of authority about what God is doing right now. I’m always amazed because I can never figure out God that quickly. I usually understand what God is doing by seeing it through the rearview mirror. Only then can I connect the dots, and even then, it’s a pretty dodgy sketch. Maybe that’s why the Bible described what we are often doing as looking through a mirror dimly. The Bible says that right now we only know “in part” and that one day, after we’ve gone, we’ll know “in full.” That makes more sense to me because it means our understanding will always have gaps and gaps are good because they leave room for God to fill in the spaces.” – Bob Goff, Love Does

Economics

“Jesus was always talking about a reverse economy. He talked about how if you want to receive, you give. If you want to lead, you follow. That the poor are rich and you only really live for certain things if you are willing to die to them.” – Bob Goff, Love Does

God’s way is backwards from so much of what we see. His way is rooted in trust. Our way is rooted in doubt.

Will You Help Me?

A number of times since school started, our thirteen year-old son has come home and told us about someone he talked to that day that didn’t believe in God. Each time we asked how the conversation came up and it was always quite natural. In one of the conversations the person told him that if someone could teach them about and show them God that they would believe. As our son was telling us this he asked will you help me show them?

There’s Much to Do

We mustn’t make the mistake of thinking that because we can’t make God love us more by what we do for Him that there isn’t much to be done with Him, there is. Out of our intimate relationship with The Lord will come much direction. His leading results in miracles and changed lives that are unique and specially formed for their part in His plan. Seek Him with all you have today. Ask Him what He has in store for you to do together and do it no matter how hard it might be.

Thumping

Because of God’s uniqueness along with His one of a kind love for each of us, relying on formulas and programs is not the best way for us to touch people’s hearts. This is where intimacy with Him really comes into play, where the trust we’ve been talking about over the past several days has its opportunity to shine. It’s by His leading that we are most effective in loving those He puts in our lives. Because He knows so much better than we do, we must rely on Him to prepare the way and to present our chance to touch folks. Jesus (obviously) was the perfect example of this for us. He sought The Father with all His heart, loved the people around Him well and when God led Him to a special encounter He responded. Never the same speech, He didn’t hand them a flyer or lump them into a group. He let them know they were special even when what He had to say was difficult.