Fruit of the Spirit
I am in a Bible study on Thursday mornings at Trinity. We've had 3-4 years of great study and I've learned more details of the Bible - Moses, Jacob, Abraham, etc. - than I have in any other study i've been in. We are now going through the book The Fruit of the Spirit by John Sanderson. It is powerful.
In today's chapter, Sanderson says, "Satan's tactic is to give some people so light a case of Christianity that they will never get the real thing." That is what I want - I want the real thing. I want to go deep and stay there. I have only scratched the surface of a walk of faith and I am hungry for more.
Sanderson talks of weeds, artificial fruit and The Fruit of the Spirit and it nailed me...
The Weeds ---- hatred, sorrow, anxiety, strife, impatience, pride, evil, infidelity, self-seeking, lack of control
Artificial Fruit -- limited love, temporary joy, numbness, carelessness, laziness, insensitivity, manipulation by kindness, hypocrisy, half-heartedness, false modesty, choosing lesser gods
The Fruit of the Spirit --- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control
We all have weeds and they choke out growth but I'm OK with the weeds and think I've got them fairly well under control. At times I struggle with hatred, anxiety, pride, etc. but for the most part, this area is OK. But man, when I get to the artificial fruit, I am in trouble. I love but I limit it. I have joy - real, tangible, God-given joy but it is fleeting. I have peace at times but I spend a lot of time being numb. You get the picture.
I can't manufacture the Fruit of the Spirit - they are only God-given. If you ever know one to be at peace, joyful, patient, kind, good, etc. you'll know they are of God. When I do experience the Fruit, I am reminded it is only through God's grace that this fruit appears. My vine cannot produce good fruit. My sin would only produce bitter fruit but when some sweet, healthy fruit appears, praise the Lord, I know it came from the Master Gardener.
Some of my friends lead with "I'm just a rotten sinner saved by grace" - true. That is true. No matter how long we've been a Christian, that sin nature is in us and isn't leaving. We are rotten. And yet, Jesus talks about turning our heart from a heart of stone to one of flesh. Through Christ, real fruit can be produced. We are not doomed to weeds. Yes, we will stumble but that good heart is in us - that Good heart is Jesus and the Spirit. Seek Him, desire Him, look for Him and Live in Him. Truly Live. Live like you've never lived. Free. Free.
Soar!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Lesson from history
I was watching a new special on the Kennedy assassination and an important revelation appeared. The story talked about how paranoid Lyndon Johnson was after the assassination. Johnson had been told by the CIA that if the Russians were going to launch a nuclear attack, they would likely first assassinate the president and other key leaders of the country. So he was pretty shaky right off the bat. After he settled into office, he became concerned that the rise of communism across the globe was the real risk to America. Post the Kennedy killing (which he suspected was put in place by the Russians or Cubans), Johnson became convinced that America needed to strike out against communism somewhere to make a statement about Americas military might.
So the story said Johnson settled on Vietnam as the place to make a statement to the world in retaliation against the murder of Kennedy. The world had to know that the US wasn't going to accept the murder of their President and that the US was serious about containing communism. Of all the places on the map that would be the easiest place for a quick victory, Vietnam was the place. Or so he thought.
The similarities to today are striking.
Bush wakes up post 9/11 and realizes the greatest threat to America was the spread of radical Islam. In order to send a message to the world that the US wouldn't just take the 9/11 attacks, he felt compelled to strike somewhere. To make a statement to the world, the US needed a quick victory. Iraq was the easiest (so he thought) place on the map to win a quick war to show the world that the US was serious.
We'll see what the history books right about Bush but I suspect they will discover many similarities between the paranoid fear of Johnson and Bush. Both Texans led us into a war that they thought would be quickly won only to be bogged down in a political, military and economic quagmire that neither could escape.
Soar!
I was watching a new special on the Kennedy assassination and an important revelation appeared. The story talked about how paranoid Lyndon Johnson was after the assassination. Johnson had been told by the CIA that if the Russians were going to launch a nuclear attack, they would likely first assassinate the president and other key leaders of the country. So he was pretty shaky right off the bat. After he settled into office, he became concerned that the rise of communism across the globe was the real risk to America. Post the Kennedy killing (which he suspected was put in place by the Russians or Cubans), Johnson became convinced that America needed to strike out against communism somewhere to make a statement about Americas military might.
So the story said Johnson settled on Vietnam as the place to make a statement to the world in retaliation against the murder of Kennedy. The world had to know that the US wasn't going to accept the murder of their President and that the US was serious about containing communism. Of all the places on the map that would be the easiest place for a quick victory, Vietnam was the place. Or so he thought.
The similarities to today are striking.
Bush wakes up post 9/11 and realizes the greatest threat to America was the spread of radical Islam. In order to send a message to the world that the US wouldn't just take the 9/11 attacks, he felt compelled to strike somewhere. To make a statement to the world, the US needed a quick victory. Iraq was the easiest (so he thought) place on the map to win a quick war to show the world that the US was serious.
We'll see what the history books right about Bush but I suspect they will discover many similarities between the paranoid fear of Johnson and Bush. Both Texans led us into a war that they thought would be quickly won only to be bogged down in a political, military and economic quagmire that neither could escape.
Soar!
Monday, January 07, 2008
God's shaking
God is shaking the modern church. I've written about this for the past year. You can sense it - people are rapidly growing tired of "religion" - but they are dying of thirst for God. Hebrews 12 talks about God shaking the earth and the heavens. His shaking will come and perhaps it has already begun. From the Message - "If those who ignored earthly warnings didn't get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice that shook the earth to its foundations; this time - he's told us this quite plainly - he'll also rock the heavens: 'One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern.' The phrase 'last one shaking' means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered."
The passage goes on to say, "Do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is fire!"
Yikes! God is going to torch all that needs to burn. God is going to shake the earth, the church and each of us to knock off all that isn't of God.
Too many of us want just enough of God. Just enough to make us better people. That is all. We stop there. We then turn to the church to meet the other needs - nice, clean sanctuary, nurseries brimming with qualified care givers, AWANA for the little kids, summer camps, youth groups, nice choirs, etc. etc. Some mega-churches have taken this to an extreme with gyms, health classes, social events, networking plans, etc. so that the "consumer" will spend their free time (and money) in the institutional church.
Many have said, "I'd rather have all that - all that comfort and convenience - than I would a passionate relationship with God. All that radical church stuff is dangerous, it is unsettling, it is unconventional." EXACTLY - God isn't "safe". God isn't comfort and convenience. He wants all of us totally sold out.
If we refuse Him, the shaking will hurt. He warns against those relying on their own craftiness, own plans, own creativity -- "Go light you own fires, trust your own light to guide you. But this is what you'll receive from me - you'll lie down in a place of pain," Isaiah 50:11
God's shaking is happening. Big changes are coming in His church. He wants all of us. Are you willing to let go and let God take you where He will?
Soar!
God is shaking the modern church. I've written about this for the past year. You can sense it - people are rapidly growing tired of "religion" - but they are dying of thirst for God. Hebrews 12 talks about God shaking the earth and the heavens. His shaking will come and perhaps it has already begun. From the Message - "If those who ignored earthly warnings didn't get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice that shook the earth to its foundations; this time - he's told us this quite plainly - he'll also rock the heavens: 'One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern.' The phrase 'last one shaking' means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered."
The passage goes on to say, "Do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He's actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won't quit until it's all cleansed. God himself is fire!"
Yikes! God is going to torch all that needs to burn. God is going to shake the earth, the church and each of us to knock off all that isn't of God.
Too many of us want just enough of God. Just enough to make us better people. That is all. We stop there. We then turn to the church to meet the other needs - nice, clean sanctuary, nurseries brimming with qualified care givers, AWANA for the little kids, summer camps, youth groups, nice choirs, etc. etc. Some mega-churches have taken this to an extreme with gyms, health classes, social events, networking plans, etc. so that the "consumer" will spend their free time (and money) in the institutional church.
Many have said, "I'd rather have all that - all that comfort and convenience - than I would a passionate relationship with God. All that radical church stuff is dangerous, it is unsettling, it is unconventional." EXACTLY - God isn't "safe". God isn't comfort and convenience. He wants all of us totally sold out.
If we refuse Him, the shaking will hurt. He warns against those relying on their own craftiness, own plans, own creativity -- "Go light you own fires, trust your own light to guide you. But this is what you'll receive from me - you'll lie down in a place of pain," Isaiah 50:11
God's shaking is happening. Big changes are coming in His church. He wants all of us. Are you willing to let go and let God take you where He will?
Soar!
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Relationships
As I begin 2008, I am seeking what God wants from me this year. I have a life story. God has a purpose for my life. There is a plot. There is a reason. I exist for reasons - many of them. As I start this year out, I am seeking what God wants from me for this year.
I thought it was going to be The Spirit. This would be the year of focusing on the Holy Spirit. Now, just 2 days into the year, I am feeling this year is going to be about relationships.
I have relationships in my life. My wife, my daughters, my co-workers, my friends, my hunting buddies, my fellow Rotary members, the folks I worship with at church, even my dog (OK that is a joke - but not really).
Life churns on and it is very easy to overlook these relationships. We easily take them for granted. My goal for 2008 is to be satisfied with the relationships I have and to do whatever I can daily to cultivate those relationships. God puts a lot of people into my path every single day. He gives me opportunities daily to love those in my circle. It is so easy to talk to someone and already be thinking of the next call. This year, I want to dig deep into each call, each visit, each lunch. To truly listen to what the other person is saying. In that, I will find opportunities to minister.
Over the holidays, I watched some of the Mel Gibson movie where he can suddenly know what every woman is thinking. He has a lot of fun with it for a while and then he begins to realize what is really going on the lives of the people around him. At one point, he sees a woman in his office and hears her thinking to herself, "I wonder if anyone will notice when I don't show up for work. At some point, they'll be saying 'I wonder where Alice is? Do you think someone should go to her house and check on her?' They'll all wonder why I did it." She was going to kill herself and she wondered if anyone would even notice she was gone.
Everyone we cross paths with has a story. A life story. Something makes these people tick. Something soothes them. Something scares them. Something haunts them from their childhood. They all have dreams. A lot of them are hurting. This year, I want to get to know their stories.
Stay tuned, I will keep you posted. Life is short and our relationships are gifts from God. He wants to see what we are going to do with the relationships He has given to us.
Soar!
As I begin 2008, I am seeking what God wants from me this year. I have a life story. God has a purpose for my life. There is a plot. There is a reason. I exist for reasons - many of them. As I start this year out, I am seeking what God wants from me for this year.
I thought it was going to be The Spirit. This would be the year of focusing on the Holy Spirit. Now, just 2 days into the year, I am feeling this year is going to be about relationships.
I have relationships in my life. My wife, my daughters, my co-workers, my friends, my hunting buddies, my fellow Rotary members, the folks I worship with at church, even my dog (OK that is a joke - but not really).
Life churns on and it is very easy to overlook these relationships. We easily take them for granted. My goal for 2008 is to be satisfied with the relationships I have and to do whatever I can daily to cultivate those relationships. God puts a lot of people into my path every single day. He gives me opportunities daily to love those in my circle. It is so easy to talk to someone and already be thinking of the next call. This year, I want to dig deep into each call, each visit, each lunch. To truly listen to what the other person is saying. In that, I will find opportunities to minister.
Over the holidays, I watched some of the Mel Gibson movie where he can suddenly know what every woman is thinking. He has a lot of fun with it for a while and then he begins to realize what is really going on the lives of the people around him. At one point, he sees a woman in his office and hears her thinking to herself, "I wonder if anyone will notice when I don't show up for work. At some point, they'll be saying 'I wonder where Alice is? Do you think someone should go to her house and check on her?' They'll all wonder why I did it." She was going to kill herself and she wondered if anyone would even notice she was gone.
Everyone we cross paths with has a story. A life story. Something makes these people tick. Something soothes them. Something scares them. Something haunts them from their childhood. They all have dreams. A lot of them are hurting. This year, I want to get to know their stories.
Stay tuned, I will keep you posted. Life is short and our relationships are gifts from God. He wants to see what we are going to do with the relationships He has given to us.
Soar!
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