Men, I have to quote a portion of Love and Respect by Eggerichs. Picture a God who is like this:
"A good illustration of how respect can motivate a man is found in our armed forces--the millitary... Envision a U.S. Marine general speaking to his men after observing them in training maneuvers that did not go too well. 'Men, I believe in you more than you believe in yourselves. Get your heads up. Look at me. I admire you more than you admire yourselves. Your performance stunk today, but I see more potential in this fighting unit than any in the world. Where you will be in six months will result in the world hearing of this fighting unit, and I'm taking you there.' When a general respects his men and believes in them more than they believe in themselves, these soldiers want to improve, they want to get better, they want to fulfill that potential this general sees in them. Such men want to serve."
God sees more in you than you see in yourself. Let's believe this and let's see more in the men around us than they see in themselves.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Monday, August 18, 2008
Spreading Love
Spread love everywhere you go; first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor... Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting. ~Mother Teresa
Friday, August 8, 2008
Satellites and Theological Truths
Satellite Television requires great precision in directing the Satellite Dish to point exactly at the correct satellite in Space. If the satellite dish is even a couple tenths of a degree off, it can miss satellite reception by several hundred miles. Such a small error results in a completely dysfunctional Satellite TV.
The spiritual life is similar. A small misunderstanding of a theological truth can result in severe spiritual dysfunction for a believer. Less than a full understanding of God's unconditional love can result in poor self-esteem and a dismal picture of God's gentle nature. Less than a full understanding of my sinfulness can result in writing off my need for a doctor and a dismal picture of His justice. A less than full understanding for God's artistic pleasure can result in taking nature and/or human creativity for granted.
In all of these situations, a small misunderstanding of one of God's theological truths can mean big dysfunctions in our spiritual lives. Ask God for a greater understanding of His theological truths and the picture on your Satellite TV will become more clear over time. His help to you comes with warmth and a big smile.
The spiritual life is similar. A small misunderstanding of a theological truth can result in severe spiritual dysfunction for a believer. Less than a full understanding of God's unconditional love can result in poor self-esteem and a dismal picture of God's gentle nature. Less than a full understanding of my sinfulness can result in writing off my need for a doctor and a dismal picture of His justice. A less than full understanding for God's artistic pleasure can result in taking nature and/or human creativity for granted.
In all of these situations, a small misunderstanding of one of God's theological truths can mean big dysfunctions in our spiritual lives. Ask God for a greater understanding of His theological truths and the picture on your Satellite TV will become more clear over time. His help to you comes with warmth and a big smile.
Getting Fixed vs. Fixing Myself
One of the biggest decisions we always face in the Kingdom of God is whether or not we will try to fix ourselves or let God do the fixing for us. Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve, we human beings have tried to find a way to fix ourselves. Jesus said however, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Therefore, trying to fix ourselves is contrary to the way things work in the Kingdom of God. He has a better way.
Suppose I find myself sick with cancer. For the most part, I can’t do anything about it. The only decisions I can make is whether or not to go to a doctor who can heal me. She diagnoses me. She prescribes a treatment plan. She tells me all the possibilities and what the treatment will mean for my life.
Let’s suppose this cancer is not just treatable, but curable. The only way for me to be healed is to subscribe to her diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Imagine I start discussing the treatment plan with her and trying to come up with other possibilities. I tell her that I think I can manage this thing on my own. Maybe heavy pain killers will work over chemo therapy and my body will somehow fight off the cancer.
This kind of reasoning is a recipe for disaster. I would certainly die. Most patients in this kind of situation simply tell the doctor to prescribe the treatment. Most of us would follow through with the chemo therapy and endure the side effects because we know the doctor would be saving our life.
The Kingdom of God is similar. When we enter the Kingdom, we enter a community of other believers who have the ability to heal us. Yes, it is God who does the healing, but He generally passes his knowledge and experience through other brothers and sisters.
Therefore, we seek out another person who can help us in our greatest areas of need. Most likely this person or persons should be one who has gone through the process of healing themselves. This is a spiritual mentor of some sort. Sometimes it is a professional counselor. Sometimes it is a spiritually mature brother or sister in the faith who can help us recognize our defects and help us remove them. We trust God and them to bring us through this process.
Do you have a spiritual mentor? Do you have a doctor? Or, are you trying to treat this cancer on your own?
Suppose I find myself sick with cancer. For the most part, I can’t do anything about it. The only decisions I can make is whether or not to go to a doctor who can heal me. She diagnoses me. She prescribes a treatment plan. She tells me all the possibilities and what the treatment will mean for my life.
Let’s suppose this cancer is not just treatable, but curable. The only way for me to be healed is to subscribe to her diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Imagine I start discussing the treatment plan with her and trying to come up with other possibilities. I tell her that I think I can manage this thing on my own. Maybe heavy pain killers will work over chemo therapy and my body will somehow fight off the cancer.
This kind of reasoning is a recipe for disaster. I would certainly die. Most patients in this kind of situation simply tell the doctor to prescribe the treatment. Most of us would follow through with the chemo therapy and endure the side effects because we know the doctor would be saving our life.
The Kingdom of God is similar. When we enter the Kingdom, we enter a community of other believers who have the ability to heal us. Yes, it is God who does the healing, but He generally passes his knowledge and experience through other brothers and sisters.
Therefore, we seek out another person who can help us in our greatest areas of need. Most likely this person or persons should be one who has gone through the process of healing themselves. This is a spiritual mentor of some sort. Sometimes it is a professional counselor. Sometimes it is a spiritually mature brother or sister in the faith who can help us recognize our defects and help us remove them. We trust God and them to bring us through this process.
Do you have a spiritual mentor? Do you have a doctor? Or, are you trying to treat this cancer on your own?
Friday, August 1, 2008
Decisions
You and I are in the business of making decisions that we don’t have the power to keep. I mean think about it. Have you ever tried to break a habit such as gossiping, obsessive comparison of yourself with others, small-white lies, fits of internal anger and resentment, a lustful look at another person, obsessive daydreaming, or isolation from others? Even more difficult, have you ever tried to love and forgive others, put time and energy into things that aren’t important to you but are important to others, or spent time with others without having some sort of your own agenda?
The Kingdom of God is backwards because in this kingdom, we make decisions we don’t have the power to keep. God longs for us to let go of things that hurt us and others, while we move towards the things that bring peace and a sense of life. But, think about this, Jesus died on the cross to rescue us. We were unable to rescue ourselves from our own sinfulness in the first place. What makes me think that I now have the power to fight temptation or now have the power to become a better person?
The reality is that God wants us to make decisions to improve our lives and the lives of others, but just like his atonement through the cross, He is the only one who has the power to carry out what we are unable to do for ourselves. I simply make the decision, invite Him to carry it out, and move on to what’s next. “Come to Me, all of you who are weary, and I will give you rest.” He says. This is what He longs to do with you and I, but it means we have to make decisions without the power to carry them out. This goes against all self-centeredness.
In the end, allowing God to work through us is what brings the most joy, peace, and glory. Be careful though, and always remember He loves you before you make the decision. This isn't a performance based salvation. You can make mistakes. But, if you don't make real decisions, then there is no opportunity to make a mistake in the first place.
The Kingdom of God is backwards because in this kingdom, we make decisions we don’t have the power to keep. God longs for us to let go of things that hurt us and others, while we move towards the things that bring peace and a sense of life. But, think about this, Jesus died on the cross to rescue us. We were unable to rescue ourselves from our own sinfulness in the first place. What makes me think that I now have the power to fight temptation or now have the power to become a better person?
The reality is that God wants us to make decisions to improve our lives and the lives of others, but just like his atonement through the cross, He is the only one who has the power to carry out what we are unable to do for ourselves. I simply make the decision, invite Him to carry it out, and move on to what’s next. “Come to Me, all of you who are weary, and I will give you rest.” He says. This is what He longs to do with you and I, but it means we have to make decisions without the power to carry them out. This goes against all self-centeredness.
In the end, allowing God to work through us is what brings the most joy, peace, and glory. Be careful though, and always remember He loves you before you make the decision. This isn't a performance based salvation. You can make mistakes. But, if you don't make real decisions, then there is no opportunity to make a mistake in the first place.
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