One of the lessons that will be repeated over and over as we study through the book of Judges the consequences of what happens when one generation fails to pass on to the next generation the truths of God. This is not just about failing to teach the truths but also a failure to create situations and environments for each succeeding generation to experience the love, forgiveness, intervention, guidance and provision of God.
Judges records it this way: “After that generation died (the generation that had been in the desert and had crossed the Jordon River), another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things He had done for Israel.” (Judges 2:10 NLT)
The instruction to the children of Israel was clear. They were to pass on to each generation the truths of Scripture. The book of Deuteronomy starts with these instructions: “Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NLT)
When grandparents and parents fail to pass on the truths of God and create situations and environments for their posterity to experience the work of God, there are disastrous consequences to future generations. Passing on the truths and creating situations and environments for the next generation to experience the work of God will not guarantee that loving, fearing and serving God will take, BUT failure to pass on the truths and failure to create situations and environments for the next generation will almost certainly destine the succeeding generations to forget God.
Judges continued to record history: “The Israelites did evil in the LORD's sight and served the images of Baal. They abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the LORD. They abandoned the LORD to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth.” (Judges 2:11-13 NLT)
The number one priority of grandparents and parents is to pass on the truths of God and to create opportunities for the next generation to experience God.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Friday, June 1, 2012
Celebrate America - Prayer Needed
I need to ask you to pray for wisdom and for finances for Celebrate America, the annual fireworks event that South Whidbey Assembly has organized and hosted for the last 17 years, in Freeland.
This has been a very difficult year organizing the event. We have had multiple obstacles to overcome all the way from changing the firework pyrotechnicians to the fundraising. The fundraising has not gone as well as it has in previous years. The cost of most components of the event has increased again this year. We have ironed out almost all of the difficult areas except the funding.
All of the businesses that have been large supporters are either unable to help this year or they have had to cut back their support significantly. This has left us with more than a $10,000 shortage.
The determination was made, we needed to have $20,000 of the money pledged or in hand by the end of May or we would have to cancel the event. As of May 31st we are a few thousand dollars short of the $20,000. The total budget is $29,000, so even if the $20,000 was realized we still have about a third of the money to collect.
The South Whidbey Record is running another plea on Saturday and we are shaking every bush we can think of that may not have been shaken so far.
The decision has not been made yet, to pull the plug. I am waiting until the last possible minute in hopes that the funding comes in.
A decision will be made by June 10th whether or not the event will happen. It would be too bad not be able to offer this event to the community. It is in Jesus’ hands.
Please pray that we will have clarity, as the week goes by, and that, if Celebrate America should happen this year, that the money needed will come in quickly.
Thanks.
This has been a very difficult year organizing the event. We have had multiple obstacles to overcome all the way from changing the firework pyrotechnicians to the fundraising. The fundraising has not gone as well as it has in previous years. The cost of most components of the event has increased again this year. We have ironed out almost all of the difficult areas except the funding.
All of the businesses that have been large supporters are either unable to help this year or they have had to cut back their support significantly. This has left us with more than a $10,000 shortage.
The determination was made, we needed to have $20,000 of the money pledged or in hand by the end of May or we would have to cancel the event. As of May 31st we are a few thousand dollars short of the $20,000. The total budget is $29,000, so even if the $20,000 was realized we still have about a third of the money to collect.
The South Whidbey Record is running another plea on Saturday and we are shaking every bush we can think of that may not have been shaken so far.
The decision has not been made yet, to pull the plug. I am waiting until the last possible minute in hopes that the funding comes in.
A decision will be made by June 10th whether or not the event will happen. It would be too bad not be able to offer this event to the community. It is in Jesus’ hands.
Please pray that we will have clarity, as the week goes by, and that, if Celebrate America should happen this year, that the money needed will come in quickly.
Thanks.
Friday, May 25, 2012
‘Wannabe’ does not make it so
Learning and doing can be disconnected. Learning is often disconnected from life and living life.
For instance, I can read all kinds of books, attend lectures, and watch video clips about building, but until I actually start building I’m not a builder. And I’m not really a builder until I’ve built a few things.
I can read and attend lectures and watch videos about running, golf, fishing, sewing, pottery, etc, etc and never be a runner, golfer, fisherman, seamstress or potter. I am simply a wannabe. A wannabe becomes the real deal when they start putting miles on their shoes, spending hours fishing, and sewing all sorts of items. It is not the ‘wannabe’ that makes it so. It is the doing. It is in putting ‘rubber to the road.’
This is true in the Christian life. Reading about Jesus and the Christian life, attending church services, watching videos, and listening to teachings may give information and knowledge, but if that person never puts ‘rubber to the road,’ they are a wannabe Jesus follower and not a Jesus follower.
Jesus told the Apostles to make disciples and to “…teach them to obey [DO] everything I’ve commanded you.”
Jesus half-brother, James, said it this way: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22 NIV)
People can learn about something and never put it into practice and never become what they ‘wannabe.’ On the other hand, a person who does it - who puts ‘rubber to the road’ - learns it. They can’t help it. Learning happens in the doing. A person can read all about running and never become a runner, but a person who runs learns all about running and is a runner.
A person who obeys Jesus is a Jesus follower and learns more about being a Jesus follower than the person who reads, watches, and listens to teachings about being a Jesus follower but doesn’t obey.
This is also true in marriage and parenting. I can read all kinds of books, attend weekend seminars and sign-up for coaching, but unless I put into practice what I learn, I am a ‘wannabe’ and not the real deal. It is when I obey Jesus and love my wife as Jesus loves the church that I become a godly husband. When I put ‘rubber to the road’ and serve my wife and kids, I become what a husband and father is supposed to become.
‘Wannabe’ does not make it so – doing makes it so.
For instance, I can read all kinds of books, attend lectures, and watch video clips about building, but until I actually start building I’m not a builder. And I’m not really a builder until I’ve built a few things.
I can read and attend lectures and watch videos about running, golf, fishing, sewing, pottery, etc, etc and never be a runner, golfer, fisherman, seamstress or potter. I am simply a wannabe. A wannabe becomes the real deal when they start putting miles on their shoes, spending hours fishing, and sewing all sorts of items. It is not the ‘wannabe’ that makes it so. It is the doing. It is in putting ‘rubber to the road.’
This is true in the Christian life. Reading about Jesus and the Christian life, attending church services, watching videos, and listening to teachings may give information and knowledge, but if that person never puts ‘rubber to the road,’ they are a wannabe Jesus follower and not a Jesus follower.
Jesus told the Apostles to make disciples and to “…teach them to obey [DO] everything I’ve commanded you.”
Jesus half-brother, James, said it this way: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22 NIV)
People can learn about something and never put it into practice and never become what they ‘wannabe.’ On the other hand, a person who does it - who puts ‘rubber to the road’ - learns it. They can’t help it. Learning happens in the doing. A person can read all about running and never become a runner, but a person who runs learns all about running and is a runner.
A person who obeys Jesus is a Jesus follower and learns more about being a Jesus follower than the person who reads, watches, and listens to teachings about being a Jesus follower but doesn’t obey.
This is also true in marriage and parenting. I can read all kinds of books, attend weekend seminars and sign-up for coaching, but unless I put into practice what I learn, I am a ‘wannabe’ and not the real deal. It is when I obey Jesus and love my wife as Jesus loves the church that I become a godly husband. When I put ‘rubber to the road’ and serve my wife and kids, I become what a husband and father is supposed to become.
‘Wannabe’ does not make it so – doing makes it so.
Friday, May 18, 2012
People are reading your book
In the first century the Gospel was not something read in a Bible, or listened to on the radio or TV. The Gospel was read in the lives of those who were followers of Jesus. Every follower of Jesus revealed to those they came in contact with something about God and something about the values, priorities and life of Jesus. The Gospel came to people in the flesh and blood, the words, attitudes and actions of those who were following the risen Savior.
One of the earliest writings about the Gospel was the letters to the church in Corinth. In 2 Corinthians Paul was defending his apostleship against the accusation that he was not really an apostle. He told the Corinthian believers that they were his letter of recommendation, that every time someone looked at them they could ‘read’ what Paul had taught and how Paul had lived.
The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This "letter" is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.
(2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NLT)
Today, every follower of Jesus reveals something about God and theology. Every follower also reveals something about the values, priorities and ways of Jesus. Is your ‘book’ telling the truth? When someone reads your life do they read truth about who God is and what God is like? When someone reads the ‘book’ of your life, are they getting the truth about Jesus’ priorities, values and ways or are they reading a lie?
Paul continually encouraged people to follow him. He wrote:
You should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT)
Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9 NLT)
Paul wrote these words with confidence because his ‘book’ was telling the truth.
Is your ‘book’ telling the truth?
One of the earliest writings about the Gospel was the letters to the church in Corinth. In 2 Corinthians Paul was defending his apostleship against the accusation that he was not really an apostle. He told the Corinthian believers that they were his letter of recommendation, that every time someone looked at them they could ‘read’ what Paul had taught and how Paul had lived.
The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This "letter" is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.
(2 Corinthians 3:2-3 NLT)
Today, every follower of Jesus reveals something about God and theology. Every follower also reveals something about the values, priorities and ways of Jesus. Is your ‘book’ telling the truth? When someone reads your life do they read truth about who God is and what God is like? When someone reads the ‘book’ of your life, are they getting the truth about Jesus’ priorities, values and ways or are they reading a lie?
Paul continually encouraged people to follow him. He wrote:
You should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT)
Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:9 NLT)
Paul wrote these words with confidence because his ‘book’ was telling the truth.
Is your ‘book’ telling the truth?
Friday, May 11, 2012
Are you drinking Living Water?
Water …
Upwards of 70% of the planet is covered by water. Some of the water is salt-water and some of it is fresh water. People can live for weeks without taking in food but can last only days without water. In 1981 an Irish hunger striker went 73 days without food. According to the Guinness Book of Records the longest time a human has survived without water is 18 days. Dehydration begins to impact the human body with thirst, dry mouth, dizziness, no longer making tears, no longer sweating, muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting, heart palpitations. Going more than four days without water leads to kidney failure, and eventually death.
1.1 billion people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water. Roughly one-sixth of the world's population and half of the world's hospital beds are filled with people suffering from water related illnesses.
The human race is dependent upon water. Without it we are doomed.
Is it any wonder that Jesus used water as a running illustration of people needing to depend upon Him as the source of ‘Living Water?’ The illustration would have been so much more potent to the people that he spoke to directly than it is to you or me.
Today, getting a drink of water takes almost no effort whatsoever. For most Americans it only requires the turn of a faucet handle. Much of the world today doesn’t have the access to running water in their homes that we have. They have to go out to a river, lake or well and work for the water. In Jesus’ day people did not get water without effort and often substantial effort.
Jesus said to the woman at the well: “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask Me, and I would give you living water.” (John 4:10 NLT)
Jesus taught that the only way to live a healthy spiritual life is to receive from Him ‘living water.’ Anything short of a few days without ‘living water’ and the human spirit begins to undergo changes that, if not hydrated with the ‘living water,’ will lead to ‘spiritual organ failure. People begin to sense a thirst, then a dryness and then spiritual dizziness and so on.
People never have to be without ‘living water.’ The supply in Jesus is never ending. The well is never closed. Jesus just said, “Ask Me, and I will give you living water.”
Are you spiritually dehydrated? Ask for living water.
Has it been a few days since you drank from the well of living water? Ask for living water.
Jesus is the ‘living water’, which is available at all times to every person.
Upwards of 70% of the planet is covered by water. Some of the water is salt-water and some of it is fresh water. People can live for weeks without taking in food but can last only days without water. In 1981 an Irish hunger striker went 73 days without food. According to the Guinness Book of Records the longest time a human has survived without water is 18 days. Dehydration begins to impact the human body with thirst, dry mouth, dizziness, no longer making tears, no longer sweating, muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting, heart palpitations. Going more than four days without water leads to kidney failure, and eventually death.
1.1 billion people in the world do not have access to safe drinking water. Roughly one-sixth of the world's population and half of the world's hospital beds are filled with people suffering from water related illnesses.
The human race is dependent upon water. Without it we are doomed.
Is it any wonder that Jesus used water as a running illustration of people needing to depend upon Him as the source of ‘Living Water?’ The illustration would have been so much more potent to the people that he spoke to directly than it is to you or me.
Today, getting a drink of water takes almost no effort whatsoever. For most Americans it only requires the turn of a faucet handle. Much of the world today doesn’t have the access to running water in their homes that we have. They have to go out to a river, lake or well and work for the water. In Jesus’ day people did not get water without effort and often substantial effort.
Jesus said to the woman at the well: “If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask Me, and I would give you living water.” (John 4:10 NLT)
Jesus taught that the only way to live a healthy spiritual life is to receive from Him ‘living water.’ Anything short of a few days without ‘living water’ and the human spirit begins to undergo changes that, if not hydrated with the ‘living water,’ will lead to ‘spiritual organ failure. People begin to sense a thirst, then a dryness and then spiritual dizziness and so on.
People never have to be without ‘living water.’ The supply in Jesus is never ending. The well is never closed. Jesus just said, “Ask Me, and I will give you living water.”
Are you spiritually dehydrated? Ask for living water.
Has it been a few days since you drank from the well of living water? Ask for living water.
Jesus is the ‘living water’, which is available at all times to every person.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Out of the Blue Temptation
I have been thinking this week about how moment-by-moment temptation can be. It seems like a person can be going through their day minding their own business, and then what seems like out of the blue something happens that can, if not responded to correctly, set an unintended trajectory for the next period of time.
For example, the evening at home is progressing peacefully. Something happens, and right in front of you is an unavoidable fork in the road. You must make a split second choice. React in anger, and the next period of time is filled with tension, frustration and conflict. React in kindness or even in silence, and the momentary tension melts away back into peace.
At that fork in the road, the temptation, which was not present a split second before, is talking. This split second, on-the-fly temptation could be, anger, lying, bitterness, gossip, jealousy, selfishness, lust, self-medicating with chemicals or alcohol - you name it. More often than not, it seems like our mind would describe the situation unfolding as “didn’t see that coming.”
There are, of course, situations of premeditated temptation that brew for a while, giving a person the chance to go forward or to back out of the situation. Often, though, it is not the no-one-is-going-to-be-home-or-know-so-I-think-I’ll-surf-the-net thoughts that start tempting someone. Instead, it is the picture, advertisement or spam that jumps out and puts a little ‘niggly’ in someone’s thoughts. It is the ad for something that I didn’t even know existed, but now that I know what it is, I have to have it … no matter what the cost!
This was not premeditated covetousness, materialism or greed. This was ‘where did that come from’ covetousness, materialism and greed. The advertisement plants a little ‘niggly’ in our ‘want’ organ and that itch has to be scratched!
The Apostle Peter said, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT)
It is at those forks in the road that the enemy waits ready to pounce. Stay alert!
For example, the evening at home is progressing peacefully. Something happens, and right in front of you is an unavoidable fork in the road. You must make a split second choice. React in anger, and the next period of time is filled with tension, frustration and conflict. React in kindness or even in silence, and the momentary tension melts away back into peace.
At that fork in the road, the temptation, which was not present a split second before, is talking. This split second, on-the-fly temptation could be, anger, lying, bitterness, gossip, jealousy, selfishness, lust, self-medicating with chemicals or alcohol - you name it. More often than not, it seems like our mind would describe the situation unfolding as “didn’t see that coming.”
There are, of course, situations of premeditated temptation that brew for a while, giving a person the chance to go forward or to back out of the situation. Often, though, it is not the no-one-is-going-to-be-home-or-know-so-I-think-I’ll-surf-the-net thoughts that start tempting someone. Instead, it is the picture, advertisement or spam that jumps out and puts a little ‘niggly’ in someone’s thoughts. It is the ad for something that I didn’t even know existed, but now that I know what it is, I have to have it … no matter what the cost!
This was not premeditated covetousness, materialism or greed. This was ‘where did that come from’ covetousness, materialism and greed. The advertisement plants a little ‘niggly’ in our ‘want’ organ and that itch has to be scratched!
The Apostle Peter said, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8 NLT)
It is at those forks in the road that the enemy waits ready to pounce. Stay alert!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Thinking about Self Less
Transformation and renewal create a different way of living. Paul wrote to the church in Rome about transformation and renewal.
. . . I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Romans 12:3 ESV
He goes on to write about how that attitude changes the way life is lived.
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:9-10 ESV
Thinking more highly of oneself, wanting others to think more highly of us, thinking lower of others and trying to get other people to think lower of someone else causes immeasurable human suffering, pain and division. The results of this kind of thinking might include jealousy, gossip, slander, bullying, lying, rejection, deception, manipulation, and control. All of these actions are contrary to Paul's admonition to love genuinely, hold fast to what is good, love with affection and to outdo each other in showing honor.
Pastor Rick Warren has described humility as “Not thinking less of self, but instead thinking of self less.” The cause of almost all human ills is selfishness - thinking too often about self. The Bible calls thinking too often about self and the actions that follow selfishness.
Clear back to Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel until this morning, the root of human suffering is thinking too much about self. Each of us need our thinking transformed and renewed so we think less about self, and when we do think about self our judgment is 'sober' or honest.
Jesus, change our thinking!
. . . I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Romans 12:3 ESV
He goes on to write about how that attitude changes the way life is lived.
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Romans 12:9-10 ESV
Thinking more highly of oneself, wanting others to think more highly of us, thinking lower of others and trying to get other people to think lower of someone else causes immeasurable human suffering, pain and division. The results of this kind of thinking might include jealousy, gossip, slander, bullying, lying, rejection, deception, manipulation, and control. All of these actions are contrary to Paul's admonition to love genuinely, hold fast to what is good, love with affection and to outdo each other in showing honor.
Pastor Rick Warren has described humility as “Not thinking less of self, but instead thinking of self less.” The cause of almost all human ills is selfishness - thinking too often about self. The Bible calls thinking too often about self and the actions that follow selfishness.
Clear back to Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel until this morning, the root of human suffering is thinking too much about self. Each of us need our thinking transformed and renewed so we think less about self, and when we do think about self our judgment is 'sober' or honest.
Jesus, change our thinking!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Transformation - How does it happen?
Change is never easy. In some way everyone has an aversion to change. Everyone has changed something about their life, and yet there are countless other areas that attempt after attempt to change have proven futile. What is it that produces lasting change? What is that produces real transformation in a person’s life?
Transformation begins in the mind. Transformation doesn’t happen by changing a behavior, feeling, habit or life pattern. Behavior, feeling, habits and life patterns change when through mind change. Often people define repentance as ‘turning from sin.’ Repentance in the Bible is not primarily ‘turning from sin’ but it is changing how I think.
You’ve probably had moments where you thought to yourself or even said out loud, “What was I thinking?” People think that, say that and grill themselves that way because they understand that thinking or is it were not thinking, dictates everything else a person does.
Winnie the Pooh one time asked, “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” That is a common mode of life for most people: stopping to think and forgetting to start again. Controlled thinking is an intentional way of living. Controlled thinking doesn’t just happen.
Paul wrote to the church in Philippi and said, “Brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8 NIV) Why the directive about what to think? Why write so forcefully about thinking? Because Paul understood that a person is directed by their thoughts.
In essence Paul was saying, “Think true and you’ll live true. Think right and you’ll live right. Think pure and you’ll live pure. Think what is admirable and you’ll live in an admirable way.”
Will Durant said that - the trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than with their minds. Thinking with hopes, fears or wishes is not intentional thinking. Thinking with hopes, fears or wishes is “whatever-comes-into-the-mind thinking.”
Change your thinking, and you’ll experience the transformation that God has in store for you.
Transformation begins in the mind. Transformation doesn’t happen by changing a behavior, feeling, habit or life pattern. Behavior, feeling, habits and life patterns change when through mind change. Often people define repentance as ‘turning from sin.’ Repentance in the Bible is not primarily ‘turning from sin’ but it is changing how I think.
You’ve probably had moments where you thought to yourself or even said out loud, “What was I thinking?” People think that, say that and grill themselves that way because they understand that thinking or is it were not thinking, dictates everything else a person does.
Winnie the Pooh one time asked, “Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?” That is a common mode of life for most people: stopping to think and forgetting to start again. Controlled thinking is an intentional way of living. Controlled thinking doesn’t just happen.
Paul wrote to the church in Philippi and said, “Brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8 NIV) Why the directive about what to think? Why write so forcefully about thinking? Because Paul understood that a person is directed by their thoughts.
In essence Paul was saying, “Think true and you’ll live true. Think right and you’ll live right. Think pure and you’ll live pure. Think what is admirable and you’ll live in an admirable way.”
Will Durant said that - the trouble with most people is that they think with their hopes or fears or wishes rather than with their minds. Thinking with hopes, fears or wishes is not intentional thinking. Thinking with hopes, fears or wishes is “whatever-comes-into-the-mind thinking.”
Change your thinking, and you’ll experience the transformation that God has in store for you.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Change your mind, Change your heart. Change your heart, Change your habits.
The idea of transformation, becoming the person God intends for you to become, has many facets to it. There are ways in which God desires and has designed every person to be similar. There are also ways in which God desires and has designed every person to be significantly different.
Transforming into who we are meant to be has to do with our mind, our heart and our habits. The Apostle Paul wrote to the followers of Jesus in Rome and instructed them in the process of transformation. He wrote:
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2 NLT)
His instructions talk about habits: Don’t copy the behaviors and customs of those around you.
His instructions talk about the mind: “…let God transform you … by changing the way you think.”
His instructions talk about the heart: “…then you will learn to know God’s will … good and pleasing and perfect.
These three components working together bring about the transformation that God has designed. Transformation is almost impossible when it fails to include all three parts of process. Transformation requires a change of habits, but changing habits without changing thinking fails to enable transformation. Transformation requires changed thinking, but just thinking alone is inadequate. Changed thinking has to be accompanied with a desire to know what is good, pleasing and perfect to God.
Most often what we want to change is habits, but habits are often the last thing to change. Change your thinking and your mind gets changed. Change your mind and your heart gets changed. Change your heart and your habits change.
Changing your mind is why the affect on your life of spending time in the Scriptures is incalculable. King David said, “I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” Psalm 119:11
Change your mind, Change your heart. Change your heart, Change your habits.
Transforming into who we are meant to be has to do with our mind, our heart and our habits. The Apostle Paul wrote to the followers of Jesus in Rome and instructed them in the process of transformation. He wrote:
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2 NLT)
His instructions talk about habits: Don’t copy the behaviors and customs of those around you.
His instructions talk about the mind: “…let God transform you … by changing the way you think.”
His instructions talk about the heart: “…then you will learn to know God’s will … good and pleasing and perfect.
These three components working together bring about the transformation that God has designed. Transformation is almost impossible when it fails to include all three parts of process. Transformation requires a change of habits, but changing habits without changing thinking fails to enable transformation. Transformation requires changed thinking, but just thinking alone is inadequate. Changed thinking has to be accompanied with a desire to know what is good, pleasing and perfect to God.
Most often what we want to change is habits, but habits are often the last thing to change. Change your thinking and your mind gets changed. Change your mind and your heart gets changed. Change your heart and your habits change.
Changing your mind is why the affect on your life of spending time in the Scriptures is incalculable. King David said, “I have hidden Your word in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” Psalm 119:11
Change your mind, Change your heart. Change your heart, Change your habits.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Spiritual Transformation and Sailing
I am not a boat owner, I never have been. I have very little experience on the water, and I am not in any way whatsoever a sailor. I get motion sickness just spinning the kids, now grandkids, around in a circle. I start to feel sea-sick swimming in Deer Lake. I am not an expert in what I’m writing about. The idea has been stolen from one of my favorite Bible teachers, John Ortberg.
Spiritual Transformation is not an overnight event. It is instead a long trip. Transformation can be likened to a trip across the ocean in a boat. The trip is long, the obstacles are unknown, the days vary and sometimes there is ‘no land in sight.’
People approach the journey of transformation in different ways. Some of the ways seem to work and others are obvious failures. Here are some thoughts about three ways of approaching the journey of transformation.
The Row Boat
Some people try day after day to be good. They try hard to be spiritually mature and do what they are supposed to do. This could be likened to someone rowing a boat across the ocean. It is exhausting and usually ends in failure.
Adrift at Sea
Some people give up trying and throw up their hands in disgust. They decide that the only hope for experiencing transformation lies in ‘relying on the grace of God.’ This approach could be likened to someone being adrift in the boat letting the waves take them wherever the wave goes.
Neither rowing harder nor drifting is very effective in the journey of transformation.
Sailing
A better image is one of sailing. God’s Holy Spirit is the wind that can move us across the ocean to the land of transformation. None of us can control the wind. Each of us is at the mercy of the wind. We can, though, experience transformation as we lift the sail and adjust it to the blowing of the wind.
In John 3, Jesus speaks of the actions of the Holy Spirit using the simile of the wind. He talks about not knowing where the wind is coming from or where it is going. The Apostle Paul, when writing to the church in Ephesus about being ‘filled with the Holy Spirit,’ uses the language of a sail being filled with wind.
Transformation will not happen in the lives of Jesus’ followers just because they try harder or because they throw up their arms and expect God’s grace to get them there. Transformation happens because His followers lift their sail to the wind of the Holy Spirit and then cooperate with the wind of the Holy Spirit who will take them to the land of transformation.
We will be transformed and become who and what God wants us to be when we lift the sail and go with the wind of the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual Transformation is not an overnight event. It is instead a long trip. Transformation can be likened to a trip across the ocean in a boat. The trip is long, the obstacles are unknown, the days vary and sometimes there is ‘no land in sight.’
People approach the journey of transformation in different ways. Some of the ways seem to work and others are obvious failures. Here are some thoughts about three ways of approaching the journey of transformation.
The Row Boat
Some people try day after day to be good. They try hard to be spiritually mature and do what they are supposed to do. This could be likened to someone rowing a boat across the ocean. It is exhausting and usually ends in failure.
Adrift at Sea
Some people give up trying and throw up their hands in disgust. They decide that the only hope for experiencing transformation lies in ‘relying on the grace of God.’ This approach could be likened to someone being adrift in the boat letting the waves take them wherever the wave goes.
Neither rowing harder nor drifting is very effective in the journey of transformation.
Sailing
A better image is one of sailing. God’s Holy Spirit is the wind that can move us across the ocean to the land of transformation. None of us can control the wind. Each of us is at the mercy of the wind. We can, though, experience transformation as we lift the sail and adjust it to the blowing of the wind.
In John 3, Jesus speaks of the actions of the Holy Spirit using the simile of the wind. He talks about not knowing where the wind is coming from or where it is going. The Apostle Paul, when writing to the church in Ephesus about being ‘filled with the Holy Spirit,’ uses the language of a sail being filled with wind.
Transformation will not happen in the lives of Jesus’ followers just because they try harder or because they throw up their arms and expect God’s grace to get them there. Transformation happens because His followers lift their sail to the wind of the Holy Spirit and then cooperate with the wind of the Holy Spirit who will take them to the land of transformation.
We will be transformed and become who and what God wants us to be when we lift the sail and go with the wind of the Holy Spirit.
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