tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18583348644457501282023-11-16T10:44:13.071-07:00Simple Church ReflectionsTom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.comBlogger296125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-79823098607135881302022-03-03T15:52:00.000-07:002022-03-03T15:52:10.438-07:00Thoughts On New Covenant Leadership<style class="WebKit-mso-list-quirks-style">
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</style><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Bible is filled with examples of great and not-so-great leaders and there are powerful leadership principles in both the Old and New Testaments. In this document, however, I focus mainly on New Testament Leadership because it is so radically different from secular leadership. Much of the leadership discussion in today’s church is based more upon secular ideas rather than the New Testament, and this needs to be corrected by a careful look at God’s Word!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Before we look at characteristics specific to New Covenant leadership, let’s view some leadership principles found in both the Old and New Testaments:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Leading is a <i>matter of the heart</i>. It starts with the heart (1 Samuel 13:14/Acts 13:22, 1 Samuel 16:7, Psalm 78:72, etc., and is marked by obedience from the heart (Acts 13:22).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Leading is the result of God’s call and is accomplished through the Holy Spirit’s anointing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Leading is always done in community with other leaders. This principle is much clearer and more prominent in the New Testament, but it’s still present in the Old Testament. Despite our tendency to think of OT leaders as “loners,” Moses had Aaron, Miriam, and Joshua and the 70 elders leading with him; Elijah and Elisha had schools of prophets around them, David had Nathan and other counselors, etc. It’s best to think of biblical leadership in terms of a leading from within a community of people in mutual submission to one another rather than a “one man/woman show.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Bible records a huge shift in how leaders lead with the beginning of the New Covenant. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The nature of the people being <i>led</i> was radically changed by the New Covenant. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">New Covenant leaders are leading people who have the same relationship with God that the leader has. They lead people who can hear God in the same way they do. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Nowhere in the New Testament are God’s people told to follow anyone except Jesus or the Holy Spirit. The leaders and people are to follow God <i>together</i> as a listening, loving community. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This doesn’t mean that New Testament leaders don’t “lead” in some way, but their goal and how they lead is radically different from secular leadership. Let’s look at some of these key differences via some of the key leadership passages in the New Testament. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Love Above All Else</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">John 13:34-35</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> (Wuest Translation) A commandment, a new one, I am giving you, that you should be constantly loving one another with a divine and self-sacrificial love; even as I loved you, you also be loving one another. In this all shall know that you are my disciples, if you constantly have love for one another. (Consider, too, the Apostle Paul’s many outpourings of love for his readers….)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We may forget that this is <i>the most important characteristic</i> of a New Testament leader. Those who lead must, above all else, truly love those they lead. Leaders in the church must constantly be asking themselves, “Do those I serve know by experience that I love them as Christ loves them?” One of the best ways to get accurate answers to this question is to ask this question of those you lead and those who lead with you. Willingness to deeply listen and to receive feedback, even hard-to-hear feedback, is one of the most important marks of a New Testament leader.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Serving Most of All</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Mark 9:33-35</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> (NIV) They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the road?” But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.”<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Mark 10:42-45</span></i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">(NIV)<b> </b>Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” See also Matt. 20:25-28 & 23:8-12, Luke 22:24-27, John 13:1-17.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">2 Corinthians 4:5</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> (NRSV) For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your slaves for Jesus’ sake. See also Peter’s similar words in 1 Peter 5:1-4.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jesus draws a very clear, impossible-to-miss, distinction between New Covenant leaders and leaders in this world. NT leaders are servants (Greek = “slaves”) above all else. They are not the boss, the top dog, the master, etc., but the servant. A good question for a leader to ask those s/he leads is, “How can I serve you?” or “How well am I serving those who have been entrusted to me?” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Character not Charisma or Charisms (gifting)</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Acts 6:3</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> (NIV) Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them. (Note that “full of the Spirit” refers as much to the fruit of the Spirit—character—as it does to the gifts of the Spirit).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">1 Timothy 3:1-7</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> (NIV) Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap. (See also 1 Timothy 3:8-13, Titus 1:6-8)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the New Testament, <i>proven character is the primary qualifier for leaders</i>. This is because NT leaders were called to lead by modeling and by the influence of their proven character. Paul pointed to his character and his example many times. He would say with confidence, “All of you know…” (my character, and my good example, my hard work, etc.). Consider his words in Acts 20:18-19 (NIV) “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents.” (See also, 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12, 1 Timothy 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:10-15) Paul also said confidently, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1). We could list many more Scriptures, of course, but the bottom line is that New Covenant leaders are those who are able to say with confidence, “Come, hang out with me, get to know me. Treat your spouse the way I treat mine. Treat others the way I treat them. Handle your finances the way I handle mine. Imitate my life as I imitate Jesus.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Marked by Humility, Kindness and Gentleness</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Matthew 23:1-12</span></i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">(NIV)<b> </b>Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others. “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Philippians 2:5-8</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> (NRSV) Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">2 Timothy 2:24-26</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> (NIV) And the Lord's servant (slave) must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Humility may be a given in the light of what we have said about being a servant and about character, but I highlight it because Jesus highlighted it. In the passage from Matthew, Jesus draws a sharp contrast between His followers and those “leaders” who craved human attention and respect. The Apostle Paul echoes this thought in Philippians where he urges all followers of Jesus to live with the same attitude of humility that Jesus displayed. Then, in his later letter to Timothy, Paul fleshes out what humble, servant leadership looks like: It is marked by kindness to everyone and gentleness even to those who oppose the leader. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Humility, gentleness and kindness, however, do not preclude our leading with confidence nor the proper exercise of authority. Let’s look at New Testament authority.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Authority of A Parent for the Purpose of Building Up</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">2 Corinthians 10:7-11</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> (NIV) You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do. So even if I boast somewhat freely about the <b>authority (</b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">ἐ</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">ξουσία) <i>the Lord gave us</i></span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it. I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.” Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">2 Corinthians 13:10 </span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">(NRSV) So I write these things while I am away from you, so that when I come, I may not have to be severe in using the <b>authority (</b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">ἐ</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">ξουσία)</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> that <b><i>the Lord has given me</i></b> for building up and not for tearing down.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Philemon 1:8-9</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> (NIV) Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and <b>order (</b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">ἐ</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">πιτ</span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">ά</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">σσειν)</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. (Paul puts deliberately lays aside his authority because he knew that coercion never serves Kingdom purposes nor helps relationships.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Titus 2:15</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> (NIV) These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all <b>authority</b> (</span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">ἐ</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">πιταγή—"strong command”</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">) Do not let anyone despise you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Paul doesn’t mention authority very often in his letters, but when he does, he is remarkably consistent in referring to authority as given by the Lord for the purpose of building others up. (Even the strong words to Titus to exercise the authority Paul had delegated to him are in the context of building others up). Paul’s authority was rooted in his calling, his integrity and in his relationship as a spiritual parent. Consider:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">1 Thessalonians 2:1-13</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> (NIV) You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our <b>authority (β</b></span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">ά</span></b><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;">ρος).</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; letter-spacing: -0.2pt;"> Instead, we were like young children among you. [NET: “although we could have <i>imposed our weight</i> as apostles of Christ; instead we became little children among you.”] Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Like leadership, authority is rarely mentioned in the New Testament. This may seem remarkable to those who live in human cultures built on hierarchy and coercive authority. But the New Covenant is about family, about relationships, about serving together and submitting to one another. This means that no matter what word is used for authority in the New Testament, the purpose for its exercise is always to build up and serve. It is rooted, of course, in the servant mindset Jesus described for those who lead in His Kingdom. NT authority is mostly hidden in the background, is based on character and love for others and is exercised in order to serve. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Leading from within the Community</span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Acts 13:1-3</span></i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> (NIV 1984) In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Because a New Covenant leader is hearing God</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">with</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">the people, not</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">for</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">the people, leaders</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">lead from within a listening</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">community. One the goals of New Testament leaders is to raise up those who are indeed led by the Spirit, who are internally motivated, guided by the Spirit rather than controlled by men. Leading as a part of listening community is one of the ways that NT leaders model and teach these things.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As we noted in the beginning, Old Testament leaders also led from within a community but in the New Testament leading as part of a community was a given. Jesus sent the disciples out two-by-two (as a small community). Paul felt it odd to be alone in Athens (Acts 17). Paul always traveled with an apostolic band. Barnabas and Saul (Paul) were sent out as a community by the community (Acts 13 referenced above). Later, in Acts 15 we see Paul and Barnabas submitting their teaching to the community of leaders in Jerusalem. Leading from a community as a community seems to fly in the face of the individualistic leadership models so common in the US church, doesn’t it? I wonder how you and I can help shift our church culture to better match New Testament leading from/as a community….<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A Summary of Some New Testament Leadership Truths<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 3pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here are a few truths about NT Leadership. New Testament leading is about…<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Being a servant more than a supervisor and certainly not ever as merely a “boss.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Leading from <i>among</i> and “<i>below,</i>” not from above.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Leading a family, not a flock of sheep (the shepherd passages in the NT are about how we care for folks not about leading a bunch of helpless, mindless animals).<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Being a brother, sister, father, or mother not being a CEO. Submission in the New Testament is mutual and is based on a family paradigm.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Empowering, not controlling.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Releasing, not restricting.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Equipping more than accomplishing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Invitation not coercion or compulsion. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Influencing by means of character, trustworthiness and serving, not position (“positions” don’t exist in His Kingdom except the position of all believers as God’s beloved children and servants of God and one another </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">). <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"> </span> </p>Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-76183463508135486922020-05-21T13:42:00.003-06:002023-09-14T16:22:08.799-06:00Conspiracies, Deception and the Mark of the Beast! <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The following, a post on FB generated quite a response: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Why I never pay attention to conspiracy theories or worry about The Mark of the Beast:</span><br />
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<ul><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">It’s not my job to protect myself (that kind of thinking comes from an orphan mindset). The Lord is my shepherd and He is committed to protecting His sheep. My responsibility is to follow Him, listen for and trust His voice, etc., not anxiously make sure I am not deceived. I am to focus on Him, not what the enemy is up to.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">If I stay humble and in community with other healthy believers, I won’t be deceived. John 10:2-5 (NIV) 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice.”</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #1d2129;"> When I made the FB post, I promised to write more about this here on my blog, so I will write a few thoughts here and also post links to earlier blogs on this subject.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"> The point of my original statement is that fears about being deceived or fearful fascination with conspiracies, etc., are unnecessary and even harmful for believers. Fear itself can be a doorway to deception! That doesn't mean, however that we are to live in la-la land! I gave hints as to how we can stay safe in the original post: humility, community, intimacy with Jesus, etc. </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;">When I first started hearing God's voice clearly and moving in the supernatural, I asked Him how I could be sure I wouldn't be deceived by these "subjective experiences." Here's what He said to me:</span></div>
</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"><i>Humility</i>: His first answer was "Humility." It's proud people who are vulnerable to deception, not humble ones. Pride is what caused, the devil, our adversary to be deceived into thinking he could be equal to God. Pride is now one of our enemy's favorite landing zones. :-) But </span></span><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;">God gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5-6) and that grace keeps us deep within His shalom and shelter.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"><i>Community</i>: God's second answer to my question (after humility) was community. People who allow <i>mature</i> and <i>trustworthy</i> others to speak into their lives won't be deceived. I have heard more than one wise leader say, "The way to be sure you aren't deceived is to trust someone more than you trust yourself." We need to be wise in whom we trust, but having community around us is essential. Isolation is often a first step down the path of deception.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1d2129;"><i>Scripture</i>: The third thing Papa mentioned was, of course, His Word. Why is it listed third? Not because it's not the most important, but because it needs to be interpreted in community from a place of humility. And when I speak of Scripture I am speaking of the whole of Scripture and especially of the nature and character of God as revealed in Scripture. Psalm 119:104 is one of many passages that remind us of this: "</span>From your precepts I gain understanding; this is why I hate every false way." (CJB 2016) </li>
<li><span style="color: #1d2129;"><i>Intimacy</i>: God's fourth answer to me was, "Stay close to me, remain intimate with me." After many years of living close to Him, I know a bit more about what He meant. I have learned that I can trust Holy Spirit to give me little nudges when I start to wander from living aware of Papa's presence. I have learned that He will also alert me to the temptation to pride, to any tendency to rationalize, etc. When we pray, "Lead us not into temptation" we are affirming that God will for sure lead us, dear ones! And our surrendered hearts that follow Him wherever He leads and our sensitivity to any movement away from Him will keep us secure and safe in the midst of His love and protection.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1d2129;"><i>Authenticity:</i> God added this one to my list just recently. I have come to realize that most people who wander off track choose, at some point, to stop being honest with God, themselves and others. Community won't help us if we hide, and intimacy with God isn't possible if we are not fully honest with Him and with ourselves. Being alert to the slightest movement towards rationalization or compromise will help to keep us far from the big D.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1d2129;">I could write more, of course, but perhaps my other blog entries will cover most of that! The links are at the bottom.</span></li>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"> But what about conspiracies? I am sure there are some conspiracies out there, but I know I can trust God to alert me to anything I need to know, especially if I live as described above. The same goes for </span></span><span style="color: #1d2129;">"The Mark of the Beast" and anything else that may come my way. </span><span style="color: #1d2129;">The point of my original post on FB is to live focused on God and pay attention to what He is doing, trusting Him and others who know Him well (as evidenced by the fruit of their lives) to guide you and protect you as you live intimately with Him and join Him in advancing His Kingdom. </span></div></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"> Here are the links to <span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41);">earlier</span> thoughts: </span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"><a href="http://tomwymore.blogspot.com/2020/05/avoiding-big-d-deception.html" target="_blank">Avoiding the Big D(deception)</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"><a href="https://tomwymore.blogspot.com/2011/09/discerning-community.html" target="_blank">The Discerning Community, Part One</a></span></span></li>
<li><span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"><a href="https://tomwymore.blogspot.com/2011/09/discerning-community-part-two.html" target="_blank">The Discerning Community, Part Two</a></span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41);">Stay lost in His love, safe in His arms,</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41);">Tom, one of Abba's sons</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1d2129;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41);"><br /></span></span></div>
</span>Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-16055849456891030472020-05-21T10:19:00.004-06:002023-09-10T17:05:52.353-06:00Avoiding the Big D (deception)<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> This is an update of an earlier post (February 28, 2008). For many reasons, it is a good time to update it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> As you probably know, the Internet has just about every kind of warning you can imagine about being deceived. Many of these websites generate a lot of fear with their self-appointed "ministries of warning" as they "inform" people about the dangers of being deceived in "the Last Days."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Now the problem with being deceived, of course, is that you don't know you are deceived! So we do need to be wise and cautious about what we read, hear and allow into our minds and hearts. But we aren't left on our own in terms of being wise. The Bible offers some wonderful help (and assurances) to those of us who are born-from-above followers of Jesus. Here are a few of those biblical helps that will help you evaluate not only these "warnings" but the websites themselves and the things they warn about.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> First, the Apostle John supplies us with a way to check out various "spirits" and teachings. In 1 John 4:1-3 he tells us the test of any teaching/spirit is whether or not it confesses that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. When John first wrote those words, many false teachers were going around teaching something called "Gnosticism" which taught that "the Christ" never really became flesh (because of the Platonic view that all material things were corrupt). We can still use his test, though, because it's a good one: anything that lessens or diminishes either Jesus' humanity or His divinity or questions the mystery and miracle of Him being fully God and fully man should be thrown out. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Another helpful passage is Matthew 7:15-23. In this passage Jesus makes it clear that He expected His followers to be able to identify false teachers. We are able to detect false teachers/teaching by their "fruit." This means that we will be able to detect deception by determining whether a person's ministry is characterized by (and produces things) like increasing love for God and others, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, humility, generosity, etc. A second "test" Jesus gives is that those who are true and good will be obviously committed to knowing Jesus and His Father more and more intimately and clearly committed to obeying Him, etc., (as it implies in verses 21-23).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The Apostle Paul also gives some keys to detecting things in his discussions about those who would try to deceive others. I won't list the passages for these, but some of the things Paul gave as indicators of deceivers are: they will be self-promoting and draw people to themselves more than to Jesus, they will be self-indulgent and self-oriented, they will proud and arrogant, focused more on earthly things than on the things of God, etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Based on these "clues" and others in Scripture, it will prove helpful for you to ask questions like the following as you seek to discern truth and error.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Does this (book, ministry, person, etc.) lead me closer to God as Father, Jesus as Lord, and help me to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">How does this person treat others, especially the "unimportant," the unnoticed, the poor, the disadvantaged, etc.? For me, how people treat the "least" is a huge indicator about whether or not I should trust them.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Does this website (book, message) cause <i>faith</i> or <i>fear</i> to rise up in me? Many of the websites out there that warn people about deception literally exude fear and cause fear to in those who read their stuff. Does that sound like God to you? Isn't He the one who is able to keep us from falling? (Jude v.23).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Does it build people up, really?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Does it respect those with other viewpoints even while correcting them? (See 2 Timothy 2:24-26)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Does it "feel humble"? Pride and deception go hand in hand.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Does it go against most of the rest of the Body of Christ? Many websites out there attack very well known leaders who are known by many to be godly, trustworthy people.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Does this person who is warning me have a faulty view of Scripture? Many of the websites out there that warn people about everything under the sun are written by those who are stuck in a non-Biblical understanding of the supernatural (they are deeply afraid of it). They hold this faulty view because they are trapped in a western, highly rationalistic worldview that is no more biblical than paganism. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I think you get the picture. Ask questions that relate to things like humility, love, kindness, etc. That will help on both sides of any issue. It will keep you from being filled with fear from those deceived people who are warning us about deception, and it will keep you from following someone or some teaching that may truly be deceptive.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> That's enough for now. And for the record, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Shack</span>, as you know, has been used by God to bring untold numbers of people into a wonderfully close relationship with the God of Scripture, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Any who would suggest that it's a deception are simply missing its message, a message that reveals the loving and redemptive heart of Papa God.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stay lost in His love!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tom, the least of Abba's children</span>Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-47664503230797344452020-02-14T10:29:00.001-07:002020-02-14T10:29:19.776-07:00Praying for Our Nation<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tom's note: This is an update of a post I made on October 7, 2018. I have had two other visions (one a repeat) about our nation since I wrote the original one.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> This post was originally the fulfillment of a promise I made to our VCC family. It is not intended in any way to be a political statement but rather a call to pray for our nation and leaders as we ar</span><span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif;">e urged to do in 1 Timothy 2:1-4. Historically, every great Spiritual Awakening has been preceded by fervent, united prayer and deep repentance. Here's what I saw on Friday night, October 4.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> During worship I was taken in my mind (taken in the Spirit) to Washington, D.C. I was sort of "in the air" looking down at the city. From that perspective I first saw a large church building that began to be clothed in fire (Heaven's Fire), and I heard the Lord tell me that spiritual awakening will begin to happen in this (and other) significant congregations in Washington, D.C. This building may have represented the National Cathedral, but it at the very least represented a key congregation or congregations in our nation's capital. As I was looking at the church building, I felt God encourage me to declare, "Fire, fire, fire..." (Those near me on Friday night would have heard me doing so.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The next thing I saw was thousands and thousands of angels assembled around the city. They were in battle array and ready to be deployed. They were to be deployed against the hordes of the enemy, which I could also see. The enemy's soldiers were like storm troopers and had already successfully penetrated the city with wave after wave of warriors. But God's armies formed a larger and fiercer army, and they were already unsheathing their swords and preparing for battle. I sensed God telling me that these Angel Armies were going to be fully released/activated by the prayers of God's people.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The third thing I saw was a large worship banner with "Jesus" written on it being waved over the Capitol. This occurred as we were singing "What a Beautiful Name." I could not see who was waving this flag, but it was a clear picture (and, at the very least, another invitation to pray).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I also saw Spiritual Awakening ("revival") come to at least four other places in the U.S. I trust there will be more than these four, but these may have been shown to me to let us know that awakening is coming: I saw God's fire come upon Denver, Dallas, Houston and Redding, CA. Regarding Redding, I heard Papa say that "Fresh Fire" was coming to Bethel Church, Redding: a "revival of the Revival." I sensed that this is close at hand and will validate the rest of what I was seeing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I submit this to you as one of the most significant visions I have had in quite some time, and I invite you to consider joining me in prayer for the purifying, renewing, strengthening Fire of God to fall upon our nation's capital--its key churches, our leaders, and everyone else, too, of course. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> This is what has been added since the original post! Several months ago, I was again in worship and went in my mind to Washington, D.C. This time I aw a huge angel come to the Washington Monument and take the Masonic cap off of the monument and replace it with a cross. This is quite significant, methinks! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Three weeks ago, during a Sunday morning, I had a "repeat vision" of the Jesus banner being waved over the Capitol building. I had forgotten that I saw this in the first encounter, so I guess Papa wanted to reminded me about it. Again, the more I think about this, the more significant it seems in light of events in our nation since October 2018!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I am not at all inclined to be "political," my friends, and am generally put off by politics. My calling is more to be a prophet to the larger Body of Christ, not to the US or US churches, so I am sure these pictures were given to me because they are yet another urgent call to prayer and repentance on the part of the Church in the US. Our nation is even more divided and more drenched in evil, compromise, hatred and spite (no matter what political stripes people wear) than 2 years ago. Will you join with the thousands of others who are praying in cooperation with God's heart? Will you choose not to be pulled onto the enemy's turf of hatred, judgment, assumption, etc., and choose instead to humble yourself before God while also living in expectancy of a Great Awakening? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Praying </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">for our sadly divided, broken nation </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">with expectancy blended with sorrow...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tom, one Abba's children</span>Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-66696394055830527242019-03-08T10:44:00.002-07:002019-03-08T12:24:36.071-07:00Have You Seen Him? The Key to Transformation<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Can transformation be as simple as living a "Father-fascinated life"? Is the "gaze of the soul" really the key to an ever deeper and more transformed life in Jesus. Today's rewrite of two older entries (from 2009) seeks to answer that question.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple." (Psalm 27:4, NIV)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "And all of us, with unveiled faces, <span style="font-style: italic;">seeing the glory of the Lord</span> as though reflected in a mirror, <span style="font-style: italic;">are being transformed</span> into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit." (2 Corinthians 3:18, NRSV, italics mine).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Surely transformation can't be as simple as this, can it? Don't we need lots of effort and "oughts and shoulds" to be transformed? YES, it is this simple! And, NO, we don't need "oughts and shoulds." A focus on our own efforts makes deep transformation virtually impossible because it keeps the emphasis upon us. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Quite some time ago, I ran across a hymn by a rather obscure 19th century lover of Jesus, Ora Rowan (1834-1879), that still encourages me to the point of tears: God has always had people who understand that gazing at Him, really getting to know Him, is the key to transformation. See if you catch the message of this remarkable hymn (some words edited for clarity).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hast thou heard Him, seen Him, known Him?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Is not yours a captured heart?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Chief among ten thousand own Him,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Joyful choose the better part.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Idols once they won thee, charmed thee,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lovely things of time and sense;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Gilded thus does sin disarm thee,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Honeyed, lest thou turn thee thence.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What has stripped the seeming beauty</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">From the idols of the earth?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not a sense of right or duty,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But the sight of matchless worth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Not the crushing of those idols,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">With its bitter void (emptiness) and smart (pain);</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But the beaming of His beauty,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The unveiling of His heart.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Who extinguishes their taper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Till they hail the rising sun?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Who discards the garb of winter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Till the summer has begun?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'Tis the look that melted Peter,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'Tis the face that Stephen saw,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'Tis the heart that wept with Mary,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Can alone from idols draw:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Draw and win and fill completely,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Till the cup o'erflow the brim;</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What have we to do with idols</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Who have companied with Him?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> It's hard for me to describe what the words of this hymn did to me the first time I read them! I hope you see what I see! I trust that you especially catch the lines that remind us that "duty" or attempts to crush "idols" don't lead to transformation. Instead, it is the radiant "beaming of His beauty" and "the unveiling of His heart" that changes us. Who can know Him, really encounter Him and experience His love and power in an ongoing manner, and <i>not</i> be transformed?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> But so many well-meaning Christians would tell us we need to try harder! Surely something as simple as the <i>deep surrender</i> that comes through gazing at Him doesn't work, does it? Oh yes, dear ones! You cannot hear Him, see Him and know Him and not become ever more like Him.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But is it really possible to be so "God-blinded," God-intoxicated, that our obedience flows from love rather than fear, duty or obligation? Absolutely! This is what Jesus modeled and intends for us to live out. It was Jesus' sense of the Father's constant love for Him and His love for the Father that enabled Him to obey the Father's will perfectly. This is made wonderfully clear in John's Gospel. Read it from the perspective of the love relationship between Jesus and His Father, and you will see it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> It was Jesus' ability to look into the Father's face that enabled Him to wrestle through the time of His suffering. And p</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">erhaps the most tender example of this is in the Garden of Gethsemane. In Mark's Gospel we find the one recorded evidence of Jesus using the term "Abba" for His Father (Mark 14:36). There in the Garden, as He wrestles with things beyond our comprehension, His first word is "Abba" (Papa!), the word that His lips had first assigned to His Father when He was a child. And Luke's Gospel tells us that Abba answered Jesus' prayer, not by eliminating the cross but by sending angelic help (Luke 22:43).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> Furthermore, while Jesus was on the cross, in spite of popular songs that suggest otherwise, His mind was fully on His Father (not you and me). We see this in the seven sayings from the cross: His first record words are, "Father, forgive them..." and His cry of terror "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me" was clearly due to His sense of the Father's withdrawal (not in reality but the sense of it), and His final words are, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> So I am convinced, my friends, that only by gazing at His Father's loving face (momentarily obscured at one crucial point) was Jesus able to endure the incomprehensible pain that He endured. The joy of obeying the One He loved the most (the "joy set before Him" described in Hebrews 12:2--note that the context is gazing upon Jesus just as He did upon His Father), the sense of His Father's complete trustworthiness and the constant awareness of His Father's love and delight are what enabled Jesus to say at the end, "It is finished."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The question in all of this, of course, is "Do we think that some other, lesser motivation will work for us?" If Jesus lived loved and therefore lived fully and in total obedience, dare we think that we can do something different?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'Tis the face that Stephen saw,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">'Tis the heart that wept with Mary,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Can alone from idols draw.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Gazing ever more intently,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tom, one of Papa's little boys</span>Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-38156737755062534242018-11-30T10:23:00.002-07:002018-11-30T10:23:36.419-07:00Those Who Walk With The King... <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">This post in an update of an earlier one. In the process of working on a couple of books (at last!), I am rewriting some of my earlier posts that may be included in them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> When the movie rendition of <i>Prince Caspian</i> came out a few years back, I was really grieved because they portrayed Peter as such a jerk at times! The writers of the script brought his character down to the current level of poor character so typical for our generation. In the process of doing so, they almost completely obliterated the noble character of Peter that C.S. Lewis intended us to see. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> The thing that is most wrong with this, I think, is that it completely misses the point of C.S. Lewis’ stories: those who "company" with Aslan are deeply changed. This is especially true of those who walk with him as kings and queens. Yes, Lewis himself writes of Susan’s later abandonment of some of the Narnian principles, but not in the way portrayed by those who rewrote the Caspian story. One of the main points of the Narnia Chronicles is the noble character of those who learn to walk as Kings and Queens with Aslan, the King of Kings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> I have seen such true nobility in some of Jesus’ joint-heirs, those who will reign with Him and who walk with Him now as a Royal Priesthood. Yes, I actually know some of His royal brothers and sisters who <i>really do </i>live as He lived: confident but humble, richly generous and benevolent, noble of character and outlook, patient with the weak, and gracious with the broken. These people are in all walks of life, from the simple and weak to the powerful and highly sophisticated. Like their King, they don’t draw attention to themselves, but neither are they uncomfortable with greatness, should it come their way, because they recognize where true greatness comes from. Like their King, an air of peace, concern for others and nobility emanates from them like the fragrance of a heavenly rose.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> I think right now of the true stories of some of Jesus' kings and queens of who died with dignity in experimental gas chambers in the prisons of North Korea, people who were at peace even as they sought to protect their children who died with them. I think of a friend’s meeting with humble, self-effacing Chinese men who were also powerful overseers of millions of underground house church believers. I think of a quiet but courageous woman who has faithfully poured out love to the children in the poorest neighborhood in Las Vegas for many, many years. I think of a businessman who leads with grace and kindness as God has prospered him beyond anything he ever dreamed. I think of how he carries himself with quiet humility, freely giving away large sums as God leads without anyone knowing. I think of Nick, now in Heaven, who was one of the humblest and meekest of men I have ever met. He quietly served my dad's family business as janitor for many years. Nick had a quiet but rock-solid faith in Jesus. As I think of his gentleness and meekness so many years after his passing, I realize that he also carried the mark of a King, a nobility of character and grace. I think of a humble, but courageous, man I met in Papua New Guinea who has raised the dead but speaks of it with joyful meekness. And I think of many more royal souls, some of them loud and outgoing, some of them quiet and almost invisible. My life is rich with many kings and queens who have spent their lives in fellowship with the King of Kings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"> And it is this last thing, I think, that is the common thread in all of their lives and the reason that nobility hangs on them like a heavenly robe. Whereas some people may settle for a “get-out-of-hell free” ticket, for these remarkable souls “companying with their King” is the pulsating center of their lives. And in hanging out with their King, the fragrance of their King somehow has come permeate their lives. Make it so in me, in all of us, my King!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Hanging out with Royalty,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Tom, one of Abba's children</span></div>
Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-5511883482880910252018-10-07T16:27:00.001-06:002018-10-08T07:01:12.417-06:00Pray for Our Nation<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> This post is the fulfillment of a promise I made to our VCC family this morning. I promised to post the longer version of something I saw this past Friday night during worship. It is not intended in any way to be a political statement but rather a call to pray for our nation and leaders as we are urged to do in 1 Timothy 2:1-4. Historically, every great Spiritual Awakening has been preceded by fervent, united prayer and deep repentance. Here's what I saw.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> During worship I was taken in my mind (taken in the Spirit) to Washington, D.C. I was sort of "in the air" looking down at the city. From that perspective I first saw a large church building that began to be clothed in fire (Heaven's Fire), and I heard the Lord tell me that spiritual awakening will begin to happen in this (and other) significant congregations in Washington, D.C. This building may have represented the National Cathedral, but it at the very least represented a key congregation or congregations in our nation's capital. As I was looking at the church building, I felt God encourage me to declare, "Fire, fire, fire..." (Those near me on Friday night would have heard me doing so.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The next thing I saw was thousands and thousands of angels assembled around the city. They were in battle array and ready to be deployed. They were to be deployed against the hordes of the enemy, which I could also see. The enemy's soldiers were like storm troopers and had already successfully penetrated the city with wave after wave of warriors. But God's armies formed a larger and fiercer army, and they were already unsheathing their swords and preparing for battle. I sensed God telling me that these Angel Armies were going to be fully released/activated by the prayers of God's people.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The third thing I saw was a large worship banner with "Jesus" written on it being waved over the Capitol. This occurred as we were singing "What a Beautiful Name." I could not see who was waving this flag, but it was a clear picture (and, at the very least, another invitation to pray).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I also saw Spiritual Awakening ("revival") come to at least four other places in the U.S. I trust there will be more than these four, but these may have been shown to me to let us know that awakening is coming: I saw God's fire come upon Denver, Dallas, Houston and Redding, CA. Regarding Redding, I heard Papa say that "Fresh Fire" was coming to Bethel Church, Redding: a "revival of the Revival." I sensed that this is close at hand and will validate the rest of what I was seeing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> I submit this to you as one of the most significant visions I have had in quite some time, and I invite you to consider joining me in prayer for the purifying, renewing, strengthening Fire of God to fall upon our nation's capital--its key churches, our leaders, and everyone else, too, of course. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Praying for our sadly divided, broken nation,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tom, one Abba's children</span>Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-43932877275513636602017-10-07T19:03:00.001-06:002018-03-22T10:55:25.582-06:00Transformed By His Word and Spirit<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-weight: bold;">For my VCC Friends. Here's the Notes from the October 1 message. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">For others who want to listen to the message, you can go to this <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dCMkUz46Cf8GTPsEv4rHcMLvVhvO-ta_/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">link. </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; font-weight: bold;">Introduction:</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">How does God’s Word
change us? I know I can’t fully answer that in a few minutes! (Entire Course!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">But because God’s Word is
“living and powerful” (Hebrews 4:12) and is the key to the “renewing of our
minds” (Romans 12:2), I want to spend a few minutes talking about how Spirit
and Word work to change us “more and more into His image from glory to glory.”
(2 Corinthians 3:18)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Other resources that will
add to what I share this morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The summer course on this
subject is online at Karen Ladage’s website. Thanks, Richard! http://heartcryofthebride.com/classes/pastor-toms-classes/pastor-toms-bible-study-summer-2017/
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The bookstore has a
message to pastors that I gave many years ago about intimacy and God’s Word
(and other things!). The CD is entitled “Fruitful Intimacy” (October 2005). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">First things first. Here’s
a few foundational things in talking about how God’s word changes us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">First, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we are,</i> in one sense, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">already “transformed</i>” but we are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">also being transformed</i>. </span><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-ascii-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Georgia; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> There is a sort of a tension
between who God says we are and who we are becoming. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l8 level3 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">2 Corinthians 5:17 is one
of many passages that say we are already changed: “So then, if anyone is in
Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away - look, what is new
has come!” (NET Bible) <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">But other passages speak
of a process. Two we will look at today are 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 “Now the Lord
is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And
all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though
reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one
degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.” Romans
12:2 </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Stop allowing this present age to shape you and
how you live and instead be being transformed by the renewing of your thinking
(mind) so that you can prove by living it out how good, pleasing and complete
God’s will is. (TW paraphrase)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Second, it’s about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">relationship, not religion</i>. We change in
the context of intimacy with God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l8 level3 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I trust God’s Word
because I know Him and trust Him. For example, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I trusted my Dad’s
promises to me because I knew his integrity. So it is with us: We trust His
Word because it’s His Word. Our growing intimacy with Him and experience of His
faithfulness in our lives assures us that His word is true even when it appears
otherwise.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">My interaction with God’s Word flows out of and also shapes
my interaction with Him as my Papa. Fellowship with the Holy Spirit. <b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Third, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">other believers</i> around us <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">essential</i> to our being transformed by God’s Word. We often see in
the Bible that it’s people living out God’s Word that brings change. Some
examples (from NIV)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">1 Corinthians 4:16-17
Therefore I urge you to imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent to you
Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of
my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in
every church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">1 Corinthians 11:1 Follow
my example, as I follow the example of Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l8 level3 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">2 Timothy 3:14-15 But as
for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because
you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known
the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through
faith in Christ Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">d.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Transformation <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">requires</i> us to see <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">what Scripture really says</i>, not what we think it says. And again to
think! We “study” and meditate in partnership with the Holy Spirit. Note that
“think” doesn’t mean mere human effort or “trying hard.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">e.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Finally, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">transformation happens only when we say
“Yes”</i> to what God shows us in His Word. <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">It’s not enough simply to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">agree</i>
</span>with what we hear or see. Change happens as we respond & obey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">James
1:22-25 (ERV) Do what God's teaching says; don't just listen and do nothing.
When you only sit and listen, you are fooling yourselves. Hearing God's teaching
and doing nothing is like looking at your face in the mirror and doing nothing
about what you saw. You go away and immediately forget how bad you looked. But
when you look into God's perfect law that sets people free, pay attention to
it. If you do what it says, you will have God's blessing. Never just listen to
his teaching and forget what you heard.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Three Passages That Help Us Understand Transformation<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">2
Corinthians 3:17-18</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> (NRSV) Now the Lord is the
Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And all of
us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a
mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to
another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Transformation
happens through the leadership of the Spirit who leads us to increasing
freedom!</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Intimacy
unlocks transformation. (Unveiled faces speaks of intimacy, authenticity, etc.)
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Context </b>here speaks of unashamed,
full access to God without any hindrances to our understanding.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Where
(at whom) we look changes us! Some quotes from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Renovation of the Heart </i>by Dallas Willard are below. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Our
present American culture boasts of complete freedom in what one sees, says, and
hears. Many professing Christians are paralyzed or even destroyed by adopting
this “freedom” as a lifestyle. For they allow images into their mind that
eventually overwhelm them. If we allow everything access to our mind, we are
simply asking to be kept in a state of mental turmoil or bondage. For nothing
enters the mind without having an effect for good or evil.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">There
are many things we need not see and are better off not seeing—though, if you
wish, you have a “right” to see them. Anyone who thinks that if I have a right
to do X it is good for me to do X, simply hasn’t thought deeply about the
matter. Paul’s wise counsel, by contrast, was, “Whatever is true, whatever is
honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise,
let your mind dwell on these things” (Philippians 4:8). Make no mistake; this
is a fundamental and indispensable part of our spiritual formation in Christ. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Romans
12:1-2</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> (NIV 1984) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in
view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and
pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any
longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good,
pleasing and perfect will.<br />
(TW’s paraphrase of v. 2 again) Stop allowing this present age to shape you and
how you live and instead be being transformed by the renewing of your thinking
(mind) so that you can prove by living it out (testing) how good, pleasing and
complete God’s will is. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">We are being shaped one
way or the other by what we expose our minds to and think about. Paul urges us
to be shaped in our thinking by the renewing of our minds (our thinking). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The primary way this happens is through exposure to the
Truth of God’s Word. (This includes people modeling it, other resources but
especially the Bible.)<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>This has many
implications, of course, but for just one, consider how much of your thinking
is actually shaped by His word. “Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all
day long.” Ps. 119:97 (NIV 1984) I mention this in the 2005 message I
recommend! <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">2 Timothy 3:14-17</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"> (NIV 1984) But as for
you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because
you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known
the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through
faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the
man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">The context of this
passage is Paul giving instruction for living in wild and crazy times! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">What do those four main words
in v. 16 mean?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Teaching</span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">
(doctrine) Now “doctrine” sounds exciting, eh? It will if you understand that
it means instruction in truth that changes our thinking, our faulty paradigms
and views of God and ourselves!</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Rebuking. </span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“Rebuking”
sounds even less exciting! But don’t you want to have things that harm you and
others removed from your life? The word basically means to expose sin. (So that
it can be expelled!) “(Rebuking) means, clearly, that as we read scripture it
will from time to time inform us in no uncertain terms that something we’ve
been doing is out of line with God’s will. Sometimes this will lie plainly on
the surface of the text; other times, as we read a passage, we will begin to
hear the voice of God gently, or perhaps not so gently, telling us that this
story applies to this area of our lives, or perhaps that one. When that happens
– as it may often do for those who read the Bible prayerfully – we do well to
pay attention.” (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For Everyone Commentary</i>)</span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Correcting. </span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">This
word means “restoration to an upright or right state, correction, improvement
of life or character.” (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Olive Tree
Enhanced Bible Dictionary</i>). This word can also be translated, “Improving.”
“Reading the Bible will transform you, will ‘improve’ you, in the sense of
somebody making ‘improvements’ to a house or a city.” (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For Everyone Commentary</i>) </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Training in righteousness. </span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">“It will train you in
‘righteousness’, which is a combination of goodness and justice, the behavior
that God longs to see in all his children. The aim is (verse 17) not to squash
people into a strange, unnatural shape by trying to order their lives according
to the Bible, but to help people who belong to God to become complete, richly
human beings, reflecting God’s image in all its many-sided splendor.” (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">For Everyone Commentary</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">SUMMARY: </span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">We are transformed by who
we are with, what we look at/listen to, what we think about and what we choose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; text-transform: uppercase;">Examples from my life as to how
this works:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Remember: the goal is to
get to know God </span></b><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">(but like a child getting to know His Father, not a slave getting
instructions on what to do!): “Show me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your</i>
ways, teach me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your</i> paths…” This
happens as Holy Spirit and the Word change our understanding of Him, of our
paradigms (how we view and think about things), our understanding of who we are
to Him, of people around us, our hearts, etc. As we said earlier, this requires
us to think deeply and often as we reflect and read. Think often: Most of us,
even as believers, think mostly about things other than God and His Word. So
much treasure is lost because of this, so much joyful intimacy, so many lies
still hold us captive! Therefore my ultimate goal today is to compel you by
love to consider living saturated with His Word!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Two main ways Holy Spirit
uses the Word with me: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">By having me reflect on
what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I already have in me</i> (it’s good
to have a lot of it in me. It gives Him a large vocabulary). Some examples: 1)
“Get rid of all bitterness.” Ephesians 4:31, can speak to me any time it needs
to!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2) One big epiphany was that God
sounds like what He tells us to sound like (take a look at Ephesians 4:29, 1
Corinthians 14:3 to determine whether the voice you hear is God or something
else.) 3) Psalms 56:3 and 94:17-19 often speak to me when I am struggling with
anxiety. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Note, </b>though, how each of
these grows out of conversation with Him! Relationship! Also, all of it is
positive not negative for me. God is never harsh or condemning with me. If what
I hear doesn’t give me hope (even when I am being corrected), I know it’s not
from Papa God (or at least part of it is being tainted by my thinking or the
enemy).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">By guiding me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">as I read/study</i> (or “listen” for you who
are auditory). This happens as we think carefully and thoroughly about what we
are reading. Several examples below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Who God Really Is (What
He is Really Like)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo9; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Although “saved” and
“salvation” are part of the Gospel message, nowhere is the Gospel described as
choosing between Heaven or Hell. It’s rather about the Kingdom of God, about
returning to the One who loves us, etc. The Good News is about relationship
with the One who paid everything to get to us, not escaping eternal torment. We
won’t be joyful in Heaven because we escaped Hell but because we will be face
to face with the One who is beyond description and who loves us infinitely.
(John 14:1-3 “that you may be with me…”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo9; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Exodus 34:6-7 (NIV 1984)
“The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger,
abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and
forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo9; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Example: John 3:16-17
(Loved the world so much that He gave…, not to condemn the world but to save
the world…)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level2 lfo9; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Example: “God was, in
Christ, reconciling the world to Himself…” 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NIV 1984) All
this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the
ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in
Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the
message of reconciliation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo9; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">God is like what He tells
us to be! I already sort of covered this earlier (when I discussed what God
sounds like) but when I stopped and reflected on 1 Corinthians 13 and Galatians
5:22-23…Wow! I realized that these passages and others are descriptions of God.
God is the kindest, most joyful, most patient, most gentle Being in the
Universe, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo9; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Another
example: “Your mercies never end….” (Lamentations 3:22-23) We tend to think of
God in human terms so we think He runs out of mercy, or has to parcel it out,
but His mercy <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">never</b> ends! </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo9; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">My
reflecting on Papa as a Good Father (Matthew 7:7-11) My thinking was changed
about God‘s desire to bless by this passage. I was unconsciously thinking that
He was limited in his goodness and/or that if others have it bad, I should not
ask for him to bless me. But the truth is that God is good all the time and
others suffering does not cancel out his goodness. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Who Believers Really Are
to Him<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo10; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">We loved beyond measure.
Romans 5:8<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo10; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Are we “unworthy”?
Nowhere are we called that! You don’t pay a huge price for something that has
no worth, and God paid an infinite price for you and me. What about Luke 17:10?
Some translations use the term “unworthy” in this verse. But the meaning is
undeserving, not unworthy. Luke 17:10 (NET) So you too, when you have done
everything you were commanded to do, should say, ‘We are slaves undeserving of
special praise; we have only done what was our duty.’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo10; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Are we punished when we
do wrong? We may reap what we sow (Galatians 6:7-8), we may be disciplined
(Hebrews 12:7-11), but all punishment that was/is due to us has been put on
Jesus. Isaiah 53:5 “the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by
his wounds we are healed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">What the Core of “The
Christian Life” Really is<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l9 level1 lfo11; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Abundant Life: John 10:10
What is “abundant life”? In a nutshell, it’s eternal life lived in loving
relationship with God, hearing His voice, experiencing His love, fulfilling His
purposes (a life with meaning, purpose and destiny). All of this can be discovered
simply by reading the rest of the Gospel of John. The point is that Abundant
Life has nothing to do with material possessions or “having a nice life,” but
it has everything to do with having an eternal and growing relationship with
the One who is life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l9 level1 lfo11; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">I have discovered that
the Christian life is more about being in healthy relationships than merely stopping
personal sin (also important, of course). Ephesians 4:1-3 (NIV 1984) As a
prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling
you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with
one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit
through the bond of peace. Most of what follows these verses has to do with <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">relationships</b> with one another—check it
out!. This fits with the New Commandment, of course in John 13:34-35 A new
command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one
another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love
one another.” TW paraphrase: “The world around you will recognize you as my
followers by your healthy, love-filled relationships with one another.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Related to number two:
Example is the most important teacher/trainer. A careful reading of the New
Testament will see that “truth” was transferred from teacher to “student” more
by example than by talking!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l9 level1 lfo11; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Georgia;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I can do all things…” I was reading this
passage one day and realized that a Christian can never say “I can’t!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Consider these amazing
words as we finish. May God grant me/us similar passion for Him and His Word!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Psalm 119:1-2 (NIV 1984) Blessed are they whose ways are
blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>2 Blessed are they who keep his statutes and
seek him with all their heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Psalm<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>119:11-18
(NIV 1984) I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against
you. 12 Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I
recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your
statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider
your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. 17 Do
good to your servant, and I will live; I will obey your word. 18 Open my eyes
that I may see wonderful things in your law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia"; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">Psalm 119:97 (NIV 1984) Oh, how I love your law! I
meditate on it all day long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-35169823697693000202017-09-04T15:56:00.002-06:002018-09-21T10:48:05.674-06:00Transferring Our Trust<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These are my notes from my Sunday
morning message that I promised to post for VCC folks. References to previous
blogs will take you to that blog if you click on its title. You can also listen to the message (and a few of my other messages) by clicking <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y8ygeaa8" target="_blank">here</a>. It will open in a separate window.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Introduction:</span></b>
<br />
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</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Standing in the midst of the
smoking rubble of a completely destroyed city, having experienced rejection
again and again, the prophet Jeremiah wrote a lament. In the middle of that
lament, he says… </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> “My soul has been deprived of peace (shalom); I have forgotten what happiness
is. Then I thought: My future is lost, as well as my hope from the Lord. Remember
my affliction and my homelessness, the wormwood and the poison. I continually
remember them and have become depressed. </span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Yet
I call this to mind</b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">, and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s
faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every
morning; great is Your faithfulness! I say: The Lord is my portion, therefore I
will put my hope in Him. The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the
person who seeks Him. It is good to wait quietly for deliverance from the Lord.”
(Lamentations 3:17-26 HCSB) Later Jeremiah says, “I called on your name, O
Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea when I said, ‘Do not close your
ears to my cry for relief.’ You came near when I called you, and you said,
‘Don’t be afraid.’” (Lamentations 3:55-57)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">What we see here with Jeremiah is
a “transfer of his trust” from himself and his perception of things back to the
One he knew who alone could be trusted.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We often see this transfer of
trust in David’s psalms as well. Here’s one example of many: “O Lord, how many
are my foes! How many rise up against me! Many are saying of me, “God will not
deliver him.” But you are a shield around me, O Lord; you bestow glory on me
and lift up my head. To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy
hill. I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me. I will
not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side. (Psalm 3:1-6
NIV 1984) There are many more psalms like this, of course.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">One more example from our friend,
Simon Peter: During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking
on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were
terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. </span><span style="text-indent: -24px;">But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” </span><span style="text-indent: -24px;">“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” </span><span style="text-indent: -24px;">“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little trust,” he said, “why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:25-31 NIV 1984) </span></span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Each of these passages show us a
person “transferring his trust.”</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Worry (fear, anxiety, etc.) is an
invitation to transfer our trust from ourselves to God. </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">We all have faith. It’s where that
trust is placed, it’s where our confidence really rests that’s important, of
course.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Proverbs 3:5-6 comes to mind:
“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart. Don’t trust your own understanding
of things…”</span></span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">When our world is shaken to
pieces, it’s natural for us to lose focus and become afraid. The fear in that
moment is not sin but is instead a wonderful reminder of Papa’s invitation to
transfer our trust back to Him. How do we do this? Here are a few of the most
important things we can do.</span></span></li>
</ol>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Be
sure you know God as He really is!</span></b><br />
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>We
were created for a relationship with God, and trust is an essential part of any
relationship and is especially important in our relationship with God, of
course. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Interestingly
enough, trust grows from our being in a relationship with someone, but it’s also
required in order for the relationship to grow. We trust as we get to know
them, but we will only get to know them if we trust at least a little!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>We
trust someone deeply because we <i>know</i> he/she can be trusted and because we know
they care about us. We trust God because we know He treasures us and can do
anything He wants for us because of His love for us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>The
challenge with our trusting God is that the devil’s full-time job is to
undermine our trust by misrepresenting God. (This started with the first
temptation in the Garden when he undermined Eve’s trust in God, and this
strategy continues to this very day). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>God
is good—all the time. Anything that says otherwise: pain, tragedy, evil is not
from God but from the enemy. God when He finished creating the Universe said that it was “Very good.” There
was absolutely no evil present in the world, and that perfectly good world is
an accurate reflection of the nature and character of God. Evil did not enter
the world through God but through the rebellion of a powerful angel followed by Adam’s rebellion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->So
even though God is Perfectly Good, the enemy tries to get us to focus us on the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">bad</i>, seeking to smear God’s reputation
and undermine our trust in Him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->So
what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> God <i>really</i> like? He is like
Jesus and He is like what He tells us to be towards others. For more on this
see my previous blog entry entitled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://tomwymore.blogspot.com/2017/08/why.html" target="_blank">Why???</a></i> written on 8.30.17. You may also want to read my blog on "What is God Like?" by clicking <a href="https://tomwymore.blogspot.com/2009/11/what-is-god-like.html" target="_blank">here</a> (it will again open in a separate window), and <a href="https://tomwymore.blogspot.com/2009/11/what-is-god-like-evidence-of-his.html">here</a> for part two.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Do
we really get this? Do we understand that God <i>never</i> brings evil, <i>never</i> intended
evil to be part of His creation, and will someday and somehow redeem all of it?
(To see how you’re doing with this, give yourself a “religion check.” If you tend
to focus on your behavior—sin management, doing the right thing so you won’t
get in trouble, etc.—you are revealing your need to get know Papa a lot better.
The Christian life is not about avoiding sin but about living to delight the
One who delights us.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->I
trust that you can see why this is so very important! We are not likely to
trust a God who sends evil or somehow “allows” it for our good, etc. But that’s
not what God is really like! The following quote from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Shack</i> nails it: “Mack, just because I work incredible good out
of unspeakable tragedies doesn’t mean I orchestrate the tragedies. Don’t ever
assume that my using something means I caused it or that I need it to
accomplish my purposes. That will only lead you to false notions about me.
Grace doesn’t depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you
will find grace in many facets and colors.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Even
Martin Luther understood that God was completely good. Many hundreds of years
ago, he wrote this remarkable thing about prayer: “Prayer is not overcoming
God’s reluctance but laying hold of God’s willingness!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Do
we need to stop and let Holy Spirit adjust your thinking right now? :-)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Refresh
your understanding of who He really is. How? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Remember
His Fingerprints on your life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Thanksgiving/Gratitude are
wonderfully helpful in helping us transfer our trust back to Papa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level3 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->That’s why Paul includes “thanksgiving”
in Philippians 4:6: "When your anxiety detector lets you know that you are
indeed anxious and filled with worry, make your concerns known to God, with all
kinds of praying sprinkled liberally with thanksgiving for all the amazing
things God has already done to reveal His love and faithfulness." (TW
paraphrase)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->I have a blog entry on this, too,
entitled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><a href="http://tomwymore.blogspot.com/2009/09/worrying-about-worry.html" target="_blank">Worrying About Worry</a></i> posted
on Sept. 23, 2009. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Remember
His Word. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level3 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->God’s Word reminds us of His
absolute trustworthiness. As Pastor Tony has been reminding us, it’s good to
ask God for specific promises when we are struggling to trust Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level3 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->But remember that for God’s word
to have power in your life, it has to be seen and experienced in the context of
your intimate relationship with Him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level3 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Scripture speaks to me in the time
of testing because of my relationship with Him, not to cause me to have a
better relationship with Him. In other words, because I know Him so well, His
words mean everything to me! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level3 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->God’s word doesn’t create faith in
you as much as it reminds you that He is trustworthy and has given many, many
promises that you can count on because He is the Promise-Keeper!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level3 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>If you trust Him, you will trust
His word (and that leads to even more trust). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]-->Remember
His kindness and faithfulness to and through others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level3 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Have you already found yourself
being renewed by the amazing Harvey stories about people helping people? I
have! And I see God’s hand in it all!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level3 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Philippians 4:8-9 comes to mind
where Paul encourages us to intentionally focus our minds on good, true lovely
things. You see, it doesn’t “feed my faith” to look at bad news, etc. I don’t
mean we ignore things completely, but rather we can make good decisions about
what we focus on. I don’t need to know everything about bad things—that puts
the emphasis upon me and my need to understand (Proverbs 3:5-6 again). But I do
need to refresh my mind often by thinking about the good I see in others and in
what others are doing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level3 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->We all “meditate” don’t we? It’s
probably best to meditate on what God is like, what He’s doing, His word, what
His people are doing, etc., instead of what the enemy is doing (worry is simply
meditating on the wrong subject! Kris Vallotton: “Expecting something bad to
happen is coming into agreement with the wrong Kingdom.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level3 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->You see, in order to trust Papa I
need to be able to hear what He is saying (all the time), and it’s much easier
to hear Him if I am meditating on good stories that reflect God’s goodness,
love and power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Surrender
your need to understand everything!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Proverbs
3:5-6 eliminates our asking “Why,” doesn’t it? (Think about it--asking "why" comes from a desire to trust our understanding!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->God
rarely answers the “Why” question because He translates “Why” into what you are
really saying: “Papa, I’m afraid,” and because we almost certainly wouldn’t
understand His answer to “Why” anyway.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Instead
of telling us why, God’s answer is almost always, “I am with you” or “I will be
with you.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Which
would you rather have: answers to your questions or God’s Presence? Yes, sometimes He will indeed
show us some reasons for things, but most of the time He knows that what we
need most is not one more answer but rather His Presence and power at work in
our lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Remember,
too, that biblical faith (trust) always includes a longer view—one that
stretches into eternity (which we definitely can’t understand at present!).
Read Hebrews 11:13-16 and you will get a glimpse of what I mean by this. The
bottom line is that a lot of things in this present life won’t make sense until
we see them from Eternity’s perspective, and because of this, we gladly
surrender our need to understand things. Remember, we are encouraged not to
trust our understanding, and if we refuse to surrender our need to understand
everything, we won’t be able to “trust in the Lord with all of our heart.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Clinging
to the need to understand means that you are trusting you and your perception
of things, exchanging your very limited perception of things for God’s embrace.
Surrendering our need to understand everything frees us to transfer our trust
fully to the One who really does understand everything and works it all to our
good.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">4.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Shift your focus back
to Him and</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">return to His embrace.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->“Faith
is the gaze of the soul upon the face of a saving God.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A.W. Tozer (<i>The Pursuit of God</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span>Faith
is ultimately a decision, not a feeling, a choice to look at God and not
anything else, a choice to lean upon, trust in, rely upon the Totally Trustworthy
One. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->“Whenever
I am afraid, I will choose to lean upon Him, to fully rely upon Him.” Psalm
56:3 (TW paraphrase)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Continually
rely on and give support to the people around you.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->We
were never meant to live the Jesus life alone. The most common word for
believers in the New Testament is “brothers/sisters,” and that means we are
family and were never meant to walk this journey alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->We
need the encouragement of others in order to keep our trust securely
transferred to Papa God, especially in difficult times.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->And
amazingly enough, it also strengthens us to strengthen others. How can you not
be encouraged while encouraging others with stories of God’s fingerprints, His
Word, etc.?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .75in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->I
love how the Passion Translation reminds us of this (Hebrews 10:23-25): “So now
we must cling tightly to the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always
keeps his promises! Discover creative ways to encourage others and to motivate
them toward acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love.
This is not the time to neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit
of doing, because we need each other! In fact, we should come together even
more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate
that day dawning.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Concluding Thoughts</span></b></div>
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</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Remember Jeremiah? The books of
Jeremiah and Lamentations contain reflections of his intimate, if bumpy at times, relationship with God. It was Jeremiah’s intimate relationship with God that
enabled him to shift his focus and transfer his trust to God. And we see that this
intimate relationship started with Jeremiah’s call in Jeremiah 1:8 “Do not be
afraid of those to whom I send you, for </span><b style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">I
will be with you </b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">to protect you,” says the Lord. (NET)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Does that promise sound familiar
to you? It’s the same one God makes to each of His children!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">I close with a quote from an
earlier blog entry I wrote about Jeremiah on February 5, 2011 (“Standing in the
Smoking Rubble”). </span></li>
</ol>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Perhaps some of you, like Jeremiah, have wondered if God was against
you. Nothing is further from the truth (Romans 8:31 comes to mind), but our
misperceptions about God when we are in the middle of painful circumstances can make it feel
like that! My prayer for you and me, though, is that the brilliant breakthrough
that came to the angry and bitter Jeremiah will shine in our hearts even
more brightly than it did for this brokenhearted prophet. God is good, all the
time. His kindness never ceases, His mercies are refreshed every morning, and
even when we rail against Him, He refuses to stop pursuing us with goodness and
love. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 3.0pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Oh, Papa God! How truly amazing you are! Even as I stand in the rubble, smoke
clouding my vision, your radiant goodness gives hope. How can I not hear your
invitation to trust you and wait quietly for the goodness that is yet to
come?!!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div>
<!--EndFragment--></div>
</div>
Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-54218798628204256382017-08-30T17:03:00.000-06:002017-09-01T12:59:47.847-06:00Why????<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Harvey, the "Hurricane from Hell" has finally exited the Houston area (but is still wreaking havoc elsewhere), and the storm has left behind death, destruction, and disruption everywhere. Sadly, God often gets a lot of "fake news" and "bad press" when tragic things happen. Even believers have been asking me, "Why did God do this?" or "Why did God 'allow' this?" So I am writing a very short blog today to address this question, while pointing to four of my earlier blogs that cover things in more depth.</span><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> It always grieves me when people, even believers, attribute evil to God, either because they think He is judging sinners or because they think He "allows" evil to happen. On a side note, it's interesting to me that when tragedy strikes an area that is considered evil, some Christians are quick to see it as judgment, but not so quick to say that when tragedy strikes close to home. Just a curious fact, I guess. :-)</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> So is God up there in Heaven pulling levers and pushing buttons controlling every event that happens on earth? No! Following that line of reasoning causes us to end up with a schizophrenic deity who does both good and evil! That is not the God of the Bible. And it's important to know what God is really like, dear ones, perhaps especially when tragedy strikes, because it's in the storms that we need to snuggle up close to our Papa. But it's hard to want to snuggle up to a Papa whom we think may unleash pain and suffering. But thankfully, God is in fact "Good all the time" and is the kindest, most loving Being in the Universe. And He invited us not to try to understand why (a subtle form of trying to control things), but instead invites us into His embrace. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I know this sounds like a copout to some, but as one who has faced lots of pain and seen lots of tragedy, I can tell you that the best question to ask God when evil strikes is not "Why?" but "Abba, can I crawl up into your lap?" (Do we really think that we, with our tiny and finite minds, could even begin to understand an infinite God's answer to why?).</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> But there's nothing wrong with thinking deeply about things and with asking God "Show me your ways" and "Help me to know you better." So I offer to you the following freshly edited blogs from previous years. If you read only one of these, I recommend that it be "The River of God's Sovereignty," but they all wrestle to some extent with the problem of bad things happening. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<a href="http://tomwymore.blogspot.com/2009/11/what-is-god-like.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What is God Like? </span></a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://tomwymore.blogspot.com/2010/09/did-god-get-saved.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Did God Get Saved?</span></a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://tomwymore.blogspot.com/2010/12/river-of-gods-sovereignty.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The River of God's Sovereignty</span></a></div>
<div>
<a href="http://tomwymore.blogspot.com/2012/03/god-above-time.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">God Above Time</span></a></div>
<div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I could write so much more about this, but this will have to do for today. I offer no glib answers to people who have lost so much--not now, not ever. But I do offer up a view of my Abba that I hope will comfort and encourage you as much as it has me, now most recently as I watch tragedy unfold just miles from where I live.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tom, one of Abba's Children</span></div>
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Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-79553826103979797012016-10-21T13:23:00.004-06:002017-01-23T06:55:09.292-07:00"I Have Stilled My Soul"<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> "Wait in silent expectancy for God alone, O my soul, for my hope is from Him. He alone is my rock and salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. My salvation and my honor rest on God. My mighty rock, my refuge, is God!" (Psalm 62:5-7, TW paraphrase).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> "My heart is not proud, O Yahweh. My eyes aren't prideful. I don't concern myself with lofty matters or try to figure out things that are too complicated for me. Instead, I have stilled and quieted my soul. Like a young and trusting child is my soul within me. Yes, my soul is like a young and trusting child." (Psalm 131:1-2, TW paraphrase).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> These are troubled/troubling times that we are living in, aren't they? It's times like these that make us more aware of the importance of living with inner stillness. It's always important, of course, to live with a "quiet soul," but we become more motivated to find peace and stillness when noisy storms are all around us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> One of the most important things Papa God has taught me over the past several years is how to "still my soul." My ability to maintain inner stillness has had some major interruptions along the way, as many of you know, but lately, more than ever, Papa has been restoring to me the grace to live in inner stillness (most of the time, at least).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> So how does someone still her/his soul and reach that place of inner stillness? The psalms quoted above not only show us the importance of it but also a substantial part of the process. So how <i>do</i> you do it? I can't take time today to write out everything I have learned, but here are a few thoughts that may help you.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Believe that it's possible and extremely valuable to learn to "still one's soul."</i> My journey into the quiet place was launched because of a desperate longing for God's life, love and power to flow through me to others. He surprised me, though, by inviting me first into intimacy with Him instead of bestowing on me the power I was seeking. It was my subsequent hunger for intimacy with Him that moved me to pursue inner stillness because I couldn't hear His voice due to all the internal noise in me! But I did eventually reach a place of consistent inner stillness in the midst of a very busy and highly driven life. The fact that I did so tells me that this is possible for anyone. It is possible for any and every follower of Jesus to learn how to still his/her soul. And the value, of course, is obvious to anyone who longs to hear God's voice and know Him intimately.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Remember that it's a journey, not a project.</i> Learning to quiet your inner world doesn't happen overnight. It requires time in at least two ways. First, it takes a long period of time to learn the discipline itself. You don't learn to still your soul in seven easy, 5-minute lessons. Second, it takes lots of time, each time, (especially at first) to get our minds to stop spinning and whirling enough to get quiet. It used to take me far more than an hour to still my soul (quiet my mind).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As Psalm 131 clearly indicates, <i>it begins with humility and the perspective that humility brings. </i>The psalmist obviously has no problem acknowledging his smallness, his weakness, his limitations. His approach to God <i>begins</i> with that humble perspective. How does this help us reach inner quietness? It helps, first, by reminding us to surrender things that were never meant to be in our domain or under our control. It helps as well by affirming to God and ourselves that we are dependent on Him. And it helps by reminding us let go of our need to "understand" things that are beyond us or at least currently hidden from us. I think you get my drift here: humility opens the door into the quiet place of the soul.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>We rest and surrender our way into stillness</i>. This is seen clearly in many of the various translations of Psalm 62 (especially meaning-for-meaning translations). The HCSB, for example, translates Psalm 62:5 "Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him." And the NIV is similar: "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him." Both of these translations show us that quieting our souls is more about relaxing our way into stillness rather than fighting our way into it. This is obvious once we "say it out loud," of course, but I am amazed at how many people try to "make themselves be still." Yes, the psalmist says "<i>I have stilled</i> my soul," but he did so by relaxing into an awareness of God as His Abba and by picturing himself as a little child. Stilling one's soul is about making a <i>decision</i>, <i>not</i> making an <i>effort</i>. For me, quieting my soul always involves a decision to relax and surrender<i> and re-surrender</i> various things into God's hands. This surrender is often accompanied with truths from Scripture that speak to the anxiety that is creating or adding to the inner noise, so <i>Scripture also helps us find our way into stillness.</i> (see the next point for more on this).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Yes, Scripture helps us find our way into stillness.</i> Another way that Scripture helps me still my soul is that it gives language and power to my desire and decision to enter into God's embrace (where stillness is found). In addition to the psalms quoted above, other passages also help me to picture myself approaching Abba or lifting my life/soul up to Him. Psalm 25:1 often finds its way into my heart and onto my lips as I quiet my soul: "To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. In you I trust, O my God." I am sure you will find your own collection of passages that help you express desire and decision to approach our loving Father with a surrendered heart. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>We trust our way into stillness. </i>I think it's important to mention trust specifically, rather than just assume it, because inner stillness for a follower of Jesus is about relationship, not some kind of mind control or new age meditation. I quiet my soul <i>because</i> of my relationship with my totally trustworthy Abba. I quiet my soul <i>in order to</i> hear my Abba's voice, experience His embrace, honor Him with my attention, etc., and it's my confident trust in Him that enables me to surrender my way into that place of stillness. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> And when stillness comes, my soul delights to find <i>Him</i> there waiting for me in the stillness. And when I find Him there in the stillness, it's beyond wonderful and really indescribable. But let me at least say that it's utterly peaceful and that I am wonderfully aware of Him when I have quieted and stilled my soul. That's as close as I can get right now. But I really can't find words to express how good it is to live with Him in the quiet place, nor do I have words that adequately explain how deep my longing is for everyone to live in inner stillness with Papa! For now, the words I have written today will have to do. I welcome your comments and thoughts. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Tom, one of Abba's learning-to-be-still children</span><br />
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Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-76936754030053605622016-10-08T13:54:00.003-06:002018-09-04T10:58:49.142-06:00Living as The Fourth Soil<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> "As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit. But the seed in the good ground — these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, bear fruit." (Luke 8:14-15 HCSB)</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> In my last post I promised to write more about believers and money, and that I will do, but not like I first thought because I found a very good book about the subject that is far superior to anything I could quickly throw together. That book is Randy Alcorn's <i>Managing God's Money</i> (under $5.00 on Amazon Kindle), and I highly recommend its careful and thorough exploration of this topic (while also disagreeing with its view of healing!).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> But I do want to write some about this and give my thoughts in a set of statements that may prove useful to you as you think about you and your money. So here goes. Living simply and generously is...</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>A matter of wisdom, not salvation.</b> We are always and only saved by grace through faith (trust), so any discussion about believers and our money is not about our eternal destiny but about how much treasure is waiting for us in Heaven. Living generously is about living from an eternal perspective and storing up treasure in the right location. That's Jesus' point when He speaks of the wisdom of putting our treasure in Heaven (see, for example, Matthew 6:19-21).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>A matter of maturity and fruit-bearing, not religious obligation. </b>The words of Jesus quoted at the beginning of this article clearly warn us that riches and possessions can hinder the maturity and fruitfulness of His followers. To the extent that we invest our thoughts, time, energy and other resources in this present age, to that extent we remain stunted, immature and limited in Kingdom significance. Anyone who owns anything knows how hard it is to keep that thing from owning you! It is painfully easy to be distracted from Kingdom things by earthly things.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>A matter of well-placed trust.</b> After his strong warning not to make getting rich a life focus, Paul, in 1 Timothy 6, writes, "Instruct them (<i>the wealthy</i>) not to be arrogant <i>or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth, </i>but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy. 18 Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share, 19 storing up for themselves a good reserve for the age to come, so that they may take hold of life that is real." 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (HCSB)<i> italics are mine--TW</i> This passage, along with many others, reminds us that living generously is ultimately a matter of what and whom we trust. Those who deeply trust God and His love find it easy to live generously. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>A matter of joyful compassion and compassionate joy, not guilt-ridden obligation.</b> Paul makes it clear in his instructions to the Corinthians about giving that giving is a matter of joyfully expressed love, not compulsion. "Each person should do as he has decided in his heart — not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7 (HCSB) And elsewhere Paul states that even outrageously extravagant giving apart from love has no reward (1 Corinthians 13:3). <b>Note well </b>how this provides a huge clue as to how to learn to live generously: Getting to know God intimately as a loving Father, who freely gives us all things, will allow joy and compassion to lead us to live simply and give extravagantly. And our greatest joy will be to bring joy to our infinitely generous Father! The love that Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 13 is first of all God's love for us and then secondly our love for Him and others that flows from our being dearly loved. Living more and more aware of His love will inevitably lead us to joyful, compassionate generosity. On the other hand, even sacrificial giving apart from our experience of His love won't move us even one tiny little bit closer to His heart.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>A matter of paradigm.</b> Only our holding to an eternal paradigm will move us to relax our grip on this present age, dear ones. If we really believe what the Bible says about treasure in Heaven and the importance of living for eternity, we will find it increasingly easy to give freely and sacrificially with great joy <i>and</i> great peace! Randy Alcorn gives a very clear illustration of this paradigm that I dearly love: "Imagine you’re alive at the end of the Civil War. You’re living in the South, but you’re a Northerner. You plan to move home as soon as the war’s over. While in the South you’ve accumulated lots of Confederate currency. Now, suppose you know for a fact the North’s going to win the war, and the end is imminent. What will you do with your Confederate money? If you’re smart, there’s only one answer. You should immediately cash in your Confederate currency for U.S. currency—the only money that will have value once the war’s over. Keep only enough Confederate currency to meet your short-term needs. <i>Managing God's Money: A Biblical Guide</i> (pp. 86-87). </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>A matter of perspective. </b>What do I mean by perspective? <i>First</i>, as Americans we tend to view our world only on the basis of what's immediately around us. This tends to blind us to the fact that even lower middle class Americans are enormously wealthy compared to much of the rest of the world and most of the people who have ever lived on this planet. Does that mean we should feel guilty or deny ourselves to the point of lack? Of course not! That would violate the principles stated above as well as missing the heart of our Father. But what it <i>does</i> mean is that we can hear God's voice much more clearly if we remember how truly wealthy we are. Holding to that perspective will lead us to a change of actions. Maybe it would mean buying less than the top of the line so that I can give the difference to someone who can't even see the next day's provision, eh? That kind of generosity is something I am more likely to consider if I remember how the world <i>really</i> looks in terms of wealth. <i>Second</i>, even within the American church we need to shift our perspective so that we notice the single mother who is struggling to make ends meet and therefore choose to joyfully forego buying that new "whatever" in order to help her make it through a rough time. Note that these are just illustrations. All I am asking is that you "notice" and then listen to Papa God. The point is to allow Holy Spirit to shift your perspective to a larger and more accurate view of things regarding "things."</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> I could go on, but this is enough for now, I think. See Randy Alcorn's book for more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> And above all else, my friends, remember that change in our lives is something that God initiates, guides and empowers. When we live from the center of His loving embrace, it's quite easy to hear Him ask us where our trust really lies, hear Him when He highlights the struggling brother or sister here or overseas, hear His reminder to invest in eternity instead of this very temporary season. As one who is still very much learning to live generously and for eternity, I would be truly dismayed if my words led to sorrowful obligation rather than joyful liberation! Live joyfully in His love without fearing or shrinking back from His constant stretching and healing!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">From His Embrace,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Tom</span></div>
Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-87586102314550338272016-09-17T10:13:00.000-06:002016-09-17T11:43:13.085-06:00Buy One, Give One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Tears streamed down my face this morning as I looked at this picture and several others from my trip to Papua New Guinea way back in May 2004. These children are part of one of the poorest tribes in PNG and lived in the garbage dump of PNG's capital city, Port Moresby. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> Even now as I try to write I find emotion making it hard to write. Why? Partly because the little girl in the dirty yellow and green dress had so captured my heart that for years I kept this picture on my computer as the background picture. Partly because of memories related to this trip wherein the beautiful people of PNG also captured my heart, and certainly because my heart was so drilled by the poverty and need of these beautiful people. And I find myself asking how I have so thoroughly forgotten the needs of such people while I live in midst of all my wealth? (I write these words from our sunroom as I view the peaceful lake that is behind our spacious and ridiculously comfortable home!). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I want more than ever in my life to embrace these tears! I want to always keep before me the great disparity that exists between American Christians and their brothers and sisters in developing nations. And I want this not because of some kind of shame-based desire to salve my conscience about having so much but rather because of a growing passion to live ever more generously and ever more freed from the "things" that crowd out fruitfulness in our American lives (see Luke 8:14). And I want this because of simple, heartfelt compassion and love that grows out my own even increasing experience of God's love. And I want this because the older I get, the more aware I am that storing up treasure in eternity is the only truly wise "investment" that I can make ("You can't take it with you" makes a whole lot more sense at age 67 than it did at age 27!). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> All of this has grown out of a thought that keeps coming back to me again and again (most likely from the Holy Spirit). That thought is: How can I help American Christians, many of whom are so oblivious to their extreme wealth as compared to much of the rest of the world, begin to live more wisely and generously? It was in that context that the phrase "Buy one, give one" first popped into my mind. What if we who have so much would begin to set aside an equal amount of money for everything we buy beyond our necessities? What if that extra pair of shoes you want but don't really need was purchased with a commitment to share an equal amount of money with a compassion-related type of ministry? What if that new "man-toy" was matched with a gift of equal amount to a ministry that developed young men in developing nations or to a ministry that develops young men from our own impoverished areas? I think you get the picture. The possibilities are endless.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> I plan to write more about this within the next few days and include a fairly thorough study of Christians and Money from a New Testament perspective, but somehow the tears this morning moved me to put this idea out there in raw form so that I can hear from you. As you reflect on all of this, take a look at another picture of my little sweetie and some of her friends (I never even learned her name, but her face is forever treasured in my heart!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">More to come from Abba's deeply moved child,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Tom</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-84482587750505904852016-07-23T09:47:00.002-06:002017-01-24T06:30:24.898-07:00Transferring Our Trust<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> This post is a lightly edited repost of one I wrote back in 2011. I am reposting it because I am sensing a need to update some of my earlier posts as part of my plan to write a book or two. I also believe, of course, that I may have learned a wee bit more over the past few years and wish to incorporate those things in these rewrites.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> I know I am repeating myself because have written "faith" many times before, and I certainly wrote quite a bit about that during the season of testing our family went through in 2009-2010. But I continue to learn a lot (by experience!) about trusting Papa God, so here are a few things I am learning or learning more thoroughly.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> First, I am more than ever aware that "faith" (trust) is something that is present in every human being. The question, then, is not whether I have faith, but where I choose to place my trust. All of us exercise enormous amounts of faith every day. We trust other drivers to stay alert and in their own lane of traffic, we trust those who worked on the airplane we are boarding to be responsible and careful, we trust those who prepare our food to exercise good hygiene practices, etc. And, most of all, we trust ourselves and our own perception of things. It's that last fact that creates the challenges for us when God invites us to trust Him. We are conditioned all of our lives to trust "self" and trust self above all else. And this self-trust is so automatic that it's almost invisible and is exercised without conscious thought. But God invites and challenges us to transfer our trust from this very limited and highly ignorant person (that would be me or you) to Himself, the infinite, all-knowing, completely loving One. Sounds good when we say it, eh? But learning to transfer trust to Him is a lifelong process that is often fought tooth and nail by both our adversary and our very own self. Big revelation there, eh? Once we stop and think about this, we realize how true it is that we all have faith--mostly in ourselves, and that it's a fight to transfer it elsewhere! When I realized that I wasn't trying to create faith (trust) or generate more faith (trust) but instead transfer my trust from self to God, it helped me both to <i>want</i> to do so and made me see how very possible and wise it is to trust God (I just keep choosing to shift my trust from my unreliable, ignorant self to all-knowing, totally reliable Papa God!).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Second, I am learning that it's best to "build faith" during the good times so that it's there to sustain us during the bad times. This isn't what I was taught in church, though. I was told that times of testing come to grow my faith (to "exercise my faith muscle," etc.), but I was left with the impression that this is the primary way to build faith. But this isn't quite what really Scripture says, and it isn't what life experience teaches us! <b>Trust grows in our lives in response to our experience of another's trustworthiness.</b> We learn to trust another person by their demonstrating through their actions that they really are trustworthy. The more we experience their trustworthiness, the more we grow to trust them. Eventually our trust can grow deep enough that when they ask us to trust them in something we haven't previously experienced with them, we <i>do</i> trust them because their trustworthy character has been revealed through our experience with them. I think you can see how this applies to the God journey, too. And Scripture bears this out, showing us God's trustworthiness over and over again as experienced by people just like us. And yes, the Bible also tells us that struggles come not so much to grow our faith but to reveal it in the midst of the test (see, for example, 1 Peter 1:6-7). Our faith does grow, of course, after the testing because we see God's faithfulness as we go through the test. But it's our confidence in Him that's already there that enables us to endure, not some "faith" that I work up while the test is going on.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> But how does the above truth help us? I am learning that paying attention to God's faithfulness during the good times, taking time to be grateful and to reflect on His goodness when things are going well can actually build my trust level in Him in lots of ways. That is indeed what happened during the season of pain that my family and I went through. The trust that had already grown in our hearts sustained us and invited us to trust in uncharted waters, even in the midst of the storm.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> And God, of course, was also continuing to reveal His trustworthiness during the troubled times in many different ways. Which means, as I said, that trust does grow during times of testing, too, but that doesn't negate the need to grow it <i>first and most </i>during the good times, in my opinion. It's my already established trust in God that helps me stand firm when hell assaults me. It's my already established ability to hear His voice in the good times that enables me to hear Him shouting to me over the noise of the storm!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Third, I am learning that by its very nature, faith is meant to increase and grow in any relationship, and especially in our relationship with God. We were meant to trust God, we were born for that very purpose because we were born in order to be in relationship with Him! But because increase is part of the journey, we find God encouraging us to pay attention to His goodness, calling us into deeper trust in the good times, and we also find ourselves faced with a new choice to trust God in a new way during hard times as well. Personally, my own sense of <b>self</b> trust is so deeply ingrained in me that I still sometimes find God's invitations to trust Him in new ways rather stretching at the very least and downright annoying and scary at the most! Yet His invitation continues every day of our lives: "Trust in the LORD with all of your heart and don't trust in your own understanding." And so even our anxiety becomes God's call to trust Him more deeply, not blindly but based upon His character as revealed by our experiences of His faithfulness and the testimony of many others. But it's still scary and annoying at times! It wouldn't be faith if the need to trust weren't involved! Faith always "feels like faith," not certainty!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Finally, I have discovered again that, when we read the Bible, it really does help to translate the words "belief, believe and faith" as "trust." There is something wonderfully down-to-earth and easy to understand about Jesus asking the disciples, "Where is your trust?" instead of "Where is your faith?" Because of our religious conditioning, the word "faith" often sounds like a commodity or something we do, whereas "trust" is easy for us to understand as a relational decision. Try it! The word "trust" will fit in all of those places where the words <i>believe, belief</i> or <i>faith</i> show up.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> So here we are, facing the uncertainty of life in multiple dimensions, with no sure end in sight. But I hear again the words of Lamentations 3:57 as Jeremiah writes in the midst of his great pain, "You came near when I called to you, and you said, 'Don't be afraid!'" And now you hear them with me. What can we do otherwise than transfer our trust once again to the One who alone is fully trustworthy?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Tom, one of Abba's sometimes trusting children</span><br />
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Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-52680746671861899282015-09-20T16:13:00.002-06:002016-01-09T15:21:47.021-07:00Power with a Purpose<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 3.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For those who heard me speak to
the VCC family on Friday night, here are my notes. I hope to put up the notes
for what I shared for the offering as well in the near future, but for now, here’s the
outline for what I said in the “main message.” You will notice that these notes
have things that I didn’t say, and that I said some things that aren’t in these
notes (always happens, of course), but the core of what I believe Papa wanted
me to share is here in these notes. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The number
one thing associated with the coming of the Spirit in Jesus’ words in Luke and
Acts is <b>power.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“I am going
to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have
been clothed with power from on high.” (Luke 24:49 NIV1984)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“But you
will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth.” (Acts 1:8 NIV1984)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This means
that when Paul encourages the Ephesians to “be being filled with the Holy
Spirit” he hand in mind at least to some extent “being filled with power.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“18 Do not
get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be (being) filled with
the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the
Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving
thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 5:18-20 NIV)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So we can indeed “be being filled with power.” But power for
what? What’s the purpose of the Holy Spirit’s power in our lives? Here’s A few
thoughts of many possibilities.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The most
obvious </b>in the context of Luke and Acts is power<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> to witness</b> (with signs, wonders, miracles). See Acts 1:8, 4:31.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The power<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
to assure </b>also comes to mind. Your knowing that you, each of you, are Abba’s
dearly loved child, sealed by His Spirit and guaranteed eternal relationship
with Him is part of the powerful work of the Spirit in your life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Romans 5:5 (NIV) And hope does not put
us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the
Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Romans 8:14-16 (NIV) For those who are
led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received
does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit
you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba,
Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s
children. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ephesians 1:13-14 (NIV) And you also
were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your
salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised
Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the
redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We see three different ways that Holy
Spirit assures us that we are God’s dearly loved children in these passages: 1)
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He pours God’s love into our hearts (I
have seen this happen in very obvious ways many times). 2) He bears witness
with our spirits that we are for sure God’s sons and daughters, and every
believer can listen to his/her heart and hear it cry out to God as “Abba/Papa”
as part of this assurance. 3) He touches us, marks us, with power in a way that
we know we have been touched by Heaven’s power as a down payment, a guarantee
of more to come in eternity. Notice that this only makes sense if we know by
experience that we have been “marked with a seal.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The
power <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">to love</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Galatians 5:22-23 “The fruit of the
Spirit is love…”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ephesians 2:22 (NIV) And in him you
too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his
Spirit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ephesians 4:2-4 (NIV) Be completely
humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every
effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is the Holy Spirit who empowers us
individually to love others as Jesus loves us. It is He who also creates
community and sustains healthy relationships as we individually and together
work with Him to maintain healthy relationships (the “unity of the Spirit). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The
power <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">to be transformed</b> (healed and
matured). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Romans 8:5-9 (NIV) 5 Those who live
according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but
those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the
Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind
governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is
hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who
are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the
realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of
God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not
belong to Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Romans 8:13 (NIV) For if you live
according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the
misdeeds of the body, you will live.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is the Holy Spirit who empowers and
guides the healing and transformation process in our lives. Self-guided effort
at “becoming a better Christian” never works. It is only through partnership
with the Holy Spirit that transformation can truly take place, and that
partnership includes being in community with others who help us hear and
respond to the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(The fruit
of the Spirit can only be produced in community. You cannot produce love
without having others to love. You cannot be kind or gentle or patient, etc.,
without having people to be kind to, gentle or patient with, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Power
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">to bear fruit and to fulfill God’s
purpose</b> for you/us (Colossians 1:28-29)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Colossians 1:28-29 (ESV) Him we
proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may
present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his
energy that he powerfully works within me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This has always been an amazing
passage to me and one that clearly debunks the idea that living the Christian
life and fulfilling our purpose in life is automatic or easy. Paul’s language
here is very strong and speaks of great effort, but it’s effort that’s empowered
and directed by the Holy Spirit. Human effort independent of intimacy with the
Holy Spirit is bound to lead us away from grace and back into the bondage of
religion. But the opposite of human effort is not “effortless” but rather
Spirit-directed and empowered effort that flows from assurance and acceptance
in Jesus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The
Main Take Away Thought?</b> These all require our participation in some way
(except perhaps assurance and even that one requires us to pay attention to our
hearts).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our part? It’s to “Trust and obey,” not as
cringing slaves but as mature sons and daughters who know that God’s power has
purpose!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Don’t settle for feeling good because God
touched you, don’t settle for going back to business as usual once you have had
your “Friday night drink” of God’s Spirit. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yes, let God touch you, clothe you with power. God’s
clothing you with power always has purpose. Which purpose rises to the top for
you? Witness, Assurance, Maturity, Destiny?</span></li>
</ol>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">You can see the live stream of this message by clicking <a href="http://livestream.com/vcchouston/events/4358059" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></span></div>
Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-27524071514454104592015-06-09T10:47:00.001-06:002015-06-09T10:47:44.434-06:00Awakened to the Father's Love<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> For the Friday night crowd of the VCC Houston family, here's the entry I promised to accompany the message from last Friday night.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> This subject was triggered by a text message I recently received from a friend asking me if I'd ever heard of “going to the courtrooms of Heaven
and presenting your case there.” Because the concept of having to go to Heaven's courtrooms to present my case" so badly misses the Father's heart for us, my friend's question led me to think about what I believe is the most important “key to Revival/Spiritual” and what "Revival" really is.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> What does the Church really need to be fully
awakened and reach the world around us? I am convinced that the next great Spiritual Awakening will have at its core an awakening to the Father's love. It will be rooted in an intimacy with God that leads to healthy intimacy with one another. I also believe that the healing revival that will accompany this awakening will include the healing of relationships, not just the healing of bodies and souls.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> There is certainly biblical support for spiritual awakening being tied to intimacy with God. In the book of Revelation, Jesus’ answer to the lukewarm
church in Laodicea was an invitation to intimacy with Him! “I correct and
discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I
will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." (Revelation 3:19-20
NLTse). What a compelling thought: God's answer to apathy is not condemnation but an invitation to intimacy with Him. Repentance, then, in the context of Revelation 2-3 is a turning to God and opening the door of our heart to Him. <o:p></o:p> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> And why am I talking about repentance? Because spiritual awakening always has repentance as the beginning mark of the awakening. Repentance is a change of thinking that leads to a change of direction, so what
thinking do we need to change? What direction to we need to turn towards? My answer: The thinking that needs to change is how we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">think</i> about God, especially as Father; and the turning we will do is a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">turning</i> to Him to run into His embrace. (So the problem with the idea of us “presenting our case in heaven”
is that it misses the Father’s heart, and smacks of religion: manipulating God or doing something in order
to get God to perform a certain way--the exact opposite of what intimacy with a Perfectly Good Father looks like!) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> One of the best pictures of His Father's heart that Jesus gave (besides living out the Father's love and dying to prove it) is found in what's usually called the "Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). This is actually the passage that came to my mind as I answered my friend's question because it so clearly reveals the heart of our loving Father. In fact, I believe that the teaching here by Jesus is more than anything else all about the Father's love for us! Yes, Jesus is teaching on the Kingdom of Heaven, but He is most of all revealing Papa's love for His children and inviting us to live differently (as dearly loved children) because of our Father's love! Let's see if you catch what Jesus was saying about Father God. (All Scripture references are from the New English Translation, the NET Bible, unless otherwise indicated, and the italics are mine.)</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <b>Your Father is Perfect in His love.</b> <span style="color: blue;">Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your
enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you,
45 so that you may be like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your Father</i>
in heaven, since he causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends
rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love
you, what reward do you have? Even the tax collectors a do the same, don’t
they? 47 And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the
Gentiles do the same, don’t they? 48 So then, be perfect, as your heavenly
Father is perfect."</span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">This is a remarkable thought: that Father God knows how to love each and every one of us perfectly. Some may protest at this point, of course, that it doesn't <i>seem</i> like God knows how to love them perfectly, but the story isn't over yet. As I spoke on this subject the other night, I reminded everyone that it's best not to try to define love for God (i.e., tell Him <i>how</i> to love us) but rather to start with the basic truth that God <i>does</i> love us perfectly. When we use that truth as the lens through which we view all of life (and eternity) then His love becomes evident to us in many, many ways. So think about this, dear ones. Your Father loves you--perfectly!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <b>Your</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> Father is</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Faithful to always reward you. </b><span style="color: blue;">Matthew
6:1-4 “Be careful not to display your righteousness merely to be seen
by people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Otherwise you have no reward with your Father in heaven</i>. 2 Thus
whenever you do charitable giving, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the
hypocrites do in synagogues and on streets so that people will praise them. I
tell you the truth, they have their reward. 3 But when you do your giving, do
not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your gift
may be in secret. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">And your Father</i>,
who sees in secret, </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: blue;">will reward you.</span> </i>This truth is repeated in<span style="color: blue;"> 6:16-18: “When
a you fast, do not look sullen like the hypocrites, for they make their faces
unattractive so that people will see them fasting. I tell you the truth, they
have their reward. 17 When you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,
18 so that it will not be obvious to others when you are fasting, but only to
your Father who is in secret. And <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">your
Father</i>, who sees in secret, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">will
reward</i> you."</span> Again, what a remarkable thought! The God of the Universe, Creator of all things, infinite in His love and goodness, can be counted on to reward us. No wonder Jesus encouraged His hearers not to settle merely for the accolades of people when they could instead receive reward from an infinite God who loves them perfectly! "Awaken us, Father, to your love and faithfulness to reward those who live in and unto you!"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <b>Your </b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Father is Eager to Answer Your Prayers, Anticipating your need </b>before you even ask! <span style="color: blue;">Matthew 6: 5-8 “Whenever
you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray while
standing in synagogues and on street corners so that people can see them. Truly
I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your
room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who
sees in secret, will reward you. 7 When you pray, do not babble repetitiously
like the Gentiles, because they think that by their many words they will be
heard. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you
ask him." </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This section shows us where the “case in Heaven” people missed things, doesn't it? As Martin Luther once said about praying to our Loving Father: "Prayer isn't overcoming God's reluctance, it's laying hold of His willingness." Awaken us, Father, to your love as expressed in your eagerness to listen and respond to us with more than we need!" </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Your Father is Ready to provide, to forgive, to guide, to deliver! </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then Jesus goes on to give "the Lord's Prayer," a prayer that above all else reveals our Father's heart to care well for His children.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <span style="color: blue;">Matthew 6:9-15 </span></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">9 So pray
this way:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our Father
in heaven, may your name be honored, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">10 may your
kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">11 Give us
today our daily bread, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">12 and forgive
us our debts, as we ourselves a have forgiven our debtors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">13 And do
not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: blue;">14 “For if
you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15
But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Your Father is Always caring for you! </span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: blue;">Matthew 6:19-34 19 “Do not accumulate for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth a and
rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But accumulate for
yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and thieves
do not break in and steal. 21 For where your a treasure is, there your heart
will be also.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">22 “The eye
is the lamp of the body. If then your eye is healthy, a your whole body will be
full of light. 23 But if your eye is diseased, your whole body will be full of
darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">24 “No one
can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or
he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and
money. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: blue;">25 “Therefore
I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about
your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to
the body than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or
reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you
more valuable than they are? 27 And which of you by worrying can add even one
hour to his life? 28 Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the
flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not
even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 30 And if this is
how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into
the fire to heat the oven, won’t he clothe you even more, you people of little
faith? 31 So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat? ʼ or ‘What will we
drink? ʼ or ‘What will we wear? ʼ 32 For the unconverted pursue these things,
and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But above all pursue his
kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
34 So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.
Today has enough trouble of its own."</span> Awaken us, Father, to the expansiveness and infinite inclusiveness of your love for us. Not a detail of our lives escapes your sight or is ever out of range of your care and provision!" Yes, even this well known passage, dear ones, is not about what we need to do but about what our Father does for us because of Who He is and who we are to Him. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Conclusion:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;">
<br />
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Do you see? Jesus came to reveal the Father, not
merely to “save people from hell” but first and foremost to reconcile them to their loving Father God.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And yes, thinking of God as Father seems pretty normal to us, but in
Jesus’ day, calling God Father in an intimate way was shocking. I wonder if
we haven’t lost the wonder of this. I wonder how different things will be as we recapture the wonder of being called and living life as sons and daughters of God!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How shall we respond?</span></li>
<li><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma; mso-fareast-font-family: Tahoma;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One possibility: Become bold "askers"! <span style="color: blue;">“At that time you will ask
in my name, and I do not say that I will ask the Father on your behalf. 27 For
the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that
I came from God.” (John 16:26-27 NET)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And certainly we can pray Ephesians 1:17 <span style="color: blue;">“I keep
asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you
the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”
(Ephesians 1:17 NIV1984)</span></span></li>
</ol>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Praying for us all to be further awakened to the Father's love!</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tom, one of Abba's dearly loved children</span></div>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
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Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-7661360946554015282014-09-22T13:03:00.003-06:002021-10-02T15:29:42.063-06:00Hearing God's Voice<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It all starts with hearing His voice! God has
invited each of us into a wonderfully close relationship with Him, and transformation flows out of this relationship with Him. Transformation happens
not through self-effort (which leaves us still in control) but through
surrender to Him and Holy Spirit-empowered obedience to His
leading. As we yield to Him, really take time to be with Him and listen for His
voice, He draws near to us and we cannot help but be deeply changed as we respond to Him. The Holy
Spirit guides us and empowers us so that we become more and more like Jesus
even while we learn to live in His love.</span><br /><div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Obviously, the key in all of this is to hear God’s
voice clearly. No relationship can grow without ongoing communication. But is
this for you? Yes! Everyone who fully surrenders to the Lord can hear His voice
clearly and continually. The following different renderings of John 10:27
should be encouraging to you. The first translation tells us that we <i>can </i>hear Jesus’ voice. The second
translation assures us that we can <i>recognize
</i>His voice. The third translation reminds us that the way to hear His voice
is to come to Him with a willingness to <i>listen</i>
(obey)! All three meanings are possible, so I believe we can treasure them all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>John
10:27 </i></b>My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. NRSV<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>John
10:27 </i></b>My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me. NLT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>John
10:27 </i></b>My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. NIV<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Are you one of His sheep? Then as you take time to
listen, coming to Him with a willingness to obey what you hear, you <i>will</i> hear His voice and experience His
love. As you do this, you will find that He is always speaking! The verb tenses
in John 10:27 are all present tense. John 10:27 literally reads, “My sheep <i>are hearing</i> my voice. I <i>am knowing</i> them, and they <i>are following</i> me.” This sounds to me
like we can be hearing Jesus all the time! Other verses tell us the same thing.
For example, Romans 8:14 literally reads “For as many as are <i>being led</i> by the Spirit of God are
children of God.” (The Spirit leads us by continually speaking to us).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; margin: 6pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The
core of the Christ life is an increasingly intimate relationship with God, and
constantly improving communication is essential for that relationship to grow.
And because God’s desire is for each believer to hear Him on his/her own, not
through a “pastor” or other teacher, it is crucial for <i>you</i> to learn how to hear Him well. Just <i>how</i> important is it for <i>you</i>
to hear God’s voice for yourself, up close and personal? I answer that with
another question: How else are you going to build a relationship with Him? How
else will you know what to do as a believer in any assignment God has for you?
It takes a revelation of God’s wisdom to live life as He intends it, doesn’t
it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The
NIV rightly translates Proverbs 29:18a “Where there is no revelation, the
people cast off restraint.” The CEV translates it “Without guidance from God,
law and order disappear.” The ESV alternate says “Where there is no prophetic
vision, the people are discouraged.” What’s my point here? It’s that
discouragement and destruction happen when God’s people aren’t hearing Him and
obeying His voice. Note that this means more than reading the Bible. It refers
to immediate words from God (in line with Scripture) continually being spoken
to us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So how can you improve your ability to hear God’s
voice? First, let’s think about <i>how</i>
God communicates with us. What does God’s voice sound like? What types of means
does He use to communicate with us? First, because God is infinitely creative,
He chooses to communicate in a lot of different ways, crafting His
communication to the unique needs of each of His children. Having said that,
Scripture and the experience of God’s people through the ages show us that
there are some ways that God often uses to communicate. Books about hearing God
list things like impressions, an inner voice, an audible voice, dreams, various
types of visions, angels, etc. What I want to concentrate on, however, is the communication
that I believe God most often uses to communicate with us as we seek to follow
His Spirit throughout the day. That communication usually starts with our
receiving nudges and impressions that eventually grow into words (and/or
pictures) that grow into the internal conversation with God that Paul refers to
as “praying without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Yes, I believe that it’s
possible to hear God all the time! How else can we be led by the Spirit? And I
have found that this communication usually sounds like me! That is, God’s inner
voice sounds a lot like my inner thoughts, except it comes from a slightly
“different place” within me (it takes time and practice to discern this,
however). How do we learn to hear this inner voice consistently?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Learning
to hear God’s voice is a process, and most folks find that they can hear God
only rather faintly at first. So if you are new to this, don’t be disappointed
if the communication seems faint as you begin. Those of us in the Western world
are especially not used to receiving input from anywhere beyond our 5 senses!
The existence of a spiritual world beyond the physical world takes time for us
to adjust to, so be patient with yourself as you learn to tune into the
spiritual realm where God chooses to communicate with His children. <span style="color: navy;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We said earlier that God’s communication most
often starts with nudges and impressions. It was a “nudge” from the Holy Spirit
that first brought you to God, wasn’t it? Somehow you knew that God was
communicating with you and inviting you to surrender to Jesus. So you have
already heard God clearly at least once! And as you surrender more to Him, the
impressions will grow stronger as you learn to tune into them. You will find
Bible passages coming alive and you will know that God is saying something
directly to you. The same thing will happen as you pray or wait quietly before
God. Something will come into your mind that “feels like” God. It may be an
impression that you should pray for someone, or perhaps it will be the sense that
God is addressing something in your life (unforgiveness, a wrong attitude,
etc.), or you will sense Him communicating His love for you in a fresh way.
(This is one of His most frequent “words” to His people). As you respond to
these nudges and impression in obedience and/or with thanksgiving, they will
get stronger and louder. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A.W. Tozer describes this process in <i>The Pursuit of God</i>. “It is important
that we get still to wait on God. It is best that we get alone, preferably with
our Bible outspread before us. Then if we want we may draw near to God and
begin to hear Him speak to us in our hearts. I think for the average person the
progression will be somewhat like this: first a sound as of a Presence of
walking in the garden. Then a voice, more intelligible, but still far from
clear. Then the happy moment when the Spirit begins to illuminate the
Scriptures, and that which had been only a sound, or at best a voice, now
becomes an intelligible word, warm and intimate and clear as the word of a dear
friend. Then will come life and light, and best of all, ability to see and rest
in and embrace Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and all.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So hearing God is a process which usually starts
with nudges or impressions that grow into clear conversation with Him. And although
God uses many different ways to communicate with us, the most common way is the
internal voice. So how do we improve our ability to hear the internal voice of
God? Let’s look at seven S’s for hearing God’s voice. Before that, though, I
remind you that the <i>first</i> step in <i>your</i> hearing God’s voice is for <i>you</i> to believe that you <i>can </i>hear His voice! Many believers don’t
seem to believe this! Psalm 23:2 says that the Lord as our Shepherd leads us
beside still waters, and being led to still waters requires us to hear His
voice. And John 10:27 doesn’t say “<i>some</i>
of my sheep hear my voice.” <i>You</i> can
hear God’s voice! Now for the seven S’s!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Seeking</b>. Jeremiah 29:13 says,
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” This verse
promises that people who fervently seek to know God and hear His voice will
find that God always responds! This wonderful promise boils down the
requirement for finding and hearing God into something we can all qualify for:
desire! If you really want to hear God’s voice, you <i>will</i> learn to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Scripture</b>. When God speaks, what
He says sounds like the Bible! Getting God’s Word into our lives gives the Holy
Spirit a vocabulary to use for speaking to us. I find that the more of God’s
Word I memorize the clearer His voice becomes and the easier it is to
distinguish His voice from my own voice. Hearing God’s voice often starts with
hearing God speak through His written word. That’s one reason why we encourage
folks to write down what He says through His Word. If you aren’t already doing
so, try giving God the opportunity to speak to you in this way. Take some time
to sit quietly and read the Bible, asking God to speak to you. I can guarantee
that if you do this with expectancy, you will hear His voice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Surrender</b>. Would you spend a lot
of time talking to someone who wasn’t responding to what you said? The people
who hear God best always approach Him with an attitude of absolute surrender,
yielding their lives to God’s loving embrace and His purposes. To hear God’s
voice clearly, you must approach Him with a willingness to do what He says
without hesitation or reservation! Smith Wigglesworth often boiled the
Christian life down to one word: <i>yield</i>.
He told his hearers, “Yield and yield and yield!” You see, even though God’s
desire in communicating with us is to build relationship with us, like any good
father, He won’t speak much to the person who isn’t willing to follow Him. One
sure way to improve your hearing His voice, then, is to start obeying those
“nudges” you get from Him. The nudges get “louder” as we come ready to obey and
then follow through with obedience. Try it! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Stillness</b>. It’s amazing to me
how many people think that they can hear God in the middle of the noise of
their crowded lives. Have you ever tried to carry on a serious conversation in
a noisy restaurant or while the TV was going? It’s impossible! God often speaks
very, very softly, so we need to really get still to hear Him. In fact, when
you first start trying to hear Him, you will find that you face not only external
noise but <i>internal</i> noise as well.
Even when we get alone and quiet, most of us find that our minds at first are
filled with “noisy thoughts” that drown out God’s still, small voice. What can
you do about this? First, be quiet! Make prayer a two-sided conversation, not a
laundry list or a 911 call! If God can’t get a word in edgewise, it’s not
likely that you will hear much. For me prayer is now well <i>over 50% listening</i>. Second, take the time needed to get still. Get
alone, tune out the outside noises, put on some soft worship music if that
helps, and just sit until your soul quiets down. “Coming to interior stillness
requires waiting. Any attempt to hasten the process only stirs up the water
anew.” Brennan Manning, <i>Abba’s Child</i> (Kindle
Locations 508-509). Certain scripture passages have helped me get still and may
help you, too (Psalms 46:10 and 131:1-2, for example). Finally, don’t give up!
Most of us are so unaccustomed to stillness that it takes practice to get
really still. But when you do get still, hang on! You will find God speaking
volumes to you, and you will learn how to take that stillness with you wherever
you go. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Solitude</b>. We can’t form a
relationship or recognize someone’s voice in a crowd. Learning to recognize how
someone communicates—with both verbal communication and non-verbal
communication—requires us to spend time alone with them, doesn’t it? Our
relationship with God is no different. If we want to get to know the subtle
nuances of the ways He communicates, we must spend time with Him alone. It is
impossible to learn to hear God just by attending meetings. That may help, but
it cannot take the place of time alone with Him. I have found a direct
connection between how much time I spend alone with Him and how well I
recognize His voice. And I have never met anyone who took the time to be alone
with God (to listen) who didn’t learn to hear God well. Again, try it! Take the
time in your life that’s yours to invest as you wish and spend it alone with
God and see what happens!<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Spiritual
friends</b>.
God’s people were never meant to live in isolation, so in spite of what we said
about solitude, part of your learning to hear God must happen as you live in
relationship with other believers. Learning from people who know how to hear
God well and living in community with others who long to hear God well has
helped me to hear God better. I also believe that it’s possible for those who
hear God well to pray impartation into others. My own hearing level greatly
increased after I was prayed for by men and women who hear God well. I have
also learned more about hearing God from books by authors who know how to hear
God. Two books that have helped me are by Jack Deere: <i>Surprised by the Voice of God</i> (a big book!) and <i>A Beginner’s Guide to Prophecy</i>. Other
books by authors like Andrew Murray, A.W. Tozer and others have also helped me.
You really need to find people who hear God consistently and ask them to pray
for you and assist you in this. Find a spiritual friend or two and learn more
together! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 6pt;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Spiritual
Language</b>.
Most people who have activated the personal gift of speaking in tongues
(“spiritual language”) report that regular exercise of this gift helps them
hear God better. One friend of mine was able to hear God so clearly that when
he ministered he could sometimes call out license plate numbers of people in
his meetings! (It was always interesting to go somewhere with him!). When I
asked Herb how he learned to hear God so clearly, he said that one thing that
really helped him was praying in his spiritual language. Herb explained that
God’s voice seemed to originate from the same place that his spiritual language
came from and also built him up spiritually, as 1 Corinthians 14:4 says. You
will find that your hearing level will increase as you pray often using this
gift.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 6.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 6.0pt; margin: 6pt 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One
last thought for you about hearing God: keep practicing and you will get
better! Jesus makes an amazing promise in Mark 4:23-25: 23 “If anyone has ears
to hear, let him hear.” 24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued.
“With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25 Whoever
<b>has will be given more</b>; whoever does
not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” Do you see the promise?
Jesus promises that if we give attention to what we are already hearing, we
will hear even more! Since hearing God forms the foundation of all else in a
maturing life, I recommend that you start increasing the volume now!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For
another great resource on hearing God’s voice, check out Mark Virkler’s free
download at <a href="http://www.cwgministries.org/4Keys.pdf">http://www.cwgministries.org/4Keys.pdf</a></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-73449224897680322792014-08-09T11:03:00.003-06:002014-09-22T13:07:03.693-06:00When Persecution Comes<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> W</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">hat happened to my blogging? The short answer is my life happened, aggravated by continuing challenges with carpal tunnel syndrome. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Your prayers for full recovery physically and full recovery of "the rhythms of life" will help more than I can describe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I would also welcome your help in terms of my sense that I should publish some of my thoughts. I am hoping before too long to publish some short books extracted from this blog via Amazon's self-publishing feature. The question is: where should I start? I have covered a lot of subjects in this blog, and any thoughts for some of you as to where I should start my focus would be very helpful. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Now for what's uppermost on my heart: God's persecuted people, concern for whom has been raised up again for all of us via current world events. I have written before about our persecuted brothers and sisters, click <a href="http://tomwymore.blogspot.com/2013/11/carrying-them-in-our-hearts.html" target="_blank">here</a> to read my last post on this.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> But here are a few more thoughts God placed on my heart about when persecution comes to His people.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> First, much to my surprise, God reminded me that the anger we as believers feel when we read/hear of such things is normal and not necessarily bad. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Even
Jesus was angry at what religion and hatred do to people. But Papa also reminded me not to stay in that place of anger, because anger never works His purposes (James
1:20). Instead we must allow Holy Spirit to reroute anger so that it fuels motivation. I also sensed God warning me/us to beware of the danger of hardening of my heart. It's very easy for anger to become hatred. We see the sad evidence of this in the Facebook comments "Christians" make about some of our (admittedly inept and corrupt) political leaders. When honor for others completely disappears from what we think and say, when we find nothing but hardness and anger in our hearts when we think of certain people (including any human "enemies"), we are in danger of being swept into the enemy's camp. And it is then that we will resort to using his methods (force, coercion, shame, etc.) instead of God's. On the other hand, if we give our anger to God, he will keep us tender towards Him and towards everyone else. One example: God's tenderness in our hearts will help us care simultaneously for the people of Israel who are harassed and pummeled by Hamas while also caring about the Palestinian folks who are also victimized by the same terrorist group by being used as shields and also subjected to the great disruption and loss that war always brings. You see, then, I trust, that God's desire is to pull us away from anger to a different place--away from anger and fear--so that we rise to that place of peace that enables us to wage war as God wages it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Second, I heard the Lord remind me not to feel guilty nor allow fear to stay rooted in my heart. Since I wrote about how to handle guilt in the blog I mentioned earlier, I won't repeat myself. As for fear, He who searches our hearts invites us to bring all fear to Him and allow Him to bring us to a different perspective that helps banish fear. (And He does this by bringing perspective, which I write more below).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> But what <i>can</i> we do? In addition to what I wrote last November I would add the following thoughts.</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Prayer.</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I hinted at this in my previous thoughts on persecuted believers when I wrote of carrying the persecuted ones in our hearts before God. But today I realized in a new way that prayer is our <i>most powerful</i> weapon, not just an optional tool that we casually use occasionally. So although I am far from a powerful intercessor, I am learning more than ever to keep my heart open at all times to the Spirit of Intercession and allow Him to turn me to prayer when I hear news of persecuted people (instead of going to anger or fear). And I am learning in new ways that every prayer, every thought, is treasured in Heaven and that fierce, persistent prayer that flows from the place of peace is remarkably confusing to our adversary and also powerfully effective (James 5:16 comes to mind). Will you join me, then, in agreeing to pause every time you see/hear the news about persecuted people and lift them to God? Will you join me in asking God to show you how best to pray? </span><br />
<i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Perspective!</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> That is, allow God to adjust your perspective to His. This has many facets, at least for me. Here are three that come to mind right now.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">First, there is the personal adjustment that comes to me as I realize that "others have it worse, much worse." Suddenly my whining and short-sighted selfishness is swallowed up in the larger reality of the suffering world we live in. My whining turns to weeping for others, my grumbling to genuine gratitude, my pettiness to prayer. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Second, there is the measure of peace that comes from taking a longer view of human history. In spite of an underlying culture myth in America myth that life can be trouble-free, history shows us that ever since Adam's sin invited the evil one into our world, there have been seasons of noticeably increased evil that break over our world like tsunamis of darkness. For example, World War 2 resulted in over 60 million deaths and inestimable destruction! My own dad's stories of that dark season in our world always brings a healthy adjustment to my perspective. But even in that dark time, goodness eventually prevailed, but not without great suffering and sacrifice. And history, recent and ancient, is replete with these tsunamis of evil <i>and</i> with God's answering redemption. This present world is not as God intended and never will be, but His mercy keeps flowing and working and will do so until Jesus comes to set <i>all</i> things right. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Finally, there is the </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">unshakable</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> peace that comes when we are able to view things from a truly eternal perspective. This is what I like to call, “Eternity’s gift.” God promises persecution, but He also promises ultimate triumph and the redemption of all things. We catch glimpses of this eternal perspective in Psalm 73, in Romans 8, in 2 Corinthians 4-5, the book of Revelation, and many other places. The truth is that someday, several thousand years into eternity, we will all (perhaps especially our persecuted and martyred sisters and brothers) understand the wonder of God's sovereign redemptive work and worship with fresh wonder at how God redeemed even the most vile and wicked acts of the devil and his human agents. And it is this perspective that Holy Spirit uses to bring resting peace" as He speaks to those in the fire and even to us who see the fire from afar off. Will you step with me into His perspective, "eternity's gift"?</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What's the final conclusion of all of this? To be honest, I am not sure. But let me at least suggest to you that when anger, fear, and yes, even hatred (if we honest), begin to rise in our hearts, let's resolve to go and
sit with Papa until perspective returns (Psalm 73:16-17) and prayer flows.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Praying for and from Perspective,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tom, one of Abba's children</span></div>
Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-65519114596561537502014-05-20T13:46:00.001-06:002014-05-22T06:41:52.745-06:00In The Garden<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I had a rather remarkable God encounter this morning, one that grew out Papa's infinite love and deep desire to communicate with us clearly and consistently. And as I reflected on how clearly and profoundly He spoke to me, I remembered with wonder how I lived so many years of my life with a "silent God" and how afraid of deception I was when I first started hearing Him. I have written in earlier entries about hearing His voice, of course, and about how to avoid deception, so I won't repeat myself. Rather today I simply want to share the wonder of our ever-speaking God and encourage you to be living listening. As I have said many times, I can no longer even conceive of living the Jesus life apart from hearing His voice, nor do I believe that God ever for a moment intended that to be the case. So here's one of my latest stories--given to encourage you in your own hearing, sensing and/or seeing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> My story begins with a need for me to be transparent about how I have struggled at times for the past few years (for obvious reasons) to regain childlike trust in my walk with Abba. I recently realized that there is still a block at times between God and me in terms of simple and pure trust. Oh yes, I can trust Him for the eternal things, but because of how my sense of safety in the current age was so violated in 2009-2010, I have been on a rather slow trip back to childlike confidence in Papa. And this morning I found myself more aware of this than on other days and was rather desperately calling out to Him for His help in returning to that childlike state. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And oh, how He answered! And </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I feel His smile as I describe <i>how</i> He answered. After I had written a passion-filled plea to Him about my current state of heart, after I wrote the following summary in my journal, He answered.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> My words to Him: "Yet in all of this I am not discouraged nor do I feel drawn to self-recrimination. Rather I am just drawn to you and deeply aware of your grace and my need for it in a way I have never known before. I think of Psalm 94:17, "Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> His answer: He led me to pick up a book I "just happened" to see as I re-organized my office books yesterday: <i>In Search of A Confident Faith</i> by J.P. Moreland and Klaus Issler and go to the end of the book. There (p. 203) I read the remarkable story of a newborn child, Sophya, and her Daddy, Eddie. During her mommy's (Donna) pregnancy, Sophya's daddy had spoken to Sophya and even "touch" her as she was in the womb. In the later months, she would visibly move towards Eddie's hand and v</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">oice when he would speak and touch her mommy's tummy. I will let the authors describe the rest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> "The 30-hour labor was a bit challenging for Donna and Sophya. So, upon her arrival, Sophya was wrapped in a cloth and placed under a heat lamp in the next room. But she cried and cried and cried. Eddie walked over to Sophya, covered her chest and stomach with his hand, and said, 'Hey, Sophya, it's your daddy.' Immediately, she calmed down, resting under his warm hand and familiar voice. She placed her hands around his, curled her feet up around his hand, opened her eyes and smiled! The nurse noticed how quickly Sophya stopped crying and remarked to Eddie, 'You must've talked to her during the pregnancy.' At birth Sophya brought with her an evident level of trust in her dad." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> As you can imagine, by the time I had read this far in the story, I was already hearing my Abba's voice loudly and clearly, and I was deeply moved. But it was as I kept reading and found the following words just a few sentences later that I knew just how clearly Papa had heard my heart's cry and answered so quickly and unmistakably: "</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Whether we came into the world like Sophia or not, our heavenly Abba desires to place his warm hand on us, and let his familiar voice reassure us of his love and compassion for us." And I felt His warm hand, and I "saw" His smile, and I was undone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> And there's an irony for me in this "hearing God" thingy that Papa also told me about today: When I was a child, I used to love to sit at the piano and play and sing a hymn which distinctly describes God's speaking voice and its importance in the Christian life. "In the Garden" by Charles Miles is totally about hearing God's voice. The chorus, as you may know, says, "And He walks with me and talks with me and tells me that I am His very own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever know." How ironic it seems that I sang that song for so many years (and many others like it) while living in a silent world! Yet I smile as I also realize how Papa was planting the truth of this so deeply in little Tommy's heart! And I am undone all over again!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> And here's the best part of this story: <i>You</i> can hear Him just as well, just as clearly. Every daughter or son of Abba is "led by the Spirit" (Romans 8:14); every single sheep can hear the Good Shepherd's voice and feel His touch. And I for one am fully convinced that life with God makes absolutely no sense at all apart from a Father who is always speaking, always touching, always affirming even when He finds it necessary to correct us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> May you know His voice, His touch today in a way just as remarkable and unmistakeable as my encounter with Him today "In The Garden."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tom, one of Abba's most grateful children </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And yes, I am writing again. The prayers of many (aided by wearing splints at night) has done wonders for the carpal tunnel thingy. Thank you for your prayers!</span></div>
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Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-67438497659341932582014-03-15T10:41:00.001-06:002014-03-15T10:43:52.911-06:00Overdosed on Bad News<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I am having a much harder time than I anticipated writing this blog on a weekly basis. Schedule and the ongoing challenge with my wrists have combined to hinder my aspirations! But here I am, and today I am "writing" via my dictation program, so we will see how that works, eh?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> One of the topics that I mentioned a few weeks ago as one of my target subjects is the tendency in our culture for all of us to overdose on bad news. In a sense, this is a continuation of what I wrote last time about the tendency of technology to become a tyrant. Because we live in a world of media overdose, it is painfully easy to become captured and captivated by the constant flow of news through all kinds of outlets. And because of the human penchant for bad news as opposed to good news ongoing exposure to the media means that our minds are constantly being filled with negativity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I am fairly convinced that the extreme overdose of bad news works against living a peace-filled and faith-filled life. Paul's words to the Philippians in Philippians 4:6-9 began and end with the word "peace." Even at cursory look at those words from Paul reveal how important it is for us to set our minds on things that are peace-giving. Consider his words, paraphrased by me in places as indicated by italics:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> <i>Don't go on being worried about anything</i>, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be <i>constantly being</i> made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, <i>be carefully and intentionally thinking</i> about these things. 9 What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:6-9 ESV with TW paraphrasing).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I think it's fairly obvious that there is a connection between freedom from anxiety and both prayer and intentionally focusing our minds on positive things. I know for me personally God instructed me quite a while ago to avoid excessive exposure to any source of negativity, especially the flood of bad news that is always around us. I found that when I chose to ignore Him in this both my peace and my ability to trust him were noticeably and painfully diminished. I have also noticed that when my friends, my brothers and sisters in the Lord, expose themselves to a lot of ongoing news the same thing happens for them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> So what if the Bible is true? What if Paul's words here to the Philippians are absolutely trustworthy and reliable? How will that change how we interact with the culture around us, especially the technological part of our culture? I believe, of course, that Paul's words are true and that we will do best in terms of peace and faith when we allow the Holy Spirit to guide what we expose ourselves to. I am not talking about hiding from everything bad, I am not talking about ignoring trends and things in culture and society that we need to track in some way. What I am talking about is overdose: the almost compulsive following of negativity that can happen to anyone who pays too much attention to the various news sources in our culture. And, of course, there are other sources of negativity which probably won't pass through Paul's grid for us as well, but that's another.subject for another day. For now I offer to you a challenge: why not take the next two weeks and allow Holy Spirit to guide and inform what and how much exposure you have to the news? I think that in doing so you will be making an important adjustment, and adjustment needed because our culture is different from any that has ever existed before. In times past it took a long time for any kind of news to reach people, whether bad or good. Now we are flooded constantly by overwhelming amounts of information, much of it "bad news." Doesn't it make sense, then, to allow God to lead us in a way that cooperates with our desire and His desire for us to live peace-filled and faith-filled lives? Try it, you may like it! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pursuing Him who <i>is</i> Good News,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tom, one of Abba's children</span></div>
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Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-34968941577206998352014-03-02T16:49:00.001-07:002014-03-15T10:11:15.390-06:00Technology: Tool or Tyrant?<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I am hoping to get back on schedule with my once-per-week entry here, but I have been wrestling with what appears to be carpal tunnel syndrome, so my return may be a bit more spotty than I had hoped. (I am contending for healing while also cooperating by using a brace, etc.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> So for today, I post a few thoughts (fewer than I had hoped) on keeping technology from tyrannizing us. Several things of late have triggered these thoughts, including the carpal tunnel issue (I use my Macbook Air a lot!) and an article on how teens are being tyrannized by texting.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> First, how is it that technology so easily becomes a tyrant? Others have probably written better thoughts about this, but it occurs to me that with texting, for example, we have broken into a strange new world where everyone who has our number has access to us 24/7 if we allow it. Indeed, with much of technology of late instant and constant access to one another seems to be the theme. This can't possibly be healthy, and I will make a few suggestions as to how to deal with this new reality in the paragraphs below. But another way that technology has tyrannized us is by its seductive ability to pull us away from others into our own self-centered, entertainment-overloaded world. We live in a time when children from a young age are learning to isolate and fixate! Ironic, isn't it, that these two tyrants are polar opposites! What can we do to ensure that we don't fall under such tyranny? Here are a few thoughts.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Above all else, keeping technology in its proper place is a matter of personal maturity and healthy discipline. If you have never been able to set boundaries for yourself and others, you will not be able to do so in the realm of technology. So if you need healing and maturing, find a healthy loving community who can help you mature in Jesus!</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But assuming that you have a measure of health, the way to prevent texting or instant messaging from tyrannizing you is simply to set boundaries for those who have access for you. In my last blog entry, I jokingly referred to DFN (Done For Now!) as a new texting abbreviation, but I was only 1/2 joking. Healthy relationships always require healthy boundaries and "tech relationships" are no exception. So come up with your own list of ways to set boundaries, but set them. I personally choose not to respond to texts, etc., unless I feel it's appropriate. And if necessary, I will who text me that I am not available 24/7 and feel no compulsion to answer. This is especially true when I am in my Papa time (it has to be an emergency) or at times when others deserve my undivided attention. It is also true when I simply need space. Remember, it ain't natural for human beings to have instant 24/7 access to one another, and when some of those who do have access are broken people, it can set up some very unhealthy situations. Bottom line, set boundaries without feeling guilty about doing it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In a similar vein, feel free to educate your friends and family about healthy boundaries and what that looks like. And on your end, give thought to whether you need instant response to everything. And if you really want to be healthy, consider a call or set up a Face Time connection, etc. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Regarding the seductive tendencies of technology, it is again boundaries that save us from tyranny. My sons remember (I trust) that there were limits to electronic game times, TV times, etc. I place those same limits on myself in conversation with the Holy Spirit. I choose not to be tyrannized by something that is supposed to be my servant by asking the Holy Spirit to help me value that which has eternal value. And no, I don't do this perfectly, but it's amazing how much progress one can make with this if he/she is serious. Remembering that every minute wasted is lost forever helps to motivate me in this--maybe it will for you, too.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Consider, too, reviewing your values and how they are expressed. If we value our children and grandchildren we will be sparing in how we use games and media to babysit them. We will monitor whether or not they are being drawn away from healthy social interaction by the Siren's song of the latest addictive game or by the constant stream the latest new video. And if we value others, we will weigh how helpful it is to disengage from one another by watching too much of this or that. (Be warned here, though, that the watching of TV is just a symptom, not the cause! It takes some intentionality to engage with other people, some effort as well. Think about it!)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I am sure there is much more to write here, but perhaps this will stir up your own thoughts and ignite an inquiry in you as to what role the wonderful world of technology plays in your life and the lives of those you influence. My prayer is that you will find Tool, not Tyrant, stamped on your devices! :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Living free from tyranny...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tom, one of Abba's children</span></div>
Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-88303390693098538002014-02-15T13:06:00.000-07:002014-03-15T10:11:54.949-06:00Blogella<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Life has temporarily crowded out the time I used to have to write a weekly entry for this blog, so I have asked Papa if He wanted me to continue to write it. He not only answered in the affirmative but has given me a strategy for doing so. Beginning in March, then, I will start posting a weekly entry, hopefully in a more strategic and intentional manner than previously. I am also going to be rewriting some of my earlier entries and hope to collate them by topics in order to publish them in e-book format. I welcome your prayers in all of this because my life is the busiest it has been in over 10 years.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> So today, I write a "blogella" (think Novella!) listing some upcoming topics and soliciting your input as to things you may want this now rather seasoned saint to write about. Here are some of the things that have been rolling around in my heart and head, along with a short elaboration.</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">TMI/TLR--Thoughts on how the Western church's use of our culture's misguided information-based approach to training has led to the stunted spiritual growth of believers and limited transformation of lives and culture. (TMI you understand, TLR stands for Too Little Response)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Discipline and Intentionality--How to live a life in God that is disciplined and intentional without reverting back to performance-based religion and slipping into mere human effort.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Bad News Overdose--the effect of the instant availability of bad news in today's culture and what we can do to counter its faith-draining effect on us.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">DFN--some random thoughts on how texting and other media tools can be positive and not negative. (DFN is my suggestion for use by texters that tells the other person the conversation is over, "I am DFN: Done For Now) :-)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Hearing God While Avoiding Deception--I have written about this before but some more thoughts have come over the past few weeks.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Third Soil--reflections on how most of the Western Church seems to be the third soil in Jesus' parable of the sower and what God is calling us to do about it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Recovering Fear--how God is calling the Church back to a life lived out in "reverential fear" without losing the life lived out in the grip of His grace.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Many more that are still in the oven of meditation. :-)</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I welcome your thoughts and your prayers as I live loved and listening and thereby learn new levels of discipline and intentionality.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lost in wonder, captured by His love,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tom, one of Abba's children</span></div>
Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-84881973947812194952014-01-11T10:35:00.001-07:002015-09-04T06:20:30.711-06:00Wake, wake, wake!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> There is a moment in C.S. Lewis' <i>Prince Caspian </i>that I have always found particularly compelling. Lucy is awake alone at night and standing among the trees that used to be vibrantly alive and able to take on human form. As she stands there, remembering that time of joy, health and aliveness, she finds herself calling out, "Oh, Trees, Trees, Trees… Oh, Trees, wake, wake, wake. Don't you remember it? Don't you remember me?" And the trees rustle a bit but fail to waken, and the magic moment passes (but they do awaken later, as you may know).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Every time I think about this scene, I feel Lucy's angst and longing in ways it's hard for me to describe. It seems this scene captures the inescapable angst in my heart at the broken state of our nation, our world and the western church and the resultant longing for a global Spiritual Awakening. Certainly there have been other times in history when the need for an earth-shaking, world-changing spiritual awakening has been this apparent, but <i>I am alive <b>now</b></i>, and although my age may mean that I am a bit more tempered in my passion and vigor than when my heart first burned for this, I still find the longing for a true Spiritual Awakening aflame in me and hear my heart saying to God's people, "Oh, wake, wake, wake!"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> As I write these words, my mind takes me back over 40 years to when my lifelong hunger for spiritual awakening was first given clarity and fiery life. It happened as I sat week by week in a seminary class by Dr. J. Edwin Orr, who was at the time the world's leading authority on spiritual awakenings. As Dr. Orr told story after story of entire cultures being changed by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, of entire societies being redirected and shaped by God, my own awakening took place as I came to realize that anything less than cultural/societal transformation is not what it means for God's will to be done on earth as it is Heaven. A true Spiritual Awakening always shifts people, and <i>everything</i> in life, towards God's will and purposes, towards wholeness in every sense of the word, in a profoundly noticeable way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> So now, 40 years later, I am still waiting, longing, expecting. As the darkness seems to be getting darker in western culture, I find both angst and expectancy increasing. There is an urgency I hear in my spirit, an urgent call for God's people to repent--turn from lesser, distracting things to Him and to what matters--and to live in His love and power in a way that naturally but irresistibly points us outward. But it's not a fearful urgency, but rather an urgency born of expectancy. The King is coming, the flood of God's River is already flowing in non-Western countries in unprecedented ways, and like a tsunami, the Wave of God is coming to sweep with grace, power and justice over the western world as well. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> But our participation in this as believers won't be automatic, of course. To catch this Wave, we must choose to be alert and watching, facing the King with unreserved focus and devotion, enabled in this by His fiery love for us and others, willing to let Him pare away lesser things even as He continues to heal and mature us. Perhaps most of all this simply means a fresh and continuing presentation of our hearts and our wills to Him and an alert listening for His voice as His Spirit, more loudly than ever, says, "Wake, wake, wake!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tom, one of Abba's children</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span>Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-70601748510974597362013-12-21T12:55:00.001-07:002013-12-21T12:55:44.619-07:00Catch the Wonder <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." (Isaiah 9:2 NIV1984)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I promised last week to write about how to "de-Grinch" Christians, and that I will do, but God has been re-shaping what I planned to say quite a bit (no surprise there, eh?). In fact, I am quite convinced that the most effective way to avoid being a Christian Grinch is simply to catch the wonder of this season and hold onto it. It's when we become distracted away from the wonder of the Incarnation that we head towards "Grinch-ness," I think. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> But as a recovering Grinch myself, one who was a "Grinch" for all the right reasons (commercialization of Christmas, overwhelming materialism and greed, replacing Jesus with Santa, etc.), I offer a few more thoughts about how to de-Grinch oneself. Maybe they will help a few others rid themselves of "Grinchness."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> First, "don't be afraid." It seems to me that one of the core messages of the Nativity stories is the message "Don't be afraid." I wrote some thoughts on this two years ago, and I won't repeat myself today (you can read that entry by clicking <a href="http://tomwymore.blogspot.com/2011/12/dont-be-afraid.html" target="_blank">this link</a>), but it seems to me that we tend to be more likely to be Grinchy when we look at the dark world around us rather than the light that has dawned upon it. Our world <i>is</i> a scary and dark place, our nation a deeply divided and troubled nation, our culture is increasingly godless, so it's easy to become frightened when we look at these things, but a shift of focus to the One who is a called "Wonderful" will banish fear quite readily. The world today is no darker than the world our Lord Jesus first entered, and as John tells us "The light shines on in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it." (John 1:9). Catch the wonder of this, and let it melt away your fears and it will become increasingly hard to be Grinchy when you hear about Silent Night being rewritten to eliminate Jesus or other such things. :-)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Second, ask God to show you how to be known for what you are for, more than what you are against. I have written many times before on the irony of those we are called to reach viewing us as "the enemy," so I won't say much about this today. But it seems to me that the huge message of the Incarnation is that God is <i>for</i> people, not against them. Luke 2:10 tells us that the "good news of great joy" is "for all people," and I'm sure that includes those who don't know that! But my sense is that the more we reflect the joy message to others around us the more we will for sure "keep Christ in Christmas." And perhaps we should especially reflect this to those who seem opposed to us--something we can do if we aren't afraid of them and their opposition. Just a thought :).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Third, try living above the culture, counter to it in the best sense of the word by refusing to get caught up in its greed, covetousness, materialism. Ask the Holy Spirit to immunize you to the "latest and greatest" pitches that attempt to entice us to buy, buy, buy. Consider the possibility that your child or grandchildren might survive life without "<i>the toy</i> that everyone just has to have." And perhaps you might also consider helping your children share beyond your family (many believers do this already, but just in case you haven't thought of it). A few less gifts under the tree because there are gifts and other blessings with those in need is a good and lasting lesson for children, I think. And when it's done with joy and compassion it leaves a compelling mark on our families that shines without condemning, methinks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Finally, consider the deeper wonder of this season: Jesus' birth marks for all time God's intention to bring greater good into our world than would have been possible if evil that has twisted His creation had not come. Yes, as unthinkable as that sounds, we serve the God who "works all things out according to his predetermined plan" (Ephesians 1:11b), and that means that His goodness went deeper and farther when the adversary opposed Him. So as the light shines on in the darkness, consider the wonder of the One whose goodness cannot be hindered, whose love cannot be stopped, whose light cannot be extinguished (or even diminished), whose plans cannot be thwarted. Consider the wonder that all of this is for you personally and potentially for all other people as well and step into God's healing, peace-bringing embrace. My sense is that neither fear nor Grinchness can stay long in the hearts of those who catch this wonder and are captured by its brightness. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Captured by the wonder, marveling at the greater good,</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tom, one of Abba's little children </span></div>
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Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1858334864445750128.post-43087200518261437702013-12-14T12:53:00.002-07:002014-01-02T13:26:45.455-07:00The Inside, not the Outside!<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I had planned on how to avoid being a Christian Grinch today, but I will save that for next week. I am writing today while fighting off an infection, and I don't have the brain space required to write down all of my thoughts about how de-Grinch oneself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> So today I mostly share from some of my journal entries along the general theme of focusing on the internal rather the external. Why do that? Because focusing on the less important, external things seems to be the human condition--one that believers in Jesus too often remain stuck in even after many God encounters. In spite of Jesus' many words about the "heart," motives, thoughts, and the like, it just seems easier to deal with externals at times, eh? (behavior, healing the body without regard to the soul or relationships, getting financial relief without learning deep confidence in Papa's kindness, etc.).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> So here are a couple of journal entries wherein I reflect about this. Maybe they will serve you in some small way. I will add a couple of comments along the way, but they are mostly as they were written at the time--a good view into my relationship with Papa, if nothing else.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Regarding "Doing the Right Thing," an entry from June 1 this year. (Kate is one of our nine very special grandchildren--a charming 3 1/2 year who regularly captures her grandpa's attention and heart!): "<span style="text-indent: 0.25in;">Papa,
I smile a little as I remember your reminder early this morning to heed my own
counsel, posted on Twitter yesterday: 'Real change happens when we shift our
focus from doing the right thing to becoming the ‘right person’ by being with
the right Person and the right people.' It hit me that a lot of my struggles of
late derive from my extreme desire to do the right thing. That has always been
my main point of stumbling and vulnerability to attack from the accuser, Papa,
but I thought I had placed it in the proper perspective. Perhaps the train
wreck knocked it loose, eh? But it’s more likely that the painful journey just exposed deeper
roots. So here I am, Papa, aware of my great and continuing need to have you work
even more change in my heart and thinking. It is important, of course, to do
the right thing, but making doing the focus instead of having it flow from a
transformed heart always seems to lead me to sadness and stuckness. And
seeing Kate’s childlikeness this morning: her innocent and truly joyful and
carefree smile, pierced me deeply. </span><i style="text-indent: 0.25in;">That’s</i><span style="text-indent: 0.25in;">
what childlikeness really means! Ah, Papa. And knowing you as Father, truly
knowing you, will lead to that same kind of childlikeness in us, won’t it? Help
me to keep that picture in my mind a lot, please."</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-indent: 0.25in;"> Regarding "Healing what really matters in the way that matters," another entry on the same day: "</span><span style="text-indent: 0.25in;">Ah,
Papa. Wisdom flows from you this morning. I think of ministering healing to
stress-related diseases, and you show me that people often settle for asking
only to end of the symptoms instead of asking you to heal their hearts and
thinking (paradigms which power perspective which powers emotion, as suggested in <i>The Shack</i>.)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.25in;"> "Yes,
you give me yet another big thought! We keep asking you to change
circumstances, change external things, and you want to give us a much greater
gift: </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.25in;">changing us</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.25in;"> so that circumstances no longer dictate how we live life! And
then I 'just happen' to see the quote posted on FB from </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.25in;">The Unhurried Life</i><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; text-indent: 0.25in;">! “The way of Jesus is
too slow, inefficient and painful. Jesus’ resourcefulness is love, ours is
money ...we want Jesus to step it up to make things happen at our pace rather
than slowing down our pace to match His. His is the pace of caring and concern
not an arbitrary pace of productivity or so-called efficiency." (p. 77).
Ah, Papa. (but slow is
scary, Papa!)"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> One final thought, not from my journal but from God's journal (The Bible). Take a look at Jesus' model prayer and the prayers of the Apostle Paul and see what you find. My sense is that you may find a clear emphasis upon praying to/from the inside. Consider just this one example: "I pray that
out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit
in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And
I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together
with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love
of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge –that you may be
filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV1984)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Looking for the heart of the matter…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Tom, one of Abba's children</span></div>
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<br />
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Tom Wymorehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13434713247876898955noreply@blogger.com1