Systems of Failure & Success | Part Seven of Navigate: How to Successful Journey Through Life and These Times


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Ecclesiastes 7:29 ESV, See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.

Matthew 6:10, Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

What is a System?

•  A system affects the whole not only the parts, which is why we call its effect “systemic.” Systematic is doing something in steps.
•  Systems are embedded within and spread throughout and affecting a group, system, body, economy, market, or community.
•  Systems can either contribute to your failure or to your success, but you get to decide.

Common Systems In Our Lives

Education
Finance
Public Health (vaccines)
Law & Justice
Politics
Religion

God’s System

Psalm 103:19 NLT, "The Lord has made the heavens his throne; from there he rules over everything."

•  You were born into a world and nation with systems already in place
•  Many systems were invented to help you (Family, Education, Kingdom of God).
•  Some systems were invented to control people (Segregation & Jim Crow in the past, White Supremacy today).
•  Some systems were invented to explain/expose other systems (Direct Action, Critical Race Theory)

Navigating systems of God and men is essential for living a productive life. We are all parts of things larger than ourselves. The whole concept of navigating is based on dealing with forces and factors that we cannot control. What you cannot control, you must navigate.

In our time, systems that serve or seek to control us are shaped by our habits and reinforced by something called “algorithms”

•  Social media algorithms are a way of sorting posts in a users' feed based on user preferences. 
•  Social networks prioritize which content a user sees in their feed first by the likelihood that they'll actually want to see it. 
•  Social networks prioritize which content a user has already seen.

The Kingdom System & Algorithm 
Matthew 25:29, For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.

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Navigate: The Conquerer‘s Mindset | Patricia A. Hudson


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Romans 8:31-39
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Navigating Systems of God and Men | Part Six of Navigate: How to Successful Journey Through Life and These Times


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Ecclesiastes 7:29 ESV, See, this alone I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes.

Matthew 6:10, Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

We are not aware of many of the systems within which we operate. When we use the word systemic, it is mostly understood within the framework of systemic racism.

What is a System?

A system affects the whole instead of just parts, which is why we call its effect “systemic.” Systematic is doing something in steps.

Systems are embedded within and spread throughout and affecting a group, body, economy, market, or community. Systems are fundamental social, economic, religious, or political practice.

The Bible does not use the word system in the way we are talking about it today. However, God has ordered creation according to a system. We can call it the Kingdom of God.

Psalm 103:19, The Lord has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all

10 Things You Can Do | Part Five of Navigate: How to Successfully Journey Through Life and These Times


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Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Jeremiah 29:11, For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

At times in life we hit a rough patch. Sometimes things don't go well, but that is no commentary on your life.

God’s plan has not changed.

There is always a way forward.

You can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.

Cultish Behavior in the 21st Century


40 years ago as a young minister, the Lord allowed me to deal with low-level cults and cultish religious leaders up close. Also helped people get out of cultish movements and mindsets. Today, I see some of the same behavior and mindsets.

"For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah [deliverer, savior, anointed one].’ They will deceive many." (Matt. 24:5 NLT) 

Here are some cultish characteristics:
1. Conflate God’s kingdom with anti-church movements and political affiliation
2. Replace empirical evidence, objective truth, natural science, and facts with mere opinions
3. Overzealous and unquestioning commitment to an immoral leader.
4. Heavily influenced by confirmation bias (interpret new information as confirmation of one's existing beliefs or theories).
5. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are condemned.
6. Morality is subjective and adaptive. Hedonism is rampant.
7. The leader dictates how members should think, act, and feel.
8. Elitist culture, claiming special knowledge and exalted status for itself.
9. The group has an “us-versus-them” culture.
10. “Outside” information is replaced by “inside” information.
11. The leader is neither accountable nor operating under authority.
12. The group teaches or implies that its ends justify whatever means it deems necessary.
13. The leader induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and control members.
14. Oppose individual critical thinking and respect for scientific methods.
15. Emphasize special doctrines apart from Scripture, by taking Scripture out of context.
16. Manipulative tactics used to pull people into things to which they have not agreed.
17. People are subtly positioned, or position themselves, on the same level as Jesus Christ.

(In all of this, don't think about others before looking at yourself.)

Ephesians 5:11, “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”
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