The Bible says, "Judas hanged himself ... go and do likewise." This is a very disturbing statement until you realize that these two phrases are used out of context from unrelated passages.
It seems that context is sorely lacking in this political cycle when we would rather summarize people and their conditions in 30 seconds or less. With all the information resources at our disposal, many folks are either too lazy or too myopic to look a little deeper for understanding. At the cinema, we expend greater effort to understand the context of a movie plot than we do in seeking to understand the deeper context of a person's life.
An unwillingness to listen and learn from context makes us guilty of Proverbs 13:18, "Spouting off before listening to the facts is both shameful and foolish."
While reading the Bible recently, I came to the story of a man who Christ healed. This man got up and walked away carrying his makeshift bed (John 5:9-11). It was a great moment in this man's life and an amazing occurrence for those who witnessed it.
However, there was a problem. Some religious leaders criticized the man for carrying his bed on the Sabbath. Apparently, both Jesus and this man failed to realize their "error." Because of a distorted, legalistic view of the Sabbath, it was forbidden to carry any items on that day. The Sabbath was supposed to be a day of rest and celebration. It was never God's intent to forbid helping people in need. Jesus demonstrated his disdain for unhelpful traditions by healing the man on that day.
To this day, legalistic people and institutions continue to attack people for "carrying their beds" while failing to recognize God's grace in action. Religion without a relationship with God and love for people is ineffective at best, and harmful at worst. To often, we embrace petty unbiblical rules more than reaching out to serve others.
"Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that." (Mark 7:13)
Jesus' resurrection is the single most significant event in human history.
At the core of our human nature is the tendency to act in a manner that displeases God. This sinful nature is part of our "spiritual DNA" that we inherited from our progenitors, going all the way back to Adam and Eve.
Christ's sinless nature, by virtue of his miraculous conception and virgin birth, opened the door to all humanity to receive a "new birth" resulting in a new nature within. Jesus' resurrection from the dead is significant because it demonstrated his triumph over "enemy number one", death resulting from sin and Satan's deception.
Since his resurrection, Jesus has "all authority in heaven and earth." He can give you new life and new hope. The old saying is true: "Born once, die twice. Born twice, die once." Learn more at www.newcovenant.org
While doing some research for an upcoming leadership training session, I discovered the following list of affirmations by Myles Munroe. As a statement of our present practice, this list is a little intimidating. However, as a statement of our personal expectation, it is encouraging. Enjoy!
1. I possess a deep guiding purpose
2. I have a clear vision
3. I love to serve others
4. I have established specific goals
5. I cultivate my spiritual reserves
6. I am teachable
7. I am constantly refining my skills
8. I am tolerant
9. I am honest and sincere with integrity
10. I communicate my vision
11. I am an avid reader
12. I maximize time
13. I am enthusiastic toward life
14. I believe in the worth and value of others
15. I keep myself in the best condition possible
16. I embrace responsibility carefully
17. I am daring
18. I am decisive
19. I am result oriented
20. I am committed to excellence
21. I learn from my mistakes
22. I measure myself against myself
[From Myles Munroe, Becoming a Leader: Everyone Can Do It-Workbook (Bakersfield, CA: Pneuma Life Publishing, 1993), p. 59.]
Matthew 7:7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.
James 4:1, Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures
The source of both our greatest problems and greatest solutions resides within us. Our biggest obstacle is not with people, or even the devil, but with ourselves. Plato wrote, "The sole cause of wars and revolutions and battles is nothing other than the body and its desires." While desire is at the root of all the evils which ruin life and divide men, desire is also the most powerful motivation for choosing to live a victorious life.
James characterizes this conflict of competing desires as “wars” and “fights.” The solution to resolving this inner conflict is as simple as this: “Ask God.” The scripture says that "we have not, because we ask not."
Jesus said that we should "ask, seek and knock." These are levels of confidence in receiving from God. Asking builds confidence in our relationship with God. Seeking and finding confirms God as our source. Knocking represents a stable relationship where we know that access is always granted.
Asking God is the gateway to restoration, blessing and correction in the area of our desires. By asking, we reach to God for help. This has the effect of re-shaping and transforming our desires.
Implicit in asking is humility, and an acknowledgment of our inability to faithfully follow God without His grace. Asking puts us in a special place where God has complete access to us.
• Asking reveals our desires motivations
• Asking shows our priorities
• Asking shapes our future purpose
• Asking unveils our need
In 2008, let's make out aim to ask of God and trust Him to perform His will. When we ask, we allow Him to shape our desires and eliminate the conflicts that arise from selfish ambitions.
Click here to listen to my message from 1/16/2008 titled, "Asking God."
