Sunday, October 18, 2015
Monday, October 12, 2015
Washing the disciple's feet
Jesus really taught an amazing, awe-inspiring message when he washed the disciple's feet. I've often read this passage and the time it takes to read through it, doesn't give justice to the importance of the event, or the time in which it must have taken Jesus to finish this back-breaking task. I wonder how many hours it took to wash the feet of 12 men? I also don't imagine that he skimped on washing any of disciple's feet, from the first to the last. I know if I had stooped down to wash the feet of 12 men and to try them with a towel, I wouldn't have been able to stand up straight for some time after, and when I did finally straighten up, I'd have been holding my back and probably limping. This was no easy task.
It also not only took great humility for him to do it, because he also knew that these men who he was about to bestow such honor on, would soon betray him, deny him, and leave him to suffer alone, but I must say, it took great humility for them to endure letting him minister to them in such a way as well. Even today, I know people who love to give, but have a hard time allowing others to do anything for them. I'm sure some of the disciple's struggled with those feelings. Even scripture records that Peter had that inclination. "Lord, you shall NEVER wash my feet!" I can imagine the fear and shock in his voice as he sharply declined to allow the Lord to lower himself in such a manner. It must have taken a certain dying to himself, in order to surrender to the washing.
In the film I saw, the disciples were grappling over position. Even the brothers, James and John were arguing about which one got to be on the right and which one on the left. So these men were like every other human being in the world. They all had ego, and desire to excel and to be loved, and to be special. And our ego often, if not always, gets so tangled up in our calling, that we really don't know where one ends and the other begins. Do we want our place in the presence of the Lord, because our ego really just wants to be special and we can be validated by God? An honest person, who understands the human ego, will not be able to discern where one desire leaves off and the other begins. But there is a way to divide asunder the joints and mire, thoughts and intents.
The calling for which the Spirit alone desires is not a calling of being special or having a place or position. The calling for which the Spirit alone seeks, will be willing to be the lowest on the totem pole. This individual will be a servant to all. This individual will not get upset if they are overlooked, passed over, discounted, or thought inferior. This individual won't defend their rights or their place or their "resume". They won't try to exert their entitlement to the higher place or position. They will in fact, give up their place and position to those "lower" than themselves. They will condescend to men of lower estate. They will esteem others better than themselves.
They won't take the attitude that "Bless God, I'm the _________here, and you ought to recognize my authority and my position!" But rather they will honor the least one as if they are the much greater than themselves.
What does it mean to "wash other's feet"? Of course above and beyond actual, literal foot washing, is the principal of service. Perhaps not taking the best or closest parking place, but leaving it for someone else could be an act of servitude. To take time to listen to someone who wants to talk. To do things that others need done. To pick someone up for service. To take someone to the store or the pharmacy. To babysit for someone who has a need. To visit the sick or elderly. To pick up paper you see laying on the floor. To see a dirty toilet in the church, and clean it yourself rather than complaining or telling someone who's supposed to do that job. Bottom line, it's to "See a need, Fill a need".
To take the lowest position rather than the highest. To work hard and sweat, and get worn out doing stuff that needs to be done, that your flesh and carnal mind says others ought to be doing! Not to take the stance that I'm the expert, the superior, the teacher, or the "head", but to instead keep a low profile, even in high profile positions. To be there not to reign, but to work, to serve, to support, to do what nobody else wants to do that needs to be done.
The greatest in the Kingdom will be those willing to get a towel, stoop down, and humble themselves in service not only to the respectable, but also to the children, the poor, the unfaithful, the immature, and even to them who we know have or will betray us.
It also not only took great humility for him to do it, because he also knew that these men who he was about to bestow such honor on, would soon betray him, deny him, and leave him to suffer alone, but I must say, it took great humility for them to endure letting him minister to them in such a way as well. Even today, I know people who love to give, but have a hard time allowing others to do anything for them. I'm sure some of the disciple's struggled with those feelings. Even scripture records that Peter had that inclination. "Lord, you shall NEVER wash my feet!" I can imagine the fear and shock in his voice as he sharply declined to allow the Lord to lower himself in such a manner. It must have taken a certain dying to himself, in order to surrender to the washing.
In the film I saw, the disciples were grappling over position. Even the brothers, James and John were arguing about which one got to be on the right and which one on the left. So these men were like every other human being in the world. They all had ego, and desire to excel and to be loved, and to be special. And our ego often, if not always, gets so tangled up in our calling, that we really don't know where one ends and the other begins. Do we want our place in the presence of the Lord, because our ego really just wants to be special and we can be validated by God? An honest person, who understands the human ego, will not be able to discern where one desire leaves off and the other begins. But there is a way to divide asunder the joints and mire, thoughts and intents.
The calling for which the Spirit alone desires is not a calling of being special or having a place or position. The calling for which the Spirit alone seeks, will be willing to be the lowest on the totem pole. This individual will be a servant to all. This individual will not get upset if they are overlooked, passed over, discounted, or thought inferior. This individual won't defend their rights or their place or their "resume". They won't try to exert their entitlement to the higher place or position. They will in fact, give up their place and position to those "lower" than themselves. They will condescend to men of lower estate. They will esteem others better than themselves.
They won't take the attitude that "Bless God, I'm the _________here, and you ought to recognize my authority and my position!" But rather they will honor the least one as if they are the much greater than themselves.
What does it mean to "wash other's feet"? Of course above and beyond actual, literal foot washing, is the principal of service. Perhaps not taking the best or closest parking place, but leaving it for someone else could be an act of servitude. To take time to listen to someone who wants to talk. To do things that others need done. To pick someone up for service. To take someone to the store or the pharmacy. To babysit for someone who has a need. To visit the sick or elderly. To pick up paper you see laying on the floor. To see a dirty toilet in the church, and clean it yourself rather than complaining or telling someone who's supposed to do that job. Bottom line, it's to "See a need, Fill a need".
To take the lowest position rather than the highest. To work hard and sweat, and get worn out doing stuff that needs to be done, that your flesh and carnal mind says others ought to be doing! Not to take the stance that I'm the expert, the superior, the teacher, or the "head", but to instead keep a low profile, even in high profile positions. To be there not to reign, but to work, to serve, to support, to do what nobody else wants to do that needs to be done.
The greatest in the Kingdom will be those willing to get a towel, stoop down, and humble themselves in service not only to the respectable, but also to the children, the poor, the unfaithful, the immature, and even to them who we know have or will betray us.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
Why do Christians need a law to be moral?
The leopard chases the deer and catches him to eat him. A passing lion spots the deer in the leopard's mouth and chases the leopard and steals his deer. The leopard doesn't feel badly about killing and the lion doesn't go home feeling badly about his theft.
Morals are not something every creature is born with. We get our sense of morality from how we were raised, our society, and our religion. The 10 commandments is the foundation list of morals that God gave Jews thousands of years ago. The other nations were considered "heathens" because they engaged in sexual relations without restraint and were loose, wild, and undisciplined in all their ways. They could marry their own little daughter. These nations thought it was good to sacrifice their kids to volcanos and various "gods".
Morals are not something every creature is born with. We get our sense of morality from how we were raised, our society, and our religion. The 10 commandments is the foundation list of morals that God gave Jews thousands of years ago. The other nations were considered "heathens" because they engaged in sexual relations without restraint and were loose, wild, and undisciplined in all their ways. They could marry their own little daughter. These nations thought it was good to sacrifice their kids to volcanos and various "gods".
But God gave Abraham a whole different idea of morality. He said he HATED certain things, like sacrificing children. He forbid them to take their little daughters as wives or to sell them as sex slaves. There's a whole book full of laws that were unique to the descendants of Abraham. The other nations did not have these "morals".
OUR society, from Jews to Muslims, to Christians and many other religions, were all founded on the God of Abraham. Look it up, they are all called "Abrahamic Religions", meaning that they were birthed in the law and commandments given to Abraham.
You may feel that you were "born" with certain morals, but actually you were born into a society of certain morals. You parents and your school, your laws, your neighbors, everything you have ever known or heard has been one set of morals. Just like the food you eat, you might be disgusted to go to another country and eat dog or cat, because in your culture, that would be disgusting.
That is what people mean when they say that God authored our version of morality in this nation and many other nations in this world. Take away God and the bible, and our society would soon slide back into the loose, wild, heathen ways of the nations before Abraham. There would be no measuring stick. There would be nothing to line up to. We would all just decide for ourselves what is right and wrong, and as generations are born, that sense of right and wrong diminishes more and more.
For example, when I was young, being a homosexual was a perverted thing. This generations says it's okay. This generation would probably be disgusted at the idea of beastiality, but the next one may say "if you and your dog love each other, and enjoy having sex, then who is it hurting?!" The next generation will call you "haters" if you don't loosen your views of morality.
There has to be some type of anchor, some sort of lighthouse. If we're not going to use the bible, and the 10 commandments, then what will we use? If we live by the saying "if it feels good, do it", then there is no end to the immorality that will result. Perhaps you personally have a good enough sense of morality, but what about the upcoming generations? Every new generation shocks the previous generation with their lack of morality, respect, and adherence to whatever the former generation deemed important or valuable. They question all authority.
So without any guidelines, we (this nation and the generations that will follow) would just go further and further into darkness.
OUR society, from Jews to Muslims, to Christians and many other religions, were all founded on the God of Abraham. Look it up, they are all called "Abrahamic Religions", meaning that they were birthed in the law and commandments given to Abraham.
You may feel that you were "born" with certain morals, but actually you were born into a society of certain morals. You parents and your school, your laws, your neighbors, everything you have ever known or heard has been one set of morals. Just like the food you eat, you might be disgusted to go to another country and eat dog or cat, because in your culture, that would be disgusting.
That is what people mean when they say that God authored our version of morality in this nation and many other nations in this world. Take away God and the bible, and our society would soon slide back into the loose, wild, heathen ways of the nations before Abraham. There would be no measuring stick. There would be nothing to line up to. We would all just decide for ourselves what is right and wrong, and as generations are born, that sense of right and wrong diminishes more and more.
For example, when I was young, being a homosexual was a perverted thing. This generations says it's okay. This generation would probably be disgusted at the idea of beastiality, but the next one may say "if you and your dog love each other, and enjoy having sex, then who is it hurting?!" The next generation will call you "haters" if you don't loosen your views of morality.
There has to be some type of anchor, some sort of lighthouse. If we're not going to use the bible, and the 10 commandments, then what will we use? If we live by the saying "if it feels good, do it", then there is no end to the immorality that will result. Perhaps you personally have a good enough sense of morality, but what about the upcoming generations? Every new generation shocks the previous generation with their lack of morality, respect, and adherence to whatever the former generation deemed important or valuable. They question all authority.
So without any guidelines, we (this nation and the generations that will follow) would just go further and further into darkness.
Desperately seeking God's perfect will
June 8, 2015
I spend a great deal of time seeking God's will in everything. I'm learning that I am spending "too" much time in it. The problem is not that I "ask". The problem is that I "fret". I ask and get frustrated when I don't get a solid word from the Lord.
But today my husband had to go to South Haven. I was at home and he asked if I wanted to go. I didn't "inquire" of the Lord whether to go or not. But of course if I had felt quickened "not to go", I sure would have stayed home! But I didn't receive anything on it. I could have stayed or I could have gone. As long as God wasn't tapping on my shoulder about it, it was within the range of authority given to me in my life, to choose what I wanted to do.
If God had dealt with me to stay home and I went anyway, pushing past my conscience, then it would have been disobedience, and "sin" for me to go to South Haven! In that case, leaving out of my house would have been leaving out from under the covering of God, subjecting myself to any hurt, harm, or danger that may have been lurking out there for me because I left out from under his covering. Then I would have opened myself up to whatever evil his "fence" was keeping from me. Because the fence of God is my protection.
But since there was no warning, no word, then I was free to choose for myself. It was up to me.
And as I thought on that today, I realized that a lot of what we do is up to us! As long as we are not hearing God tell us to "STOP!", then we can keep moving! I can trust and have faith that I am operating beneath the covering of God in everything that I am doing, because he has not told me NOT to do it.
If I want the store, then do it. If there is any future situation that will make it a hole I've dug myself into, then God knows and I'm pretty sure he would not want me to get dug into a hole. But if he allows me to do this, then it should be further testimony to me that my future is not as bleak looking as my fear would describe for me!
Jesus said "Go to the other side". He didn't say you wouldn't have to endure a storm, but if you wouldn't have made it to the other side, then surely he wouldn't have let you enter the boat in the first place!
Thank you Lord for this word today.
I spend a great deal of time seeking God's will in everything. I'm learning that I am spending "too" much time in it. The problem is not that I "ask". The problem is that I "fret". I ask and get frustrated when I don't get a solid word from the Lord.
But today my husband had to go to South Haven. I was at home and he asked if I wanted to go. I didn't "inquire" of the Lord whether to go or not. But of course if I had felt quickened "not to go", I sure would have stayed home! But I didn't receive anything on it. I could have stayed or I could have gone. As long as God wasn't tapping on my shoulder about it, it was within the range of authority given to me in my life, to choose what I wanted to do.
If God had dealt with me to stay home and I went anyway, pushing past my conscience, then it would have been disobedience, and "sin" for me to go to South Haven! In that case, leaving out of my house would have been leaving out from under the covering of God, subjecting myself to any hurt, harm, or danger that may have been lurking out there for me because I left out from under his covering. Then I would have opened myself up to whatever evil his "fence" was keeping from me. Because the fence of God is my protection.
But since there was no warning, no word, then I was free to choose for myself. It was up to me.
And as I thought on that today, I realized that a lot of what we do is up to us! As long as we are not hearing God tell us to "STOP!", then we can keep moving! I can trust and have faith that I am operating beneath the covering of God in everything that I am doing, because he has not told me NOT to do it.
If I want the store, then do it. If there is any future situation that will make it a hole I've dug myself into, then God knows and I'm pretty sure he would not want me to get dug into a hole. But if he allows me to do this, then it should be further testimony to me that my future is not as bleak looking as my fear would describe for me!
Jesus said "Go to the other side". He didn't say you wouldn't have to endure a storm, but if you wouldn't have made it to the other side, then surely he wouldn't have let you enter the boat in the first place!
Thank you Lord for this word today.
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