Something I have just learned about trying to share the truth with others, knowing what is true is only half the battle. In fact if sharing the truth is the battle, knowing it only brings you to the battlefield and showing up is no guarantee of success. There is a lot of good study out there on putting on the whole armor of God. If I am going into battle with only truth than I am showing up on the battlefield in only a belt. Even if I bring a shield of Faith and a shining breastplate of righteousness I still have no means to engage anyone.
In a very practical sense, just having something to say does not mean those who need to hear it will listen. Even if I am a perfect sphere of knowledge, I will not be able to make anything more than a deflecting contact with any other body. Spheres do not stack nor connect in any way. In fact they are only able to stay still on the most level of surfaces. What are the chances of finding someone who is that level?
To go at someone with only knowledge of what is right, even if well-intentioned, will only be perceived as an attack or challenge to fight or flee from. If you tell a child in an urgent tone, "don't touch that, it is hot" you most often will cause that child to cry. This response is part of our nature and does not go away as we get older. It only becomes more sophisticated.
So what then is the solution? Continuing with what Ephesians tells us, there is no better tool to have than "the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God." So if I sharpen my knowledge of God's word, the bible, I will be more empowered to pierce the defenses other put up to resist hearing the truth.
However it was Ephesians 6:15 that spoke to me; "And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;" that is to say, recognize and apply the grace that God has shown me to allow me to be at peace with Him. We are all unworthy sinners incapable of making ourselves right with God but it is the gospel of peace, the way at which God gave us His Son as a new covenant, that cleared our debt. This is what keeps us humble. It grounds us to the reality of our own earthly origins and it is a direct connection with all of mankind.
A connection must be made before any sharing of truth and this is not just a connection with most people, it is the connection with everyone. For sharing of information, a conversation, to take place both parties must be engaged otherwise I am alone on the battlefield. I must first engage the other party, not with what I do know, but with what I don't know. I am not a sphere of knowledge. A sphere is only turned in on itself. The truth I have cannot be changed but it also cannot be shared from within a sphere. I must be open to new knowledge and new truths. If new information challenges my truth, I will face that challenge with the full armor of God.
Recently I had been frustrated at my inability to share what I believe to be helpful information. I asked myself why they avoided hearing what I had to say. I wrongly focused on the other party. I had learned a lesson a while back that I was stubbornly not applying to myself; "Therefore shall you lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul,..." (Deuteronomy 11:18) In other words, God's word is for me, not the other party. This should have been so obvious to me when I heard a sermon on Mathew 7:3, you know, "...the plank in your own eye..." I remember pointing out the irony of that sermon; whenever it's given it is so well received that everyone who hears it can think of someone it their life it applies to.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
God doesn't answer "multiple choice" prayers
God doesn't answer "multiple choice" prayers. Well that is to say He will answer the prayer, but it likely will not be one of the answers you had given Him to choose from. This seems like a reasonable thing to say and I suspect most people would agree without even realizing that they themselves often give God a "multiple choice" prayer.
So could you be doing this without even knowing it? Think about your prayers and the possible answers you are expecting. Are they the kind of things God The Father would say? Lets just put it in more simple terms. Are they even the types of answers your father would give? Okay, lets pretend your dad knows what you are talking about. My kids would tell you that is a stretch, but lets pretend. Say for example you pray for an answer on what car to buy? Would your father tell you Ford, Chevy, or Lexus or would he go on and on in excruciating detail about fuel economy, mechanical reliability, proper maintenance, and your budget. And if your my kids you may also hear more than a few words about the good value of an old Volkswagen. Now God may or may not have a preference for old VWs but He surely has little concern for the difference between Ford and Chevy (as hard as that is for some guys to hear.)
The point I am making, while rambling on in dad like fashion, is just like any dad, your Father in Heaven has certain things He is more concerned with and His answers tend to be centered around those things. To better hear the answers to your prayers, get to know your Father a little better and listen for the kind of things He would say.
So could you be doing this without even knowing it? Think about your prayers and the possible answers you are expecting. Are they the kind of things God The Father would say? Lets just put it in more simple terms. Are they even the types of answers your father would give? Okay, lets pretend your dad knows what you are talking about. My kids would tell you that is a stretch, but lets pretend. Say for example you pray for an answer on what car to buy? Would your father tell you Ford, Chevy, or Lexus or would he go on and on in excruciating detail about fuel economy, mechanical reliability, proper maintenance, and your budget. And if your my kids you may also hear more than a few words about the good value of an old Volkswagen. Now God may or may not have a preference for old VWs but He surely has little concern for the difference between Ford and Chevy (as hard as that is for some guys to hear.)
The point I am making, while rambling on in dad like fashion, is just like any dad, your Father in Heaven has certain things He is more concerned with and His answers tend to be centered around those things. To better hear the answers to your prayers, get to know your Father a little better and listen for the kind of things He would say.
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Occupy the Vote: Why I occupy… « the middle ground
Occupy the Vote: Why I occupy… « the middle ground
"Let go of the hate and act out of love."
Can we find a middle ground with the Occupy movement?
Monday, February 27, 2012
Why hide what you are doing?
Do all good work in the open light of day and do not fear what your enemies will use against you fore truth needs no shelter and lies need no foundation.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
God sends you Love this Valentine's Day
This is a time many are seeking Love. I know more than a few in my life that pray for it and maybe do so without understanding. I have come to know that God does not wish us to be in the dark about anything especially something so dear and valuable as Love. There are so many places in the Bible to learn about what Love but my favorite today is 2. Peter, chapter one begins speaking about what the knowledge of God brings us, including the ability to live more by "divine nature," that image of God were were made in, rather than the corrupt nature of this world, that clay of the earth of which we were made. The path is spelled out to help us better know God and lead us exactly to where we all want to be.
5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
2.Peter 1:5-7
Saturday, February 11, 2012
George Washington, the Christian - William Jackson Johnstone - Google Books
This is interesting to me because is was one of those things where several messages from several sources seem to be in sync about the many names of God.
'via Blog this'
Thursday, June 2, 2011
The Judas Connection
If you were to ask Christians which Apostle are you most like, I would guess that most would pause long enough to appear to give reflection and then answer, "Peter, because like Peter, everyone knows I am a follower of Christ but I may be caught in a moment of denial every now and then." This is the comfortable answer sprinkled with just a dash of humility. However, if we are to be honest with ourselves, can we really say that we are like Peter, fully intending to live and even die for Jesus only to be surprised and deeply disheartened when we fail? Or are we in fact most like Judas and can admit to at least one other authority in our lives that we refuse to let go of? We know the story of Judas, right? Why do you think that is? Do you think "Almost all of the Bible applies to me but not that part. No. That part is for someone else." This is one truth that we all like to ignore but that makes it all the more true.
Like Judas we try to follow Christ. We know we are chosen and are loved by Him. We have committed almost all of our lives to being His follower. ALMOST. But despite all we have learned and all we have grown with Christ, there is still at least one part of our old life we hold on to. Maybe it's one "reality" that we can't just ignore. Maybe it's one little vise that nobody knows about so it's hurting no one. Perhaps it's just "the way of the world" or the things that "everyone has to do to survive." We ask forgiveness every Sunday knowing full well that we can return to our old ways as soon as the regular work week resumes.
It is our connection and obedience to something else (sin) that will be used to betray Christ! Judas too could rationalize that it was reasonable to still listen to the Chief Priests of his old life, just as we continue to allow something else to lord over part of our own life. We too rationalize a need for it. "Everyone does it," "I need the release," "It's part of real life," "It's how I earn a few extra pieces of silver."
Like Judas we try to follow Christ. We know we are chosen and are loved by Him. We have committed almost all of our lives to being His follower. ALMOST. But despite all we have learned and all we have grown with Christ, there is still at least one part of our old life we hold on to. Maybe it's one "reality" that we can't just ignore. Maybe it's one little vise that nobody knows about so it's hurting no one. Perhaps it's just "the way of the world" or the things that "everyone has to do to survive." We ask forgiveness every Sunday knowing full well that we can return to our old ways as soon as the regular work week resumes.
It is our connection and obedience to something else (sin) that will be used to betray Christ! Judas too could rationalize that it was reasonable to still listen to the Chief Priests of his old life, just as we continue to allow something else to lord over part of our own life. We too rationalize a need for it. "Everyone does it," "I need the release," "It's part of real life," "It's how I earn a few extra pieces of silver."
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