LIVE LOVE LEARN LEAD LEAVE - part 5

Fifthly and finally all true disciples of Jesus Christ LEAVE. That’s right, they leave.

This is THE MOST poignant and acrid common denominator of them all. For in this denominator is couched the TIME TABLE OF GOD. In Genesis 6:3 the Lord declares; “My spirit shall not always strive with man…” For the arrogant you will simply pass over this point, but for the humble, you will take deep note of God’s sobriety.

God is very aware that His grace IS limited based upon the humanity of us all. In other words we have “X” amount of time to respond to His wooing and then the clock stops. Oh not because He is unwilling to continue, but because our days are numbered.

For instance, Jesus taught that when His disciples would enter a town and not be welcomed by their hearers, they were to turn and shake the dust (Matthew 10:14; Mark 6:11; Luke 9:5) off their feet (they actually did it as recorded in Acts 13:50-51).

The point was an open DECLARATION and DEMONSTRATION of their efforts to penetrate the hard hearts of their hearers. Never underestimate the damnation associated with a hard heart. Never!

So how does that touch us in the twenty-first-century? We must be very decisive and Spirit-led as to who, what and when we present and or retract the gospel opportunity. For true disciples of Jesus Christ are led by the Holy Spirit as to how much effort is merited for any one individual. In other words, if we’ve not struck oil stop drilling and move on.

Being led by the Spirit as to who is good soil and not, IS VERY CRITICAL. Because if we don’t listen to the Spirit’s leading, we can WASTE precious time. Or we can be trampled and bitten by the unwilling-pigs, even with our greatest efforts (Matthew 7:6).

Which leads to the second aspect of this Fifth Common denominator: we are leaving this planet soon. I’ll never forget my first exposure to a life-time-mortgage.

I was painting for a living while attending Bible College, and happened to get a job finishing a new home on the south side of Springfield, Missouri. It was an executive home that was very large. My client was an old friend’s brother from years passed. In speaking with my friend, he told me his brother’s mortgage was open-ended; in other words a life-time mortgage.

That simply meant that this guy would really only be “renting” this place until he sold it, because the cost was so huge that he could never really pay it off.

Here’s the point: WE DON’T HAVE an unlimited amount of time here on this earth. Period! Some generation will be the LAST generation. Some generation will actually witness the Parousia first hand.

For the dead in Christ shall rise first, then we who are left will be caught up in the air, to connect with Christ and live forever (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 – take note of the comfort we are to have in this truth, verse 18)). Man that sounds like sci-fi; but IT’S NOT!!!

The end of all we know IS coming sometime and that should influence how we live here on this earth. Granted, no one knows that day or hour; but we must spiritually prepare as if THIS IS THE DAY!!!

I remember going to summer Bible camp at our Iowa District Camp Grounds (Storm Lake, Iowa). They would wake us with the revolutions of a crackling old LP that played: “This could be the dawning of that grand and glorious day…”

At fourteen that was very unsettling. At fifty it’s still unsettling, to the degree that no eschatological events are preventing the rapture of the church. That’s right, we could go at any minute and God would press on with His agenda.

That being said, disciples LEAVE. Whether it’s from the context of personal evangelism and people reject the message of LIFE, or the context of the rapture, this place IS NOT OUR HOME!!!

Circa 1978 Larry Norman pressed a record entitled: Only Visiting this Planet – Part 1 of the Trilogy. As I listened to this Message, I realized he was right. This place IS NOT my home; therefore I better not plant too deeply.

A life-time mortgage or even a 30 year mortgage seems totally unrealistic for the Disciple of Jesus Christ. Although there have been countless devotees of Christ who have believe the end was so near they sold all and sat on a mountain; I’m not one of them.

But I am constantly aware of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES that keep me looking up.

If you are NOT looking up on a daily basis, my guess is you are looking too deeply into the earth on which you were born for your comfort and confidence.

Ignoring the truth and even the facts WILL NOT CHANGE THEM!!! Disciples KNOW WHEN to leave according to the Spirit’s impetus or leading. They pay close attention to what the Spirit tells them; as to how much and when to stop scattering. And they pay close attention to what the Spirit tells them as to when to leave; because THAT DAY IS COMING SOON… like it or not.

So there it is: Five Common Denominators of all True Disciples of Jesus Christ. Fourteen hours from now we will clock out and clock in to 2011. Are YOU a True Disciple of Jesus Christ?

LIVE LOVE LEARN LEAD LEAVE - part 4

Fourthly all true disciples of Jesus Christ LEAD. For anyone to believe that they are not a leader of someone, they are mistaken. For all of us have someone watching us and looking to us to see how we live, react, behave, perform, etc. Oh not that they are all watching for us to mess up (although some are), but even if it’s the person taking your money at the convenience store, how we interact with and treat the world around us, speaks volumes as to how we take our leadership seriously.

In other words, we must be vigilant about our lives and behavior, because we INFLUENCE more than just ourselves. I believe it was John Maxwell who capitalized on the idea that leadership is influence. If that’s true, then we ALL influence someone, somehow, someway, sometime; therefore we’re all leaders from time to time. It’s inescapable.

Jesus was very serious about leading others. He was equally serious about leading others down the right or the wrong path. And one does not have to be pushing dope to be leading someone down the wrong path. If you are a disciple of Jesus Christ and you mistreat others, you may be causing them to go down a wrong path. Ever heard of the term “misleading”?

Most of the time that term is linked to spurious sales techniques and even to some televangelists, but think about that word; misleading. Or could we say leading-amiss?

Before we get too far into this thought on leadership, we need to delineate the two directions of leadership. That’s right, ultimately there are only two directions one can be led. Up or down, left or right, black or white, heaven or hell, the Kingdom of God or the kingdom of darkness.

Oh I know you may think that most of life is lived in the gray areas or the margins, but ultimately everything leads in one direction or another. Cosmos polarity IS a reality. And Jesus was very clear about the risks we all run when it comes to influencing others because of our magnetism one direction or another. And ambivalence to this divine polarity is ABSOLUTELY condemned (Revelation 3:15-16). So pick a side buddy!

In Matthew 5 and 18 Jesus teaches very plainly about offenses. But so often we miss the real crux of the matter, for the onus of offense is upon the one who should by now know better. What? That’s right, the one whose been exposed to and embraced the truth so as to taste a measure of life.

In other words: “Woe to you who should know better by now”. If we by our very example cause anyone (especially the weaker or younger in the faith) to digress, it would be better for us to be placed into cement overshoes and be tossed into the Des Moines River, than to have caused one of these little ones to stray from trust in Christ.

I have at least a dozen books on Leadership in my personal library. The authors are diverse, but the emphasis is the same. The question I have to ask myself is; does reading books on the subject of Leadership make me a better leader? And the answer IS NOT necessarily.

For leading is not so much about skills at using a “carrot on the end of a stick” as it is about the internal replication of truth. People are rarely (except in countries of tyranny) led by the stick. Most often people are led by a carrot.

The Bible is very clear that the “carrot on the end of a stick” IS NOT biblical in its approach as motivation. “Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.” (Deuteronomy 25:4; 1 Corinthians 9:9; 1 Timothy 5:18 – KJV)

Eventually the carrot must be received or the power of deception is the simple and only motivation to keep going. We keep reaching out to chomp the carrot but never get our teeth sunk in.

Leadership MUST be about what IS working for us, and if we EVER use false results or motivation to move anyone along our agendas – that IS sin. Grievous sin when it comes to God and us.

So what about your leadership? What IS your motivation in seeking to control or influence those around you? Is it selfish? (James 4:1-5) You’ve got to answer that question, because the Fourth Common Denominator of All True Disciples of Jesus Christ is Leadership. I’m not sure who coined the phrase; but it’s pretty good. “Lead, follow, or get out of the way!” Because ultimately YOU DO influence others… and you will be held accountable for the direction you lead them.

LIVE LOVE LEARN LEAD LEAVE - part 3

The Third Common Denominator of all True Disciples of Jesus Christ; LEARN.

Here’s where we might loose some slackers. I’m not talking about full blown academia requiring years of graduate school, although if that’s your thing go for it. But I’m talking about a daily assimilation of fresh revelation from God’s Word and Spirit. I’m talking about developing a greater relationship with Wisdom (Jesus Christ).

And this learning starts on the inside of each one of us. Learning about who we are and what makes us tick will lead to learning about others and things beyond ourselves. All of which is the true cure for prejudice and bigotry.

“I'm sure you've read this quote before: ‘The unexamined life is not worth living.’ Socrates said that at his trial for heresy. He was on trial for encouraging his students to challenge the accepted beliefs of the time and think for themselves. The sentence was death but Socrates had the option of suggesting an alternative punishment. He could have chosen life in prison or exile, and would likely have avoided death.”

“But Socrates believed that these alternatives would rob him of the only thing that made life useful: Examining the world around him and discussing how to make the world a better place. Without his "examined life" there was no point in living. So he suggested that Athens reward him for his service to society. The result, of course, is that they had no alternative and were forced to vote for a punishment of death.” (Karl W. Palachuk)

The above quotes are not mine, but they suggest a great deal. Are you growing? Are you learning about yourself, others, the world around you, God and the universe? Or are you stuck with Facebook, Twitter, Xbox Live, and satellite TV?

I’m not suggesting that we all become book worms, but we live in an information age and most people have stopped learning anything of real value. Check the statistics. Oh we’re kind of techno savvy, but true knowledge and wisdom? As a matter of fact, I think stupid is in vogue these days. That’s unfortunate.

Anyway, true disciples of Jesus Christ are learners, especially in the arena of the Bible and the Spirit, but also of life. Check out the definition of disciple, you might be surprised as to what you’re supposed to be doing with your call to follow Jesus.

From Practical to Profane

I was just sitting here listening to some very absorbing worship music and these thoughts came into my head. How often do we gravitate to the practical side of Christianity, the stuff we can “do” that seems right unto us, yet ultimately leads us into the profane practice of ignoring the very presence of the One for which we should be doing all we do for (Revelation 2:1-5)? I mean really, can’t anyone do acts of kindness and compassion without knowing the One who actually originated and greatest act of cosmic compassion ever known (Romans 5:6; Revelation 13:8)?

What the Spirit means by these questions: doing is far less than being. That’s right; we are not called human-doings, but human-beings. For God is way more concerned with our being than our doing. Oh granted our faith is shown or proven by what we do as believers, but be very careful my friend. Because it can quickly become a competition as to how much and what we can do for Him in light of what others are doing and the direction Christian service is tracking.

If and when that level of Christian service flaunts its faux beauty, we can easily become enamored with our next conquest for Him, even without actually loving Him – thus turning the Practical to the Profane.

Be very careful my dear friends. May we NEVER EVER turn the Practical to the Profane. For the Father desires our love more than our acts of love. And sometimes that’s way harder to live than a works mentality. Because works of kindness and compassion – frankly any acts of service – almost always make us feel good about ourselves, for a season.

Can we, will we, return to our FIRST LOVE? May today be the first day of many on that return trip.

Where Clouds Come From

Ever had a day or season that seemed cloudy or overcast from the inside out? I know I have. As a matter of fact some days seem as Gray as Dorian all the way into my soul; yet knowledge and feelings are two different things.

On the one hand I know certain things because I’ve read them or experienced them. On the other hand, I feel certain things not because I’ve read or experienced them, but simply feel them because that’s how reality is created, by feeling it.

Oh you may disagree, but check out your reality and ask yourself how you feel. If you feel good, then it’s likely what you’ve experienced or are experiencing matches with your learned expectations. If you feel bad in any particular way, its likely expectations are going unmet.

So where do clouds come from? I’m no Mr. Science, but it goes something like this. As I understand it, clouds are a cumulative association of H2O molecules; the more molecules the more visible the cloud. Dark clouds and vast areas of overcast sky are densely packed molecules. Often on very cloudy days rain falls from these dark clouds until enough water leaks out that they change composition and lighten up, sort of.

So what do clouds and feelings have to do with anything? Well, my take on them is this. Much like the formation of clouds, so too with the formation of cumulative feelings, ultimately leading to down pours of emotion. When the conditions or situations are just such, condensation occurs. Whether it’s the condensing of H2O molecules or feelings; both result in the eclipsing of the sun, and thus living in benign shadows becomes our reality. Therefore now there is no “condensation” on those who are in Christ Jesus. Think about it.

You know, maybe that’s why they drink lots of coffee and listen to Nirvana in Portland? Portland averages 222 cloudy days annually. If Portland were a person we’d call her depressed.

Now don’t get me wrong, I like Portland, coffee and even some Nirvana music, but I sure don’t want two thirds of my days being cloudy from the inside out, so what does a person do? How does a person get the sun to shine – on the inside?

Your responses are important to me; I’m working on a big-LIFE-science-project. Thanks.

LIVE LOVE LEARN LEAD LEAVE - part 2

Five Common Denominators of True Disciples of Jesus Christ

Knowing we'll give an account of our lives leads us to the Second Common Denominator of all True Disciples of Jesus Christ; LOVE. Yup, love. I know it seems so poetic, but since most of humanity could not keep the Ten Commandments and the myriad of other laws found in the Bible, Jesus left us with just two.

Your great, great, great, great… great grand parents Adam and Eve had one command or law and can you believe they broke it. Just one and they couldn’t even keep it. We’re no different, except we’ve been given a New Command; LOVE. Jesus told us all the law and the prophets hung on this one word; LOVE.

I remember way back in 1969 or so, my brother Martin brought an 8 track tape home, and it was call Upon This Rock, by Larry Norman. I remember listening to that tape over and over, not even knowing who this singer song writer was, but I liked what I heard. Over the years I came to love his music and it always championed the notion of LOVE.

Now granted, Larry’s music sprung from that rebel love generation sound, but nonetheless it was peppered with prophetic calls to LOVE as Jesus loved. And love is one of those things that is better caught than taught. My apology to those of you who’ve not caught any recently.

But what is life without LOVE? Not much. This might be a great time to highlight a couple of scripture passages that nicely define what love is and what love is like. First Corinthians 13 and Galatians 5:22-23 give a nice framework to determine your LOVE quotient. Even Jesus tells us that LOVE is about giving and laying down your life for another, done that recently? I could name a few of my friends that are doing that right now.

Paul the Apostle even wrote a description of God’s love towards us while we were utterly hopeless and nasty sinning rascals. The truth is and was and always will be God LOVES us. He never stops LOVING us. So actually if you want to measure your LOVE quotient, ask yourself if you’ve stopped loving someone recently, if so, you’re not following Jesus. He never stops loving ANYONE; even the perpetual sinner.

Oh they may never be saved by His loving grace, but He will NEVER STOP LOVING THEM even as they pass into eternity and out of relationship opportunity with Him and His Father. Man that would be hell, wouldn’t it?

LIVE LOVE LEARN LEAD LEAVE - part 1

Five Common Denominators of True Disciples of Jesus Christ

All too often the challenge of being a Christian comes at such a perceived expense that many choose not to follow the path Jesus trod. And unfortunately for those many who take the broad way, destruction is their final destiny. And while they fly down the broad way of this time proven exit strategy, they rarely if ever realize their eternal decline. It just feels too natural to be wrong.

As I meditate on the comprehensive truth of the biblical knowledge I’ve assimilated (which is actually very little), I realize it’s minimal as compared to the comprehensive truth of God Himself. So as I process what I have and attempt a humble assimilation of more revelation, I’ve come to a conclusion; True Disciples of Jesus Christ will share Five Common Denominators.

Come with me as I explore and express what I believe God has given me for such a time as this: right now.

Knowing that the Bible teaches we are all dead in our trespasses before grace through faith brings saving life, all people start at dead, though they look alive. Yet being physically alive is not the same as living alive in Him. The First Common Denominator of all who choose to follow Him is the call and command to LIVE.

That’s right, live. We’ve been brought to life to live for Him, in Him, and by Him. Anything less is NOT life in Christ. For when we came to know Him as Savior and Lord, there also came the distinct relational call and command to LIVE.

You may find that funny, since we all tend to live in this world. I mean really, if I’m writing this and you’re reading it, you and I must be living; right? Yet what Jesus teaches us takes us to a greater level than just day by day existence here on this planet.

As True Disciples of Jesus Christ we are called and commanded to LIVE. For who would want a religion, let alone a relationship, that did not include of the opportunity to LIVE, despite the fact our earthly home has been tainted by the curse of sin.

Living in Him brings about genuine freedom, never bondage or condemnation. So when was the last time you decided to really LIVE? For some, the idea of living it up in Christ means doing whatever you want with complete amnesty attached to all behaviors. I don’t think that’s the life He’s called and commanded for us; because frankly all things are lawful but not everything is wise or pragmatic.

Yet without knowing it, many Christians live far from the genuine call to LIVE. The kind of living that we are given opportunity in Him is about taking a big slice of life and savoring every bite. It’s about sharing the beauty and taste of all that is good and bearing the burden of others as they taste and experience the ugly of all that is bad. Community, friendships, patience, air, food, rest, snow, green plants, a new born baby, a dearly departed friend, a fast car, a tender letter, a warm blanket, a tasty cup of coffee; need I say more? Do you LIVE or do you simply exist?

For as we LIVE we actually find places where He fits into the life we’ve been given. As I posture NOT for myself, but for the better of others, life turns Kodachrome right before my very eyes. Albeit there are days, I do enjoy the cloister of an empty house, a good book and black coffee, I also enjoy the rabble of friends and family.

If I ever sky dive, I’m sure I would love it. Do you get what I’m saying? Life IN HIM IS GOOD, even when it’s bad. And that’s esoteric. Go and LIVE. Don’t just waste your life, but spend it sowing into others, enjoying all that is good and shun that which is evil. But LIVE. For each of us has only so much time and then we will meet Him face to face and give an account of our lives.