Are you a victim of double resistance?
The prideful ones face resistance from God. But God’s children already face resistance from Satan.
Being a prideful Christian can be a lot of trouble. Consider the situation of someone facing resistance from God as well as from Satan. Unimaginable!
Better take the easier route. Stay humble.
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The statement of Jesus to his disciples was clear: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). But Jesus also said: “You will do the things that I do and you will do even greater things” (John 14:12).
Both of these statements are significant for us. First, it’s important to live in the reality of total dependence on Christ. If we begin to think we can do things on our own, we are in great danger. Our lives must be lived in total dependence on Jesus.
Second, we are to do the works Jesus did while on the earth. But He said we are to do even greater things (of the type of works Jesus did). So there is no limit to how God can use us when we live and work in total dependence on Christ. What a privilege!
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For many, a second income is not just desirable but a necessity. There are lots of options available to us. And I’ve tried many. Here is one that has worked.
Swing Trading has finally developed into that second income that I’ve wanted for many years. I’ve been at this for over four years now and I’m now regularly profitable. I’m now at a place where that second income is a reality.
The stock market is a mystery and a dread for many, but it doesn’t have to be. You need to gain some basic knowledge and develop some simple skills to trade. The task is simple but hard.
It is simple because it just is. But the hard part is handling our emotions. We tend to swing between greed and fear. Handling ourselves is one of the greatest tasks that we cannot ignore.
Make sure to find a good mentor who can guide you through the process of learning and gaining experience.
If you’re interested in such a mentorship program, send me a message.
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Human desires are mostly never-ending. And the human appetite is never satisfied. For many, life is a constant running towards something we feel will fulfill our desires. But once we reach those things, we’re not satisfied. And its time for the next thing.
Maybe we cannot change our character of never-ending desire. Could be that it’s how we’re wired. Built that way by our creator. But what for? Why would God create us that way?
What if God could be our utmost desire? An unending appetite for God is always a good thing. We would have the benefit of an ongoing, growing relationship with our creator.
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A person begins their interaction with your church simply as a participant. It is a one way relationship as they receive, listen, and learn. They enjoy the benefits of the gathering and community. It’s necessary for people to begin in this stage and to dive into all the things offered to them. Remaining at this stage here for a long time will not be productive. Keeping a one way relationship within a group can become unhealthy.
Getting people involved in volunteering gives them purpose. Groups that help and benefit each other are more satisfied. Although serving is a great place to be, some people are called to more, to a higher level of leadership.
The move from volunteer to leader is not just a matter of increased activity and involvement. It’s moving across a threshold where they take on the mission and vision of the church as their own. They become driven by it instead of tasks and needs that are constantly changing.
So, how do you move people from being a participant to a leader? Sometimes it’s a challenge, but you can follow some steps that will help you develop new leaders.
Select from active team members
The best people to develop as leaders are the ones who are already active team members. This gives the indication that they have taken the mission and vision as their own.
Pick the best leader, not just the best worker
The best workers don’t always make good leaders. Good workers perform their tasks successfully. They complete their job with diligence and competence. A leadership mindset is much broader than the person who does their tasks well. Leaders need to have the skills to work well with others, handle problems, and help envision new team members.
Test with limited leadership responsibilities
Identify tasks that can be used as a test for a potential leader. Ask them to coordinate one aspect of a large event, then evaluate their performance to see how they work with people.
Don’t do it alone
Every leadership position should have a team of potential upcoming leaders around them. This is helpful for the leader as it provides a group to bounce ideas and helps give a broader perspective. It also allows this person to share to train others and share the leadership load.
Create a perspective of inclusiveness
If leadership is an exclusive matter, it will be clear to people in your community. What are you communicating about who can enter the leadership realm? Are you being exclusive to people of a certain race or a particular status? Build a perspective of inclusiveness that allows for a wide spectrum of people to step into leadership. Invest time and effort to uphold this.
The path to move someone from a participant to a volunteer to a leader can be complicated. But it’s also not a mystery. If you set up a culture of training and nurturing those serving with you, you will always have a set of potential leaders to develop.
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It seems that the printing press ignited a new perspective regarding textual accuracy. Before that, writers had no other option but to quote from memory and provide the best rendering possible.
The standard of writing and literature is quite different now than in the past. Especially the distant past. Literature has always evolved through the centuries when there was no standardization.
When we eveluate ancient texts such as the Bible, we need to recognize the vast expanse of time and perspectives. The writers and editors of that time never thought of such standardization that we follow in our context. When we evaluate ancient texts such as the Scriptures, let’s handle them with care and with a certain level of humility. A humility that recognizes our incapacity to be an authoritative judge of such texts.
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It seems those who are most desperate are the ones who get a response from God. Others may have many options, and God is one of many.
When the need is great, when the pain is unbearable, we are more ready to cry out to God. God doesn’t play hide and seek. He is ready to hear the prayers of those who are desperate.
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People have always liked shiny things. The lure of fancy, exotic, and expensive things is irresistible. We also begin to attach our self-worth to things we own.
“Their land is filled with silver and gold, and there is no end to their treasures; their land is filled with horses, and there is no end to their chariots.” Isaiah 2:7
Wealth was not a problem for them. In gaining wealth, they gained prominence and became prideful. Worst of all, they forgot the God who cared for them and led them so far. Thus God had to intervene and get them back on the right track.
“So man is humbled, and each one is brought low…” God did it for the Israelites during their exile.
This is an invitation to examine our hearts—constant re-alignment toward love and devotion to Jesus, the one who has brought us thus far.
It’s not simple to console parents whose children have gone astray. The broken heart of God the Father with estranged children cannot be consoled by mere words. Even the Ox and the donkey know their owner and where they belong. But God’s people have no clue!
Here are the words to a broken-hearted Father: “Hear O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “‘Children I have reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me’” (Isaiah 1:2).
After constant reminders from the Lord, the people continued with their rebellion. They were busy with lots of religious and civic activities. But they forgot their Father was the one who gave them life and sustained them.
We may share our burdens with friends that are equal to us. We may even find people we can relate with. But for God, there is no equal. He has no one else to share with. So he says “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O Earth; for the Lord has spoken: Children I have reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.” God’s heart was crushed and he needed to share his burden with someone. But God has no equal. Maybe God expresses this to the heavens and the earth as a “witness,” for they have seen mankind from the beginning.
God makes a comparison between the Ox and the donkey. They know their place and they have an understanding of where they belong. In other words, even brute beasts have the “understanding” that they need. “But Israel does not know, my people do not understand.”
Sadly, people were compared to animals. But the rebellion of the people was inexcusable. The people claimed to know, but they were full of rebellion.
The broken-hearted father still waits for his children to return. All people of the world were created by God and He wants a relationship with them. God is waiting for his children to return.
Believers are often divided by various philosophical and political leanings. Each group claims their perspective is the only correct way, and all others are wrong.
God has something to say to us as we “gloat” in the idea that we are right and all others are wrong. In the midst of our political and philosophical pursuits, we may have forgotten God and what He wants.
The psalmist Asaph ends the 50th Psalm with the words of God: “The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to the one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!” (v.23)
This last verse comes after a long discourse about the majesty of God followed by a disclaimer regarding their worship. Basically, God said that the beneficiary of their worship is not really God — as if God needed anything from them. They just need to be thankful for what they have received and be obedient.
The final sentence in the Psalm identifies the crux of the message: “To one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”
The people who are called by God’s name are expected to order their lives according to His ways. For the Israelites, they did good with their religious expressions of worship. But their lives did not reflect God’s principles of love, justice, and mercy.
Our good religious practices are often a veneer that covers up and blinds us from seeing things within us that displeases God. Those things can be disturbing to outright evil — either in thought or deed. God wants us to remove the “religious veil” and look within and remove all that displeases him. Then he will show his salvation. There flows healing, peace, joy, and true fredom.
Published work and ephemera.
Published work and ephemera.
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