FREEDOM AND LIBERITY

One of the factors creating American exceptionalism is the precision in the use of words our founding fathers used in writing the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. They were well of the more than 600 years of history where men sought freedom and liberty from the dictates of kings. With this perspective, a unique understanding of the times and human nature, they wrote about freedom and liberty. 

We think of freedom and liberty as the same thing, synonyms. But the founders defined them differently. Freedom was the right to do whatever you pleased. Liberty was freedom plus morality. Therefore liberty was freedom constrained by doing what is right. They were very intentional in using these terms. John Adams said, “Our Constitution was only made for a moral and religious people.” 

The Declaration of Independence uses the word liberty rather than freedom. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” The creator intended us to be free but subject to morality that is founded in the 10 Commandments and the teaching of Jesus and the apostles. 

The First Amendment to the Constitution, The Bill of Rights, gives us five rights. They were probably grouped together, rather than listed separately, because they’re linked together so closely. Three are listed as specific freedoms. They are freedom of speech, freedom of the press and freedom of religion. The use of the word freedom means these rights are not encumbered in a way. We have the freedom to say whatever we want, to print whatever we want, and to worship God in any way we want. Note that it does not give us the freedom to do whatever we want. They did believe that each man was accountable to God and therefore it was safe to use the word freedom in these three areas.

Liberty was the paramount consideration. Patrick Henry expressed it well: “Give me liberty or give me death.” The founding fathers knew from history that government by its nature always wants to control with laws and regulations and therefore needs to be constrained.

In our time when the lessons of history are so soon forgotten or ignored, it is critical to our lives, liberty and the pursuit of happiness that we and the leaders we elect take careful note and heed the intent of the founding fathers who laid the base for our form of government sound in principle and of, by, and for the people.

GOOD and EVIL - INSIGHT MEANS SEEING INTO THE FUNDAMENTAL NATURE OF REALTY

God is goodness and Truth. Satan is evil and the father of lies. Evil is anything contrary to the nature or will of God. These two forces are in conflict, in a struggle, a battle, a war.

These forces are in conflict in three different realms: in nature, in the natural world, and in our hearts (soul).

An Apple has two kinds of worms. When eggs are laid on the tree’s branches they produce worms that attack the Apple from the outside into the inside. When eggs are laid inside the apple they produce worms that attack the Apple from the inside out. Because they are out of view it is more difficult to see how much damage is being done. Just as there are two types of worms there are two types of evil.

Evil from the Outside in - Nature   

The good in nature came about at the time of creation when God pronounced each step “good.” When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, God cursed the earth. Thus we have both good and bad. The same plot of ground has both beautiful flowers and noxious weeds. Some days are sunny and peaceful but the next day may bring earthquakes, tornadoes, floods and drought. These events are indiscriminate in that they affect some people but not others. This randomness of peace and chaos seems unfair. “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends the rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:45. God does not always protect us from these things but he does give us the courage, hope, and ingenuity to deal with them.

Evil from the Outside in the Natural World   

The evil in the world affects us from the outside. Hitler in Nazi Germany had his gas chambers, Stalin had his gulag, Mao had his re-education program, Kim ll-sung had his work camps, Sadam Hussein had is torture cells. Together they killed tens of millions of innocent people. Today we have murderers, rapists, kidnappers, drug addicts, drug dealers and Islamic terrorists who occupy our neighborhoods and invade our homes. We have 27 million people held in slavery. We have millions of people living refugee camps under hopeless conditions.  We have 2 billion people trapped in poverty living on less than $2.00 per day. The world is an evil place that affects lots of innocent people.

God is a God of peace, but war was declared when Lucifer and his angels rebelled against God. The war is both celestial and earthly. Celestial war is described in Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Earthly wars can be just or unjust. Just wars can be used if they are to crush evil and establish good. God uses war to accomplish his will. Unjust wars are evil wars where an aggressive nation wants control over another nation.

During World War II, General Eisenhower and General MacArthur ordered that cities of the enemy bombed and invaded. They were honorable men and knew that thousands of innocent people would die. But they calculated by ending the war sooner they could save many more lives and go on to promote goodness. Thus the evil of war was used to serve God’s purposes and to make peace.

These things are like worms the go from the outside to the inside.

Good from The Outside

There is lots of good in this world. Every day billions of people produce goods and services for themselves and others. The hungry are fed, sick are healed, the homeless are given shelter, and people hear the good news of the gospel for the first time. People gather to have fun and be entertained. People care for each other. The world can be a good place.

Thus, the world is both a good place and bad place and there is conflict between them.

Evil from the Inside Out

God made man in his own image and everything went fine until Adam and Eve were deceived by Satan. Not only were their souls corrupted, every human being inherited a corrupt soul.

While the dictators listed above had evil in their minds they also had evil in their heart. Each one of us has the potential of not controlling our minds and committing the same kind of evil acts. The human heart is desperately wicked but because of the grace of God (Common Grace) we are still capable of good.

We have a worm inside of us.

When we invite Christ into our heart he gives us power over evil but there is still a tension between good and evil. “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” Romans 7:15

*  *  *

Why do we need to understand good? Because we need to practice it every day in our personal lives, in our culture, and in our world. Why do we need to understand evil? Because we encounter it every day and we need to know how to deal with it. During World War II in North Africa there was an armored tank battle led by the American General George Patton against German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel. The Americans were winning when Patton declared “I read your book.” Because he had read Rommel’s book he knew his tactics and was able to position the American tanks to outgun the Germans. Just as Patton won the battle because he knew the tactics of the enemy, we must understand the tactics of The Great Deceiver.

While we can win the battles we cannot win the war. Only when Christ returns and he casts the devil, his angels and his spirits into the abyss can we declare victory in the war with evil.

UNDERSTANDING YOURSELF - UNDERSTANDING OTHERS

... INSIGHT ... means seeing clearly into the fundamental nature of reality

Have you ever thought about how you live your life and how you make decisions? While we’re all unique individuals we tend to fall into one of four general categories -- leaders, builders, actors, and artisans. While more sophisticated classifications of personality are available today, this more classic categorization will do for our purposes.

If life is like a grid, how does each personality category view it?

Builders

The builder sees the grid as a matrix with an unlimited number of rows and columns like an Excel spreadsheet. Data is entered into each square and then analyzed. There is no problem that cannot be solved with this method. These are the people who design and build things. . As students, because of the way their brain processes information, they frequently excel in math and science and find courses that require a lot of reading boring. These people typically have occupations like accountants, engineers, actuaries, cooks, construction and industrial workers. They are problem solvers and builders of things. They deliver goods and services.

Leaders

The leader sees the grid as a chessboard with all the pieces in place. The game is played by strategic moves to checkmate the competition. The object of the game is to win. These are people who build organizations. They are strong willed and independent thinkers. These people are typically entrepreneurs and have occupations like: business executives, government officials, military officers, athletes, or attorneys. They are the builders of the culture.

Actors

The actor sees the grid as a stage where they are the only character. They will sing, dance, and speak their part to influence the audience. They are communicators. These people have occupations like: actors, salesman, marketers, magicians, pastors, evangelists or music directors. They are change agents of the culture that make things happen and make life fun.

Artisans

The artisan sees the grid as a patchwork quilt with each square an array of contrasting or blended colors. The alignment of the patches creates lines that are pleasing to the eye. This arrangement makes the piece interesting. These are the creative ones who can think outside the box but lack organizational skills. These people care about others. They love animals. As students, because of the way their brain processes information, they frequently excel in English, the arts, and social studies courses but struggle with math and science. These people typically have occupations like: artists, musicians, architects, interior designers, councilors, chefs, nurses, and teachers. They are the people who enrich our lives.

*   *   *

Leaders and actors are self-centered.
Artisans and builders are more concerned about others.

Leaders and actors are more assertive.

Builders and artisans are more passive.

Leaders and builders are fact-and-reason decision-makers.

Actors and artisans are intuitive and emotion decision-makers.

Leaders and builders are oriented toward things and ideas.

Actors and artisans are people-and-relationship oriented.

Leaders and builders are planners.

Actors and artisans take one day at a time.

Leaders and builders are more time orientated.

Actors and artisans are more events-orientated.

Leaders and builders want the world to be more prosperous.

Actors and artisans want to make the world a better place to live.

God has made us different for a reason. Each personality type sees the world differently just as each type saw the grid differently. Each personality type makes its own contribution to our life, our culture, and our world. No type is better. They are each different. Understanding how you think and how others think is a valuable life skill.

WHAT DEFINES YOU?

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking for your own interests but each of you to interest of others. In your relationship with one another have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.

                                                                          Philippians 2: 3-5

In Japan they have a saying “The nail that sticks up gets hammered down.” Students are taught this in school. No student is allowed to be different. Students are discouraged from asking questions. Critical thinking skills are not taught. If one student fails an exam the whole class must repeat the exercise until everyone passes. In business the one in charge of a meeting must get consent of everyone before a decision is executed. It is not a matter of consensus but of unanimous consent. This conditions conformity. It is a culture where fitting in is expected and those who do not are ostracized or punished.

In the Muslim world the male husband/father is in total control. Women are taught from an early age to respect the authority of males, even their sons. It is a culture with male dominance and if women do not comply they can receive abuse or even brutal treatment.

In biblical times it was tribal. While each person had their Jewish identity, they knew which tribe they belonged to. They were expected to be loyal to their tribe. In the book of numbers the census was taken by tribe. At one point in history the nation split into two. The southern kingdom consisted of two tribes and the northern kingdom had the other ten. It was a culture where each person is identified by their tribe.

In the United States we have a culture of individualism. It is built into our Declaration of Independence “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”. Individualism is built into our laws. Our schools are built around the individual. Each student is expected to perform based on their individual abilities. Each person is judged on his individual achievements. In sports the high scorer is given all the recognition even though his teammates and coach have contributed to his success. In business it is your title that counts. When you meet a person for the first time you frequently ask “what do you do for a living?” The answer tells how successful you are. It is a culture that identifies you as an individual and rewards you accordingly.

What identifies you as an individual? Is it your name, date of birth, and Social Security number, or is there more to it than that? Is it where you live, where you work and your position, being the husband/father or wife/mother of your family, where you go to school, or where you go to church? In the United States we have the freedom to be any kind of person we want to be or the kind of person God wants us to be. This is unique compared with the cultures of other countries where it’s legal and social restraints that limit personal choice. The Scriptures teach that you can have a relationship with God and be a representative of Christ regardless of your circumstances. The challenge for us is how do we use our freedom to carry out God’s will for our lives.

How do we use our individual basic freedoms for our life? Do we accept Jesus Christ as our personal savior and endeavor to experience God’s will for our life? Do we want a life of meaning and significance?  Do we want a life of caring for others needs? Or do we want to dither our life away with trivia? Do we choose a life where fame, money and self-indulgence are our objectives? The choice is ours.

THE REDEMPTION STORY

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”                       John 1:29

In the beginning God created the heavens, the earth, and all living things. Then he created man. Things were created to display God’s power and glory. Man was created for fellowship and to be loved by God and for man to love God in return.

God knew from the beginning that giving man the option of disobeying him that he would break the relationship. So God created a redemption plan that would rescue his relationship with man. It was a plan to recover the relationship by paying a specified cost to save mankind from its state of sinfulness and its consequences.

He set the price of redemption at the very highest level. It was a plan to send his son to earth as the Son of Man, as well as being the Son of God, to die with a broken body and the shedding of his blood.  The shedding of blood was the price to be paid for redemption.

The first incident in the Scriptures where a blood sacrifice was shown to be necessary came when Cain and Abel offered sacrifices to God. Cain offered grain while Abel offered a blood sacrifice. Only Abel’s sacrifice was accepted.

The next incident in the Scriptures where a blood sacrifice was necessary was when God told Abraham to offer his only son Isaac. Just as Abraham was about to carry out God's instructions God spared Isaac by providing a lamb that was then substituted for the blood sacrifice of Isaac. This was prophetic because God would one day offer his only son.

Another incident that confirmed the necessity for the use of blood was when God instructed the Israelites to paint blood on their doorposts. By doing this they saved their firstborn child. This occurred when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to release the Israelites from slavery. God punished Pharaoh by sending 10 plagues. The last one was the killing of the first born in each family, if the family refused to paint blood on their doorposts.

Under the old covenant system each family would bring a lamb to the Temple to be offered on the altar as a blood sacrifice. The lamb had to be a male without blemish. This offering covered the family’s sin. It was representative of the final sacrifice which would be made by Jesus Christ, God’s Only and Perfect Son.

When Jesus completed his three-year ministry on earth he was crucified. A soldier pierced his side with a spear and the blood flowed. It was the final redemptive sacrifice to cover all of mankind’s sin, past present and future.

During the night when Christ was betrayed by Judas at the Passover supper, Jesus revealed to the disciples his impending death. He instructed them to remember him every time they ate bread and drink wine. The bread represented Christ’s broken body and the wine represented his shed blood. Every time we participate in Holy Communion we should think about God’s redemption plan and that he loved us enough to give His Only Son to redeem us from our sin. 

Being redeemed is a humbling but joyous event. It gives us peace by knowing that all our sins are covered and gone forever, if we accept Jesus as Savior. If you have not accepted God’s redemption plan, why not do it now.

 Every good story has a happy ending and the story of redemption is no exception…..and they all lived happily ever after.

 

LEADERSHIP INSIGHT... Means seeing clearly into the fundamental nature of reality

Leadership has been a “hot topic” for more than 50 years. There seems to be as many theories on the subject as there are authorities on it. I believe the confusion and lack of consensus is due to the confusion between the concepts of management and leadership.

Management is setting goals – outcomes, strategy – how things will be done, and tactics – what needs to be done. Management is accomplished through control, directing, communication, and teaching, assigning authority and responsibility and modeling. It is not time or circumstance driven. Management authority can be granted or assumed.

Leadership is having a vision and being able to cast it. It is not enough to just have a vision. You must be able to get your followers to understand what you want accomplished. They must adopt your vision as their own. History seems to show that leadership is earned and seems to be time and circumstance driven. Being the right person, at the right time and in the right place seems to be necessary for leaders to be successful. That is why it is imperative that you follow God’s leading. It is giving people freedom to act, not controlling them. It is letting things flow.

Management may be necessary for a time before leadership takes place. Jesus ministry followed this sequence pattern. He spent the first three years managing by teaching, directing and modeling. He sent his disciples out two by two with the authority to heal and cast out spirits but this was limited by their faith. When they were well trained they were ready for the transition to leadership. After His death and resurrection He appeared to them and gave them a vision that lasted them through great difficulties and for the rest of their lives. They were no longer directed as to what to do. They knew what to do. They were set free to minister as the Spirit led and were successful at their vision of spreading the gospel of salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus to the world.

There is a question as to whether you should lead and manage by being upfront or by managing from behind. Management requires an upfront positioning. You need to constantly make the decisions and give direction. Poor management is having a wrong strategy, giving poor direction or having a lack of focus, which causes confusion. Things just will not flow. This produces high turnover, marginal performance and low morale.

Leadership can be done upfront or from the back. Upfront leadership is like a General leading a cavalry charge with his drawn saber pointing toward the objective. It requires teaching and modeling. Leading from behind is least stressful but most risky. The leader must be sure he has instilled the vision and has cast it in such a way that people understand it and adopt it as their own. If they do not share the vision, you will be perceived as a weak leader. What matters is giving people freedom to carry out the vision once it is theirs.

Leading from behind is best understood by looking at the horses pulling a Wells Fargo stage coach. Once the horses have a vision for the grain and rich green pastures that await them at journey’s end, their passion for the rewards will take over. The leader’s job becomes encouraging and occasionally giving direction by a slight tug on the reins.       Every driver must know his team well. Some of the horses will be sprinters, who carry the load during the first part of the trip, and others will have endurance to carry the load towards the end of the journey. The driver’s task is to develop the team effort in such a way that each horse has the freedom to contribute to the total effort.

In the 1980s thousands of Laotian refugees came to the United States. They were ardent Buddhists. For three years I taught the Scriptures to about 100 of them without results. Then one of the Laotian leaders, whose wife had severe physical and emotional problems, was cared for by loving Christian women. The leader realized that these women loved his wife more than he did. It was a defining moment, and he gave his life to Christ. Then hundreds of Laotians came to know Christ as their Savior. Some went for theological training and became pastors, church leaders, and teachers. They founded a church and built a million-dollar worship center. Today they are devoted Christians committed to winning others to Christ’s. Once they had the vision and it was theirs things began to flow and little direction was needed.

Which is better? It depends where your strength is, in managing or in leading. Managing always works but the rewards of leadership are greater. Management and leadership can be implemented either in sequence or concurrently. If they are done by two different people, doing them concurrently requires coordination and cooperation.

Management is about control. Leadership is about giving people the freedom to realize the vision.

TIP OF THE MONTH - BALANCE

 When you volunteered to lead a small group you accepted the challenge of facilitating the spiritual transformation of the members of your group. This may be helping them to come to faith in Christ and/or leading them into spiritual maturity.

After your group has bonded and they are caring for each other they need to think about caring for others. There is a healthy balance between caring for the needs of those you have come to know and love and caring for the needs of strangers. Reaching out is caring about people we do not know it is an act of kindness that exhibits the love that God has placed in our hearts. It does not require recognition for you or the gratitude of those served. 

Reaching out to others with practical acts of service in the name of Jesus is way in which Wooddale Small Groups incorporate its value of “Compassionate Outreach”.  Service to God and others is encouraged throughout the Bible. Galatians 5:13-14 says, “… serve one another in love … love your neighbor as yourself.” Ephesians 6:7 says, “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does …”

If you want your group to bond, joining together in a fun, productive and meaningful project is one way to do it. Consider participating in LOVE IN DEED. Just show up at Wooddale

Church on Saturday morning August 3^rd at 8:30 AM dressed in work clothes. There you be given opportunity to do things for someone who needs help regardless of your skills or age. You will back to the church by noon. Plan on doing it did as team. It is a deed of love.

THE OLD SHADY OAK TREE

Looking back/ Looking forward

 

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prosper. Psalms 1:3 

On a grassy knoll at the northeast corner of the Wooddale campus is a majestic old oak tree that is 128 inches in circumference and probably 100 feet tall. Its growth adds to the beauty of our campus landscape and shade for sunny days. In the winter the bare leafless branches silhouetted against the gray snow-laden clouds prompt us to pause and think of the past before going on to another growing season. The tree was just a seedling when Wooddale church was founded in 1949 and has grown over the 64 years just as Wooddale church has grown. It has a lot of growing left since oaks have a life expectancy of over 200 years.

The tree has an extensive root system that anchors it upright through the stormy winds that blow 50 to 100 mph. Wooddale has its own rootedness. It is rooted in Scripture with rich tradition, core values and memories of good times. The root system of the tree does more than anchor the tree. It also absorbs water from the earth and transfers it up the trunk, defying gravity, using a unique process called osmosis. Wooddale has its own unique process. It is called “God’s grace.”

 Then there is the trunk, sturdy and strong like the people of Wooddale, people committed to volunteerism and outreach to the whole world. The sap runs up and down the tree to give it life, energy and nourishment just like faith in Christ does for the church.

The branches and leaves are the many programs and opportunities for service that Wooddale offers. It is where the work is done, just as the leaves serve the oak tree with the power of photosynthesis.

LOOKING BACK

As we pursue our mission at Wooddale in Eden Prairie, there will be moments when it will be good to draw nourishment from our roots and the rest of the shade of the old oak tree. Our rootedness will help us to reflect on our foundational values, strategies, and programming. But while it is good to rest, reflect, and remember, but we must no longer linger for the world will not wait, we must advance on our journey,

LOOKING FORWARD

We have all heard the national conversation regarding the future of evangelicalism and how difficult and challenging it will be. While challenge is not new to us the pace and depth of change in the future will be different, faster, and more difficult to predict. Given this, we will need to be nimble, prepared, and ready to adapt. We must examine meaningful ways, trends and our response.

To reflect on our internal and external future, and review the plans, the old oak tree with its deep roots will remind us that we must always remain connected with and draw strength from our historic purpose, values, and identity.

At present, by most standards – quantitatively and qualitatively – Wooddale is recognized as a great church. However Wooddale must not rest on its laurels. We have been an institution that has grown on faith and a vision. We must continue to pursue a vision that challenges us and stretches us. We must have the courage, resolve and the faith in our vision of the future that is worthy of our boldest aspiration – to be a national leader in Christian outreach.

Every time you see the old oak tree, pray that Wooddale will continue to carry out the work of the Kingdom of God.

THE BOOK THAT CHANGES THE WORLD

Why has the Bible been banned in so places? Why do people fear it? Why is the Bible the only book that over the years and until this day is criticized, ridiculed, discredited by atheists, agnostics and scoffers? They try to point out errors and inconsistencies. They try to discredit it by pulling things out context. I doubt that most of them have read the entire Bible, yet they set themselves up as authorities on the subject.  

Contrast that with those of us who not only think of the Bible as containing the Word of God but that it is the Word of God. We consider it Truth. Jesus said “The Truth will set you free”. We consider it absolutely dependable. We use it daily for inspiration and to gain endless insights into how to manage our lives. It is a book that guides us and changes our lives.

Why do doubters feel so strongly opposed to the Bible? Maybe it is because the Bible teaches that men are free and to be under the control of God  and only accountable to him. It is a question of who is in charge. Men and governments have an innate propensity to want to be in control. The Scriptures teach that men should only put themselves under earthly powers voluntarily. Bible believers believe that we should be accountable to society or the government or some other power but only with  their own consent.

Looking at history we can see how this book has changed the world.

In 1522 Martin Luther (1483 – 1546) opened the Scriptures to the common man by translating it into German, a readable language that the common man could understand. Once the people could interpret the Scriptures, the power of the abuses of The Catholic Church was broken and the people were set free to worship God as their conscience led them. They saw that the required attendance at Mass was works not grace, that Jesus was the mediator between God and man not the Priest, that grace did not require penance, and that the selling of indulgences was a money making scam. The Bible changed the course of human history.

William Tyndale (1494 – 1536) translated the Greek and Hebrew into English. The King of England, Henry VIII, was angry with him because he knew the Bible would undermine his authority. Tyndale was imprisoned, beaten, exiled, and finally burned-at- the-stake for his work. Anyone caught reading his version of the Bible was burned-at-the- stake, and many were. But once people were able to read the Bible  they understood freedom. How could one book be such a big issue? Because it could change the world.

Our founding fathers were greatly influenced with the thinking of The Enlightenment (1648 – 1789) and referred to it in the Declaration of Independence as “Nature” and “Nature’s God”. Scholars were convinced that all of God’s creation was rational so that it was possible for man to uncover laws which regulated society, politics, the economy, and even morality. The thought process of the Enlightenment was based on the Biblical account of creation where God made man in his own image. This meant that man could reason, imagine, and had a memory similar to God’s. It also meant that he could fill his mind with knowledge, understanding, and wisdom. If men had freedom, they had unlimited potential. They knew that human beings were all created equal as a right. If man had the freedom to pursue his own best interests everyone would benefit. This was based on Adam Smith’s “invisible hand” idea of which the founders were well aware.

The Enlightenment also implied that God was a God of new things. Creating things like the universe and planet earth and revealing new things like mans discoveries – the wheel, magnetism, AC and DC electricity, AM and FM radio waves, air flight, the atom and nuclear fusion, silicon for computer chips, genetics and DNA, sending a man to the moon, and using unmanned space craft to explore the universe to just name a few things.

They also knew that if we all start off  with equal opportunity that some would better use their freedom causing unequal results. When you give life and liberty to people the producing of wealth is natural. It also requires people with Biblical virtues to have a just society. Consequently, Congress authorized the printing of Bibles for distribution to the public schools.  These unequal results drive the culture. This has produced the wealthiest and most culturally rich nation the world has ever experienced.

A man working in Mexico can earn $2.00 a day for his work. If he were in the United States he could earn $50 to $100 a day. Why the difference? Because we have economic, political, personal, and cultural freedom that promotes productivity that makes human capital more important than financial capital.

When there is revolution the tyrants or religious leaders take over and people’s freedom is lost.  In the past and in the present wherever the Bible goes people gain economic, political and personal  freedom. It changes a culture that benefits the people by reducing poverty, building families, and creating a more just society. It is this book that changes the world.

 Following the end of World War II Korea was divided into two counties, North and South. In 1950 North Korea invaded the South and by the end of fighting in 1953 both countries were in ashes.

Today North Korea is ruled by a tyrant who took total control. All personal, economic, and religious freedom has been lost. Bible Believers and those who found hiding a Bible are arrested and sent to Concentration Camps. There are estimated to be 200,000 people in these camps where they are worked to death. Due to government control over agriculture the country cannot even produce enough food to feed the people and there is starvation. Lack of electricity makes the whole country dark at night. Where there are not any Bibles the people suffer.

South Korea, where there is religious and economic freedom is thriving. Its economy is ranked 12^th  in the world (North Korea is ranked 125th) and there are 13 million Bible Believers, 30% of the population. Where the Bible is allowed people flourish because it is this book that changes the world.     

 

HEAD KNOWLEDGE HEART KNOWLDGE

When a young child is introduced to math he first learns to count 1, 2, 3. It is just rote. Then he is shown pictures of one balloon, two pencils and three bears. But when the child sees one pencil he says two because pencil means two and when the child sees one bear he thinks three. Then a miracle of the mind takes place when he grasps that the objects are representative of quantity. Then he is able comprehend and apply his understanding and 1, 2 and 3 have meaning.    

So it is with spiritual understanding. Unless we have the miracle of the mind we cannot understand spiritual things. It is the Holy Spirit within us that allows the miracle to happen.

Lura and I were discussing spiritual things with a Chinese couple and used the parable of one house built on sand and one built on rock. Having been brought up in China where they were taught that there is no God, they had no understanding of spiritual things. They thought the parable was about how to build a house.  Then we explained that it was about how to live your life. Building our life on God, the rock, prepares us for the storms of life. It was a miracle moment when the Holy Spirit gave the wife understanding. He with his engineering mind was still stuck in the building problem. Spiritually speaking he was still at one-bear-means-three.

The eternal soul is created and implanted in the body by God as early as the zygote stage and departs sometime before the body’s life processes cease. To the physician, the soul is the “will to live” and to the psychologist, it is the Id or superego. To the theologian, the soul is our spirit, the essence of our being which we aptly call the “heart” (not the physical organ). The soul is the place where God created the capacity for beauty, virtue and His presence. It has a special place for God’s Spirit, if invited, or it can be left empty to be filled with self-centeredness or even Satan.

The mind is the avenue to the soul. It is when our mind interfaces with our soul, where the Holy Spirit resides, that we can think like God thinks and have His understanding, discernment and wisdom to reach good conclusions and decisions. It is the degree of mind management capacity, rather than DNA or environmental factors, which give us the option to choose God and freely choose to love Him back. The mind is the battlefield where body needs, self-esteem, evil, and spirits versus good clash. The mind needs to be well exercised in healthy patterns of godly thinking to engage in warfare; it needs to have well practiced routines to draw on the godly. With a high state of readiness and commanding mind management skills, we win the battle. When these flow naturally, abundant living flourishes.

One of the soul’s functions in prayer is to interface with the mind. Our soul is coached by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and nurtured by the abiding presence of Christ. While our soul is safely covered by the atoning blood of Christ and is fit and ready to go to heaven, the mind has its own will and is a “free fire zone”. It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that flows to our mind to produce the mind state that we know as love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self (mind) control. It is the indwelling presence of Christ that provides the mind with indomitable determination and energy to do all things for Christ’s kingdom. It is the enablement of the Holy Spirit that gives our mind faith to believe, turn the words of scripture into meaning, helps us recognize and use our Spiritual Gift(s), and distinguish sin, evil and evil spirits before there is evidence for a conclusion. It is the soul that provides the arms cache, which fully equips us for the battles of the mind. Be ready to put on a full set of armor before entering mind combat.

Another soul function is direct soul-to-Soul prayer which transcends words and mind thinking. It is prompted by our innate need for the presence and love of God. The soul has an ineffable prayer language of its own. Since the mind is so occupied with directing all the activities of a busy body in a dynamic environment, it only prays when directed. The soul can pray without ceasing.

Head knowledge and heart knowledge are both necessary to withstand the storms of life and have an abundant life.

 

WHAT IS BIBLICAL GOOD MENTAL HEALTH JOY PART 1

The book of Philippians is one of the best mental health manuals ever written. The book’s theme is joy or rejoicing.  These words are used 8 times in this short book. (Phil 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say again: Rejoice!”)

Joy is not to be confused with happiness. Happiness is an emotion driven by circumstances while joy is an inner quality that even endures hardship. Joy is the mental state where we know God is in control so there is no reason to be fearful. Our outlook on Life becomes more and more joyful as we mature in our relationship with God, when we see how he has changed our life, given us a kingdom mentality, and worked in the lives of those we know. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit – Love, joy peace… Jesus said “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

 Joy is more about trusting God than just being an optimistic person or being a happy camper. Our basic chemistry or DNA that determines our temperament is just a contributing factor. To be a Christian is to be a joyful person. If you are not, something is wrong.

Anxiety and its cousin Worry are the major obstacles to being a joyful person. Anxiety is being overly concerned about what is happening and worrying is being concerned about what might happen. They are both mental conditions brought on by fear of the unknown. They may be real or imagined. They affect us physically and may paralyze us mentally so we cannot carry on with life’s normal activities. From time to time we all suffer from them but that is normal and healthy. When they overwhelm us we need help.

Paul has the right prescription for this problem. It is prayer. (Phil 3:6) Prayer turns the situation over to God so we can have peace of mind.  It is a peace of mind that affects both our thinking and our emotions. It is a peace that transcends human understanding.  

How do we develop our minds to be joyful? We are to practice filling our minds with good thoughts: whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, and excellent. Thinking about lies, revenge, malice, wrongs done to others or others have done to you, impure or ugly things evolve into sin, evil and depression.   

 
Paul, the author of Philippians, says that he has sufficient courage to face the challenges of life or to even experience death (Phil 1:20). He does not dwell on the past but is forward thinker with a goal (Phil 3:14). He shares his secret about how to live a joyful productive life. Regardless of circumstances, whether good or bad, we can accomplish anything because God gives us the strength. What is impossible for us is easy for God. It stretches us.

WHAT IS BIBLICAL GOOD MENTAL HEALTH JOYFUL LIVING PART 2

You can be a joyful person if you are free from the guilt and shame of doing the wrong things. Doing wrong, whether it be one time or habitual, great or small, intentional or unintentional, is damaging to your body, mind and spirit. It takes the joy out of life. This is bondage, but forgiveness from these things sets you free for joyful living.

To understand how forgiveness works you need to understand GRACE. Grace is complete, unlimited and final forgiveness. It cannot be earned, bought or deserved. Grace is a gift from a loving God who makes it available to those who acknowledge that they are wrongdoers and accept that Jesus was the Son of God who died on the cross to complete forgiveness. It applies if you are a young child or on your death bed. It is grace that sets you free.

How do you deal with guilt if you do not have grace? You cope through the use of mental mechanisms like rationalization: I am not a bad person - or compensation – I do more good things than bad. To the human mind grace is counter intuitive. There is a human feeling that somehow I must pay for my wrongdoing. I may do it by repetitive prayer, reciting mantra or penitence – denying myself something or punishing myself. Some even punish themselves with a whip while others may go into a transience seeking nirvana. This is bondage not freedom.

Does grace allow me to do whatever I want because it will be covered by grace? Yes, but the key is, what do you want. After you become a believer and God is Lord of your life, Jesus has saved you from your wrongdoing and the Holy Spirit has entered your soul, your wants change. You want to please God, want to live a life of integrity, want to love people more than things, and want to care about the needs of other people. This is real freedom.

To us as Christians what happens when our wants or actions are not right?  The Scriptures instruct us to ask for forgiveness from God. But aren’t we already forgiven? Yes but asking reminds us  that God is faithful and can be depended on for complete forgiveness. It also causes us to reflect and resolve to do the right thing next time. This keeps us free.

People who want, or delight in doing the wrong things are sick or evil. They are self-centered, uncaring or maybe even psychopathic. We know from the news media that murderers frequently kill themselves because they cannot endure the guilt and shame of what they have done. This is bondage.

God’s grace is the bondage-breaker that sets you free and provides a truly joy filled life.

 

WHAT IS BIBLCAL GOOD MENTAL HEALTH BEING JOYFUL THROUGH ABUNDANT LIVING PART 3

Jesus said “I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly”. Abundant living is having a meaningful and purposeful life. It is not about building wealth that can bring happiness but cannot produce joy. Having a meaningful life means impacting other people’s lives. It is about building relationships. It is caring for people. Purpose means you have your priorities right and know what you want to accomplish with your life. This is abundant living.

We can start by having the right perspective on life. Are we just a speck in a vast universe measured in light-years and a mere instant in eons of time? Are we no more than a temporary state of consciousness, a stream of hormones, and a blip of energy having a future limited to no more than passing on our genes? Or are we, as the Bible says, the special creation of a personal God? Does what we do on this planet have meaning and significance which carries eternal consequences?

In order to live life well we need to have a perspective or an overview as a context for decision-making. It is how we keep life in focus. That is best captured as a worldview. This means we have to have a firm fix on the world as it really is and an understanding of how things work.

Before you can have a meaningful impact on others there are prerequisites. A meaningful life starts with you. Do you have a positive joyful attitude toward life and are you continuously growing intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. Do you enjoy new experiences or meeting new people? Are you a productive person whose life is in good order and do you have your priorities right? These are things you want to model as you influence people, care for their needs and share your Spiritual journey. You need to have your life in good order so you have the time and energy to invest in them.

If building relationships is the means for a meaningful life, how do we do it? Think of relationships as a target with a bull’s-eye in the center and a series of concentric circles. The bull’s-eye is where you have the closest relationships with the outer circle being people you do not even know, which is most of the people in the world. The other rings in between are various degrees of closeness.

The bull’s-eye is where you have the closeness of relationships or intimacy and the most influence. - God, spouse, children, grandparents, parents, and possibly some friends. The next ring is people that are close enough to you that you know what is going on in their lives. – close friends and relatives, and members of your small group. The next ring is people you know but not well enough to know what is going on in their lives. – Neighbors, co-workers, members of your church or just acquaintances. The final ring is people you do not know. – The 7 billion people in the world.

The challenge for a meaningful life of joy is to move people closer and closer, ring by ring over your life time. God’s direction and timing are critical. The closer people are to you the more impact  you can have on them and the more impact they can have on you. Learning from others can enrich your life and make it even more enjoyable.

 

HOW TO THINK STRATEGICALLY

One way to live your life is one day at a time. These are people who take things as they come, enjoying the good things in life and coping when things do not go right. They love routine. They are easy to get along with.

Another way to address life is with pragmatism. These are practical people who do things right, get things done, and get the maximum number of things done every day. They are driven and very efficient but at the end each day they have the feeling that they have not done enough. They may be hard to live with but are respected and sometimes admired.

A third way to address life is being a strategic thinker. These are people who know themselves, know what they want to accomplish, and what they want to do. They are not concerned with how much they can accomplish each day but with getting the right things done that move them toward accomplishing their goals. They are very effective. They are easy to live with but pragmatists are frequently frustrated with them because strategic thinkers pace themselves.      

Who is a strategic thinker? One who has a dream, an imagination, a vision of the future as well as strategic intent, a goal(s). This may be something new that has never been done before or just re-arranging things that already exist. It may be very simple like Walmart’s “Always low prices” or highly complex like Apple designing and marketing an iPad. The idea must be clear in your mind. You must be able to express and communicate it clearly. This takes place with brain-storming and creativity. The secret to this is not to evaluate an idea at this point in the process but to keep building on it. It may seem impossible or at least improbable but that is o.k.

American history has more strategic thinkers than you can name. Here are just a few:

First, the founding fathers – George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Ben Franklin – who conceived of a radical new form of government governed by the people. They expressed their idea in the founding documents. Their dream seemed impossible but they sacrificed and won.

Seventy five years later, Abraham Lincoln saw the issues clearly – preserve the Union and abolish slavery. He expressed his goals in a speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – “A government of the people, by the people and for the people”; “All men are created equal.”                                                                                                                          

Martin Luther King saw things differently. In his speech “I have a dream” he explained the need to end evil segregation. From the end of the Civil War it took another 100 years for Black people to fully enjoy the freedom of the American dream but King made it happen by his non-violent civil disobedience strategy.

Jack Kennedy inspired the county with his challenge for men to reach the moon within 10 years.

Ronald Reagan ended the Cold War without firing a shot by his Star Wars idea. He expressed it in Berlin, “Tear down this wall”.

Ophrey Winfrey became one of the wealthiest women in the world with her idea of a TV show and pyramiding it into a giant media network.  Each of these people had an idea, a dream or a goal and was able to cast the vision in such a way that people could understand it and own it.

Once you have your strategic intent in place you can move on to strategizing. This is determining how you want to accomplish your goal. It is done by thinking of as many ways as possible that you could accomplish it. It is trying out various scenarios. It is asking the “what if” questions. You may have some facts but there are so many variables. Who can know the future? There is nothing more uncertain than tomorrow. You will intuitively know which one should be your first try but it may require more than one try. If the strategy is not right the execution will not work no matter how hard you work. In the book and movie about the invasion of Europe during World War II “A Bridge Too Far” tells of faulty strategy where American soldiers tried to take control of the farthest sixth bridge without success despite heroic effort. You will know if you have the right strategy because implementation will flow.

The last step is implementation which is the Action Plan. It is a “to do” list. It is where reality begins. The list may need revision or additions as you move forward. Flexibility is required. It may be obvious where to begin or you may have to just start making things happen. The list is where the Pragmatist begins by skipping the hard work of thinking things through. Intuition is the mental process of the mind coming to a conclusion with very limited information. It works well and we all use it. The Pragmatist substitutes intuition for the hard work of strategic thinking because he thinks is unnecessary.

Being a strategic thinker is a way of life. It is doing life differently. It is doing life intentionally. It brings meaning and significance into your life. Being a strategic thinker is not for everyone. Your basic temperament or ingrained thinking patterns may block it out. But almost everyone can benefit from this approach to life. The exception is the Pragmatist whose mindset blinds him from understanding this concept because he is too preoccupied doing things. That is alright because the world can always use more doers.

 

 

 

 

  

TIP OF THE MONTH - SERVICE PROJECTS

During the past several months we have been sharing monthly tips for small group leaders to help encourage the CORE VALUES of small groups:

 Caring Community

 Spiritual Transformation

 Compassionate Outreach

 Service Projects

A part of Compassionate Outreach is reaching out to others with practical acts of service in the name of Jesus. Service to God and others is encouraged throughout the Bible. Galatians 5:13-14 says, “… serve one another in love … love your neighbor as yourself.” Ephesians 6:7 says, “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does …”

If you want your group to bond, joining together in a fun, productive and meaningful project is one way to do it. Consider one of the following two projects for your group:

PERSONAL ENERGY TRANSPORTATION (PET): is a three–wheeled, hand cranked, sturdily built wheel chair with hauling capacity; it will go where ordinary wheel chairs will not go, and it’s designed for the Third World where roads and trails are rough, and the need to haul things is great.

The production system is set up with a number of stations so the ministry can accommodate any number of volunteers. Contact: Jim Conn, Executive Director | WWW.petmntc.com | 651.261.2344

FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN: This organization sends millions of nutritional food packages to many of the less-developed counties. Each packet includes some rice, soy, food supplements and chicken flavoring. Volunteers use an assembly line to fill, weigh, and pack. The food is distributed to starving and impoverished people, often saving their lives, and gives them hope.

Groups of six to eight people are best. Many have already experienced the joy of working together and seeing how many packets can be assembled. Contact: 18732 Lake

Drive East | Chanhassen, MN 55317 | 952.937.2329

14 DAYS

I just returned home after spending two weeks in the hospital. What did I learn about myself? I learned a lot!

My significant medical history begins 10 years ago when I had blocked arteries and required a five-by-pass surgery. Since then I have had a problem with fluid buildup causing ankle swelling and in my chest cavity that caused shortness of breath when I exerted myself. Doctors tried to control the problem with medications.

After returning from Florida in mid-February I did not feel well. My doctor changed my medications and ordered an Echogram of my heart. The body fluid level was going up dramatically but that was deceiving because my weight did not increase. The results of the Echogram were not good – My heart before had been at an efficiency rate of 45 (50 is Normal) but was down to 25 and falling. My kidney function was dangerous high at 2.2; over 2.0 can cause irreversible damage. Next was an office visit to Dr.  Nickelbine, a Cardiologist, who did not even examine me but offered two alternatives – seeing other doctors or going to the hospital to find out what was going on in my body. I providentially chose the hospital. He arranged for the admittance for the next day and highly recommended Dr. Alovira, a cardiologist who specializes in fluid buildup. “She is very smart and skilled,” he said, and he was right.

 Lura made calls and sent out Emails to family, relatives, friends, our Small Group and the Small Group Administrative Team at Wooddale to pray for me. Brynn’s kindergarten class also prayed. I had at least 50 people praying for me, maybe 100.

At the hospital I had a team of doctors – Dr. Alovira a cardiologist, Dr’s Kern and Fadden Urologists, and Dr. Legris a kidney specialist. They worked very well as a team. Then there was an army of others: nurses, techs, physical, occupational, and respiratory therapists, a dietitian, and social worker. All were very professional and exceptionally caring.

After just a few hours of my arrival at the hospitable they found the cause of the problem. My bladder was full due to an enlarged prostate gland despite the fact that I could partially relieve myself. They began the draining process, 1600 cc. the first day, another 1,000 cc. the second. The total fluid removed from my body was 20 pounds or 2.4 gallons. My bladder was so full it backed up to the kidneys and pressed into my chest cavity. My heart was trying unsuccessfully to remove the fluid.

 Dr. Kern advised we should not rush into surgery but 2 days later he offered my alternatives: Either wait for medication to shrink the prostate or have surgery to hurry things along. I providentially chose surgery. Because I knew so many were praying for me, I was at peace with the decision. Just before surgery my blood pressure remained at my normal rate (124/64) indicating no stress. I told Dr. Kern because so many people were praying for me when he did the surgery his hands would be “the hands of God.”

Surgery consisted of removing 70% of my prostate gland and cauterizing the surgical wound. After that surgery began, the irrigation process that went on for three days. IV’s ran 24 hours per day with three liters of solution per hour. After three days the output still contained blood. When Dr. Fadden, one of my urologists, came into my room, I surprised him by telling him I was running out of patience. He had a puzzled look on his face but he really was considering my options.  When I asked him if he wanted time to consider my case, but he quickly listed the options. I providentially elected another surgery. It was the right decision because he found a blood clot of 500 cc, the size of a grapefruit. From that point on I was on the road to recovery.

What did I learn? I had put my life Bible verse to the test. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path.” Because I knew so many people were praying for me I had confidence and peace in all the decision-making. I believe that I will live as long as the Lord plans, no less or no more. Some may call it wise decision-making, others luck. I call it answered prayer.

 

GOING GOING GONE

Our country is in serious financial trouble. The unemployment is stubbornly high at about 7%, the labor participation rate continues to decline from 67% to 63%, wages and the net worth of the middle class are in decline, IRA’s are a fraction of what they were just a few years ago, the housing market is a disaster, there are 4.4 trillions of dollars of unfunded pension funds, annual deficits are one trillion dollars, the national debt is over 16 trillion dollars that is 100% to our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and government spending is 39% of GDP. 100 million people are on some welfare program:

·         46 million people are on Food Stamps
·         11 million on disability
·         72 million on Medicaid
·         5 million on employment compensation and millions more have given up looking for a job

 Despite all this the people decided to keep the same leadership in place. Why?

In the entire world whenever people have had a choice they have consistently chosen security over freedom, e.g. Iraq, Egypt, and Afghanistan being recent examples. Up to now the United States has been the exception but this has now changed. People are pragmatic and take their entitlements or privileged status (47% of filers do not pay any Federal Income Tax) rather than be concerned about the 16 trillion dollars of national debt that seems so remote.  

Yet anyone can see what has happened to Greece because of excess spending with debt to GDP now at 179% and government spending at 50% of GDP.  They are now in an economic tailspin with unemployment at 12%, banks failing, and austerity programs causing rioting. The standard of living is falling for everyone.

But why are our leaders leading us down the same path? The Left uses Keynesian economics that is based on the theory that government spending will stimulate the economy. The private sector is the only way to create wealth and government can only re-distribute it. While the Left knows that Keynesian economics does not work, they continue to use it because it keeps them in power through entitlements to the people and control of the private sector.

So do we have to go a terribly long painful time of misguided management and political near-paralysis before today’s problems are solved? Or will the electorate or the economy somehow get energized to bring about better results sooner? We know the American-psyche is impatient and they want things fixed now, so maybe there is hope.

The quest for economic and personal freedom is like a glacier, it moves slowly and is unstoppable. For long periods of time political power seems stronger than economic power but in the end economic power and freedom win, e.g. the fall of the Socialist Soviet Union after 40 years of control of the economy and the people. That isn’t to say that the political struggle can’t get ugly.

Political power is the power to decide what laws will be passed or not passed, what laws will be enforced or not enforced, and determining what people must, may or cannot do. Power requires bureaucracy, bureaucrats produce regulations, regulations create arrogance, and arrogance leads to tyranny. We are presently in the arrogance phase.     

Cuba was the pearl of the Caribbean in 1959 when Fidel Castro took command of the country. Today socialism has made it like a worthless sea-shell. 80% of the work force works for the government and government spending is at 78% of GDP. Castro took away all economic and personal freedom and drained the capital base and now there is nothing left - except for the leaders of course.

The United States now has a neo-socialistic system that allows private ownership but under government control. The government is now the dominate force in many key sectors of our economy: automotive and transportation, agriculture and food processing, construction and home building, banking, lumbering, fishing, insurance, financial institutions, energy, pharmaceutical, toys, education, utilities, and now health care.

Every time a law or regulation is passed it requires somebody to do or not to do something. Therefore, somebody’s freedom is more and more limited. Freedom is the opportunity for the individual to do the right thing and optimizes the economy.

Is America doomed to be like Cuba or will it be more like European socialism? Has the situation pushed us past the point of no return? NO, but under the current spending and rate of new regulations for the next few years the economy will be strong enough to continue to grow at an anemic pace:

·         2% to 3% GDP growth rather than the 4% to 5% needed

       ·         6% cryonic unemployment rather than the 4% to 5% that is normal
       ·         the labor participation rate will stay under 64%
       ·          Inflation will become the number one issue

Business and the stock market will continue to improve because business is flexible enough to change their business model to fit the changing situation e.g. energy industry implementing fracking and horizontal drilling, and to expand in the world markets. Corporations have $2 trillion in cash reserves.

 After that we will have skyrocketing inflation, forcing higher interest rates, devaluation of the dollar and our credit rating, and loss of our status as the world’s reserve currency. We will be worse off than Greece because there will not be any country that is big enough to save us. The higher interest cost will become the largest budget item and will put stupendous pressure on the budget, require austerity measures, and higher taxes on everyone.  Rioting seems like the only thing people can do to express their frustration. Will we give up hope and accept it? As long as we have a democracy we can change things and so we can be hopeful. But our freedom is GOING! GOING! GONE?      

 

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING

INHALE - HOLD IT –EXHALE. 

INHALE – HOLD IT – EXHALE.

You feel the doctor’s cold stethoscope moving across your back while the doctor listens to your breathing. Breathing is a normal involuntary function of the body. You can temporarily interrupt it, like swimming under water, but you need to breathe normally most of the time.

So it is with our prayer life. You can plan your day with a prayer time but soon you run out of time and you have to reassume the normal day’s activities. Your prayer time is planned praying. It is an essential part of your spiritual journey. It might be audible or mind talk. Jesus took time to pray in the garden of Gethsemane. He prayed all night until the guards came and interrupted him. Later on the cross he prayed extemporaneously and he prayed from his heart “God forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing”, “Father unto you I commit my soul”. He prayed without ceasing.

Praying is like breathing. You exhale and then you inhale.

Exhaling is:
Praising God for sending his Son to die on the cross for our sins.

Praising God for sending his Holy Spirit to comfort us.

Asking for God’s forgiveness for our sins.

Asking for God’s blessing for special people, events or activities.

Asking God to intervene in the normal events of life.

Inhaling is:

Feeling God’s presence and comfort.

Being confident that God hears and answers our requests

Seeing God at work in your life or others

Knowing that God is in control

Experiencing God Through the use of memories of things that you had long ago forgotten

Experiencing a new thought or thinking in a different way

How do we pray without ceasing? We do it by communicating with God extemporaneously during our daily life routine.

You may use things to trigger a prayer. You may pray for God’s direction when you get-up in the morning. You may pray for someone you pictured on your refrigerator door. You might pray for a safe trip every time you put the key into the ignition of your car. You pray for someone the second time they come into your mind. You may enter God’s presence numerous times during the day even if it is only for a few seconds. Soon the communication becomes a conversation.

Whether we are praying a given time or praying extemporaneously we still cannot pray without ceasing. Sometimes we cannot express the deep feelings we have. When we become a believer the Holy Spirit enters our soul. He prays for us. Romans 8:26-27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not need to know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

Prayer both planned and unplanned is the building block for intimacy with God the Father. Intimate enough to call your Heavenly Father Daddy!

TUG OF WAR

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do. Romans 7:15

“Let your conscience be your guide”. That is a famous line in Carlo Colloid’s book on Jiminy Cricket.

 We are all born with a God given conscience but over a life time our conscience is shaped by the culture. What standard do you use:

1)   You are free to do whatever you want. You are a self-centered, selfish, uncaring person. You could care less about what people think about you. You are a narcissistic person. You have a seared conscience.     (I Timothy 4:1 & 2)

2)    You use the law as your standard. You use the advice of an attorney to keep yourself from going over the line but you push it to the limit. You have little respect of others rights and assert your own.

3)   You use the standard of, everything is alright as long as it does not hurt anyone. You are considerate of other’s rights. You are a good person.

4)   Your standard is to do the right thing. Honesty and integrity are important to you. “The goal of this command is love, which  comes from a pure heart and good conscience and a sincere  faith”. (I Timothy 1:5)

But when you become a believer in Jesus as the Son of God, his Spirit indwells you. Then there is a tension, a tug-of-war, between your old nature and a Spirit directed life.  The Scriptures teach that our standard should be to

do the right thing but it takes a Spirit controlled life to apply this principle to everyday life.

Why did the Apostle Paul, a devoted and mature Christian, have such a struggle? Because doing the right thing requires  that we are proactive. Salt and light. The other standards of conscience allow you to be passive. It takes time, money and effort to love our family, neighbor, friend, and enemy, to tend to needs of people and to spread the gospel.

One of the questions of life is how much should we give away. The Bible gives us a 10% guideline but what about the other 90%? Abraham set the 10% standard because he loved God and God honored his gift. Jesus commended the widow who gave pennies and was a heart giver.  Some people give out of abundance others give sacrificially. Are we free to spend 90% any way we want? Shouldn’t we be able to enjoy the gifts God has given us?

There is a needy world out there. There is poverty, hunger, disease, and people who have not heard the Gospel message even once. There are people who need our help. Is doing the right thing giving more? That is for each Christian to decide because that is a matter between you and God. It is part of the tug-of-war.

When we lose the tug-of-war and fall short of the Biblical standard, we have a loving and forgiving Father to remove our guilt and sense of failure. Praise God!