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

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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.

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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.