Lessons From Africa

Lessons from Africa

1. First is the Three words which summarize what I learned in Africa: vision, passion and relationship
   
   
   1. Vision: Where do you plant the church? Where does the next missionary get sent to? What are the spiritual strongholds? How do we come against that? Is there a line in the sand? How does He want us to shape this?.......but along with these questions come answers. God gives insight into each and then actually expects the people to act upon what is revealed. They live into the dream which makes it no longer a dream, but instead to walk into the vision…a vision being a spiritual reality seen prior to it becoming a physical reality. Sometimes that vision is given as a warning to what may be pending, while at other times it is what God is waiting for us to actually step into. "I only do what I see my Father doing"
      
   2. Passion: is it ok to actually feel something? Should we cry when we are sad, or laugh when we are happy? Are smiles acceptable? I thought that our joy is only supposed to be in the most sober moments? Do you mean to say we can have permission to mourn and then get it out of us so it no longer rents space in our being? It's ok to get angry? Living a passionate life is living. It is reflected in responses to sermons, folks getting convicted, others agreeing, others disagreeing. Admissions to fears (though an admission to fear is never accepted as an excuse to not live into the vision). Tears that flow showing the emotion that goes along with the intellectual relationship. Not a denying of feelings, but instead a subjecting of the same feelings to the authority of Jesus. No feeling or emotion is allowed any more prevalence in a life then the Lordship of the Lord. All things in subjection to Christ. Our Lord was upset over the money changers in the temple, interceded when a woman was about to be executed, cried at the news of the death of a friend, even though he had the power to bring that friend back from death, celebrated at a wedding feast, used sarcasm and other means of verbal communication, etc. As the Word says, don't let the sun go down on your anger and don't give the devil a foothold (Eph 4).
      
   3. Relationship: "These are my brothers, and my sisters and my mother, they who do the work of my Father"…… "Relationships cost" but we have to be willing to pay the price. It will mean being hurt, being betrayed, broken trust, anxious moments, having to learn to love someone "warts and all". It will also mean not having room in life to spend time in judgment of others. Judging is the Lord's job. The job of the family is; support, comfort, education and correction. It means sacrifices: time in order to allow someone the space into a busy schedule, self since others will have to be considered, individuality to the degree necessary to be willing to meet with someone on their terms and yours and ours and most especially His.
      
      

      
      

   
   

2. Next is actually Living one day at a time: you never know for certain where your next meal might come from or how much it might be or if you will even get there. "If God wills" becomes the mantra, not because it sounds so quaint and makes a person appear holy, but because it is true dependence upon God who Provides. Without his provision, you receive nothing which moves a person into giving thanks in all things. "If God wills" is a fact and that fact draws you in closer and closer and results in more and more intimacy with Him, becoming evident in that each moment lived and provided for is a moment to worship him who provided it. And if tomorrow doesn't come? We have no regrets because we let the Lord have each day to its fullest by remaining dependent upon Him.
   
   

   
   

   
   

3. Living each day as if today is the day the Lord may return: cause to do so would be less then worthy of following instructions left behind. Life becomes precious as it gets closer to the time of judgment for each person. This in turn breeds desperation, desperation breeding boldness to act and speak now rather than sitting and waiting for an opening. You create the opening by seeking it actively from the beginning of meeting to before you have to leave praying that you don't miss the moment. You were blessed in that someone didn't let that moment pass you by. Bless someone in return.
   
   

   
   

4. Balance of evangelical, catholic (Anglo-catholic), charismatic: something for everyone working in harmony with each other without one becoming the dominant form. It mostly being accomplished through the singular focus being on worshipping God.
   
   

   
   

   
   

5. Not flipping the fleece too many times: don't keep asking for confirmation on what you haven't been denied yet. Act when called to act and leave no room in the faith for asking God if he is sure. If God has ordained it, He has blessed it. In blessing it He has provided for it and sits pushing you at the starting line to move out into it (catching the vision) while He sits at the finish line with His arms spread wide encouraging you to move closer and waiting to wrap you up and tell you "well done good and faithful servant".
   
   

   
   This is an outline of what I learned. More details will follow here and there as the Lord provides.

Palm Sunday Meditation

I am compelled by an overwhelming sense of Majesty regarding the events of Palm Sunday (as it is called).

As it is introduced, it is valued by a human standard with human/worldly expectation. Over the next week, all of that will be shattered. It will be replaced by brutal disappointment, fear, sorrow, and so many other emotions that can't even be named.

....and then....

my King comes to break bread with me having done what I could not of my own ever do: paying for all my debts/sins wihtout me ever having to pay even a portion of it. In so doing this:

He Re-Orders forever what Majesty means....expressed through servanthood, sacrifice and humility......

.......I am so overwhelmed by this.

honor or: what the rest of the sermon was

It begins with John 12:1-8. Mary takes a years worth of Salary and pours out it, in the form of very expensive perfume (scented oil) on the feet of Jesus. She then takes her hair and wipes those same feet. In doing so, the room gets filled with the smell of Spikenard, a fragrance not unlike pure baby powder. It is soft, supple, soothing as smells go. And, during the time of Jesus' first walk of the earth, it was worth 300 days wages (which translates to a year's salary for an average worker, or $30,000.00). Crazy, isn't it? Taking a year's worth of pay and putting it on some one's feet!! and keep in mind that those feet were in sandals walking around streets with open sewers, camel's droppings and other animals droppings all around, and other muck and scum to be stepping in and then, even with feet covered in this, she uses her hair to cleanse them.......



Go figure. How does this work? What is it she is doing?



Well, my initial question to congregation: What are you willing to sacrifice? In order to show honor to what lengths would you go? Do you know what honor means? Have you been taught it or shown it? Was it part of your culture growing up?



Honor requires recognizing and then giving respect to a person beyond simply making them an equal and being "courteous". Mary's example is one of submission to Jesus as her personal Lord and Savior. How else could she have been motivated enough to lower herself to the point of rubbing her hair on the filthiest portion of a human being during that time period and in that locale? She recognized his authority, had witnessed his power, and had witnessed his love. All this combines to compel her to show him the highest honor she could: a $30,000 foot cleansing.

It could not have happened if Mary were not raised understanding what it is to honor someone. We honor our Vets, but this is something that was turned off for a time. Remember (or at least had heard stories of) the soldiers returning from Viet Nam? They were mocked, abused, ignored for the sake of political protest. Men and women who had simply done what they were told to. Men and women who were told that to not do what they were told to could be punishable with prison or even their lives. So they followed orders, as they had done in years past, yet in doing so, the American public dishonored them. A tragedy that was attempted to be remedied years later.

Do you offer your guests the best seats? Do you offer them the last cookie? When you do, are you sincere? To honor someone is to bless them. You bless them because you have given of yourself. This is what God refers to in the 5th commandment. Honor your father and mother. With that honoring came a promised blessing. Now, honoring does not mean having to put up with or accept abuse. The Lord would never ask you to do so. Yet, you can still honor your father and mother based upon who your father and mother might be, or looking at spiritual parents, etc.

So, back to God. What of yourself are you willing to sacrifice in order to honor God? Is it 60 minutes a week? Maybe a few more? Do you tithe your income? Or, do you "give what I can?" How much honor is God due? After all, He only created the universe, spoke life into us, gave his son to us so that we could be reconciled to him, suffered for our fallen nature, empowers and equips us to move beyond this fallen state back into relationship with him........what's the big deal?

For another time, discussing Honoring the Anointing. The best example of this, beyond Mary and the other young woman who cleansed Jesus' feet, is David with Saul. Saul had been stripped of the spiritual mantle that allowed him to lead Israel. David had been anointed as king in his place. Yet, even with Saul trying to kill him, David would not raise a hand against Saul. This includes when Saul had come into the cave in which David was hiding. David was able to cut a piece of Saul's cloak away, yet never harmed a hair of Saul. Do you respect and honor the anointing of others in the same way? Even when you know you are right, do you refrain from putting them down, embarrassing them or trying to take things away from them?

Honor is part of the culture of the kingdom of God. It is an honor to serve God, we show this honor back to Him by the way we treat others, treat ourselves, worship, praise, pray, study, listen, give, and more. Honor God. Honor His Holy Things. Honor the anointing. Live into His glory.

Passion

Here goes nothing, so to speak.



I had originally thought I was led to do this; write, share, post what was on my heart. I had then thought this might have been a mistake, but I have not been able to escape such thoughts over the past couple of days.



Several things have been firm on my heart. One of those is relationships; what does relationship mean, where does it come from, in God's eyes how should we apply this, what does it mean for a believer, etc, etc.



Another, which was brought to mind yesterday, was P A S S I O N.



What does this mean? We are coming up on what we celebrate now as Passion Sunday. This is a time when we re-read the accounts of what took place in the week leading up to the crucifixion. The announcement of the readings is The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to (insert this years Gospel ). Yet, how many of us really know what this word means? How many of us are willing to apply it, adjust our thinking, accommodate and modify our lives so that we line up according to it?



Webster's has two definitions that I like without using biblical reference: intense, driving or overmastering feeling or conviction and ardent affection. Some place along the lines it does throw in sexual desire, but only as a last resort in the definitions. How many will go crazy yelling at the television because a ref made or didn't make a call? How many will push others out of their way in order to get home to watch another episode of some "reality" show....gee wonder if she is sincere about wanting to marry this guy or is there some motive (like becoming instantly marketable on television) that might be pushing her? Willing to get up at 4a to get out to the favorite fishing hole before sun-up? How about those 3a risers to get into the woods before the deer start moving?



These are passions that folks have. And there is nothing wrong with it. I have a passion for history. Spent many a day and night re-enacting the American Revolution. I love fishing and yes, I do yell at the TV when a Ranger gets called for hooking and they let the Flyer get away with an elbow to the head. Yet, I have those passions in my life only after some very long nights (and sometimes days) in meditation/submission to my Lord. Why? Glad you asked.



Paul wrote to the church, explaining that God had laid it out to him to put all of his person into subjection of Jesus as Lord. It is from this perspective that I write. You see, I am concerned that all too often, we are willing to go to church, even serve in some kind of ministry, but fail to actually subject our 'self' to God. if there is even a portion of you that you have held back from Him, you are missing out on a wonderful journey.



Denying having passions will only lead to trouble. Suppress it long enough and whatever passion you may feel will find an outlet, and that will typically be something at least unhealthy if not down right dangerous. Ignoring or pretending we don't have passion is like a fish pretending it is a bird. It just don't work but for a minute and the end is not pretty.



We are passion. We are created and designed with free will. That will is often driven by our passions. Our passions don't have to be things to be afraid of or ashamed of provided we first put them in subjection to Jesus Christ as Lord. When one takes their passions and hands them up to God and asks Him to shape them, He will. He will use whatever level of passion you offer up to bring glory to the kingdom, to shape ministry, to change atmospheres and to alter the world around you.



1. Surrender your will to God

2. Surrender your heart to God, knitting your heart to His heart

3. Surrender your passions to God



He then returns the passion back to you, except now it operates out of the redemption. ??? here's how: His spirit flows in you and through you, when you subject your passions to Him and allow him to shape them, your passions come back to you based upon His passions (zeal for His house has eaten me up--book of Psalms). You are now able to act on those passions, but have them measured and weighed by what He would have. Which means, ideally, that Kingdom matters come first. Is it OK for me to be passionate about golf as a believer? Absolutely....when I am subjecting that passion to Jesus. What does that look like? Well, it would look like not sacrificing time with God and His family for a quick round. Or having a wonderfully flowing amount of explicative flying because of ending up in the rough for the .......... time. It might look like, "hey, any youth want to try going to the driving range? I'll spend time teaching you how to swing the clubs." Or "Men's (Women's) group is having a golf outing day next month. Singles and teams welcome to sign up. Tee time is 9a on Saturday, we will be playing 18 holes."



When speaking about passion (the same when I speak on intimacy), please understand that I am not referencing sex. Sexual passion is a factor, but again, put it into subjection of God. Passion does not equal sex. (Nor does intimacy......heard a friend the other day speak about doing premarital counseling. It is astounding the number of times when couples are asked if they are intimate, they automatically jump to thinking the question refers to sex. When my friend says, No, I'm asking if you pray together, then they get embarrassed and say, 'that's too personal'....go figure.)



Now, here's the question of questions for believers: What if you allowed God to stir in you a passion for seeking His face, His glory, His kingdom, and expressing His love to the world? Could you please, just for a moment, imagine what the world around you would become like if you allowed Him to take what passions you have, especially those that you are bottled up inside right now, reshape them and release them back to you in such a way that you could find true passion for Him and His son? Please imagine that. Imagine what it would be like for you in church this coming Sunday? Imagine cheering on a pastor like you would cheer on an odd man rush in hockey or talking about a sermon you heard like you would that trip up into the Adirondacks hunting last fall or stopping your car in a parking lot and getting out to help an elderly gentleman with his groceries like you would stop a car along the highway to look at a vista.......

Looking for biblical references? How about the Book of Psalms, the whole thing...loaded with passions; from love to awe to fear to anger to disappointment back to love and awe. Or, we could take a journey through the Song of Songs. David dancing before the Ark of the Covenant when it was brought to Jerusalem and going so far as to tell his wife that he hasn't begun to dance as much as he could yet for the Lord. Moses before the burning bush----yes, dropping down to your face before the Lord is an act of passion (fear at the same time, but passion as well). Jesus---whole life, take a look. Phillip, Stephen, Paul, John, etc., etc, etc. Next time you read a passage of scripture, ask for Holy Spirit to guide you and reveal the passion in it.

So, brothers and sisters, put all things in subjection under Christ.....and...allow His passion to flow through you like a river of Living water.