KingSHIP 001

"KingSHIP"  001 
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Gloom and Doom - Doom and Gloom

They're really nothing new and other than the fact they make everything very uncomfortable, they're not out of God's sight or withdrawn from His concern and attention.  But Satan loves to scare the children of God and get their eyes off the Master and on to the Mess.  Well, let's not be tricked by that - OK?

As you begin your new 365 consider:

  Luke 12:22-31 ESV
And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. [23] For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. [24] Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! [25] And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? [26] If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? [27] Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. [28] But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! [29] And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. [30] For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. [31] Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

Consider verse 26 especially:  "If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?"

The key here for me is, "why are you anxious about the rest?"  My response to God is a resounding, "Becaue of three reasons:  First, I'm a weenie.  Second, I still think I can and need to make it all work.  Third, it's not that my faith is weak - it's more like I don't use it first but wait until I've tried all my ideas first."

Instead of anxiety (not the neurochemical kind ;-}) He calls us to: "Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you."

Remember the song, "Don't worry be happy"?  Well, he seems to be saying, "Don't worry get busy (specifically busy!)"

"Seek His Kingdom!"  Proposed:  There is no real difference between God's Kingdom and His Kingship - so we can legitimately use either term - Ok?

So, the alternative (and perhaps the remedy) for anxiousness is Kingdom/ship seeking.  Mmmmmm - that's a pretty big seekiing.

But let me suggest that you consider that it all begins with "ship" and you.  What I suggest is that we first seek to live out His King SHIIP over us - individualy and uniquely before we run off trying to do the King DOM thing.  

So, we begin a series on SHIP KingSHIP which, on the other end of the stick, is submission as vassals to the King.

I'll try to keep these brief - just hints and suggstions from scripture and my own turbulent seeking.

First step:
James 4:7 ESV
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Second step:
James 4:8 ESV
Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Just consider and pray about these imperatives and NEVER forget -----

2 Peter 1:3-4 ESV
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, [4] by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.

Examine yourself - Contentment 006

Examine yourself - Contentment 006

Godly counsel.

Oh boy - do we ever avoid that one -   OK, we'll share the good stuff about ourselves and the not so good stuff about others - but we keep the tough stuff about ourselves really close to our vests.

Not good!

Let me say right off that one must be very prayerful and discerning about who we seek counsel from.  This is two sided.

On the first side, we want counsel from someone in the faith.  Yeah, we may be seeing a secular counselor and that's not wrong - but we need someone who's reading from the same play-book we are.  Many of my clients are seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist and I work very closely with them.  But, compared to these other counselors, in Biblical issues, I'm the lead dog.

You need a Biblical counselor, mentor, discipler, or whatever, regardless of whether you are having "problems."  This person needs to be knowledgeable, mature, trustworthy and faithful.

On the second side of the issue is submission or humbling.  Now, you do not ever submit to any human without question, but a counselor, mentor, etc. is there to give you insight and direction (that's stuff to do).  You are going to have to be submissive enough to give it a try.

You are also going to have to be humbled (I don't like the word humiliated).  You've got to be straight with your counselor, mentor, etc.  If you aren't, then very, very little of what they can give you will be of any use.

It is humbling to expose the icky parts of our lives - but it's also icky having to put on that silly little robe-thingy at the doctor - but we do it.

If you went to the doctor and he asked what the problem was, you wouldn't tell him about the slow leak in your right front tire.  You wouldn't tell him to guess.  And, it wouldn't be wise to only tell part of it.  Yes, it's embarrassing - but that lasts for a moment - then comes the diagnosis and treatment - ahhhhhhhh.

We were not made to be solitary - and especially when it comes to our following the Lord - there are no healthy Lone-Rangers.

Ok - so it's not comfortable.  Well, how well have you been doing all on your own?

Think about this.  With all the "one anothers" we find in scripture may we not consider it a sin or at least a grievous error to not allow others to have ministry in our lives?  Are we to keep our needs away from those whom God has prepared to help us in them?  Seem very sad to me.

"Oh, but it would be humiliating," you say.  Yes, that may be true - but it is only so when we refuse to be humble enough to ask for help when we first recognize a need.  If one can not swim, it is always best to start yelling for help when one falls in the water - yelling for help while submerged doesn't do much good.

If it is pride that keeps you from seeking godly counsel - you are acting very very foolishly.  Pride walks proudly into the ditch!  Pride rasies one's nose so high their feet stumble.  Pride - kills.  Pride tells God we only need His provision sometimes.  Pride - kills.

One of my favorite old songs in "I Am a Rock" by Simon and Garfunkle.  Oh how I loved to sing that sad lamenting song.  But I learned soon enough that I wasn't a rock and to try to be one was just hubris.

The Kingdom of God is a "we," not a "me."  If you don't know that or don't like that then maybe your just not a kingdom person.  A desire or compulsion to hide our needs and our sins certainly speaks to a serious flaw in our faith and understanding.

Examine yourself -

Peter's Pen 1st Peter 1:1 (b)

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,   (1Pe 1:1)

“Exiles”

Παρεπίδημος;  parepidēmos

Thayer Definition:

1) one who comes from a foreign country into a city or land to reside there by the side of the natives

2) a stranger

3) sojourning in a strange place, a foreigner

4) in the NT metaphorically in reference to heaven as the native country, one who sojourns on earth

Now this is interesting.  The word “exiles” usually makes us think of a people who have been forced out of their home country into another.  I prefer the words stranger or sojourner.  It is absolutely possible that some of the folks to whom the letter was written were forced out of their home countries or provinces.  But Peter is telling us something very important here.

Let me start in a strange place.

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.   (Heb 11:13-16)

The writer here is telling us that even those who had faith in Christ (the Messiah) before He came considered themselves “strangers and exiles” on the earth.  For them, home wasn’t here.

Now before we get too weird let’s get a perspective.  There are two “kingdoms.”  There is the Kingdom of God and the Not Kingdom of God (some call it the Kingdom of Man).  By God’s grace we are:

fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,   (Eph 2:19)

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He has delivered us from the domain of darkness

and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.  (Col 1:13-14)

Citizenship always has its opportunities and obligations.  As citizens of the Kingdom of God our opportunities can be summed up in our being God’s workers, His lights, His representatives here and now.  Our obligations are summed up in our submission to God as our Sovereign.

For many of us, the idea of having a Sovereign or King is unusual and maybe uncomfortable.  We are used to participating in our governance, having a “say.”  So coming to grips with serving an absolute Monarch is outside our experience.  It’s a new thing and one in which we are going to struggle – but He knows that.

One of the verses that I use to help me keep my submission to Him in focus is the following:

Do not love the world

or the things in the world.

If anyone loves the world,

the love of the Father is not in him.   (1Jn 2:15)

This verse helps me remember that my affections, my commitment is not “to” this world but “to” Him.  Though I live here, my affections and my loyalty are first and foremost with Him.  This is not an easy thing and it is normal for us to have to work on it.  I use the following verses to help me in keeping my loyalty where it is best placed:

For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.   (1Jn 2:16-17)

Like those folks we read of in Hebrews, I work on looking to a better country, His Kingdom.  I don’t always do it well but with His grace and mercies and my brothers and sisters I keep plugging away.

I know many of you struggle with this, too.  James tells us that if we draw near to Him, He will draw near to us.  The Spirit, Prayer, the Word, Worship and Fellowship are His provisions for us in this.  The more we take advantage of these opportunities the more we will long for our entrance into that Kingdom not made with hands – His Kingdom.