Friday, August 20, 2010
A life long romance...
I've been a Christian for as long as I can remember. And what continues to amaze me is that I still feel touched but God on a regular basis. I'll been a in this relationship for over 25 years and God is always leading me into something new. God is always excited to push me into the new. He is still so excited about spending time with me. He is so quick to forgive even though I been messing up in the same areas for over a life time. He doesn't take me for granted, nor does he expect anything from me. After 25 years he is still so excited to sit quietly with me, to hear about my problems, and not to expect anything in return.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
How blessing flows down...
I have the privilege of working on one of the best floors, in probably one of the best medical hospitals in the Midwest. Carle Hospital is in the top 6% of hospitals for nursing. The floor that I work on is one of the highest scoring in the Hospital. Are test scores are very high out scoring most other units, floor moral is high/ as well as communication between staff. Our floor audits scores are high. Everything is generally going very well their, or the outcomes of issue are often well. At my work I am sometimes "floated" to other floors and departments. And other then the tension of be on a new floor and not knowing where to find anything, there appears to just be a different "spirit" about the place. It seems that things are not as organized, the attitude of the nurses between each other seems less communal. There is a higher level of tension in the air.
Now normally I would write this off to a having a great Unit Manager, and we do. Our Unit Manager has been a nurse for over 30 years now. But God has really began to show me something different. My Unit Manager is also I would describe as a God fearing Christian. I believe she is a member of a Lutheran Church. She goes out on missions trips when she is away from her wing. She is very genuine about her faith and I have had numerous conversations about faith/God/missions/ doing ministry.
Now, I'm not stating that she is an example of a "Model" Christian, or the floor runs well because she is of high character, thus doing a "Christian" job. I do believe this has an effect of things though. During a meeting with her I got a word for her, and I understood something in a new light. I understand that because of my Managers Righteousness, God's blessing is able to move through the unit, thus effecting everyone/thing to the good, which is why the floor is as blessed as it is.
I think that the clearest biblical example of this is found in the Kings of Israel. When we look at the ones that are the good kings. David, Solomon (pre-fall) and Hezekiah, they where righteous and walked in the ways of the LORD. What I believe "walking" in the way of the LORD is that they feared the Lord and followed his commandments. They observe the foundational laws that he has passed down to us. And what that does is opens space for God to flow blessings through the kingdom. When Solomon was at his high point Israel was at its highest point. He excelled all kings of the earth, the whole earth sought his presents, the people under him where blessed, the nation was wealth. I received tribute from other nations even. Now these where great Kings, that made very good choices, and had there bases covered, but ultimately very little of what happens in a kingdom is in the kings control. Other nations attack, there are famines, droughts, public unrest, plagues, issues over resources, all of which have very little to do with a king making good choices. We all have come to places where we have made good choices but the majority of our situation is out of our control. When the kings of Israel disobeyed these sorts of things would happen and have negative results. Israel would go to war and lose, the drought would have no provision. Poor righteousness equals poor results.
So what is the application of all this? Very simple, most of us have in charge of something, we manage, teach, direct, we are parents, leaders, workers, home owners, business owners, property owners, investors, etc... All of us have some degree of authority over something, thus having effect on it. Now that we are in authority of that thing, what ever it is, there are often factors that our completely out of our control that have effect on what we are in charge of. I believe that our righteousness has direct effect on those factors, but way of since we have followed God, there by agreeing with God, he as room to bless what we are in charge of. We have a part to play in what we are in charge of, but we are greatly over shallowed by the blessing that God adds to these things. God wants to bless us, he really does! He from the beginning at Genesis he blessed us, gave us is law which is to work as a multiplier of blessings to our lives. The covenant that he made through history are be underlined with blessings. We just have to chose him to allow him to do that, as it is with most things, it really isn't about us. We are not in control
Now normally I would write this off to a having a great Unit Manager, and we do. Our Unit Manager has been a nurse for over 30 years now. But God has really began to show me something different. My Unit Manager is also I would describe as a God fearing Christian. I believe she is a member of a Lutheran Church. She goes out on missions trips when she is away from her wing. She is very genuine about her faith and I have had numerous conversations about faith/God/missions/ doing ministry.
Now, I'm not stating that she is an example of a "Model" Christian, or the floor runs well because she is of high character, thus doing a "Christian" job. I do believe this has an effect of things though. During a meeting with her I got a word for her, and I understood something in a new light. I understand that because of my Managers Righteousness, God's blessing is able to move through the unit, thus effecting everyone/thing to the good, which is why the floor is as blessed as it is.
I think that the clearest biblical example of this is found in the Kings of Israel. When we look at the ones that are the good kings. David, Solomon (pre-fall) and Hezekiah, they where righteous and walked in the ways of the LORD. What I believe "walking" in the way of the LORD is that they feared the Lord and followed his commandments. They observe the foundational laws that he has passed down to us. And what that does is opens space for God to flow blessings through the kingdom. When Solomon was at his high point Israel was at its highest point. He excelled all kings of the earth, the whole earth sought his presents, the people under him where blessed, the nation was wealth. I received tribute from other nations even. Now these where great Kings, that made very good choices, and had there bases covered, but ultimately very little of what happens in a kingdom is in the kings control. Other nations attack, there are famines, droughts, public unrest, plagues, issues over resources, all of which have very little to do with a king making good choices. We all have come to places where we have made good choices but the majority of our situation is out of our control. When the kings of Israel disobeyed these sorts of things would happen and have negative results. Israel would go to war and lose, the drought would have no provision. Poor righteousness equals poor results.
So what is the application of all this? Very simple, most of us have in charge of something, we manage, teach, direct, we are parents, leaders, workers, home owners, business owners, property owners, investors, etc... All of us have some degree of authority over something, thus having effect on it. Now that we are in authority of that thing, what ever it is, there are often factors that our completely out of our control that have effect on what we are in charge of. I believe that our righteousness has direct effect on those factors, but way of since we have followed God, there by agreeing with God, he as room to bless what we are in charge of. We have a part to play in what we are in charge of, but we are greatly over shallowed by the blessing that God adds to these things. God wants to bless us, he really does! He from the beginning at Genesis he blessed us, gave us is law which is to work as a multiplier of blessings to our lives. The covenant that he made through history are be underlined with blessings. We just have to chose him to allow him to do that, as it is with most things, it really isn't about us. We are not in control
Thursday, August 5, 2010
I think that there are two believes that the enemy is aways trying to mess up in our lives:
1.)God isn't who he says that he is
2.)We are not who God says we are
And we can trace this back these lies even back to the Garden of Eden. In the fall, the serpent lies to Eve, after he criticizingly asks Eve whether God said that she could not eat of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, (Gensis 3:1). He then lies to her by saying:
“You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it (fruit of the tree) your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Gensis 3: 4-5 ESV
The serpent lies by what God said would happen will not. That would be the lie about God, making him something he said he isn't. Then the lie about us is that we, will be like God, hence having a greater status. I think it is noteworthy that the serpent lied to Eve trying to create the things that go him kicked out of heaven the first place. Satin fell because of his rebellion, and he rebelled because of pride. He thought that wanted to be like God, thus rebelling and getting booted out.
I think that understanding God for who he is, there half the battle of the Christian walk. We need to constantly be asking God to reveal to us his nature. We know in our minds that God is things like; good, kind, all loving, slow to anger, just, righteous, and full of grace and mercy, but head knowledge isn't really what our relationship needs to be about. Rather, the qualities of God need to be taken to heart, from the knowledge of the mind, to the God given understanding of the heart.
But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand. Job 32: 8 ESV
I love that verse! To understand things, and especially things of God's nature we need him to “breath” understanding into us. So how do we do this, we ask for it! As of lately I realized that I didn't see God as the kind and loving God that he says he is. So I asked for it through prayer. It was as simple as saying a prayer like: “God I do not see you as the kind and loving God that you say that you are, so please reveal yourself to me.” I remember later that day, I felt God's presence just fall upon me as I was shopping that day. And I felt just an incredible sense of kindness around me. So much so that it was hard to understand people around me, or take anything seriously. I felt so loved, in a world around me that felt very much the opposite. God is a being of the here and the now, and we can encounter note just at church, or at times of prayer and bible reading, but in the everyday stuff that is life. God shows up to us, and sometimes transforms us from the inside out, and though the world around may be dark, it seems that well walk in the light. No one was really exceptionally kind to me first, really God Spirit touched and interacted with mine.
So the process of relationship with God I think is so much easier that many think, ask him to reveal himself to you and wait faithfully. And when he does we see that our lives are changed from the inside out. It is so much easier to love others when you are full of the love of God. I think we often think that Christianity is a battle. Which it is, but a battle against evil, not a battle to be “good.”God is so faithful to give, but first we must ask. God isn't rude. And if you don't want the good and perfect things he gives he will totally respect that and not give them.
“And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Luke 11: 9-11 ESV
1.)God isn't who he says that he is
2.)We are not who God says we are
And we can trace this back these lies even back to the Garden of Eden. In the fall, the serpent lies to Eve, after he criticizingly asks Eve whether God said that she could not eat of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, (Gensis 3:1). He then lies to her by saying:
“You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it (fruit of the tree) your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Gensis 3: 4-5 ESV
The serpent lies by what God said would happen will not. That would be the lie about God, making him something he said he isn't. Then the lie about us is that we, will be like God, hence having a greater status. I think it is noteworthy that the serpent lied to Eve trying to create the things that go him kicked out of heaven the first place. Satin fell because of his rebellion, and he rebelled because of pride. He thought that wanted to be like God, thus rebelling and getting booted out.
I think that understanding God for who he is, there half the battle of the Christian walk. We need to constantly be asking God to reveal to us his nature. We know in our minds that God is things like; good, kind, all loving, slow to anger, just, righteous, and full of grace and mercy, but head knowledge isn't really what our relationship needs to be about. Rather, the qualities of God need to be taken to heart, from the knowledge of the mind, to the God given understanding of the heart.
But it is the spirit in man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand. Job 32: 8 ESV
I love that verse! To understand things, and especially things of God's nature we need him to “breath” understanding into us. So how do we do this, we ask for it! As of lately I realized that I didn't see God as the kind and loving God that he says he is. So I asked for it through prayer. It was as simple as saying a prayer like: “God I do not see you as the kind and loving God that you say that you are, so please reveal yourself to me.” I remember later that day, I felt God's presence just fall upon me as I was shopping that day. And I felt just an incredible sense of kindness around me. So much so that it was hard to understand people around me, or take anything seriously. I felt so loved, in a world around me that felt very much the opposite. God is a being of the here and the now, and we can encounter note just at church, or at times of prayer and bible reading, but in the everyday stuff that is life. God shows up to us, and sometimes transforms us from the inside out, and though the world around may be dark, it seems that well walk in the light. No one was really exceptionally kind to me first, really God Spirit touched and interacted with mine.
So the process of relationship with God I think is so much easier that many think, ask him to reveal himself to you and wait faithfully. And when he does we see that our lives are changed from the inside out. It is so much easier to love others when you are full of the love of God. I think we often think that Christianity is a battle. Which it is, but a battle against evil, not a battle to be “good.”God is so faithful to give, but first we must ask. God isn't rude. And if you don't want the good and perfect things he gives he will totally respect that and not give them.
“And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.” Luke 11: 9-11 ESV
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