Yesterday I watched a documentary about the 6 day war in 1967. In this war, Israel fought hard for, and captured the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) from Jordan, and the Golan Heights from Syria. This was a significant time for a nation seeking to recover sacred ground.
The most intriguing part of ths war was how, at the outset, Israel gained the upper hand.
For years the Israelies had been violating eyptian airspaces, testing for gaps in the radar defenses. Then in one concerted attack, they ruthlessesly exploited all the gaps.
In the few days before the 6 day war, Israel launched a pre-emptive attack on eyptian airforce. The Egyptian airforce were lined up like sitting ducks. The attack was devastating. In 3 hours, 300 planes were destroyed on the ground.
It is arguable that the war wasn't lost by the Egyptians during the 6 days of battle, but rather prior to the battle when they let the Isralies repeatedly violate their airspace to find the gaps in their defence.
It is the same with us.
There is a war going on - and it's a fight for your soul. God wants all of your soul. The devil wants God to have none if it. God wants you to have a life of contentment, abundance and fulfilment. The devil wants to "steal, and to kill, and to destroy" your health, your happiness, your marriage and your children's future. (John 10:10)
1 Peter 5:8 the Bible says, "Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour." Like the Israelite army, Satan tests your defences - he looks for your areas of weakness and vulnerability - he looks for the places where he can violate your space.
Where are your vulnerabilites?
Let's really dig into the detail. You may not be, generally speaking, vulnerable in a particular area. However, if the circumstances change, your vulnerability is exposed. For example, you may not be vulnerable in the area of infidelity. However, change the circumstances such that you start believing lies about your own lack of self-worth, your relationship at home is strained, you feel lonely, you're tired and worn out from over work - and then the devil invades your airspace with temptation. How are you defences then?
Perhaps the temptation was nothing more than an innocent flirt and there was no harm done. But your space has been violated and a gap in your defence has been exposed.
Do a stock-take on when, in the past, you were willing to compromise your usual standards
Do a review of the times you knew you dabbled where you shouldn't have - even if there was no harm done at the time.
The devil is testing your defences. Where are you vulnerable?
Satan is gathering intelligence on where you are open for invasion and then, at a time you least expect it, he launches a concerted attack, ruthlessesly exploiting all the gaps.
The bible tells us to to discipline ourselves and stay alert because the war may not be won or lost when the battle hits. The war may be lost much earlier when we were being sized up and we did nothing.
Ephesians 6:11-13 says "11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 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 the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. "
Friday, May 22, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Busy like me
Like most people I chat to these days, when we say "how are you" it's not uncommon to hear "we've been busy" or "I've got so much on at the moment".
Philip Mutzelberg of Heritage Church in Ipswich once said, "we wear busyness on our sleeve like a badge - because often it makes us feel important". How true it is.
Everytime I hear myself saying how busy I am, Philip's words ring in my ears. Do I think this makes me sound important?
This morning I read Proverbs 21:2 "We justify our actions by appearances; God examines our motives" (MSG)
The bottom line is this - are we busy doing stuff, or are we busy fulfilling God's plans and purposes for our life?
Why are we doing what we do?
This self-examination is an extension of the 'shallow soil'.
Lately, I have been so challenged with letting God really grab a hold of my spirit, not just me doing the right things like a religion. I am so challenged at the moment by the impact I see people make when they're God-powered rather than agenda-fulfilling.
I'm singing songs like, "Consuming fire, fan into flame passion for your name" (Tim Hughes) and
"Open our eyes, To see the things that make Your heart cry, To be the church that You would desire, Your light to be seen." (With everything - Hillsong This is Our God) and
"Take my moments and my days, Let each breath that I take, Be ever only for You oh God. My whole life is Yours, I give it all Surrendered to Your Name And forever I will pray Have Your way" (Arms Open Wide - Hillsong United 2009)
It's not about what I do. It's about why I do it. Am I busy because I'm burned up inside by God, or am I busy padding out my schedule to fulfil agendas.
"We justify our actions by appearances; God examines our motives"
Philip Mutzelberg of Heritage Church in Ipswich once said, "we wear busyness on our sleeve like a badge - because often it makes us feel important". How true it is.
Everytime I hear myself saying how busy I am, Philip's words ring in my ears. Do I think this makes me sound important?
This morning I read Proverbs 21:2 "We justify our actions by appearances; God examines our motives" (MSG)
The bottom line is this - are we busy doing stuff, or are we busy fulfilling God's plans and purposes for our life?
Why are we doing what we do?
This self-examination is an extension of the 'shallow soil'.
Lately, I have been so challenged with letting God really grab a hold of my spirit, not just me doing the right things like a religion. I am so challenged at the moment by the impact I see people make when they're God-powered rather than agenda-fulfilling.
I'm singing songs like, "Consuming fire, fan into flame passion for your name" (Tim Hughes) and
"Open our eyes, To see the things that make Your heart cry, To be the church that You would desire, Your light to be seen." (With everything - Hillsong This is Our God) and
"Take my moments and my days, Let each breath that I take, Be ever only for You oh God. My whole life is Yours, I give it all Surrendered to Your Name And forever I will pray Have Your way" (Arms Open Wide - Hillsong United 2009)
It's not about what I do. It's about why I do it. Am I busy because I'm burned up inside by God, or am I busy padding out my schedule to fulfil agendas.
"We justify our actions by appearances; God examines our motives"
The Hard Soil
The hard soil is the last soil that will hinder us from bearing fruit in this next season of our lives.
The hard soil is where the seed fell on the pathway and the birds stole the seed away.
The path spoken of in this parable is a soil that has been beaten and trodden on and walked over to the point where the soil is as hard as rock.
Some of you feel like that – you’ve been trampled on once too often - nothing gets in anymore. As soon as there is an inkling of hope or destiny or future – it gets stolen away.
The devil is busy with his job of snatching or seizing like a bandit or rogue the word of the kingdom before it has time even to sprout.
Nothing moves you anymore. Nothing excites you anymore.
Perhaps you’ve experienced a significant failure in your life.. It’s been said that “The hardest part about failure is the mental struggle that goes on after we fail.. When we encounter a major failure, we feel so frustrated that we oftentimes see no meaning in continuing the work started or in pursuing life itself.”
Perhaps you’ve endured a tragedy and we still can’t get past the “Why God.. Why?”
Divorce, depression, repeated disappointments, abuse, .. all serving as another footprint that presses the very air out of your lungs and hardens your heart that little bit more because that’s the only coping mechanism you know.
You don’t want to risk being hurt, let down, disappointed again – and maybe you didn’t even realise you were doing it?
Job is a perfect example of someone who has had the very air within him trampled by tragedies of life. He says in Job 17:11 "My days are past, my purposes and plans are frustrated; even the thoughts (desires and possessions) of my heart [are broken off]."
There is a paralysis from being crushed once too often. A fear of opening up again. A fear of being crushed again.
You know the trampled ground was never excluded from being sown with seeds because the master gardener would later plow the ground under the seed – he would re-soften the ground so that fruit could grow there once again - No matter how hard the ground.
Psalms says God heals the heartbroken and bandages their wounds and he puts the fallen on their feet again
And God is calling you to trust again..
. God is calling you to open up your heart up again..
Nothing will happen to you that won’t first pass through the gracious loving permissive hands of Jesus Christ.(Chuck Swindoll) The bible says that he will never give you more than you can handle.
2Th 2:16 “May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, (17) put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech.”
Learn to trust God again. Open up your heart to Him again. Let God do his transforming work in and through you in this next season.
The hard soil is where the seed fell on the pathway and the birds stole the seed away.
The path spoken of in this parable is a soil that has been beaten and trodden on and walked over to the point where the soil is as hard as rock.
Some of you feel like that – you’ve been trampled on once too often - nothing gets in anymore. As soon as there is an inkling of hope or destiny or future – it gets stolen away.
The devil is busy with his job of snatching or seizing like a bandit or rogue the word of the kingdom before it has time even to sprout.
Nothing moves you anymore. Nothing excites you anymore.
Perhaps you’ve experienced a significant failure in your life.. It’s been said that “The hardest part about failure is the mental struggle that goes on after we fail.. When we encounter a major failure, we feel so frustrated that we oftentimes see no meaning in continuing the work started or in pursuing life itself.”
Perhaps you’ve endured a tragedy and we still can’t get past the “Why God.. Why?”
Divorce, depression, repeated disappointments, abuse, .. all serving as another footprint that presses the very air out of your lungs and hardens your heart that little bit more because that’s the only coping mechanism you know.
You don’t want to risk being hurt, let down, disappointed again – and maybe you didn’t even realise you were doing it?
Job is a perfect example of someone who has had the very air within him trampled by tragedies of life. He says in Job 17:11 "My days are past, my purposes and plans are frustrated; even the thoughts (desires and possessions) of my heart [are broken off]."
There is a paralysis from being crushed once too often. A fear of opening up again. A fear of being crushed again.
You know the trampled ground was never excluded from being sown with seeds because the master gardener would later plow the ground under the seed – he would re-soften the ground so that fruit could grow there once again - No matter how hard the ground.
Psalms says God heals the heartbroken and bandages their wounds and he puts the fallen on their feet again
And God is calling you to trust again..
. God is calling you to open up your heart up again..
Nothing will happen to you that won’t first pass through the gracious loving permissive hands of Jesus Christ.(Chuck Swindoll) The bible says that he will never give you more than you can handle.
2Th 2:16 “May Jesus himself and God our Father, who reached out in love and surprised you with gifts of unending help and confidence, (17) put a fresh heart in you, invigorate your work, enliven your speech.”
Learn to trust God again. Open up your heart to Him again. Let God do his transforming work in and through you in this next season.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The Thorny Soil aka the Crowded Soil
Another condition of our heart that can stifle want God wants to do in our next chapter is the thorny soil, or the crowded soil.
This soil also, from the surface, looks like good soil. However, below the surface there lay seeds of thorns which grow with the plant and starve it of its nutrients and resources.. such that the plant grows, but never bears fruit
My last blog talked about the rocky soil stopping growth by the inability to withstand attacks. Well the thorny soil is all about distraction and diversion.
What is a thorn?
A thorn is anything that takes your focus away from pursuing God. Busyness, worry about financial pressure, relationship stress, pursuit of wealth, unforgiveness, pride?
These are all diversions and distractions – and take your energy and focus off God’s work in your life and onto other futile pursuits.
We all have areas of temptation and weaknesses.. for a moment think about what that is for you.. think about when that temptation starts- the first thing that happens if you don’t deal with it - it starts to grow in your thought life. The longer it’s left untreated, the more time and space it starts occupying in your thought life.
Then you don’t feel like praying anymore because you feel guilty. You start letting your quiet times slip because you don’t feel like doing them at the moment.. Maybe it moves from your thought life to a physical action of some kind..
Yet it’s happened – your time, energy and focus has been redirected to something other than God.
Diversions can also be small and seemingly insignificant, yet just as effective in distracting us. “Can’t do my quiet time today, I have the flue.. the next day I have to be at work early, the day after that I have a Business breakfast on” before you know it – you’re out of the habit of meeting with God.
Henry says, “An unconvinced unhumbled heart is like fallow-ground, ground untilled, unoccupied. It is our ground, let out to us, and we must be accountable for it.
But it is fallow; it is unfenced (ie unguarded) and lies common;
It is overgrown with thorns and weeds... We must search into our own hearts, let the word of God divide (as the plough does) between the joints and the marrow. We must rend our hearts. We must pluck up by the roots those corruptions which, as thorns, choke both our endeavours and our expectations.” Where our hearts have been unfenced.. unguarded - then we need to do some weeding. Have we entertained the thorns in our life thinking we can keep them under control. Julianne Cutcliffe once said, “Don’t make friends with that which will destroy you” Don’t turn a blind eye to that which will lead into diversion and distraction.
What thorns have you got that might be imperfectly cleared.
The frequency of you needing to weed may depend on the season you’re in. Joyce Meyer says “the higher the level.. the higher the devil” The deeper you go in God, the more risk of distraction and diversion.
You may also need to weed more than once for the same "weed seed" because a weed producing Seed that is dropped on your lawn drops enough seeds that lay dormant that will affect your lawn for seven seasons.
Just when you think you’ve plucked a thorn out by the roots, it comes back again to tempt.. to distract.. to occupy your thought life and to seek to lure you away from pursuing God at that deeper level. You get victory at one level, but then you need victory at a deeper level.
The answer is this:
Gal 5:16 But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).
This is a promise. Live Habitually in the Holy Spirit and we will be able to withstand the cravings of our human nature. He is our key to keeping our soil weed free.
This soil also, from the surface, looks like good soil. However, below the surface there lay seeds of thorns which grow with the plant and starve it of its nutrients and resources.. such that the plant grows, but never bears fruit
My last blog talked about the rocky soil stopping growth by the inability to withstand attacks. Well the thorny soil is all about distraction and diversion.
What is a thorn?
A thorn is anything that takes your focus away from pursuing God. Busyness, worry about financial pressure, relationship stress, pursuit of wealth, unforgiveness, pride?
These are all diversions and distractions – and take your energy and focus off God’s work in your life and onto other futile pursuits.
We all have areas of temptation and weaknesses.. for a moment think about what that is for you.. think about when that temptation starts- the first thing that happens if you don’t deal with it - it starts to grow in your thought life. The longer it’s left untreated, the more time and space it starts occupying in your thought life.
Then you don’t feel like praying anymore because you feel guilty. You start letting your quiet times slip because you don’t feel like doing them at the moment.. Maybe it moves from your thought life to a physical action of some kind..
Yet it’s happened – your time, energy and focus has been redirected to something other than God.
Diversions can also be small and seemingly insignificant, yet just as effective in distracting us. “Can’t do my quiet time today, I have the flue.. the next day I have to be at work early, the day after that I have a Business breakfast on” before you know it – you’re out of the habit of meeting with God.
Henry says, “An unconvinced unhumbled heart is like fallow-ground, ground untilled, unoccupied. It is our ground, let out to us, and we must be accountable for it.
But it is fallow; it is unfenced (ie unguarded) and lies common;
It is overgrown with thorns and weeds... We must search into our own hearts, let the word of God divide (as the plough does) between the joints and the marrow. We must rend our hearts. We must pluck up by the roots those corruptions which, as thorns, choke both our endeavours and our expectations.” Where our hearts have been unfenced.. unguarded - then we need to do some weeding. Have we entertained the thorns in our life thinking we can keep them under control. Julianne Cutcliffe once said, “Don’t make friends with that which will destroy you” Don’t turn a blind eye to that which will lead into diversion and distraction.
What thorns have you got that might be imperfectly cleared.
The frequency of you needing to weed may depend on the season you’re in. Joyce Meyer says “the higher the level.. the higher the devil” The deeper you go in God, the more risk of distraction and diversion.
You may also need to weed more than once for the same "weed seed" because a weed producing Seed that is dropped on your lawn drops enough seeds that lay dormant that will affect your lawn for seven seasons.
Just when you think you’ve plucked a thorn out by the roots, it comes back again to tempt.. to distract.. to occupy your thought life and to seek to lure you away from pursuing God at that deeper level. You get victory at one level, but then you need victory at a deeper level.
The answer is this:
Gal 5:16 But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).
This is a promise. Live Habitually in the Holy Spirit and we will be able to withstand the cravings of our human nature. He is our key to keeping our soil weed free.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Rocky Soil aka Shallow Soil
When looking at your next chapter in God, my last blog discussed the purposes God has for each season of our lives, and how our response to what he wants to do can produce fruit, or undermine that purpose. Our responses are much like the parable of the soil.
The first soil I'll look at is the shallow Rocky Soil.
I remember hearing a message many many years ago about youth and how many of the things they do are because of the culture they hang out with, rather than the conviction they have personally.
What they do is largely because of what their generation is doing or their friends are doing, rather than any real heartfelt belief or conviction about what it is their doing.
This, for me, was a great example of the shallow soil.
Shallow soil is where on the surface, the soil looks normal, it looks like good soil, but just beneath the surface there are rocks so that the seed couldn’t put down its roots. The seedling shoots up quickly, and then dies off from sun exposure and lack of access to moisture.
People who are shallow soil "believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation fall away (withdraw and stand aloof)." Luke 8:13
Shallow soil is when we do all the right things, we turn up at all the right meetings, and yet somehow what God wants to do in our lives never really grabs a hold of us, it’s never really firmly established in our lives. We go through the motions, and that’s all, without ever really letting God take hold.
The danger of staying shallow is that at the first sign of opposition, the first kind of attack – we’re out. The first time that things get tough – we’re gone.
We bail before God’s work in us, and for us and through us is complete.
We never breakthrough.
However, at some point in your life, God will allow trials to come across your path. 1 Peter 4:12 says "Dear friends, don't be surprised by the fiery troubles that are coming in order to test you. Don't feel as though something strange is happening to you, "
In Judges, God shows that these trials are there to teach us how to fight! God lets us go through trials and tests so that we can become STRONG and RESILIENT so that he can add increase in our life.
God wants to create in us a spiritual tenacity. He wants us to give us some spiritual muscle. He wants to transform us. We can’t get that without trials to test us.
How do we respond?
1. Hold nothing back. Don't give God the shallow surface areas of your life. He wants you to give him all of you!
2. Be like Paul when he says, "I have not yet received all of those things. I have not yet been made perfect. But I move on to take hold of what Christ Jesus took hold of me for. (13) Brothers and sisters, I don't consider that I have taken hold of it yet. But here is the one thing I do. I forget what is behind me. I push hard toward what is ahead of me." (Php 3:12-13)
Dropping out early means we won't bear fruit, and this next chapter of our lives never achieves it's purpose for our lives.
The first soil I'll look at is the shallow Rocky Soil.
I remember hearing a message many many years ago about youth and how many of the things they do are because of the culture they hang out with, rather than the conviction they have personally.
What they do is largely because of what their generation is doing or their friends are doing, rather than any real heartfelt belief or conviction about what it is their doing.
This, for me, was a great example of the shallow soil.
Shallow soil is where on the surface, the soil looks normal, it looks like good soil, but just beneath the surface there are rocks so that the seed couldn’t put down its roots. The seedling shoots up quickly, and then dies off from sun exposure and lack of access to moisture.
People who are shallow soil "believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation fall away (withdraw and stand aloof)." Luke 8:13
Shallow soil is when we do all the right things, we turn up at all the right meetings, and yet somehow what God wants to do in our lives never really grabs a hold of us, it’s never really firmly established in our lives. We go through the motions, and that’s all, without ever really letting God take hold.
The danger of staying shallow is that at the first sign of opposition, the first kind of attack – we’re out. The first time that things get tough – we’re gone.
We bail before God’s work in us, and for us and through us is complete.
We never breakthrough.
However, at some point in your life, God will allow trials to come across your path. 1 Peter 4:12 says "Dear friends, don't be surprised by the fiery troubles that are coming in order to test you. Don't feel as though something strange is happening to you, "
In Judges, God shows that these trials are there to teach us how to fight! God lets us go through trials and tests so that we can become STRONG and RESILIENT so that he can add increase in our life.
God wants to create in us a spiritual tenacity. He wants us to give us some spiritual muscle. He wants to transform us. We can’t get that without trials to test us.
How do we respond?
1. Hold nothing back. Don't give God the shallow surface areas of your life. He wants you to give him all of you!
2. Be like Paul when he says, "I have not yet received all of those things. I have not yet been made perfect. But I move on to take hold of what Christ Jesus took hold of me for. (13) Brothers and sisters, I don't consider that I have taken hold of it yet. But here is the one thing I do. I forget what is behind me. I push hard toward what is ahead of me." (Php 3:12-13)
Dropping out early means we won't bear fruit, and this next chapter of our lives never achieves it's purpose for our lives.
My Next Chapter
One of the best aspects of my starting bible college this year is that I'm connecting the dots on so many 'truths' that I've gleaned over the years.
One of the must frustrating aspects of starting bible college this year is the time it zaps from my 'free time', meaning my blog is like our garden and lawn.. neglected.
However, last Wednesday I am thankful that I was be able to share a word that God had excited me about over the last month or so - which kicked off the new "My Next Chapter" series at Westlife.
Here are a few 'highlights' from Wednesday night:
Although there is nothing immediately dramatically different.. often we see indicators everywhere that we’re entering a new season. We know that seasons occur as much in our spiritual lives as our physical lives.
But what does this next chapter look like for you? What is required of you? What is God wanting from you? What is He wanting to do in you? What is God wanting to do for you? What is God wanting to do through you?
God has a purpose for the next chapter of your life and He has planted a seed of what he wants to accomplish in you in this next chapter.
This seed is to bear fruit in your life, and that fruit may mean new levels of influence, or new financial prosperity. For some it may mean a new skill. For others it may mean a maturing in specific area, or a strengthening in an area, or an increase in the fruits of the spirit.
The bible is clear that the seed will grow provided it is given the right conditions. That is where our responsibility kicks in.
The parable of the sower provides 3 ways in which we can sabotage that growth:
1. Shallow soil
2. Rocky Soil
3. Hard soil
Stay tuned to the blog to look at what these soils mean, and how we can make sure we don't cut off God's awesome work in our lives.
One of the must frustrating aspects of starting bible college this year is the time it zaps from my 'free time', meaning my blog is like our garden and lawn.. neglected.
However, last Wednesday I am thankful that I was be able to share a word that God had excited me about over the last month or so - which kicked off the new "My Next Chapter" series at Westlife.
Here are a few 'highlights' from Wednesday night:
Although there is nothing immediately dramatically different.. often we see indicators everywhere that we’re entering a new season. We know that seasons occur as much in our spiritual lives as our physical lives.
But what does this next chapter look like for you? What is required of you? What is God wanting from you? What is He wanting to do in you? What is God wanting to do for you? What is God wanting to do through you?
God has a purpose for the next chapter of your life and He has planted a seed of what he wants to accomplish in you in this next chapter.
This seed is to bear fruit in your life, and that fruit may mean new levels of influence, or new financial prosperity. For some it may mean a new skill. For others it may mean a maturing in specific area, or a strengthening in an area, or an increase in the fruits of the spirit.
The bible is clear that the seed will grow provided it is given the right conditions. That is where our responsibility kicks in.
The parable of the sower provides 3 ways in which we can sabotage that growth:
1. Shallow soil
2. Rocky Soil
3. Hard soil
Stay tuned to the blog to look at what these soils mean, and how we can make sure we don't cut off God's awesome work in our lives.
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