Be What? . . . . . Submit part 3

Klyne says, “In the end submission is nothing more than a decision about relative worth of another person, a manner of dying and rising with Christ, and a way to respect and love other people.”

The value or worth we see in the other person can be an indicator of our willingness to submit or not.  But you know what a great indicator is?  The statement of how do we see our own relative worth?  How valuable do we see ourselves, our identity?

That’s why our identity is so important and why submission is so difficult.  If we are striving for value and worth in a relationship we may not humble ourselves, because we need to prove that we are right, powerful, in charge, accepted, enough. 

Or if we are striving for worth in a relationship we may arrange ourselves under the other person, but it is more as a doormat or a victim in order to feel some semblance of love from the other person, even if it is unhealthy.

But if we know, at the core of who we are, that we are chosen and beloved, and that we don’t have to go chasing for the value.  We know we have relative worth based upon what Christ has done.  Then we can freely arrange ourselves under someone else and love and respect them.  Because their acceptance or mutual submission isn’t defining who we are, or our value.  That’s already taken care of, by God’s transformative work.

One of the action steps this week was to take a look at your core and see how you see your value in God’s eye?  Do you see yourself as beloved and chosen?  Or are you still chasing after that belovedness and choseness?  If so, before you can redefine submission you need to start at your own value.  Take some time today and meet with God, quiet yourself and ask him how much he values you.

Be What? . . . . . Submit part 2

Tuesday, August 6th 2013

Read Ephesians 5:21- Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

The first part of this tune that the Holy Spirit is moving us towards hearing is answering the question- why should we submit? 

Simply put- “out of reverence for Christ.”  The source of our submission is out of reverence or as another translation puts it, out of the fear of Christ.

What does that mean?  That doesn't sound enjoyable either.  What the phrase is saying is- do we have an awe, a reverence, an oh my God.  Isaiah puts it well, “Woe to me, I am a man of unclean lips, amongst a people of unclean lips.”  When we see ourselves in light of God, in light of Christ, who he is and how he submitted himself, we are overwhelmed.  We are wrecked.

The first understanding of why we submit, is because we are wrecked at how Christ submitted and his expression of that selfless act of submission.

Again, quiet yourself and reflect on this belief of being wrecked before God, overwhelmed, in awe of who he is and the fact that he loves you incredibly.

Be What? . . . . . Submit

I am sharing our daily faith challenges over our blog simply to encourage and generate dialog.  Part of the value in engaging with our faith challenges is hearing other people's thoughts and questions.  I would encourage you to engage conversation with these faith challenges.  Thanks for reading and seeing what God may do in you and through you

Monday, August 5th- Daily Faith Challenge

Read Ephesians 5:21- Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Let’s be honest, first glance at that verse, did you get sick to your stomach?  Can you actually say the word, “submit”?  Before we go on with the rest of the week, I want you to really wrestle with, why is that word so difficult to live out?

Paul is pretty clear that we should submit, but when it comes right down to it, it feels more like me training our dog Reesey.  Because when it comes to Reesey and me, she knows who’s boss.  I am her Alpha dog, I am the pack leader. Because I made her submit to me and the way I wanted things to be.  If she over stepped my bounds- nip at Caleb, grab socks, not release those said socks- I would flip her over, grab the scruff of her neck until she submits.  Until she relents. 

I believe when it comes to submitting to other people we have this sense that we are going to be dominated and have to do things the way that person over us tells us to do it.  I think we have this feeling at times that we get grabbed by the scruff of our neck and feel here we go again, I’m a Christian, I have to submit.

Today, simply acknowledge the picture that is painted in your mind and soul of what submission has looked like in your life.  Then quietly, pause and ask God to show you a different picture of submission this week.  As Bill shared last week, tune into the Holy Spirit, and listen to the tune he wants to play for you.

CAUTION- If any of you have experienced submitting in abusive, domineering, controlling ways, this is a much deeper conversation.  I’m not sharing this for us to stay in those type of relationships.  But I am believing that God can bring healing and freedom.  So if we need to have a deeper conversation, please, let’s do that.

I’m wanting the Spirit to move us universally towards something different- healthy and freeing submission.

Close Encounters- Even the Smallest

Gifts by Vicki Gravatt
This week Pastor Aaron talked about God’s math (scary!).  He shared how the God, who created the universe and everything in it, multiplies our efforts for His purposes.  I’m always startled when I see something I’ve touched, even in a small way, bear fruit.  I shouldn’t be surprised when I follow God’s lead, and get involved in what He is doing, that good things happen.  However, I’m often guilty of thinking that I have nothing He needs, so I give exactly that – NOTHING.  I let opportunities pass me by because I’ve let the lie that I have nothing to give.

Do you think that?  Do you think that you have nothing to offer the God of the universe and His creation?  I fight that battle all the time.  I think Satan likes digging in to our insecurities and telling us that we have nothing of value.  Of course, like everything Satan says, it’s a lie.  Even if it’s a lie we heard from someone influential in our lives, like a parent, spouse, boss, sibling, or teacher, it’s still a lie.  God’s word tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).  Satan HAS to tell us we’re not, because if we believed and understood how powerfully gifted we actually are, we would be an unstoppable force for Jesus and I think that just might scare Satan.
The Bible tells us that we each have a part to play.  Some people’s gifts jump out at you instantly.  They are typically the first people you notice when you come into a church, the greeter, the music team, and pastors.  After you see those folks, you may hear about a mission trip, or a serving opportunity that seems like its way over your head.  But God promises each of us a gift we can use to further His work on earth.  It is also clear that no gift is more important than another.

And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. (1 Corinthians 12:16-18)

It’s evident that when the Holy Spirit gives a gift, he also gives us passions in our lives that when combined with our gifts, bear fruit.  Serving out of gifts and passions often feels like a privilege rather than service, or work.  I keep going back to Matthew 11:29-30  “ ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
God has not called us to go and do things that make us miserable.  According to Ecclesiastes 4:18  “ …. that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor….”  Did you hear that?  He wants us to find SATISFACTION in our labor – I love that!  There is freedom in that!  WE have so many choices given to us. If you have a gift of teaching, and a heart for children, then you would be most effective serving in KidsQuest, while someone with a gift for prayer would be better suited to a quiet room praying for the needs of others.  Similarly a person with a gift of mercy would be more drawn to serving those with health issues, while a person with a gift craftsmanship is better suited to our Tool Box experience. 

All of that is not to say that we don’t serve in ways that aren’t totally connected to our area of giftedness.  I remember a time when I served in the nursery.  That may not shock some of you, but many of my closest friends will tell that I’m “just not good with other people’s kids”.  I love kids in general, and I enjoy them one on one, but you get me in a group of them and start to come unglued!  When you put me in a room with more than 4 children, words like overwhelmed, frazzled, anxious, barely scratch the surface of the state of my mental health.  But there was a need, so I jumped on board, asked God for some supernatural inner peace and love, and I proceeded to chased toddlers once a month for a year or so.  Looking back, it was a great experience and has made me appreciate the folks who ARE gifted in that way, even more.

If you aren’t sure what your gifts are, please call the church office.  There are dozens of resources for discovering, refining, and using the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  What can you give to God to multiply?  Even the smallest act can be multiplied for incredible impact.

Close encounters- Lead the Dance

Learning to dance means you need to know who is leading and who is following. In your encounter with God, who is leading and who is following? At times, it is good to do a check and ask yourself if that is true across the board, every area of life, or just where you want him to lead.

Read Psalm 5:7-8
- Whose love gives us permission to come into his presence?

- What does it mean to bow down? How does that look in your relationship with God?

- How do you need God to lead you across the dance floor of life?

Take a listen to this song- “Because of Your Love”- http://www.worshiptogether.com/songs/songdetail.aspx?iid=994147

Dear Lord,
Today, because of your love, I come into your presence and I take your hand. Lord, may you lead me as I dance and move in life. I want you to lead and I want to follow. Help me live that out each day. Jesus Name Amen.

Close encounters- Battle of the Dance

Read Genesis 3:1-13
- Who disrupted the intimacy of the garden?
- How did it happen?

Right after we see this beautiful interchange in relationship with the Trinity, where the Father and Holy Spirit share with Jesus their power and love, we read Mark 1:12-13 (entire story is found in Matthew 4:1-11).
- Who tried to disrupt the intimacy of the Trinity?


Which means Satan tries the same ploy with you and me. Disrupt the intimacy we have in relationship with God and others. Tim Keller (Kings Cross) shares it this way, “We look at Adam and Eve and say, ‘What fools – why did they listen to Satan?” Yet we know we still have Satan’s lie in our own hearts, because we’re afraid of trusting God – of trusting anybody in fact. We’re stationary, because Satan tells us we should be –that’s the way he fights the battle.”

Any time you feel yourself pulling away from the dance with God or others, learn to recognize that is part of the battle. Part of Satan tempting you to do life on your own. If God is in relationship and is never alone, then why do we believe it would work for us?
May you hold onto this truth, another quote from Tim Keller, “What (Jesus) has enjoyed from all eternity, he has come to offer you. And sometimes, when you’re in the deepest part of the battle, when you’re tempted and hurt and weak, you’ll hear in the depths of your being the same words Jesus heard: ‘This is my beloved child – you are my beloved child, whom I love; with you I’m well pleased.’”

Close Encounters- the Dance

In Mark we first encounter Jesus when he is going to be baptized. Take some time and read Mark 1:9-11.

- Who were the characters within the story?
- How did they interact with one another?

“Father, Son, and Holy Spirit relating with one another, uplifting one another, sharing love and power with one another.” Aaron’s message- Close Encounters- the Dance

C.S. Lewis says in Mere Christianity, “In Christianity God is not a static thing . . . but a dynamic, pulsating activity, a life, almost a kind of drama. Almost if you will not think me irreverent, a kind of dance.”

- What does it look like or mean for you to see your relationship with God as a kind of dance?

Take a look at this dance by one of our Packer favorites, Donald Driver in DWTS- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fM03bC549g&feature=share

How would your relationship with God be different if it had a similar dynamic, energy filled life?

Dear Lord or do I call you dance partner,
I’m not too sure about this whole dance thing. This week, would you open my eyes to what you want to show me? Help me embrace this encounter with you as an intimate dance. May you lead me towards a dynamic, pulsating relationship with you and others.
In the Power of Your Name Jesus, Amen