12.06.2011

Order

John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. Matthew 3:14,15

Consider, in all of your actions, doing things in the way that will ultimately give God the most glory, even if it's not the order in which or the way you're naturally inclined to act.

Source: The Daily Verse by Kat Davis

This blows my mind: I've never thought about this, but Jesus (didn't need to be BUT) was baptized by a human. Wow! I love the symbolism in that action and what is says about us.

12.05.2011

Spiritual Leader

“For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.” Ephesians 5:23

Spiritual leadership in the home means that the husband serves. He serves his wife and he serves his children. This is not an option. This is who he is and what he does. Servanthood is at the heart of spiritual leadership. It is at the heart because this is how Jesus related to the church. He gave Himself up for the church. He sacrificed and served the church. It was not always easy and, ultimately, it led to the giving of His life. If a husband ever doubted his role, he need not look any further than Jesus. He is our role model of unselfish service.

So, your posture as spiritual leader in the home is not a power play. It is not a platform from which you whip everyone into shape. Rather it is an altar to God on which you; offer your ego and pride. There is no room for those twins of self-centeredness. Spiritual leadership replaces pride and ego with grace and humility. A spiritual leader is energized and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is not about who wins or who is right. It is all about dying to self and serving your wife and children. Your service to them earns you the respect to lead them. If you default to barking out orders from your high horse, they may comply for a season; but you can count on them rebelling if there is no relational investment on your part.

Rules void of relationship do facilitate rebellion, or they may cause the family to shrink back into their corner of compliance, nursing a wounded heart. Indeed, most husbands do not feel qualified to be the spiritual leader. God knows that, and this is why He placed you in this role of responsibility—so that you can depend on Him. Pray to God and ask Him for His wisdom and grace to carry out your calling as spiritual leader. Seek out a mentor who can come along side you and give encouragement and coaching.

The easy way out is to ignore your responsibility by placing it on the petite shoulders of your wife. She may be more spiritually mature and qualified for spiritual leadership, but this is not her role. She is to follow your leadership. The wise wife will celebrate this and let her husband lead. This is how you both grow. Submission and servant leadership are excellent lessons of maturity in Christ. Let your husband fail. Love him enough to respect his spiritual leadership. Respect is treating people at the point of their potential.

A wife has the opportunity to see her husband for what he can become, not for where he is currently. Pray for him to pray with you and the children. Pray for him to read the Bible at the dinner table. Pray for him to be honest and wise about finances, both personally and professionally. Pray for him to be authentic about his struggles. Pray for him to know God. Pray for him to take the family to church. Pray for him to discover his spiritual gifts and to serve out of his giftedness. Spiritual leadership takes a ton of prayer from the wife and the husband. A home led by a man who is a submitted servant leader is a home with a spiritual leader. Lead out of your weakness, and everyone becomes strong in Christ!

Source: Wisdom Hunters by Boyd Bailey

Soulful Rest

“This is what the Lord says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it.'" Jeremiah 6:16

The soul longs for rest in the Lord’s love and security. It’s when a body’s activities and emotional capacities run ahead of its soul that distress begins to define a disciple. Rest for the inner life is required for the outward life to leave behind an eternal impression on those it encounters. Indeed, God speaks inwardly with truth and trust to listening hearts.

We each confront crossroads in our everyday lives that invite a secular frame of mind or a scriptural mindset. The new way may seem nice, but behind its modern mask is confusion, clutter and contempt for Christ. The old way may seem stale and sedate, but when applied prayerfully it is refreshing, rejuvenating and relationally healthy.

“If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you” (Exodus 33:13a).

For example, the Lord may be leading you to adopt an abandoned child, but you feel pressure from society and even from some family members not to follow through. But you know adoption is a way to represent your heavenly Father’s love to a lost, discarded and confused child. God’s way is to go through each open door in faith and obedience. Your soul stays sensitive and alive when you bring hope and love to another needy soul.

Or, your crossroads may be a career opportunity that seems exciting one moment and terrifying the next. You know the Lord’s track record of faithfulness has been flawless with your family, but fear causes you to “what if” yourself into procrastination. Perhaps He is saying to cut loose your umbilical cord to the culture and embrace Christ’s new call. Your soul is searching for significance beyond the secular into spiritual integration.

“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he” (Deuteronomy 32:4).

Soul rest comes with regular doses of doing nothing or doing routine acts of something. Just as a body’s muscles stretch and grow with exercise, then rest, a soul’s spiritual stamina stretches and grows with strident service, then quiet contemplation. A soul needs to “be” more than it needs to “do”. “Doing” without “being” shrivels your soul, but “doing” from “being” fattens your faith. Thus, walk in the good way with God in soulful rest.

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him” (Psalm 62:5).

What activities do I need for my “doing” to flow from my “being”, so my soul can rest?

Related Readings: Psalm 62:1; 116:7; Matthew 11:29; Hebrews 4:1-6

Source: Wisdom Hunters by Boyd Bailey