Tag: Control

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Contrarian mandate for leaders.

Reading Time: 3 minutes

“When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world Lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”” Matthew‬ ‭20‬:‭24‬-‭28‬ ‭NLT‬‬

BE DIFFERENT

Matthew’s gospel records a series of conversations that seem to flow from one difficult conversation to the next. These observations may not be linearly connected. However, Matthew, isn’t just writing a gospel account, he is led and inspired by the Holy Spirit to communicate a narrative, and he does so with persuasive intent.

Jesus had just been telling his disciples of the events that would take place very soon. Namely, that he would be handed over to the Romans, tortured, then crucified! But afterward, he would rise from the dead. That’s A LOT to take in for his followers!

Then, Matthew has a mother approaching Jesus, asking for a future favor that would place her two sons on the right and left seats of the ruling throne of a king. Of course, she believed that Jesus, being the messiah meant that he was going to be taking over Rome and establishing himself as the legitimate heir to rule and reign over Jerusalem and the people of Israel. She believed this is how God would create a new world order.

Jesus clearly told her this is not how things will take place. He said to her, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?” She and her boys were still thinking of the suffering it would take to overthrow Caesar and take the capital by force. “Oh yes,” they replied, “we are able!”” Jesus ends the conversation with, “that is up to Father God.”

Just the mention of which of the disciples would get honored positions gets the whole group riled up! Matthew writes, the others were (aganakteó), grieved and incensed! Jesus then admonishes the disciples telling them the counterculture, counterintuitive way the Kingdom of God works. Jesus admits that rulers in this world lord and flaunt their authority over those they lead. Interesting Jesus connected secular lordship with rulers exercising “decisive control,” and power, “exerting authority downwards, oppressively.” We know this is how the world works. Rulers or leaders get to wield control and power to get things done.

However, Jesus emphasized the model of His rulership. Anyone who desires to be great in the Kingdom of God will NOT lead through control and power, but rather they will lead by serving! He told them very specifically, “But among you it will be different!” Leaders in God’s economy will be (diakonos), a servant/minister. The word comes from the common table waiters that serve in the open air cafe’s that line the dusty streets of Jerusalem. As Kingdom leaders, they wouldn’t control or oppress, they would serve so well, so fast that they would “raise the dust” to attend to their guests! They would be dust-raising table waiters! What? How? Why?

Jesus didn’t just tell them this is how he rules and reigns in the Kingdom of God, he showed them, he lived it! “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

I will leave it up to you to decide if this applies to ALL disciples, all followers of Jesus – which may be you. Or, it just applies to those who aspire to lead, to pastor, to shepherd. Maybe it even applies to those who lead in their business or other areas where they volunteer. You decide. Just know this, if you choose to LEAD in God’s Kingdom, God’s economy – you MUST be a dust-raising table waiter… a servant of all. Albert Baylis said, as a Jesus follower, “we all want to be called servants until someone treats us like one.”

Prayer

Dad,
That all sounds wonderfully spiritual and humbling for sure, but everyone knows it it NOT easy. It’s easy to preach and proclaim servanthood. It’s easy to tell others to serve. But when it comes down to it, actually serving others, it is very hard. Once one serves, people begin to expect it and they seem happy to demand more. It’s hard to figure out the difference between humbly serving and being someone’s doormat. Try we must, right? You did it. You let people mock you and speak lies about you and yet you still gave your life to save us. What a magnificent mystery. Help me not to hold power or control over others, but instead, to serve them.

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The less I know, the better?

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don’t concern myself with matters too great or too awesome for me to grasp. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself, like a weaned child who no longer cries for its mother’s milk. Yes, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭131‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The longer I live, the less I know. Of course faulty and forgotten memories play a part, but it’s more than that. The game to be played and won is just not as important now. It’s no longer a push or a rush to be first, to win at all costs and to be the brightest and smartest in the room. Is that just a game for youth? I certainly don’t have much to prove anymore!

Oh, but there is one thing I do know and still hold onto – I don’t need to know everything. And I am absolutely learning that I don’t have control over much at all. Circumstances? Nope. People. Nope. Economy. Ha, no way. Outcomes of elections, senate bills or supreme court decisions. Definitely not. The Church or the local church? Nope, I am not a prophet, nor the son of a prophet!

This psalm was put in the book late in David’s life. It’s titled “pilgrim’s ascent,” but it’s really his reflections, looking back over the span of a complicated, tumultuous, successful life. I just want to hug these two amazing lines out of this psalm. “I don’t concern myself…” oh, what truth. With matters too great, or too awesome for me to grasp. There it is! Years of wisdom finally spoken in moments of blissful truth.

David’s anecdote to the poison of worry and control… “I have calmed and quieted myself.” This from a guy who saw more, lived more, had more money and more power than I will ever see. This from his humble, field beginnings, to one of the most powerful men of ancient times. My simple faith and trust in God and Him alone should suffice, it must, if I am to finish well.

If you are in your angsty thirties, or your self-aware forties, listen to David’s godly advice. Practice this: Do not concern yourself with matters beyond your control or too complicated to even begin to understand! Trust God. Obey God. This will bring a calm quietness to your soul. When peace like a river attendeth your way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever your lot, God hast taught you to say, “It is well, it is well with my soul.”

Prayer

Dad,
Reading one of David’s later psalms has given me hope. I don’t have to know or control everything. I simply must know you. I think about Paul’s powerful words to “know Christ and the power of His resurrection.” I should be far more content and at ease knowing that you know! You know me. You know everything. And, there is a peace that comes with the confidence that you are working all things out for good, mine and everyone else’s good, for those who know you, and have faith in you. What a mental relief to my soul! Thank you for all that you have done and all you are doing in my life today.

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Listen to the Korahashians.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Come, see the glorious works of the Lord: See how he brings destruction upon the world. He causes wars to end throughout the earth. He breaks the bow and snaps the spear; he burns the shields with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The sons of Korah bring this Psalm with specific instructions to sing it in soprano voices. It is about the victory of ​Jehoshaphat celebrated in the valley of Berachah (blessing). This Psalm of victory is a picture of the young king (35yrs old) steering the nation back to God, remembering who really fights and wins the battles.

I love the bold proclamation that is themed throughout the Old Testament-“be still and know that I am God.” It is followed with this truth: God will be honored by every nation and throughout the world! It was true then, it is still true today. God is at work! How helpful is it to be reminded of this? Us in our postmodern era of science, intellectualism and social snobbery. We start believing the cultural nonsense: “if there was a god, he is far off and completely disconnected from us.” We’ve suppressed the reality of spiritual happenings, even denying that we are spiritual beings ourselves.

Who’s wiser, Jehoshaphat and the sons of Korah, who believes, or our modern windbags preaching for us to look within and find our own god-ness? It’s embarrassing that the ancients were more in tune with reality than we are today! The Korahashians were far more reliable than the Kardashians! The ending refrain was sung back in response to these declarations and we would do well to remember it today – “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress.” Look up, God is at work among us.

Prayer

Dad,
It is too easy to just look at all the things happening in our world today and to think that we are alone. To believe that no one is in control of the chaos of wars, physical and cultural. But we know better. Those who know you, love you and follow you understand that you are at work redeeming humans. Yes, there is an adversary, the liar, the slanderer. And, there is our own evil pursuits, bent on making our own happiness and purpose outside of your will. Neither of those will succeed. You will be victorious in all pursuits to accomplish your will and we can celebrate that fact! Thank you for being active and working in and through us today.

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Our pronouns.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“In the west, people will respect the name of the Lord; in the east, they will glorify him. For he will come like a raging flood tide driven by the breath of the Lord.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭59‬:‭19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Isaiah uses a lot of cooperative personal pronouns when he writes about the desperate state and culture of Israel. He starts most of the sentences in these passages with “we.” “So there is no justice among US, and WE know nothing about right living. WE look for light, for bright skies. WE grope, we stumble, we are like the dead. WE growl like hungry bears; WE moan like mournful doves. WE look for justice, but it never comes. WE look for rescue. For OUR sins are piled up before God and testify against us. WE know what sinners we are. WE know we have rebelled and have denied the Lord. WE have turned our backs on our God. WE know how unfair and oppressive we have been, carefully planning our deceitful lies. OUR courts oppose the righteous, and justice is nowhere to be found. Truth stumbles in the streets, and honesty has been outlawed.”

We, us, our… Isaiah understood THEY were all willful, purposeful participants in the culture of WRONG. There is no waggling finger pointing out of a self-righteous soul declaring – YOU…. you did this! No, it’s us and ours.

After a slew of declarations attributed to the mess WE make of things – almost entirely against each other, Isaiah boldly declares that God will roll-tide in by His mighty breath of judgment and justice to make things right. God will rise like a raging river to “nō·sə·sāh,” drive, make to flee all evil. Who would NOT want God to sweep across their land and clear out the evil that has destroyed life, love, families and friendships?

In other places in the Bible, God tells us exactly who opposes His removal of evil – those who love evil and benefit from it. You start to understand that it’s the selfish, the tyrants, the proud and powerful, those on top that do not want God’s way. The ones who do not want justice are those who better themselves by keeping others down and dependent on their systems of power and control. God brings freedom where all others bring control, or enslavement.

Prayer

Dad,
I’m beginning to understand just how upside down our world and our thinking really is. When you bring justice and righteousness, it is to our advantage, it is for our freedom. It’s not just a freedom from tyrants, it’s the ability to be free from our own selfish, devilish desires! It’s not just my sin that is so destructive within, it is my sin that is devastating to all those around me, those that I love and want the best for. And as I read about the mass of people Isaiah is talking about, I see the effects of our unity in brokenness and darkness rather than wholeness and light. It is just so clear to me now. I pray that in the east and in the west that you rise and breath justice into us and ours.

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innocence illuminated

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭37‬:‭3‬-‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

​David writes this Psalm as if he knows what he’s talking about. His confidence is in his own experience from the past – delighting in the Lord.

There are a thousand words I could reach for and dozens of emotions to match each morning that I open my eyes and begin to think about my day. Except for Christmas, the first day vacationing in Tahoe or just a solid day off – I don’t think this word or attitude of delight rises out of my brain with the sun. David learned this delight from years of disappointment and despair.

I am currently listening to an audio book by John Mark Comer called, Live No Lies. He writes that the number one weapon the devil (slanderer) uses is lies and deceit. It’s even more fascinating that we WANT to believe these lies, thinking they will get us what we want without God. Like we can do what we want or get what we want on our own, avoiding God and creating our own version of truth (which is a lie itself).

These words that David wrote – trust, delight, desire and commit are all words of an intimate relationship with the Lord. Being still and patient in God’s presence is a gift. I often want to think, and worse, other people push me to think, that I can control, fix, or make humans do what is right! I cannot. These are things that require me to wait for God to act. God can move, change or flip the human heart. Even the evil schemes of the wicked are used and positioned for His plans and ultimately His glory.

When I worry I am behaving like those who don’t trust, those who scheme to manipulate others and God himself. I would rather wait so my innocence radiates and justice shines because God IS AT WORK, not me.

Prayer

Dad,
Really, all I want is for you to be honored and glorified in and through my life. Of course that does not happen if I continue to control, manipulate or scheme to try to make YOU or others do my own will. You shine brightly when your will is done on earth as it is in heaven. Your ways are accomplished through me. Then, and only then, can I be innocent and just in my pursuit of your plans. May it be said of me that I do trust, do delight and desire you with all my heart.

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Self pep talk.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will never be shaken.” Psalms‬ ‭62:1-2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

David often pep-talked himself, in declarations describing God’s nature, His character. In other translations, this verse uses the word “rest.” The word is dumiyyah: a silence, a quiet waiting. If there is one place to feel safe, secure and not anxious it is in this cleft in the rock. It’s this idea of being surrounded by a naturally strong hiding place or standing upon an immovable object. I need somewhere safe to run to, to stand on, to feel protected. God is that person, personified as a place.

I never had a sense that I could run into my mom’s or dad’s arms and feel loved and safe. Having never met my birth mom and being adopted into a strange home, was difficult as a child. I guess it’s not their fault, maybe they were waiting for me to reach out? Either way I had no sense of someone bigger, stronger or smarter to run to when I felt threatened or overwhelmed. God became my only refuge, my only hope of consolation. I learned as David did, that God is physically, emotionally, spiritually there for me when I was afraid.

David closes out this thought with a powerful encouragement. “God has spoken plainly, and I have heard it many times: Power, O God, belongs to you; unfailing love, O Lord, is yours. Surely you repay all people according to what they have done.” I think about this in terms of the word control. I have very little. I do not control most of the situations that happen all around me, not the least of which is people. And, I have learned the hard way, neither do I have the power to fix humans! However, God DOES control, guide, and continues to make ways where there were none. And, best of all, God has ALL power. He can and does fix humans, if we’ll let him. He’s the only one that can heal a broken soul, restore a broken relationship, transform a life once littered with trash and tragedy. God has done this in me, for me. If I can be an agent for leading and directing people back to him, I will have accomplished my purpose in this life.

Prayer

Dad,
Just knowing you as THE source of protection and of power is encouraging. Just knowing that all things work together for your will and our good is comforting. Just knowing that you and you alone are a quiet place of refuge, to be still, to breath deeply is restorative for my own restless soul. And when I come across broken people, or impossible cultural behaviors that are barriers to where you want us to be, I believe you are powerful to change hearts, minds and situations. Thank you.

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Going to God first, BEFORE we spin out.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“O Lord, don’t rebuke me in your anger or discipline me in your rage. Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak. Heal me, Lord, for my bones are in agony. I am sick at heart. How long, O Lord, until you restore me? Return, O Lord, and rescue me. Save me because of your unfailing love. For the dead do not remember you. Who can praise you from the grave?” Psalms‬ ‭6:1-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

David implores God to restore, not continue to rebuke. To heal, not to discipline as David sees it. I realize this is probably David’s general outlook or worldview. EVERYTHING that happens, good or bad, comes from God. Interesting right? I don’t see David blaming natural consequences per se, or an evil presence such as Satan when things are going bad. I don’t even see him really blaming King Saul or evil men. He’s really got his focus on God’s design and desire to control all that happens in his life and the kingdom life. Why else would David constantly remind God of how long he’s been waiting for justice?

In this passage David dramatically reminds God of something else. How can I praise you of I’m no longer alive? Who praises from the grave? Well… I get his point. We would rather praise and tell of God’s great mercy here, while we’re alive in this planet, while there are people to hear the testimonies of His goodness. However, from a eternal perspective, God will always receive praise, even from the beyond. I’m not sure about the ancients view of the afterlife. David uses the word, “sheol.” Which is a realm of the dead, where all the dead go. He certainly did not believe he could continue to give God praise from there.

What would happen if I took my griefs, failures and frustrations to God FIRST? If I had this kind of open conversation with God at the front of my tendency to “spin” or ruminate? I just had this happen. And I was feeling desperate to tell someone what I had experienced, what I was feeling AND let those awful theories take my brain off to a hundred different directions. The one I should have talked to first, was God. The Psalms always reminds me to do this, that’s what I love about these songs and poems. But I still don’t choose God first! It’s very annoying that I do this.

Prayer

Dad,
Even though you have given me access and permission to go to you, to approach you, I still have a difficult time following through. Maybe it’s just me? Maybe everyone else just does this automatically. I even had the perfect yucky day yesterday and was wishing I could tell someone to get it out of my head, but oh no, I didn’t pray a peep! I didn’t let you in. I didn’t reach out for help to sort through the pain and disappointment. I do remember pausing before I sent some dumb texts that would have made things worse. I need you so badly when things are stressful and I start dropping or forgetting important things I’m supposed to get done.

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A demon goes to church one day

Reading Time: 3 minutes 
“Then Jesus went to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and taught there in the synagogue every Sabbath day. There, too, the people were amazed at his teaching, for he spoke with authority. Once when he was in the synagogue, a man possessed by a demon—an evil spirit—cried out, shouting, “Go away! Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” But Jesus reprimanded him. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. At that, the demon threw the man to the floor as the crowd watched; then it came out of him without hurting him further.” Luke‬ ‭4:31-35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

One day a demon and the Son of God walk into a church. In older movies, evil is portrayed as mystically being afraid of going into “holy” places or crossing thresholds of good. Along with the symbols and odd objects writers thought would repel or put fear in an agent of evil, the idea is that Satan knows his boundaries and certainly cannot have access to or reside in a space that’s been dedicated to God. Well Luke and the other gospel writers told us thousands of years ago – none of that is true.

Evil spirits, can and will inhabit humans and pretty much go anywhere they want and cause problems and suffering anytime they can.

We should learn truth from the Bible because God is the creator of all things and tells us about things we should be aware of in His word. None of these stories of evil or demonic possession are to be given any more attention than necessary. The point of these stories isn’t to highlight demons or sickness or really even healing. The point of the story is who Jesus is – God in flesh and all authority and power is at his disposal to do the will of his father.

In this story, Luke tells us there was a demon in church that day and had full control of a human being. The demon used the man to shout out its questions and concerns, and the questions are pretty telling. “Why are you interfering?” Like they owned the place – and the man himself. And, “Have you come to destroy us?” They knew their destiny was destruction, but had no sense of when it would happen. Then the confession – “I know who you are.”

That was enough talking so Jesus commanded it to come out of the man. Then after one more dramatically staged protest, throwing the man to the ground, out he comes. Luke adds another interesting note, “without hurting him further.”

Folks wickedly romanticize these interactions with demons or agents of the enemy. They highlight “deals” or “promises” being made to give power, fame or money. The Biblical writers write truth – the enemy’s plan is always the same – killing, stealing and destroying. Anyone who toys with demons ALWAYS gets a prison sentence of death.

The New Testament folks were far smarter and aware of these physical, spiritual interactions of demons and the human soul. We, as westerners, just pretend that evil entities are psychological states of mind and are basically emotional manifestations of our wounds from our origin stories.

We are such fools to ignore the realities of a personal, evil entity at war with God and humans. We just prescribe drugs and group therapy! I’m sure that those who actually have a demon controlling them are frustrated that we keep medicating their bodies without treating their soul. Our modern streets seemed to be filled with these Zombies that wander, hopelessly waiting to be free.

PRAYER:

Dad,
I’ve seen these hopeless victims, not in our churches (although some are probably there), but in the streets of my own city. My heart breaks for them. I pray, sometimes I give them food or money, not to “further” their addictions or illusions, but to let them know that I care and trust that a moment of hope transfers in my words. I want to give them so much more – life, hope, freedom, love. Lord, please continue to lead and direct me to be bold and compassionate just like Jesus.