"They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water. "Oh, my lord," he cried out, "it was begged!" The man of God asked, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. "Lift it out," he said. Then the man reached out and took it." II Kings 6:6-7
This powerful narrative explores a timeless theme that is relevant for all of us who serve the living God. In the narrative the prophet Elisha tells the company of the prophets that their common dwelling is too small for all of them, and therefore they must build another home. Imagine building a home without the consent of a building department or permits!
The company of the prophets planned to build a very simple home, but even for such a small project they required the right tools for the job. It seems that tools were a precious commodity, and in order to complete the task of building their home one of the prophets borrowed an ax head. As the man worked he lost the ax head and it flew into the Jordan River.
Well, under normal circumstances that would be the end of the ax head, and the prophet would have to go to the party from whom he borrowed it and explain to the individual what happened to his property. But the prophet does not do the expected, and neither does he do the obvious. He goes to the great prophet Elisha and tells him what happened.
The prophet goes to Elisha and tells him that he has lost his cutting edge. It is a marvelous confession. It is simple and to the point. There are no excuses offered by the prophet. It happened to him as he was engaged in the work of ministry. He did not mean to lose his cutting edge but nevertheless it happened.
Have you lost your cutting edge in the work of the Lord? You have been faithful in ministry, but at some point on the timeline of faith you realized the the cutting edge was no longer in your life. Trying to hide the loss does not work, and lying about it will never suffice.
The prophet told Elisha that he lost the ax head; he told him by faith. Elisha asked him "Where did it fall?" It is good to know that God wants to know where we lost our cutting edge. Confession is our rescue from bewildering loss. Elisha threw in a stick where the edge was lost. The cross is where we must return in order to regain our edge. The iron ax head floated up to the top of the water when the stick was throw into the water.
Iron does not naturally float because of its molecular density, and this event was a miracle. The ax head was recovered by faith. And so it is with ministry; we recover our cutting edge by returning to the cross,and confessing by faith our loss. "Lift it out," Elisha said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it. We reach out by faith to God when we lose our cutting edge. God restores what we have lost when we go before Him and tell him what has happened to us.
God loves us. Do you need to go before Him and tell Him that you have lost your cutting edge? When you go to tell Him don't be surprised if you see me there too. I go there often, and I have found that it is good to be in His presence all the time.
Beloved, don't work without a cutting edge and don't lose your cutting edge.
Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry please follow his blog and visit his website.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Friday, December 28, 2012
The God Who Does Not Abandon
"If someone asks him, 'What are these wounds on your body?' he will answer'The wounds I was given at the house of my friends'." Zech. 13:6
These words were prophetic at the time they were penned by Zechariah. They pointed into the future and to the ministry of the Messiah. The Old Testament is a history of the people of God. Beginning with the call of Abram from Ur of the Chaldees to the ascension of Joseph in Egypt the divine purpose held fast. And when a leader arose in Egypt who did not know Joseph and therefore enslaved the people of God, God did not abandon his people. God does not abandon his own although they may abandon Him.
When Pharaoh (probably Seti) founder of the 19th dynasty 1305-1290 B.C. enslaved the people of God and enacted state sponsored genocide of them by destroying the male children God had his plan in place too. God defeated the plans of pharaoh through a male child named Moses. Moses was a common name in Egypt much like Ahmose or Thutmose. The plans of man do not succeed where they are in opposition to the divine will.
When God's people were grieving under two oppressive regimes of Ramese, 1290-1224 B.C. God had an answer for their dire distress in the presence of Moses and his powerful ministry. Their release form Egypt was hard fought and hard won. They achieved the Exodus or 'Way Out' by the power of God. In the Old Testament we are informed that Yahweh identifies with the suffering of his own. God does not experience 'compassion fatigue' with his own. We must come to know and believe that God is our necessary portion in this life. He is the vital part of our lives.
God does not only identify with the suffering of his own he takes action on their behalf. He does something about their condition and he does it because it is the pleasure of the divine will to bring and comfort to us. To those of us who have experienced tragedy, or physical, and psychic injury God's presence gives solace.
When God's people rebelled against Him in the wilderness on their way to receive the inheritance that he had prepared for them he did not abandon his own. They slandered his character and grumbled about the leadership of Moses and wanted to stone him. God still did not abandon his own. They rejected God's best for them because they lacked the eyes of faith. They had incredible empirical evidence but the evidence did not convince them of the veracity of the divine character. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.
Faith sees beyond the realm of the empirical and knows that it is at best finite. Faith believes in the word of God. God's people did enter the land of promise, but they assimilated into the cultural patterns of the people embedded in the land. They grew increasingly weak through cultural assimilation. Finally, they failed to worship Yahweh, and their nations were swept away.
Zechariah was a prophet of the post exile period who spoke to his people about their condition. He was intimately aware of their condition. They needed more than change of their outer circumstances. They needed more than the clever words of mere political messiahs. They needed God's redemptive work in their lives.
Therefore the God who does not abandon provided the answer to the needs of his people. God gave them his Son. The Son of God, the Iesous, was crucified by his own in the text called 'my friends.' And think about us...we too participated in this historic event. The wounds that the Iesous received were because of me too. We have gone beyond the the words of man we are in divine territory at this point. The Iesous was wounded on behalf of us all.
Blessings to You.
For more information about Dr Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
These words were prophetic at the time they were penned by Zechariah. They pointed into the future and to the ministry of the Messiah. The Old Testament is a history of the people of God. Beginning with the call of Abram from Ur of the Chaldees to the ascension of Joseph in Egypt the divine purpose held fast. And when a leader arose in Egypt who did not know Joseph and therefore enslaved the people of God, God did not abandon his people. God does not abandon his own although they may abandon Him.
When Pharaoh (probably Seti) founder of the 19th dynasty 1305-1290 B.C. enslaved the people of God and enacted state sponsored genocide of them by destroying the male children God had his plan in place too. God defeated the plans of pharaoh through a male child named Moses. Moses was a common name in Egypt much like Ahmose or Thutmose. The plans of man do not succeed where they are in opposition to the divine will.
When God's people were grieving under two oppressive regimes of Ramese, 1290-1224 B.C. God had an answer for their dire distress in the presence of Moses and his powerful ministry. Their release form Egypt was hard fought and hard won. They achieved the Exodus or 'Way Out' by the power of God. In the Old Testament we are informed that Yahweh identifies with the suffering of his own. God does not experience 'compassion fatigue' with his own. We must come to know and believe that God is our necessary portion in this life. He is the vital part of our lives.
God does not only identify with the suffering of his own he takes action on their behalf. He does something about their condition and he does it because it is the pleasure of the divine will to bring and comfort to us. To those of us who have experienced tragedy, or physical, and psychic injury God's presence gives solace.
When God's people rebelled against Him in the wilderness on their way to receive the inheritance that he had prepared for them he did not abandon his own. They slandered his character and grumbled about the leadership of Moses and wanted to stone him. God still did not abandon his own. They rejected God's best for them because they lacked the eyes of faith. They had incredible empirical evidence but the evidence did not convince them of the veracity of the divine character. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.
Faith sees beyond the realm of the empirical and knows that it is at best finite. Faith believes in the word of God. God's people did enter the land of promise, but they assimilated into the cultural patterns of the people embedded in the land. They grew increasingly weak through cultural assimilation. Finally, they failed to worship Yahweh, and their nations were swept away.
Zechariah was a prophet of the post exile period who spoke to his people about their condition. He was intimately aware of their condition. They needed more than change of their outer circumstances. They needed more than the clever words of mere political messiahs. They needed God's redemptive work in their lives.
Therefore the God who does not abandon provided the answer to the needs of his people. God gave them his Son. The Son of God, the Iesous, was crucified by his own in the text called 'my friends.' And think about us...we too participated in this historic event. The wounds that the Iesous received were because of me too. We have gone beyond the the words of man we are in divine territory at this point. The Iesous was wounded on behalf of us all.
Blessings to You.
For more information about Dr Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Prince of Peace
"For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6
And he will be called Prince of Peace is indeed prophetic, and points to a future kingdom when the rule of men will be dissolved by its own inherent futility. The kingdoms of men have inherent entropy, and the second law of thermodynamics, (the tendency of systems to lose energy), plays havoc with political systems too. Kingdoms come and go upon the dynamic crust of the earth, but one day there will be a kingdom that will not be subject to loss of any kind.
This is not idle belief it is a prophetic certainty, and given to us in the 'prophetic perfect' by the genius Isaiah. Yahweh is so certain that his will will be done on earth as it is in heaven that he does not place his veracity at risk when he says that a reality will definitely occur in the future. In the divine realm prophetic realism takes precedence over statistical probability.
Biblical Salvation History states: "the actions of people that take place upon the finite crust of the earth are foreordained to certain limitations." We all know that the evil that is practiced upon the face of the earth causes incredible harm to the many at the hands of the few.
Yahweh has great 'books' at his disposal in which he faithfully records nefarious deeds. We might call them super servers that record the actions of people. I know that my words seem fantastic and that they are contrary to the common perception that the world is driven by political discourse, and I agree to some extent, but there is a world behind this world that will call our actions into account.
We are now beyond manipulated money systems, M1, M2, M3, and other monetary fictions. We are beyond software that tracks global economies and human behavior thereunto.
The Prince of Peace is a different type of ruler-chieftain. He is the antithesis of any ruler that preceded him in any kingdom. His very character will be inherently different. He will not rule by creating fear in order to ensure submission of his people. He will not burden people will endless trauma events in order to wear them out, and wear them down. He will not take away the hopeful light in the eyes of children, and the weakest among us will not feel threatened. The Prince of Peace will be one who brings the gift of himself.
The word for 'peace' in our text is the Hebrew word 'Shalowm' which is taken from the root 'shalom' and one of its primary meanings is completeness or soundness. It can also mean bodily wholeness. The Prince of Peace is interested in our being entire or complete. His mission will be our wholeness, and soundness without threat to ourselves. He will transform the world by his shalowm actions. Our beleaguered planet home will receive redemption from his shalowm actions too. John records in the Revelation that God holds the title deed to the earth.
But, right now the Prince of Peace can give you shalowm in your soul. He can give you completeness, and soundness. You may have, today, a gift that only God can give.
Have you believed lies that have not brought you life satisfaction? The Iesous can give you what you have been seeking and never found. Look no more. Ask God to come into your heart and grant you peace. Your miracle is before you.
Blessing to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
And he will be called Prince of Peace is indeed prophetic, and points to a future kingdom when the rule of men will be dissolved by its own inherent futility. The kingdoms of men have inherent entropy, and the second law of thermodynamics, (the tendency of systems to lose energy), plays havoc with political systems too. Kingdoms come and go upon the dynamic crust of the earth, but one day there will be a kingdom that will not be subject to loss of any kind.
This is not idle belief it is a prophetic certainty, and given to us in the 'prophetic perfect' by the genius Isaiah. Yahweh is so certain that his will will be done on earth as it is in heaven that he does not place his veracity at risk when he says that a reality will definitely occur in the future. In the divine realm prophetic realism takes precedence over statistical probability.
Biblical Salvation History states: "the actions of people that take place upon the finite crust of the earth are foreordained to certain limitations." We all know that the evil that is practiced upon the face of the earth causes incredible harm to the many at the hands of the few.
Yahweh has great 'books' at his disposal in which he faithfully records nefarious deeds. We might call them super servers that record the actions of people. I know that my words seem fantastic and that they are contrary to the common perception that the world is driven by political discourse, and I agree to some extent, but there is a world behind this world that will call our actions into account.
We are now beyond manipulated money systems, M1, M2, M3, and other monetary fictions. We are beyond software that tracks global economies and human behavior thereunto.
The Prince of Peace is a different type of ruler-chieftain. He is the antithesis of any ruler that preceded him in any kingdom. His very character will be inherently different. He will not rule by creating fear in order to ensure submission of his people. He will not burden people will endless trauma events in order to wear them out, and wear them down. He will not take away the hopeful light in the eyes of children, and the weakest among us will not feel threatened. The Prince of Peace will be one who brings the gift of himself.
The word for 'peace' in our text is the Hebrew word 'Shalowm' which is taken from the root 'shalom' and one of its primary meanings is completeness or soundness. It can also mean bodily wholeness. The Prince of Peace is interested in our being entire or complete. His mission will be our wholeness, and soundness without threat to ourselves. He will transform the world by his shalowm actions. Our beleaguered planet home will receive redemption from his shalowm actions too. John records in the Revelation that God holds the title deed to the earth.
But, right now the Prince of Peace can give you shalowm in your soul. He can give you completeness, and soundness. You may have, today, a gift that only God can give.
Have you believed lies that have not brought you life satisfaction? The Iesous can give you what you have been seeking and never found. Look no more. Ask God to come into your heart and grant you peace. Your miracle is before you.
Blessing to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
By My Spirit
"Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts." Zechariah 5:6
This is a very powerful statement to seize upon by meditation. There is contained within these words a message of reassurance for the hungry soul. Look around you, not in a merely curious manner, but look deeply into the culture that has taken hold of you. The culture around us seeks to trick us into believing that it is all that we need for life satisfaction. Cultures are deceptively mythic. In truth, our culture needs our collective support to continue its psychic reign over us.
Long ago a perceptive writer noted that the cathode ray tube (television) is not the screen, but our minds are the screens upon which the culture inscribes its controlling myths. It is indeed hypnotic and intoxicating. The subliminal messages are fed to us beneath the conscious level and we in turn see what they want us to see. Control of our beliefs and values are in the manner of a soft dictatorship.
The religious culture likes to believe that it is somehow exempt of this soft tyranny, but it too has fallen into believing controlling myths. Systems, programs, demographics, and spiritual mapping have replaced healthy dependence upon the Spirit of God. The divine culture has been set aside for the culture of man. Not consciously, of course, but in a manner that does not displease either. It is the culture of double-think.
The world of the Spirit of God is different. Divine culture is different. God is not in competition with the world. We are to be in the world, but not out of the world as a source. Our convictions are centered in the Word of God, or they should be.
Zechariah spoke to a people who needed to be encouraged about the power of God in their lives. They needed re-assurance that even though the outer circumstances seemed not to speak to their perceptions. God was there for them, but in a different manner.
Their preconceptions held them captive, and God had moved on to something new. They wanted the familiar and the comfortable, but God had other plans. God is not disposed to fit himself into our plans. Culture takes away that awareness, and replaces it with self-satisfying and godless beliefs. The Spirit of God created the world in Genesis One. God's Spirit transformed a desolate, dark and bleak wasteland into life by the power of His Spirit. I note that at no time did God seek a consult.
God is still transforming souls without consult by his Spirit. In the midst of spiritual ruin in a culture that hides ruin God is giving new life. By His Spirit, God is transforming lives by the power of Grace. By the Spirit of God you may be made new qualitatively. This newness cannot be bought. You may only acquire it by saying "yes" to God.
The Spirit of God moves into the sin-sick soul and gives new life. The Spirit of God moves into the hurting soul and gives new life. The Spirit of God moves into the anxious soul and gives new live. The Spirit of God gives hope where hope has fled.
Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
This is a very powerful statement to seize upon by meditation. There is contained within these words a message of reassurance for the hungry soul. Look around you, not in a merely curious manner, but look deeply into the culture that has taken hold of you. The culture around us seeks to trick us into believing that it is all that we need for life satisfaction. Cultures are deceptively mythic. In truth, our culture needs our collective support to continue its psychic reign over us.
Long ago a perceptive writer noted that the cathode ray tube (television) is not the screen, but our minds are the screens upon which the culture inscribes its controlling myths. It is indeed hypnotic and intoxicating. The subliminal messages are fed to us beneath the conscious level and we in turn see what they want us to see. Control of our beliefs and values are in the manner of a soft dictatorship.
The religious culture likes to believe that it is somehow exempt of this soft tyranny, but it too has fallen into believing controlling myths. Systems, programs, demographics, and spiritual mapping have replaced healthy dependence upon the Spirit of God. The divine culture has been set aside for the culture of man. Not consciously, of course, but in a manner that does not displease either. It is the culture of double-think.
The world of the Spirit of God is different. Divine culture is different. God is not in competition with the world. We are to be in the world, but not out of the world as a source. Our convictions are centered in the Word of God, or they should be.
Zechariah spoke to a people who needed to be encouraged about the power of God in their lives. They needed re-assurance that even though the outer circumstances seemed not to speak to their perceptions. God was there for them, but in a different manner.
Their preconceptions held them captive, and God had moved on to something new. They wanted the familiar and the comfortable, but God had other plans. God is not disposed to fit himself into our plans. Culture takes away that awareness, and replaces it with self-satisfying and godless beliefs. The Spirit of God created the world in Genesis One. God's Spirit transformed a desolate, dark and bleak wasteland into life by the power of His Spirit. I note that at no time did God seek a consult.
God is still transforming souls without consult by his Spirit. In the midst of spiritual ruin in a culture that hides ruin God is giving new life. By His Spirit, God is transforming lives by the power of Grace. By the Spirit of God you may be made new qualitatively. This newness cannot be bought. You may only acquire it by saying "yes" to God.
The Spirit of God moves into the sin-sick soul and gives new life. The Spirit of God moves into the hurting soul and gives new life. The Spirit of God moves into the anxious soul and gives new live. The Spirit of God gives hope where hope has fled.
Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
The Gift of Love
"For God so loved the world (cosmos), that he gave (edoken) his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
The subject noun in this verse is 'Theos' and the object of the verb 'love' is the cosmos. The inhabitants of the cosmos are the objects of the love of Theos. The actions of Theos is always within the sphere of what is most needful for us. Although we may not be aware of our most fundamental need(s). Theos is aware of our most fundamental need. In a manner that stands outside of the milieu of our perception he loves us. A very close reading of this verse reveals a very powerful and radical reality. The love of Theos embraces the totality of humanity.
The love of God is not invasive. It meets the need of our deepest soul wounds, and who does not have soul wounds? God's love does invade our defenses and excuses, and it transforms our greatest bewilderment. He stands in the midst of our troubles, and invites us to bring to him our shattered hearts. Of course, this may sound strange to western ears but it is nevertheless true.
Bernie Siegel, M.D. wrote:
An even greater reality that the space/time milieu that we experience is the presence of love. We may say that love is Tao, and that is true. But the love spoken of in this passage is a one of a kind love. It is a completely foreign species. It cannot be duplicated. There is nothing that can come close to it. It is infinite beyond all adjectival descriptors. God's love is a super-algorithm that knows with infinite awareness what we lack.
Our need for this type of love is filled with curative power. Our search for meaning stops here in the love of Theos as revealed through the Iesous. Please notice that the verse does not state that we loved Theos, and he returned the intolerable compliment. God loved us when we are in active opposition to his radical display of love.
The fractal patterns that are observed in 'nature' bespeak incredible design to the most minute level. Fractal designs are evidence of the creative power of God. God's creative gift to humankind is the Iesous. He is God's love gift to us. That which separated us from God, others, and ourselves is the estrangement of sin. Sin is deeper than genetics it is ontological discontent of the human being. Sin has been defined as 'want of conformity to the revealed character of God'.
Sin creates separation within the human soul. It manifests itself in actions that are highly destructive. Behind the facade of polite social intercourse lies the reality of incorrigible selfishness. The love of God knows the truth of our condition. The love gift of God is not sentimental. It is intrinsically necessary to our condition. It is acceptance of God's love-gift of Iesous that releases us from spiritual darkness.
This gift is still available today. It is through the death of the Iesous on the Roman gibbet for our innate and forensic condition that we may receive the gift of eternal life. Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, join his blog and visit his website.
The subject noun in this verse is 'Theos' and the object of the verb 'love' is the cosmos. The inhabitants of the cosmos are the objects of the love of Theos. The actions of Theos is always within the sphere of what is most needful for us. Although we may not be aware of our most fundamental need(s). Theos is aware of our most fundamental need. In a manner that stands outside of the milieu of our perception he loves us. A very close reading of this verse reveals a very powerful and radical reality. The love of Theos embraces the totality of humanity.
The love of God is not invasive. It meets the need of our deepest soul wounds, and who does not have soul wounds? God's love does invade our defenses and excuses, and it transforms our greatest bewilderment. He stands in the midst of our troubles, and invites us to bring to him our shattered hearts. Of course, this may sound strange to western ears but it is nevertheless true.
Bernie Siegel, M.D. wrote:
"The truth is: love heals."A year ago I read in a marvelous book called the 'Geometry of Meaning' that the universe is ultimately a construct of love. No one knows what happens before the cosmic dance of sub-atomic takes place, but we do know that something or more appropriately someone is behind the events that create mass/energy. Theos is the power behind the space/time milieu that we experience.
An even greater reality that the space/time milieu that we experience is the presence of love. We may say that love is Tao, and that is true. But the love spoken of in this passage is a one of a kind love. It is a completely foreign species. It cannot be duplicated. There is nothing that can come close to it. It is infinite beyond all adjectival descriptors. God's love is a super-algorithm that knows with infinite awareness what we lack.
Our need for this type of love is filled with curative power. Our search for meaning stops here in the love of Theos as revealed through the Iesous. Please notice that the verse does not state that we loved Theos, and he returned the intolerable compliment. God loved us when we are in active opposition to his radical display of love.
The fractal patterns that are observed in 'nature' bespeak incredible design to the most minute level. Fractal designs are evidence of the creative power of God. God's creative gift to humankind is the Iesous. He is God's love gift to us. That which separated us from God, others, and ourselves is the estrangement of sin. Sin is deeper than genetics it is ontological discontent of the human being. Sin has been defined as 'want of conformity to the revealed character of God'.
Sin creates separation within the human soul. It manifests itself in actions that are highly destructive. Behind the facade of polite social intercourse lies the reality of incorrigible selfishness. The love of God knows the truth of our condition. The love gift of God is not sentimental. It is intrinsically necessary to our condition. It is acceptance of God's love-gift of Iesous that releases us from spiritual darkness.
This gift is still available today. It is through the death of the Iesous on the Roman gibbet for our innate and forensic condition that we may receive the gift of eternal life. Blessings to you.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, join his blog and visit his website.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Competence: "Being Good At What You Do"
My wife and I have six children. Three of them are now married, and three are still at home. We chose to home-school each of them while maintaining a physical and social outlet within the context of organized activities. There were various activities, skills and interests. With six children, you can imagine, we tried them all.
When they were very young some of our children gravitated toward Martial Arts training. In addition to the physical challenges we also wanted to make sure that that could defend themselves. So this was a natural choice for our family. You see, we have five daughters and one son.
Our oldest daughter, however, took up ballet classes and became a very beautiful dancer. Our other four daughters did continue with their Martial Arts training. One of them achieved her black belt, and the other three became brown belts, a rank just below Black Belt.
Two daughters are now successful business women. One is in currently in business college and one is preparing for Law School. Our youngest is still in High School. Our son, now eight years old, is also training in Martial Arts and has recently achieved the rank of Brown Belt.
Our son was introduced to Martial Arts training when he was very young, having four sisters that were still training. In his training system there are several words that must be learned appropriate to the student's level or rank. At any point during his class his Sensei may ask the student or class the following question: "What is a Black Belt?" and the collective and sonorous reply of the students is, "A Black Belt is a White Belt that never gave up!" and the class moves on to the next exercise.
When our son moved into the advanced rank of Red Belt, his previous rank, he had to learn the meaning of the word 'Competence.' For his level of Martial Arts proficiency his material and understanding the definition of given words are required. At this particular rank or level the word 'Competence' is required. Not only must he know its definition 'being good at what you do', he must also understand the definition by providing examples of its use in practice.
I have always loved this definition because it resonates with power. At eight years old he is learning the meaning of a pivotal value in life. We consciously reinforce in him at home the mind-body skills that he is learning in Martial Arts so that he can master the skill. We can see how the value of being competent is influencing his Martial Arts training, his school work and his social behavior too.
Here is another observation that resonates with me. In our son's Martial Arts training he has to master a set of skills, and they are not easy by any means, and then he must be formally tested in front of his instructors, classmates, their families, as well as his own family. He must master or demonstrate competence in order to move forward. Just like his academic rigor, which is also based on the philosophy of mastery, he must demonstrate competence before advancing to the next level.
Our son's very accomplished Sensei has mastered three to four different martial arts, possibly more, with very high ranking. Moreover, he teaches his students to be skillful and well-rounded persons. The training is holistic. Within the structure and format that is provided, the students are challenged to stretch themselves. They are not measured against one another, but rather, challenged against themselves. Our son worked very hard to move beyond the red belt rank. He never gave up. He wanted to be competent and achieve his Brown Belt. He had setbacks, obstacles, and disappointments, but he kept on keeping on. He never gave up.
He has been studying Marital Arts for a long time and he has learned that when he has achieved a certain rank and status that is not the end. It is in fact a new beginning. He must now go on to learn new rank material. That is, he has built into his psyche a skill that will allow him to go far in life. The ability to be an apprentice.
"Many people are blocked from growing because they lack the faith to enter into an undefined situation and lack also the confidence that they will emerge with strength after taking on the temporary position of an apprentice."1 Furthermore, he is learning that growing in life requires substantive humility to risk the unknown and struggling with the hubris of what others may think of him. His mind will be open to independence.
"We must allow ourselves to enter into situations that we do not fully comprehend in advance and must trust there is a higher meaning to what we do. This hands on experiencing, often involving actions that seem unfathomable at the time, allows a kind of wisdom that cannot be transmitted through the mind alone."2
We have an eight year old who is learning the intrinsic power of this type of wisdom. He is learning the power of competence.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
1Matthew B. Schwarts, PhD, Biblical Stories for Psychotherapy and Counseling. A Sourcebook. (New York: The Haworth Pastoral Press, 2004) 81.
2ibid.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
The Burning Stick
"Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him, the LORD said to Satan, The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?" Zech. 3:1-2
One of the most compelling and powerful images from the pages of the Scriptures is this one. These verses are about the grace and forgiveness of Yahweh. For all have sinned and come short of the grace of God, and we need His grace (divine favor) in our lives on a moment to moment basis. In this scene the Satan or the Accuser is there in a judicial setting seeking to impeach Joshua the high priest.
Please carefully note the language of the text. The Accuser is adroit and maddeningly clever in his courtroom manner. He stands at the right side of the high priest in order to heighten his fiendish and his malevolent mandate.
Part of the Accuser's plan is to skew perception of who we are as the community of God. We help the Accuser to gather against us when we fail to 'test all things' and believe that we can venture into any situation without the vital preparation of prayer and meditation on the Word of God.
In this scene the high priest, the man of God is on trial. We read in the Hebrew that the Satan (Accuser) stood on Joshua's right hand to satan (oppose) him. The Accuser opposes the people of God in the active voice. He pursues them relentlessly and without provocation on their part. He stands against them because they are the people of God. No one is excluded from his dogged pursuit. He is vehemently hostile to every child of God. (The Accuser tried to destroy the new born king (Iesous) through the military power of Herod the Great).
This nefarious scene is further intensified by the depiction of the high priest standing in court clothed in the garments of his office smeared in excrement. This is a symbol of obvious uncleanness. Of course the high priest is guilty-just look at him!
This court is mere formality. Is is obvious that Joshua will be found guilty of criminal acts of sinning before God with a high hand. His negligence is without question, and that is why he is the burning stick.
Sinful conduct must be judged, but by whom? The Accuser stands at Joshua's side to exacerbate his condition as the burning stick. There is no mercy for Joshua with the Accuser. As far as the Accuser is concerned Joshua may just as well be standing in the midst of an open grave. The Accuser was there to present evidence to bury Joshua. Joshua's garments are a symbol of defilement and guilt.
An unexpected event takes place in the court, however, the Accuser, with his mountain of evidence and adroit and cunning trickery is stopped in his mission to destroy Joshua. The Judge of all the earth stops the Accuser. That is, he rebukes him, and summarily sets aside the view point of hellish intrigue that seeks to supplant Joshua.
You and I are, likewise, constantly exposed to the wrath of the Accuser who wants to see us removed from our life before God. You must know that the Accuser will whisper condemnation into your heart. He will use his fiendish and twisted thoughts to unravel your faith in the Iesous. He will set you and me up in situations (temptations) that will seek to collapse our resolve to go from faith to faith. We may even find ourselves embroiled in public or secret sin, but we know that there are no secret sins. There is only the delusional behavior that believes that sin can be kept secret.
Secret sins enable the enemy to build a case against you and me. Don't play with secret sins beloved. They become diseases in the soul that eventually become obvious in the body and behavior.
The filth garments are removed form Joshua and a clean turban is placed upon his head. The defeat envisioned for Joshua by the Accuser will not come to pass. God took away the sin of Joshua, and thereby the Accuser had no case!
Beloved, come to the Iesous and receive the forgiveness and restoration that only he can provide. Will you come, today? Will you confess your need of his saving grace.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
One of the most compelling and powerful images from the pages of the Scriptures is this one. These verses are about the grace and forgiveness of Yahweh. For all have sinned and come short of the grace of God, and we need His grace (divine favor) in our lives on a moment to moment basis. In this scene the Satan or the Accuser is there in a judicial setting seeking to impeach Joshua the high priest.
Please carefully note the language of the text. The Accuser is adroit and maddeningly clever in his courtroom manner. He stands at the right side of the high priest in order to heighten his fiendish and his malevolent mandate.
Part of the Accuser's plan is to skew perception of who we are as the community of God. We help the Accuser to gather against us when we fail to 'test all things' and believe that we can venture into any situation without the vital preparation of prayer and meditation on the Word of God.
In this scene the high priest, the man of God is on trial. We read in the Hebrew that the Satan (Accuser) stood on Joshua's right hand to satan (oppose) him. The Accuser opposes the people of God in the active voice. He pursues them relentlessly and without provocation on their part. He stands against them because they are the people of God. No one is excluded from his dogged pursuit. He is vehemently hostile to every child of God. (The Accuser tried to destroy the new born king (Iesous) through the military power of Herod the Great).
This nefarious scene is further intensified by the depiction of the high priest standing in court clothed in the garments of his office smeared in excrement. This is a symbol of obvious uncleanness. Of course the high priest is guilty-just look at him!
This court is mere formality. Is is obvious that Joshua will be found guilty of criminal acts of sinning before God with a high hand. His negligence is without question, and that is why he is the burning stick.
Sinful conduct must be judged, but by whom? The Accuser stands at Joshua's side to exacerbate his condition as the burning stick. There is no mercy for Joshua with the Accuser. As far as the Accuser is concerned Joshua may just as well be standing in the midst of an open grave. The Accuser was there to present evidence to bury Joshua. Joshua's garments are a symbol of defilement and guilt.
An unexpected event takes place in the court, however, the Accuser, with his mountain of evidence and adroit and cunning trickery is stopped in his mission to destroy Joshua. The Judge of all the earth stops the Accuser. That is, he rebukes him, and summarily sets aside the view point of hellish intrigue that seeks to supplant Joshua.
You and I are, likewise, constantly exposed to the wrath of the Accuser who wants to see us removed from our life before God. You must know that the Accuser will whisper condemnation into your heart. He will use his fiendish and twisted thoughts to unravel your faith in the Iesous. He will set you and me up in situations (temptations) that will seek to collapse our resolve to go from faith to faith. We may even find ourselves embroiled in public or secret sin, but we know that there are no secret sins. There is only the delusional behavior that believes that sin can be kept secret.
Secret sins enable the enemy to build a case against you and me. Don't play with secret sins beloved. They become diseases in the soul that eventually become obvious in the body and behavior.
The filth garments are removed form Joshua and a clean turban is placed upon his head. The defeat envisioned for Joshua by the Accuser will not come to pass. God took away the sin of Joshua, and thereby the Accuser had no case!
Beloved, come to the Iesous and receive the forgiveness and restoration that only he can provide. Will you come, today? Will you confess your need of his saving grace.
For more information about Dr. Rich and his teaching ministry, please follow his blog and visit his website.
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