Fluency

This is from an email dialogue with a friend.

What does “according to the power at work within us” mean in the context of the last few verses of Eph 3?

Staring at it with different glasses today.

Ephesians 3:20

The book of Ephesians has a strong “power” focus–see 1:18-23–2:6. Actually the whole book could be viewed as a treatise on spiritual warfare.

Could be translated,

“he is able to do so much more than we can ever think of asking for or even imagine, and he does this because of the way his power works in us”

or “…what his power is able to help us to do”

His power working in us–fitting for the book–to change us not our circumstances. The process of sanctification is empowered by the power of God, the same power that raised Christ is now empowering the Spirit’s work in our lives.

This seems to remove any “I can’t overcome” “I can’t have victory over” rationalization. The power is available, ready to work in us. So if we are not being changed the question is–is it the fault of the power of God or the fault of our surrender to God?

So from that section then…are we the restrictor of big movements of God?

Within us, yes.

Wow…then I guess our “corporate” life would be significantly impacted also. Wow…

Yes, if individuals are surrendered to the will of God–the power of God will produce change. If individuals are changed, churches are changed. If churches are changed neighborhoods, towns, states, countries, the world will be changed.

So are we restrictors of God’s big movements? Yes and no.

If God wants to accomplish something–He will. He will find someone who is willing. The question is whether we will be positive participates or not. Will we be blessed and a blessing or a “byword” (as described in Ezekiel 14:1-11 particularly verse 8)?

I guess that’s what was so captivating when I studied that section today as I reflect on objective observations (facts) as to how “resistant/reluctant/afraid/etc.” of change as a generalization we are..

Thankfully you’re right God will do what He wants, when He wants, however He wants…I just hadn’t noticed the obvious participation/engagement/submission that seems required in the text…

My question is–is our view of God accurate, clear and compelling enough to engender submission and engage trust? Or is our view of God so puny that fear, reluctance and resistance are the byproduct?

Is it that simple?

Maybe. It would be nice to dialog, plan and act on what we find. That too is difficult.

To be filled with Christ, we must empty ourselves. Chris Sligh is formerly of Half Past Forever and American Idol.

There are many definition and descriptions of a leader.  As I have been thinking about leading, leaders and leadership–particularly related to leadership transitions, I’ve come up with a few ideas.  What I want to be as a leaders.  What I want in someone who is leading me.

A Leader. . .

• Inspires contentment (hope)
• Instills confidence
• Invests continually
• Invites criticism (evaluation)
• Initiates courageously
• Incontrovertible/incontestable character

I’m reading Jesus in Trinitarian Perspective  by Fred Sanders and Klause Issler, so when I read this quote on Justin Taylors‘ blog is too good not to shar.

I can’t resist reproducing one more quote from Packer’s Praying the Lord’s Prayer. It’s vintage Packer–Pauline in both its length and theology:

• By wisdom God found a way to justify the unjust justly;
• in love he gave his Son to bear death’s agony for us;
• in justice he made the Son, as our substitute, suffer the sentence that our disobedience deserved;
• with power he unites us to the risen Christ, renews our hearts, frees us from sin’s bondage, and moves us to repent and believe;
• and in faithfulness he keeps us from falling, as he promised to do, till he brings us triumphantly to our final glory.

(Page 43. My italics and bullets.)

Something fun and maybe helpful.

I’m teaching Isaiah 45-46 tomorrow and as I was reviewing–I was trying to get the big picture again.  So I pasted the text of Isaiah 45-46 into http://www.wordle.net.

You have heard people say, real men don’t cry. Or real men are not afraid of anything.But neither of those is true.
Fear: Is the emotion of alarm in reaction to a perceived danger or threat. The danger may be real (the shadow of a burglar, a rapidly approaching car) or it may be imaginary (a shutter creaking in the breeze, a scary scene in a movie), but the perception is real and defined.

There are dangers that we should fear, but much of what we fear is made up in our minds.
Fear of failure
Fear of conflict
Fear of the unknown

To be a real man, a man who will lead courageously requires overcoming those false fears by trusting God and yielding the results to Him.

With the fear of failure and the fear of the unknown we are simply guessing, playing mind games with ourselves rather than doing what is right and trusting. Don’t let the fear of failure or the unknown keep you from leading courageously-of being adventurous.

As for the fear of conflict–conflict will happen, the longer you avoid it, the worse it becomes. The truth is that our fear of conflict in many ways is a lack of love. We should those we have conflict with enough to invest in a conflict with them for their good and our relationship.

So, I challenge you to put fear aside and be a man–a man of God.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love. (ESV)
Hebrews 13:5-6 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (ESV)
2 Corinthians 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, (ESV)

(Review for Men’s Ministry Series: The Heart of a Man)

We’ve looked at the reality of a corrupt heart.  We’ve seen that what comes out in speech and action cannot be blamed on circumstances but is the fruit of internal motivations and desires that control our hearts.  Going along with pride, we also must deal with fear.

There are different kinds of fear and many different causes of fear.

There are fears of real physical problems.
And fears of perceived potential problems.

There are fears to control–force certain behaviors.
There are fears to paralyze–prevent certain behaviors.

Fear is often compounded by or created by worry and anxiety.  Both of these deal with mentally bring up “what ifs” and mulling them over often contemplating the worst-case scenario.

While there are many good definitions of fear, it seems that at the core, fear is a real or perceived sense of loss of control. Many of us have had the experience while driving of hitting a patch of ice.  The fear that springs up over the loss of control is normal/natural–but can be paralyzing.  But it is not normal or natural to fear driving over an overpass in the middle of summer when we read the sign, “Bridge freezes before road surface.”

So what are the things that cause fear?
Fear of failure, judgment, exposure
Fear of conflict
Fear of rejection, betrayal, abandonment, isolation

These tend to lead to self-protective (or at least seemingly) tactics, leading to the two extremes of avoidance and control. Tactics that often cause exactly what we think we are protecting against.

So what is the solution?

First we must ask–what is the opposite of fear?  I think there are two answers to that question: Faith and Courage. Fear is the opposite of faith and the opposite of courage.  There is so much that could be said, but better than what I could say. . .let me let Scripture speak.

There are many Scripture passages that address this issue–here are just a few:

Trust God in whose image we have been created and Who values us dearly   Matthew 10:28-31

Fear paralyzes  Matthew 25:14-30

Trust the One who controls everything   Matthew 8:25-26

Psalm 112:7 He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. (ESV)
Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (ESV)
2 Peter 1:3-4  His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, 4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. (ESV)
Isaiah 41:10, 13 fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
13 For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” (ESV)
1 Peter 5:7-10 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (ESV)
1 Peter 4:12-19 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” 19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good. (ESV)

Perspective on worry and fear

• Worry is a cycle of inefficient thoughts whirling around a center of fear. . . .  Worry doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.  Corrie ten Boom
• How much have cost us the evils that never happened!   Thomas Jefferson
• Worry is when you pay the interest on trouble before the bill comes due.     Chuck Swindoll
• Worry is like a rocking chair, it gives you something to do but doesn’t get you anywhere.
• Worry is wasting today’s time to clutter up tomorrow’s opportunities with yesterday’s
  troubles.

Dealing with fear–see Philippians 4:5-9
1.    Pray the right prayers — turn everything over to God
2.    Think the right thoughts — not nice thoughts or “positive thinking” but right thoughts
3.    Do the right things — practice what you focus on

Suggestions from a friend of mine:

Steps to Overcoming Fear (Barry Ferguson)

1. Be ever aware the hard work of salvation and payment for sin is already done.
2. Find meaningful verses that apply to your fear.
3. Pray daily, naming your fears, giving each one over to the Lord.
4. Ask someone else to pray for you.
5. When faced with fear, act, don’t shrink, humbly praying for God’s intervention.
6. Recognize when you have met a fear and passed through it successfully.
7. Tell someone about your fear and how God enabled you to pass through it.
8. Faithfully, trust God daily for His provision; know that He is the only thing we need when meeting especially fearful situations.

Heard this song for the first time yesterday.  I was struck by the word--think of the passages

True Love 
by Phil Wickham

Come close listen to the story
About a love more faithful than the morning
The Father gave his only son just to save us

The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the Father’s broken heart
Tears were filling heaven’s eyes
The day that true love died, the day that true love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, the day that true love died

Search your heart, you know you can’t deny it
Come on, lose your life just so you can find it
The Father gave his only son just to save us

The earth was shaking in the dark
All creation felt the father’s broken heart
Tears were filling heaven’s eyes
The day that true love died, the day that true love died
When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, the day that true love died

Now Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
Jesus is alive
oh He is alive
He knows he can

When blood and water hit the ground
Walls we couldn’t move came crashing down
We were free and made alive
The day that true love died, the day that true love died

Come close listen to the story