Session 12

the Messiah complex
we all have one...at some point you have thought...i have to save the world...haven't you?

we shall imitate him not by being big, wielding power, being served or bullying
but by being small, becoming weak, being a servant, loving and showing kindness, giving water to the thirsty and clothes to the naked

I've often had these pictures where my whole body shrunk so small but my hands and feet were huge. I believe that when I get these, this is who I am when I move for Jesus. Have you had anything like that? A picture or a feeling, when you know you are truly humble and glorifying God alone, not yourself.

hero or martyr - 4 J.C.
do you want to be carried on the crowds shoulders or wear the winners wreath?
do you want to be trampled beneath the mob's feet or wear the thorny crown?

Our aim shouldn't be service, necessarily, but to have the Christ-like attitude of servant hood.
secret service acts, with no applause or thank you, not seeking or avoiding persecution, whether we feel like it or not, despite inconvenience...umm...can you do that? can I do that?

Play second fiddle, then you'll have a harmony.

Service tells us Jesus loves us. Service is the best way to love Christ and to love LIKE Christ.

does security eliminate self promotion and self protection?

Session 11

Speed is killing us. Slow down and live.

Consumption is killing us. Go fast and live.
Jesus began His ministry with a 40 day fast. He stood against the enemy with the word of God and an empty stomach. He was surrounded by rocks and scorpions. Adam and Eve fell in fullness. They had a full stomach and was surrounded by all the food in the world.
Fasting begins with a hunger for more of God's presence and direction.
Gluttony is an appetite suppressant for the things of God - Cornelius Plantinga.
The 'M' arch and Coca-Cola are more accepted that the cross.
We overemphasize the pleasure of eating and down play the nutritional value. I challenge you to eat only for nutritional value for a while. I am trying it now and it is hard but I know my body will benefit in the long run. For me, I am trying no processed food (hot dogs, cheese slices, etc.) or frozen dinners. No coffee, ice caps, candy, chocolate, and little sugar. It is hard and sometimes I give in. Eat what is natural: fruits, veggies, pasta's and meat.

Fasting is for blessing the Lord, to lay hands on others to send out, to draw close to God in danger, to get a great anointing and to be more sensitive to the Spirit. Withholding food or whatever you are sacrificing will not do you much good if you're not going to spend more time praying and waiting on God. Live a fasted life: never eat all you want. Don't let your appetite dominate you. Do you ever find yourself eating when you are not even hungry? Let's ask God why.

Fasting purposes are that it humbles us, test us, and teaches us.

Humbles us by showing us our limits, frailty, and utter dependency.

Mat 6:16...When you fast...not if.

We get cranky, depressed and weary when we haven't eaten for 12 hours. Jesus, not only calls us to not look somber, but to not act irregular either.

Tests us by showing us what is really in our hearts: anger, resentment, irritation, fear, depression, obedience, strength, faith, etc.

Teaches us that we don't eat on bread alone, but on every word from God. Jesus is the bread of Life. Scripture is the only thing big enough, tough enough, and true enough to speak to the flesh, world or the devil. Many of us today are food gluttons but biblical anorexics. We take in scripture as though it is drive through fast food.

B-I-B-L-E (Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth)

We usually don't search (whether by book or the net) about kayaking technique simply to ponder the idea. We read search it to learn how to do it.

All scripture is God breathed. It is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training so that we will be equipped for the work He calls us to do.

Some tools to use while reading and studying the Bible are a concordance, a Bible dictionary, a Bible handbook, and a commentary. It is also important to recognize the author, who it is written to, the style of writing and the CONTEXT. Observe, Interpret, Apply. Look at the food, look again, dissect it, eat it, experience how it energizes your body and changes your activity that day. Do you see a parallel between the two nutritional foods? Physical and Spiritual?

Session 10

Leave yourself alone.
When we are bored, do we call it dead space? Perhaps the dead space is the living spaces, the breathing room.
Solitude, silence and secrecy, stills us, humbles us and makes us watchful.
Do we want to be approved, applauded, sought after, and highly regarded? YES! We want to exalt ourselves at the same time of avoiding ourselves. Solitude, silence, and secrecy help us break our addiction to self absorption and self avoidance. Do we run or stay too long from either one?
Jesus was usually not in a hurry; He did not complain, that we know of, that He had too much to do. The times when I slow down, I realize I enjoy the abundant life tremendously more.
Solitude = a space for listening, a cure for loneliness. Correct? In quietness, can we find the cure for loneliness? How? Maybe it is best to speak when tempted for selfish reasons to be silent. When we are tempted to justify, explain, excuse, exalt, gossip, or scold, we should be quiet. Maybe it is best to keep silent when tempted for selfish reasons to speak. When we are tempted to lay low, let things sort themselves out, rock the boat, say anything that might cause trouble, we should speak. What about when we are scared, misunderstood, or hurt? Both are costly and should be self giving. Does love allow people to continue rather to change for the better?
Silence = listening to God and others. When nothing is on (radio, TV, etc), do you tend to listen for the voice of God? Do we need to train ourselves that way? There was once a man who left 15 minutes early for lunch not to eat, but to stand with eyes closed and ears open in the middle of machinery. He was listening for brokenness. Do we leave for 5 minutes to listen for resolutions to our brokenness? WE SHOULD. Prayer can deteriorate into White House chatter (ppl not really listening but instead nodding, smiling and saying regular things: nice, God bless, Praise God).
Secrecy = hiding something out of humility; acting on the belief that the reward of God matters more than the reward of man. It is not hiding behind fig leaves, because of humiliation and selfishness, nor is it bragging of the wisdom we received from biting into the fruit in disobedience. How can we find a balance between when to tell and when to keep God's secret to ourselves?
Learn the mute language. Be interested in what God wants to say. Consciencely make the mouth close. In prayer, asking God what He wants and thinks needs humility and brokenness, opposites of regular human things. In Matthew 7 at the Transfiguration, Christ was on glory and God says: "Listen to Him". Instead of wasting 1/2 hour worrying about what to get done first on our 'to do' list - ask God - He will prioritize and things will flow seemingly. Give up control. Stop running things and God will. The word is like a glove. God can put His hand inside it and touch us. We don't drink every week, we drink daily. We are portable sanctuaries.
Be still and know that I am God. Be not do, still not movement, know is just believing, that HE IS.