How did he do that?

The account of Noah and his building of the Ark is an amazing and challenging story for me. I believe that his life is a model for believers in this current age that we are living in. Yet unfortunately, while his example is stunningly clear for us to read, it seems elusive for many to live. Somehow believers have been able to disassociate themselves from the present day message of the story until it is just a story. It has become a piece of history that occupies Sunday school lessons and bedtime stories but not everyday life.
For clarity sake, let me summarize the example of Noah that I believe we are called to follow. First, let’s look at the environment Noah lived in. We are told that Noah was living in an absolutely corrupt society and yet he was not influenced by the culture of the day – Genesis 6:9 Noah was righteous & blameless. Secondly, let’s look at Noah’s lifestyle. Noah did not live a ‘hot & cold’ life where he was on again and off again in his pursuit of God – Genesis 6:9 Noah consistently followed God. Finally, let’s look at his response to God. When Noah was asked by God to do something that was unheard of, altered the course of his life, and humanly speaking seemed illogical, he did not debate it, run from it or even hesitate. Noah stepped out in radical faith and complete obedience and did exactly what God instructed him to – Genesis 6:22 Noah obeyed God exactly.
I love the story about the ark, but I don’t believe the main point of the story is even about an ark. I believe the main point is about a person who lived in alignment with God and was willing to sacrificially obey God and do exactly as he was asked. And when this occurred, God moved in such a mighty way that it affected all of humankind. I believe that this is what God is looking for today from all of us. A people who will not be influenced by our surroundings, a people who will consistently follow God and, a people who will not hold our opinion, preference, or understanding before our obedience.
As Noah lived this way, he ushered in a global move of God that touched everyone. As we will live this way, I believe that we can usher in another global move of God that will bring in a massive end-time harvest. It will require complete obedience, radical faith and, an unyielding determination to pursue the Kingdom. Let me invite you to make a commitment (with God’s strength) to live as Noah lived. The age we are currently living in is very similar to the age he lived in and in desperate need of God. The cries of our world have certainly reached the ears of God, now I pray they reach the hearts of His children and stir us to action.

What I got out of it….

A few weeks ago we wrapped up our 4th annual church leadership conference – Klesis. Each time we have done this there has been a significant impartation into the corporate life of our church family, as well as individually for those participating. Each year we have been influenced and shaped as Holy Spirit as worked through the lives & message of our speakers, and this year was no different. While I thoroughly enjoyed the messages that our speakers delivered (they will definitely find there way into future teachings) it was probably their informal comments and lives that impacted me the most. As I listened and observed, I saw men of God who very simply, and very humbly, shared their understanding of who God had called them to be and how they were walking that out. It was actually quite refreshing to hear the ease that they shared their calling without any sense of comparison or evaluation of anyone else’s particular calling.

After the conference was over, I sat back and prayerfully considered what God had said to me during the conference and was now asking of me. In doing this I believe that there were two things that God has called me to do, as well as our entire church family.
1. More freely declare what God has called us to: In a culture that doesn’t know how to give honour, where we fight against a still pervasive poverty mentality, and people continually compare themselves one to another, we have almost lost the freedom to simply declare God’s call on our lives. Add to that the number of times we have all heard people say, ‘God called me to…’ only to be met with a lack of fruitfulness and advance, and we are understandably hesitant to say this is what God has called us to….’. And yet this is exactly what I believe God is asking us to do. I don’t believe we are to do this simply with an eye to inform others but, rather with the intent to form our future reality. Knowing that ‘Kingdom declarations create Kingdom realities’ I believe we need to more liberally declare those Kingdom endeavours that God is calling us to so that we can actually and eventually realize them.
2. More intentionally step into what God has called us to: While we need to start by simply declaring what God has called us to we can’t stop there. We need to intentionally and strategically prepare for those eventual realities to become current realities. In the same way that Noah had to build the ark before the animals and the rain arrived, and the Israelites had to put their feet in the Jordan river before it parted, I believe that we must take bold steps of faith in preparation for what God has called us to.

I know that I could spend a lot of time expanding on these two points, but for now let me leave them to stand on their own. It is my hope that everyone in our church family would embrace these two items and all the implications they are laden with. Let’s not get distracted by the everyday stuff of life but let’s continue to pursue the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

I’ll give you 2 reasons…

One of the wonderful tools that God gives us to; check, correct and maintain our alignment is tithing. God wants us to walk in perfect order (alignment) with Him, our brothers, and the Church but it is so easy for any of us to get off track, tricked, or deceived by life. With the sincerest of hearts we can wind up being sincerely WRONG and out of alignment. Unfortunately, too many people today are living out of alignment in one or more of the above areas yet, they sincerely believe they are where they are supposed to be. Somehow the enemy has been able to dupe, and rob them of what God has for them, all the while deceived into believing they are where God wants them. Because of the ease that any of us can be deceived (more easily than any of us would like to admit), God provides us with some amazing ‘tools’ to keep us out of deception and living in order. Tithing is one of those very powerful and necessary tools for our benefit.
When it comes to tithing (giving 10% of your income to the local church – Malachi 3:7-10) there are two reasons why people don’t do it. The first reason is easy to address, the second one has proven more difficult although not insurmountable. The first reason people don’t tithe is simply ignorance. They are honestly unaware that they were even supposed to give in such a manner. This usually happens with new Christians or people who have never been taught about tithing. If this is the case, it can be remedied in a matter of minutes as we examine, and then apply God’s Word. This is really a matter of the ‘head’ and people simply need to come to an awareness of how God would have them live and then live it out.
The second reason people don’t tithe is more difficult to address because, unlike the first issue, it is an issue of the heart. In this case people don’t tithe because of disobedience. They know the clear instructions of the Bible regarding our finances and they willfully choose to do something different. This reason has lately taken on various ‘spiritualized disguises’ as people attempt to explain their disobedience with a sense of higher learning or insight. Some will say that tithing is an Old Testament requirement and since we are now living in a New Testament period we don’t need to follow those instructions. While this may sound logical at first it doesn’t take into consideration the teaching of the Bible and Jesus Himself.
“Tithing”, returning 10% of our income to God, was introduced in the Bible several hundred years before it ever became a point of ‘law’ and it was introduced as a worshipful response to God (Genesis 14 & 28). Then when we come to the New Testament Jesus clearly affirms the tithe, ‘…yes you should continue to tithe……’ (Matthew 22:21, 23:23,Luke 11:42) even while He addresses the greater heart issue that must be maintained. Finally, the Apostle Paul further builds on this foundation by teaching us to give proportionally to our income (1 Cor. 16:2) and then going even further by calling us to ‘excel in generous giving’ (2 Cor. 8:7).
Very clearly the Bible affirms the principle of tithing as the starting point for our giving to God, and expects us to only increase from that point. So, while some might explain their lack of tithing with words such as ‘revelation’ and ‘new covenant’ let’s cut through the debate & deception and use the word that God would use – disobedience. I say this with a great desire to see our entire family living fully in alignment and experiencing the blessing and authority found in that place.

Living in Alignment: Perfect 3 part harmony

I have just recently started looking at the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15 from a different perspective than I’ve previously held. When I read this story now I read it as an expression of God’s great ‘chiropractic’ desire for us. In this story we see the heart of the Father (God) for all of His children (that’s us!) to live in proper alignment. The Father, with great love and longing, desires to see restoration to three areas that are out of alignment in His family and causing pain and discomfort. He wants to see them living in alignment with; 1) Himself – this is the most important area of alignment, that we all have a healthy and growing relationship with God where we understand our Father desires to bless us not withhold from us, 2) their Brothers – to have an open and unhindered relationship free from offense, bitterness, judgment and hurt with one another and, 3) the House (local church) – to leave the place of spectator outside the House looking on with judgment and criticism and come into the House as a full participant in the celebration and mission of the House.
In a fairy tale we know the standard ending, ‘…and they all lived happily ever after’ but this story doesn’t have the same happy ending. It seems to be much more like real life than a fairy tale. While we are left rejoicing that the younger brother has come into the place of alignment, we are also left wondering if the older brother will continue on out of alignment or whether he too will come into alignment. It is as if the story was left unfinished on purpose, to present us – the reader – with the choice we have been reading about. Will we live in alignment?
Sadly, there are many people today who choose to live out of alignment in one or more of these three areas. They do not have a right relationship with God, their brothers, and their local church (the House). For some of these individuals this lack of alignment has progressed to the point of producing pain and discomfort, while others are simply not experiencing the health and harmony that they could be. What makes this whole issue even more serious is that there are individuals who either; don’t know they are to live in alignment in these three areas or, debate whether they are to live in this 3-part picture of alignment.
In a day and age of ‘my own way on my own terms’ we are set up for a dramatic culture clash between the system of the world and the system of God’s Kingdom that each of us must settle. Will we choose to follow the pattern of God’s Word and live in alignment in all three of the above mentioned areas or, will we follow the pattern of this world that lives out of step and out of alignment with God’s purposes?
It is my prayer that everyone in our family would live in alignment and experience the joy and life that is found in living in 3-part harmony.