inheritance vs. hereditary – which do you value more?

Posted on December 29, 2014 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle: God’s children grow from principle learning -to- presence living.

Children of God are to know their identity because the Father is with them.

Jeremiah 31:7-14 Psalm 147:12-20 Ephesians 1:3-14 John 1:(1-9), 10-18

We speak of our inheritance as something we get from our parents when they die, we speak of hereditary gifts as things we get even before we are breathe our first breath. Because of the salvation of God  – we are co-heirs (Romans 8:17) with Christ long before our death and the same time we have been made in the image of God long before our birth. The terms inheritance and hereditary are completely redefine in the Spiritual sense of what God has in-store for his children.  Therefore in Christ we have both a full inheritance as well as hereditary aspects of heaven being dedicate to us.

During Advent – we focus on the coming of Immanuel “God is with us”… we see this uniquely at this season because the baby is born, representing the King of Kings coming to earth to be with us. The gospel of John captures this very differently, rather than an infancy narrative, it simply says “the word became flesh”. The Message translation expresses the truth of John 1 as “Jesus moved into the neighborhood.” When we are born from above (John 3:3) – we too are called to move into the neighborhood, with a new focus, purpose and mission. This new birth is discovered with the identity of the Father deposited in us through the power of the Holy Spirit, and unleashed in Jesus Christ.

When we are born as infants, everyone looks at us and says things like, “He has his father’s ears” She has her mother’s eyes”, I can see “his grandfathers chin”, there is no mistaking this is so-and-so’s child…. For some it is almost a game to see if they can decode the DNA that was uniquely woven to create the child giving a detailed map back to the “creator”. In short – because of our DNA and formation, we look like our natural and act like our parents. There are defined principles that explain this reality. How much more are we to look like our spiritual “parents”. In order for our spiritual identity to take root and bear fruit we must grow from simply knowing principles to living present in the presence of God.

In the same way, knowing who you “look” like does not help you, become you, nor does knowing where your “temper” came from, help you to control it. Further, just knowing that your generational family line has been plagued with alcoholism, does not prevent or incline you to do anything about it. Knowledge alone is not enough to move me from victim to victor. In fact many find comfort in knowledge alone and it leads them to create excuses like, “It’s not my fault – I was born this way” or “there is nothing I can do about my anger, I got it from my mother” this is all true when you living in the natural, but God has called us into the supernatural, to be born from above. The goal of understanding our identity must move us to move us from seeing our wiring as an excuse (accusing or blaming another) to explaining it (articulating and sharing), and from explaining it to experiencing benefits and blessings because of it (agency and mission).

Excuse -> Explaining -> Experiencing

Accuse -> Articulate  -> Agency

Principles ->   growth   -> Presence

In this way, you have inherited the qualities of your father, mother and the entire blood line from which you have descended. This is both naturally speaking and spiritually. Spiritually – I am calling your Father, your God-Given Qualities/Personalities, your mother as the Holy Spirit which fills you and gifts you, and Jesus is your bloodline and history that has been redeemed. All this within the family of God all so known as the body.

So there are three aspects of your identity which are given to you from above:

  • Your God-Given Qualities/Personalities when dealing with people, pace and place.
  • Your Holy Spirit breathed gifts, for motivation, mobilization and manifestation.
  • Your Jesus redeemed story which includes your story-line, life-lines, and time-line.

Tools for each of these can be found here or at the resources link to the right….

Posted in Epiphany, Year B | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Fear Love? Love Fear? Both leave you in the cold.

Posted on December 15, 2014 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle: Fall forward in Love, rather than being frozen in Fear.

Falling forward sends us to our knees.

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Luke 1:46b-55 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8, 19-28

What motivates you more – love or fear?

  • Do you not steal from your work, because you love your boss/company or because you don’t want to get caught and fired?
  • Do you remain faithful to your spouse/friends because you love them or because you fear what life would be like without them?
  • Do you have good hygiene because you love yourself or because you fear the ridicule and rejection of others?

Many times we fail to look closely at what truly motivates us to do the things we do – in fact we often simply assume that our motivations are good if the results are good. This revels our focus is on our intentions, rather than convictions. However, only God’s motivations are always pure – and His motivations are always rooted in Love. (Eph. 3:17) As seen above – the same “right or good” outcomes can result from very opposing motivations…  If you based you goodness on your actions – no stealing, no cheating, no lying but all these things are rooted in fear, then as we learn in 1 John 4:18 – there is a lack of love in you, because love drives out fear. This is the upheaval Jesus brought to the Pharisees. (Matt 22:34-40, 23) True identity is not based on your actions, rather it is the actions of Jesus Christ which reveal your identity.

When the Angel of God appears, we often hear him say, “Do not be afraid”. This exposure to pure love can cause or evoke fear in us. It is our impure motives and nature which is being drawn to the surface as fear, and only forgiveness can overcome such fear. Love is an act of revelation and will always demand a response – the angel is bring two messages simultaneously, 1) coaching the receiver how to go forward, as well as 2) describing what is being evoked in their presence. For the Angel of God always comes with a message –and this message is not based on what you have done, rather it is that God is giving you the message to go forward. Therefore, when the angel says “Do not be afraid” –  yes it is because there is Angel before you, but more importantly it is a call to not let fear take root in you.

In order to fail forward in love we must move in obedience. For Love and Obedience must not be separated. (John 14:15, 1 John 5:3, 2 John 1:6) We don’t know much more about Mary than that she was young, favored and responded favorably to the Angel. There was doubt, fear and confusion, but this failed to freeze her… rather she fell forward on her knees. This obedience can come only from faith and a belief that God can and will do all he is able to do. When our faith is anchored in God, we move from a stance of living loved.

It is God’s sustaining love that fulfills the commitment to Israel for the line of David’s throne. Jesus is to be born of Mary not based on what she has done, but because who she is and her response to God’s love. David is not chosen to be King – not based on what he has done or will do (both good and bad) rather based on his response to God’s love. Both Mary’s and David’s soul and spirit were obedient to the presence of God. All to often we like the Pharisees focus our obedience on acts of the body. But this is not true in the lives of these pillars of love and grace. Their soul and spirit was touched by the love of God and responded with submission. God said that love will never leave His Kingdom, therefore if you are in the kingdom you are in God’s love.

A lack of love is our only limitation in this world. Therefore, are you feeling weak, overwhelmed, alone or defeated. These are lies of the enemy in order to prevent you from becoming an overcomer.

Here is how to let Love take root and motivate you in all things:

  1. Take your focus off of your fear…  Stop asking Why? and What if…?
  2. Believe that nothing is impossible for God…   Start asking How Lord? and say Here I am….
  3. Accept God’s love and forgiveness for all the past fear-based failures
  4. Ask for God’s love and faithfulness to lead you forward into things unknown.
  5. Remember, Do not be afraid – don’t discount what God shows you for the future
  6. Live in Obedience of Faith – walk forward not because you can, but because he called.
Posted in Advent, Year B | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Custom order or One-size fits all?

Posted on December 9, 2014 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle: The Kingdom of God is universal based on the uniqueness of each person.

The Pursuit of Happiness may be a universal right, but Joy is unique to each person.

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11 Psalm 126 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 John 1:6-8, 19-28

DNA is universal to humanity; fingerprints are unique to every person. In the Kingdom of God,  the Salvation of the King has a DNA for all of humanity and it is expressed in the uniqueness of each person’s life. We can look at DNA as something objective to us, or we can look at DNA as our own personal imprint and make-up of who we are genetically. We can also look at the work of Jesus in the same way. (a quick summary of salvation in the kingdom)

The gift of salvation comes to all through the work of Jesus (Acts 4:12), further it is God’s will that all shall be saved. (1 Tim 2:3-4) When we look at salvation in this lens – it is best to describe it as God’s or Your (as in not ours) Salvation. (Psalm 13:5, 40:16, 51:12, 69:13) And yet God’s Salvation once received by all who accept it becomes My Salvation. (Psalm 18:2, 27:1, 62:1-7, 95:1). Therefore we are universally invited into the Kingdom by an act of God, yet each person uniquely enters, one at a time as they are clothed in Jesus’ garments of salvation. (Romans 13:14, Is 59:17, 61:10; Col. 3:9-12, Zec. 3:3-4, Matt 22:11-14) And thus having our eyes open to the Kingdom, (Acts 26:18, John 3:3-8, Ps 146:8, Luke 24:31) we grow and work out our salvation. (1 Peter 2:2, Phil 2:12-13)

Therefore what does this have to do with Joy, Advent and my life right now! When God’s salvation becomes my salvation it changes me. The expression of this change is to be Joy. (The enemy offers comfort and control as opposed to change – from which do you find you greater Joy?) Far too often the majority of our energy is given to preventing change from happening. (Physically (body) we fight aging or simply embrace weight gain, emotionally(soul) it is a lot of work to process change and walking away is easier that working on relationships, spiritually we want to think we have come far “enough”, and it is no fun to choose discipline…) Yet the good news is that change magnifies the uniqueness of God’s message that will come from each person. Joy is unique to each person and, it is a work of the Spirit we must celebrate and rejoice in all circumstances, declaring it is God who is at work in us. John the Baptist paved the way for change his entire life, even while he was still in the womb. It was Joy that caused he as baby to leap in the womb of Elizabeth, as Jesus came near, yet still in the womb of Mary – for this is the expression of two unique persons spirit connecting, for the power of the spirit is not limited by the body or soul.

The impact of God’s salvation on a person is described in this week’s Thessalonians passage. Do you see yourself in these verses? If so, has that always been true – most likely not, it required change– if it doesn’t describe you, what changes might you seek to embrace? These changes will be holistic, meaning that while they begin in unique aspects of your life and self, yet they will universally impact your being. For this is where Joy and Holiness become linked.

YOU have a unique message which will advance the Kingdom of God. The best way to begin the process of articulating that message is through reading of the Scriptures as the “source code” of God’s DNA . Within the Scriptures is Personal Diving Truth, a Trauma Truth and a Personal Truth all which will emerge from within you, making you alive… from there, that message is personalized in you through the lens of the Kingdom of God as you see it around you and the Kingdom of God as it lives in you.

I have established tools that help people discover this truth; most recently another tool has emerged on-line that I really like too. (There have been many I would not suggest – but project210 is worth you investment of time.)

Jesus & John lived out there Personal God Given Truths and we see them in the Word. Jesus’ message as found in his divine truth of Isaiah 61, his trauma truth is found in the prophecies of the Old Testament (Luke 4 combines these two truths) and his Personal Truth is expressed in his relationship with the Father.(John 5:16-30) Simply put Jesus’ purpose (John 4:34, 17:4) was to complete the work of the Father and to destroy the work of the devil.(1 John 3:8) Paul makes it very clear in Eph. 2:10 God has uniquely prepared you for good works – might this fill you with great Joy.

Do you know your Divine, Trauma and Personal Truth from the Scriptures, if not, you must begin by reading the Scripture and listening to the Spirit. If you do… have you spent time articulating your values and strengths this includes your personality profile, all this is helps to the lay the foundation from where you can begin to see how God is gifting you with the power of the Spirit to fulfill your God Given mission. Finally connect the dots with the context you are in and where you can apply yourself at this present moment. This has to do with being able to see the Kingdom of God around you.

Some easy steps to begin the process without looking to assessments or others to direct you:

  1. Rejoice  – We all need to learn to feel the joy of Salvation…..
  2. Pray  – We all need to learn to hear his voice.
  3. Give Thanks – We all need to learn to see things more as God sees them
  4. When you sense something or a nudge to do something new…. Do it
  5. Keep Doing it as long as it does not conflict with the Scriptures –therefore Read the Word!
  6. Begin to listen to your body…. Ex. Don’t feed it until it tells you it’s hungry… when it is thirsty it needs water, when you are tired sleep…
  7. Begin to listen to your soul…. Ex.  What emotions are you feeling that are not “righteous” take those to the Lord and your Trauma Truth, What passions and dreams live in you, which you have given up on or simply let die…. Write them down.
  8. Begin to listen to your spirit… grow your spirit by search the Scriptures for your Divine Truth, follow “weird convictions to drive down a different route, to ask a stranger a question or to speak up when you don’t know what to say…
  9. Know that God is faithful and he will complete these things in you.
Posted in Advent, Year B | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

No time to Breathe – Beware of what takes your breath away

Posted on December 1, 2014 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle: Knowing your Purpose will increase your Patience & Peace.

This will lead you to be a confident servantleader, while others to look to you for hope.

Isaiah 40:1-11 Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13 2 Peter 3:8-15a Mark 1:1-8

  • The baby’s blanket is lost.
  • The Doctor says you must give-up dairy & gluten.
  • The DVR got erased.
  • You forgot to pack your hair dryer or cosmetic bag
  • The death of a loved one

Unfortunately, we become most aware of things important to us when they are removed from our enjoyment. Advent has a way of drawing our attention to what matters most. In our consumer driven culture, we discover what matters most in this season through shopping and attending social gatherings. Might we pause on that for a moment to ask – Why do you matter? And how is it that God has called you to impact those around you in such a way that they might notice the power of God in you now, as opposed to after you are “gone.” (for we are all like grass – Is. 40:6)

It was three years ago after being in Mexico at www.dofo.org for a week that I learned how much my comfort came from my own control. I had been going to Dofo for years prior to this, but for some reason on this trip the Lord opened my eyes to see what was hidden before. My watch broke, my phone was disabled, my schedule was not what I had planned and even my hair gel became an invitation for the kids to mess up my hair I was out of my comfort zone… Comfort is the call of Israel in Isaiah 40, but this a far cry from leisure or control, rather it is call to fear not, and to trust is the Lord’s rule and reign. Do you know how to articulate your purpose in the Kingdom? Where you are to be? What you are to be doing and how it is that you will do what God has directed? (2 Peter 3:11)

John the Baptist (Mark 1) knew his purpose, in that he was at peace, patiently waiting and proclaiming the coming messiah. His comfort came not from his possessions, or his relationships, and he laid all labels down, only to patiently wait for the King to rise!  As we turn our hearts to God, wisdom and guidance will be given as we recognize his power and security in the Salvation given by Grace in the Lord Jesus Christ.  So does this mean we are to wear camel skin and eat locusts and honey this holiday season– you may if you wish, and it will be remembered– but more importantly we are to be covered by the righteousness of Christ, the holiness of the Holy Spirit and to trust God’s Word that does not fail.

Israel was being called away from a time where they had been doing nothing in regards to living into their purpose; they had found a false comfort in their sin and idolatry. Again – we often learn when things are taken away from us. This is why the wilderness is so powerful and effective in teaching us they ways of Jesus and being formed into the image His image. I believe it is fear (Bible verses) (of the wilderness) which keeps us seeking the comfort of our own control, rather than enjoying the comfort of the Lord’s calling.

The person who knows their purpose and has the perspective of patience and will know peace beyond any discomfort…To others this looks like unwavering Hope. (Bible verses) Patience & Peace are rooted as the fruit of the Spirit, therefore – you can’t produce them without it being a work of the Spirit. Purpose is rooted in the gifts of the Spirit, therefore it is the breath of the Spirit which is to fill your life.

  • Therefore Hope = (Patience + Peace) x Purpose

The virtues of God’s comfort are Wisdom, Power, Guidance, and Security. We often find short cuts to comfort through Money, Possessions, Food &/or Drugs, Labels and Relationships in general. These short cuts are not vices or negative in and of themselves, however if they become the center of one’s life, it is then where a false center of purpose is established. The virtues of comfort are used by Steven Covey in Habit 2, to guide you to your goals which are based on your purpose. The difference between the two lists is that Wisdom, Power, Guidance, and Security (of the Holy Spirit) produce patience in you, which when expressed with purpose yields a true peace. The short cuts produce patience that is not long-suffering which actually inclines you to seek instant gratification.

So the question becomes not what gives you comfort, but what has the power to take away your peace and test your patience? (It is usually the same thing that takes your breath away…)

Advent is the season of beginning and laying a new foundation for all that is yet to come. What will be the foundation of your beginning for this New Year. (Biblically the time of the “New year” – has already begun) Righteousness and Justice are the foundation of the Kingdom. How has this taken root in your life? This Righteousness of Psalm85 comes from above (see last week) and it produces in you a peace that passes understanding. Peace alone does not solve any problems, peace alone brings you through problems, unharmed or unshaken, but the purpose of the Kingdom is not merely to exists, rather it is to advance. (Matt11:11-19) To advance is to move forward, looking forward is the theme of the text in 2 Peter this week.

Looking forward to increase our patience and peace – we must “work out” and “grow up” in our salvation with is a Gift from God – for this is where our purpose is discovered. (Phil 2:12-18)  There are many places in this blog that help point you to your purpose, 1,2,3,4 , But here let’s make it even more simple – Let your patience be found in your confession that  “Jesus is Lord” and your peace be and expression of “Love the Lord”. Imagine a list of everything that is in your life… now attempt to place everything on that list under one of the two columns – Jesus is Lord or Love the Lord. As you able to surrender your list and submit it into the columns you will discover how and where the Kingdom of God is advancing in your life, and where it is not – Where an aspect does not fit into one of these concepts – the rule and reign of the King may not be present.

Ex. My children are either mine to raise and disciple, or I see myself as a steward of God’s gifts including my children, which while I am to raise them, they are not mine – therefore Jesus is Lord over my children.

Ex. My work is an expression of worship, therefore it is a way in which I love the Lord, or my work is my responsibility and obligations to provide for myself or family.

Ex. My time is my own or it may fit into either category – I submit it to the Lordship of Jesus or in finding karios movements – I find more “time” to love the Lord.

As there may be things in your life that do not fit under these headings – you have found places in your life which resists the rule and reign of the Kingdom. This is what remains for you to work out and grow up into Salvation. Where does my desire to watch TV fit? What about my desire to vacation and relax, or the ways in which I wish for others be punished for their lifestyle….  For the most part these are the places of my life where comfort comes from something other the Salvation of my King who rules and reigns over the Kingdom.

Take a breath -inhale saying “Jesus is Lord”…. Then exhale saying “I love the Lord”. In this you are increasing your Peace and Patience by claiming that your very breath is a gift from God. It is simple but this practice will take your attention off of the things that cause distress and refocus you on Wisdom, Power, Guidance and Security.

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Make your list – Check it twice

Posted on November 26, 2014 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle:  Kingdom Come – means, there is more to come…

Isaiah 64:1-9 Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19 1 Corinthians 1:3-9 Mark 13:24-37

Each year my kids enjoy making a list of things they want for Christmas gifts. The creation of this list forces them to think carefully about what they want. As they make this list they also must think about the likelihood of what they might get, based on those who are receiving the list. (They can ask for an iphone– but no one who gets their list is going to buy it for them….) The key to a good list, is reaching as far as possible, without going so far as to get nothing on your list.

So now it’s time to make your list of what you want this Christmas, what will be on the list? Write out those top 5 right….   For whom were you making your list? Did you pass over making a list at all because you have no one to give it too? Maybe you ought to try making our a list for the King of Kings. How would this change your list from the first round? Advent is the season that proceeds Christmas, while chronologically it leads us to the 24th of December, it is purposed for us to learn how to make better lists for the King, not for us to better celebrate the arrival, rather it is all about the coming…

If the question is changed– stating that Jesus will return in 48 hours, what are the top 5 desires of your heart? In this our trials and troubles of this world seem to be removed, and our concern for other’s salvation is increased. This is what the Psalm is all about. What does it look like for us to live in this way every day?

In Advent we prepare for the coming of Jesus to the world (again) – we can look back at the celebration of the birth of Christ – our King – coming to Bethlehem. But we also must look forward to the second coming of Jesus to the world – bringing the final establishment of His Kingdom Come. The Kingdom of God is both here and now, and the Kingdom of God is very much still yet to come.

When the King returns to fully establish His Kingdom on this earth – all things will be restored in a way that cannot and will not happen prior to the advent of Jesus to the earth for the final time. With this advent there will be deliverance for God’s people, and at the same time there will be a judgment for those who are not known by Him. Are you ready for the advent of the King? For those who quickly respond yes – their eyes are fixed on their deliverance and removal of their suffering. For those who answer no – what are you lacking or waiting for?

Paul’s says – You don’t lack anything when you know the grace of Jesus Christ! You may lack nothing, but do you have what you have? What you have is: the love & forgiveness of God, the grace & truth of Jesus, & the gifts and power of the Spirit. Awareness of this is to be what keeps you awake at night, not for your own benefit but for the impact that it can and does have on the lives of those around you. Now, it is time to make a list and check it twice. The list that needs to be made, prior to the final Advent of the King, the list is of names whom are not blameless and pure (forgiven & free).

This is a great promise and hope for those who are attentive and waiting for the coming King. Yet, tied to this coming is the weeping for those who do not heed the warnings of the prophets and the signs of the times that point to the destruction of the earth.  Mark 13 gave such a warning by Jesus for the Destruction of the Temple – which would happen 40 years after the resurrection of Jesus (one generation). There is much we do not know about the second coming, and the Bible seems very clear that no one will know the time or the hour of the final advent of the King. What we do know is that the King is not unaware of His people and as His people we are not to be unaware of the King. What we also know is that there is more to come… For this reason Jesus taught us to pray… “Your Kingdom Come, Your Will be done…” (Matt 6:9-13)

Make a list of three people whom you “fear” have not accepted the Grace of Jesus Christ. Now we must eagerly wait for Jesus to be revealed to them. (This is not passive hopefulness; this is on our toes anticipation.) For these people in this season; pray for their hearts to be opened, and for you to seek out opportunities to share life with them, being alert and aware of how your mission will be a testimony to them. Let us not give up on this list, not let us give up asking the King for his mercy over their lives.

Finally, remember the prophets have spoken, and the people have ignored the message, and the cycle continues…. You may be the prophet God is calling to share hope with your neighbor, co-worker or family member this season. The prophets were not simply visionaries who knew the future, rather they were vessels who God filled in the present. What is God filling you with this season? Peace, Joy, Love? What would it look like for you to be a prophet to the people on your list? This Advent season begins by remembering the prophets and sharing in their message of proclaiming the Kingdom Come.

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Mexico was not created for Mission Trips and neither are you.

Posted on November 17, 2014 by chaplaincasey

Overwhelmed? Challenged? Tired of trying to figure it all out…..
The answer is not in working harder to get ahead, rather it is in discovering what is motivating you in the first place.

chaplaincasey's avatarconfrontingchaos

Kingdom Principle:  The Church is mission, the Kingdom is missionally motivated

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24Psalm 100Ephesians 1:15-23Matthew 25:31-46

For the past 5 years my family has participated in a “mission trip” where our mission was not to be on a mission trip, but rather to be missionally present with those to whom we are sent. There has been no tasks to complete, and there is no measurement of what we have accomplished, rather there are relationships that have been deepened and there is life that is shared. We are mission because we are sent, not because we have to, or because we need to, rather for the sake living into the Hope which God has called us to. Identity is formed and confirmed in the fulfillment of mission.

The Lord separates out His people based on Identity – not outwardly, but rather by inward motivation (This is…

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Posted in After Pentecost, Year A | 3 Comments

Are you aware of what God isn’t giving you?

Posted on November 14, 2014 by chaplaincasey

This post is to edit/update the post below;

The Kingdom Principle now reads shall read as:

The King gives as much as he withholds.

The original principle was a bit reactionary to my own discovery of the depth of Mercy in contrast to the gift of Grace. And it is true the Mercy is so much deeper than I first realized, but this has only allowed be to enjoy a more full appreciation for Grace as well.

Grace is given through the parable of the Talents, Mercy is understood in light of the parable of the 10 Virgins. Mercy remains undervalued and mis-understood by the Church so I will hold on to the Kingdom does not give as much as he with holds being true from the lens of much believers… but it is not true as a reality that Christ is the truest expression of Grace, therefore nothing can out weigh or match that gift.  Enjoy the post below.

chaplaincasey's avatarconfrontingchaos

Kingdom Principle: The King does not give as much as he withholds

Judges 4:1-7Psalm 123  1 Thessalonians 5:1-11Matthew 25:14-30

To say that the King does not give as much as he withholds, is hard to understand without knowing how much the King gives. This is not simply a catchy statement – about the King giving his life, rather this is a practical condition meaning that if God has given “X”, and he has withheld “XX”, in order to be your King. A simple analogy on the heels of Halloween; I allow my kids to Trick or Treat – going door-to-door to fill up bags of candy and yet I limit how much they can keep and how much they can eat each day.  I also limit the number of hours they can spend Trick-or-Treating. With no limits – They could potentially collect 30-40 lbs of candy in…

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Posted in After Pentecost, Year A | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Mirror, Mirror on the wall- Shut-Up!

Posted on November 3, 2014 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle:  Relationships reveal our transformation and purpose.

There is no right answer to advance the Kingdom – just righteous relationships

Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25 Psalm 78:1-7 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Matthew 25:1-13

In Snow white, the jealous queen asks the magic mirror – “Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” However, She did not want the answer it gave her, and in much the same way, most of us have come to avoid the mirrors of our lives. Yet, the Bible uses the concept of mirrors to help us see ourselves and our formation as we really are: The wash basin of the Tabernacle (Ex. 38:8) was covered in mirrors (emotional formation), James 1:23-25 addresses missional formation,2 Cor. 3:18 address relational formation, and 1 Cor. 13:12 looks at spiritual formation. While we use mirrors to see ourselves physically, in the kingdom, relationships are the mirrors by which we can see our formation. It is a great hindrance to our formation when we do not see the long-term fruit of working through relationships that can be difficult – Welcome to the Church!

It is not easy to see ourselves outside of the reflections and expressions of others. This becomes our journey with Jesus to see ourselves in relationship with the Father, rather than the labels of others. Unfortunately we trust others far more quickly than God because we have struggled to learn to hear his voice. Most of us want God to tell us the right answer, yet this mystical “crystal ball” to which we are praying too does not seem to work in this way. However we know people who always seem to have the right answer, yet we don’t want it… Make a list right now of the 5 people in your life that you hear their voice (either good or bad) as you make decisions. In this post we are going to look at our relationships with others as creating either “doors”, “walls” or “mirrors”?

  • The doors create opportunities and give direction (right answers and actions).
  • The walls create obstacles and give emotional and physical weight (guilt/shame).
  • The mirrors reflect reality, allowing you to see yourself as you really are and the decisions you make as a choice.

Jesus is the only true door, (John 10:7) and many find themselves surrounded by walls and more troubling is being surrounded by walls who are pretending to be doors.

When we know the right “answer” for someone else and we attempt to “control” that person by convincing them that the answer we have is right – we are acting as a wall. (Our intentions are good, but our actions are counter-productive due to it being management not leadership – see last week) When we know the right “answer” and choose prayer as a way to see a changed heart, rather than our wisdom, they find God’s wisdom. This choice to “lead” another person through to change, buy means of their own self-discovery is to be acting as a mirror.  This transformation most often comes in through listening. (My wife has helped me to understand that it’s one thing to be told you are beautiful and quite another to look in the mirror and to believe you are beautiful.) If we know the right “answer” and we attempt to clear the way so that others can get there as we did, while our goal may not be control, we are in fact playing the role of God in their life. (Trying to convince someone they are beautiful, by pointing out all the things about them that are beautiful, rarely convinces the doubter that they are in fact beautiful.) When we discover that God loves us, is the necessary and only true first step to loving others.

The previous post brought our attention to the fact that leaders, lead people into change.  Regardless of how we lead our children or people at work, or people at church, anyone who is yet to know the King intimately and to fully discover their God given missional purpose, needs another to lead them to this discovery. If this leadership is a controlled environment, where the leader has the answer, and the follower is constantly trying to find it, the leader is a wall even if they are trying to be the door. (This poses a great challenge for most parents – see endnote)  A leader as a mirror is willing to be present in someone’s life allowing there to be room for success and failure, where every person discovers more about themselves in the process.

Joshua was a mirror to the Israelites – asking “whom will you choose to serve”, helping them to see that their actions were not aligned with their attitudes toward God.  Joshua’s willingness to mirror the reality that the Israelites say yes to God, then to take contrary actions is represented well in the text, Joshua will not be the door to the promised land and future of God’s people. God opens doors, yet does not push us through; he invites us closer by placing “mirrors” along the way so that we more clearly see ourselves and our need for the door. Abraham’s life is filled with stories where God seems to be silent in Abraham’s folly, yet somehow it leads him to encounter the next door. (Mirrors don’t fix a problem, they reveal the reality – Most people in vocational ministry get paid to be a “door” not a “mirror” – a major problem in my opinion) Moses entered the doorway as the LORD revealed it, his error is that he became the door by striking the Rock… and so was removed from leadership, not as much as disciple, but for the sake of the people. The LORD’s ways do not always make sense to us. The Lord Jesus speaks in parables to create a mirror-like experience for listener to reflect and discover. In the parable – the 5 Virgins with oil in their lamp acted as a mirror to those without, not attempting to be the door, nor a wall – rather reflecting the reality of their situation.

This parable is one of the greatest subversive truths about the church as mission…. having oil in your lap equivalent to knowing your God given purpose (your mission) in this world…and you can only see the level of your “oil” by looking in a mirror. The challenging part of the parable, it that most of us want to be able to share the oil in our lamp. This is to be a “door” to others. Yet, it is impossible to give your personal divine purpose to another – what we can do is reflect the reality, and inspire them to discover the oil that must fill their lap.

We each must discover that which God has placed in us, not by way of comparison to those around you, but by discovering the “mirrors” which you have around you. This process can be painful as it will also reveal who are “doors” and “walls”. This is not to blame others who are walls or doors, only to “mirror” for you what is your current reality of relationships around you.  “Walls” are people always tell you “No” or discourage you from following your dreams.  “Doors” are people who always tend to have the right answer for you – these people know how to “improve your life”, and tell you “if you would only do __X__ things would be better”.  Often this is in the form of a… and in short – we don’t need people “shoulding” on us. The challenge here as you think of these people is not to “cut off” or remove them from your life – this does not lead anyone to greatness or self-discovery. Rather, begin by attempting to become a mirror yourself and in doing so you will change your interactions with them. Don’t be a wall in return, or a door that tells them how wrong they are; instead realize that they may not have a mirror in their life, helping them discover intimacy with the King and their personal compass for life. (the book Leadership & Self-Deception helps us to get out of this box) You can begin to give them the gift of listening more of the time… often this feels like circular conversation at the beginning, but this is much like speaking in parables. (There is a fine line in writing this not as a “door”, but as a mirror, inviting you to look at your relationship in a new light of how these interactions affect you.)

Who in your life truly listens and reflects with objectivity? These people are not quick to judge or predict an outcome of your actions. They can walk with you through a door or let you bounce off a wall, even if they had a better or different answer. Mirrors reflect what “is” rather than trying to improve what maybe broken or predicting what is next. (If I have been a door in your life, please forgive me, further where I have been a mirror and you wanted a door, please forgive me if you have been frustrated or even angered by me…) In the Kingdom of God, we are called to be image bearer’s of the King, to reflect His Glory. This reflection is seen as His righteousness, but is often exchanged for right answers and actions.  We can learn to reflect the King’s Glory by being a mirror in other people’s life, in this His righteousness will be shown in our lives and given to those around us.

If you have too many walls in your life – learn to put up mirrors….  As a Kingdom leader – learn to be a relational mirror in the life of others.  Will you listen to another without giving an answer?  Will you help someone discover they have the answer within them – without telling them what it is…?  Attempt to sit in silence with God and let Him reflect you – what do you see, what do you want to see?

Here is a few steps to help you move in the direction to become a mirror for others in the Kingdom.

  1. Learn not to fear the mirror… stand in front a real mirror and attempt to stare at yourself (want a real challenge? – take your clothes off) but seriously – how long you can stand in your own reflection. This will help you with your awareness, when being a mirror to others, be aware of how uncomfortable it may be for them… but still necessary.
  2. Shut Up – And Listen… when another is speaking – don’t try to one-up them with what is going on in your life… if no one is listening to you – then this will be a more difficult challenge – Therefore – find someone to listen to you – God is truly your best option here. God rarely interrupts and yet, by talking to him you can get the greatest clarity possible… Read – “Can you hear me? By Brad Jersak.
  3. Lead with your ears – read this post and the two which precede it.

END NOTE: Further reflection in the realm of parenting:

How do we become or act like mirror’s for our children’s lives, rather than walls or doors.

Walls say NO –more than yes… so you may need to reshape your conversations with your children. First, even when the answer is No – have 3 ways to say Yes to your child in this same conversation. This will take work, if you are truly going to make your Yes statements relative to the No.

Doors say YES – and make it possible. … in creating opportunities for your children be cautious of doing all the work necessary to open the door. In doing so you deny them the opportunity to learn along the process. In our house – we have found the most success in this area with regards to money and helping out kids save up to purchase an item. Even when we disagreed (not violently, but thought it was a waste of money) we still moved to say yes, but guiding them to see the bigger picture – sometimes they still purchased after saving, sometimes not, other times they ended up saving longer and spending more money than ever imaged…. Parents have a great responsibility for our children, may we demonstrate that God is the only true door, and we all must find Him. As parents we must learn to share our doorway stories in which God lead us to new opportunities after we bounced off the walls (and we must share this too).

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It’s not Phar-U-See: Why Parents Give Up…

Posted on October 29, 2014 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle: Leadership requires being & doing. Management is controlled doing.

Attitude may be everything…. yet attitude is shaped by something much deeper within you.

Joshua 3:7-17 Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 Matthew 23:1-12

It is one thing to know what to do, and quite another to do that very thing. I know it is my responsibility as a parent to provide for the needs of my children and to guide them in the way they are to go… but doing that can be quite a daunting task. I might even go so far to say – it is not fair (Phar-U-see) for the more you give yourself to parenting, the harder the task becomes much like crawling deeper in a hole. The leaders of the church hold the same responsibility to provide for its followers as parents do for their children – leadership. There is no church, who wants to hear from its leadership – “Do as I say, not as I do”, in fact that message is liable to get the leader fired. (Insert the plethora of examples here) Parents who use this style of directing for their children are not giving their children what they need most; leadership and values. They (both the church leaders & parents who declare – “Do as I do, not as I say”) are merely managers of circumstances, rather than leaders of children. (1 John 2:1, 12, 18, 28, 3:1-2, 4:4-6, 5:21) I will address below – that we are all called to be leaders, but it is not just about saying certain words or not saying them at all –The point is, “Do you know and uphold your values and are you living them out?” When you are not aware of your values, there is little chance that your “being” and “doing” will align and therefore, your message will be “do what I say, and not what I do….”

When parents communicate “do as I say, not as I do” (verbally or non-verbally) they are confessing that they are not leaders for their children, rather they are managers of the house. Leaders shape and influence others, while managers control and direct actions. While on the surface this may seem acceptable or a best option for a parent, the reality is that parents have been entrusted with the shaping of the child and to lead them through the changes of life. This is the very context that Jesus found himself with the leaders of the church in his day. The leaders of the church in Jesus day – the Pharisees, had become managers of the church, not leaders of the people and Jesus is saying – you can do as they say, but not as they do…. (Matt 23:3)

The Pharisees and scribes in Jesus time managed their way into leadership. The result was a need to control others and demonstrate superiority based on that control. But control is the enemy of change and leadership is about leading people through change. The Pharisees prided themselves on being the managers of actions and time (see last week), and in the same breath proclaiming to follow the ways of Moses. However, Moses did not manage or control, in fact Moses released control (which he had to learn– Ex. 18 see verse 24) and led the people to change the very way of life they had come to trust. (Num.14:26-35) The one time Moses did take control, he learned the hard way, and he would not enter the Promised Land. (Num. 20:11-12)

Paul further exemplifies, to the Thessalonians, that leadership is balance of both our actions (doing) and in our attitude (being). Last week he described his attitude as being that of a loving mother, this week we see his actions as an encouraging father. Your attitude directs your actions, but what is behind your attitude? Attitude is based on your “way of thinking/seeing the world around you” and it is not changed outside of an act of leadership. Meaning – someone can change your actions if they have the “power” to do so – but if you remove the power – then you will go back to your old way of doing things… (Hence why may children reject their parent’s demands & direction as teens) True leadership leads to conversion, but most leadership remains a conversation. Paul’s conversion is detailed for us (Act 9, Gal. 1:11-24) … This was not simply an attitude adjustment – it was deeper than that – his very understanding and thinking about life, purpose, the world and God – changed – this change is expressed Biblically through repentance. Behind the action, and deeper than an attitude is way of thinking that is called a Philosophy. And when our philosophy changes it is called a Paradigm shift. This is the greatest act of leadership which often goes unnoticed, and it is this act that determines our being. Paul demonstrated the depth of his philosophy as he proclaims his “being” and the leaders with him as holy, righteous and blameless (1 Thess. 2:10)–not based on the credentials of the Pharisees, (Phil 3:1-11) rather based on the work of Christ. Many Christians hold or at least believe in the attitude – “Christ died for me” & “I live for Christ (Phil 1:21,Gal 2:20) – but they do not hold this as a conviction or paradigm so then their “doing” falls short because their “being” is not clear. (This is the premise behind WITH.) When we do not seeing ourselves through the eyes of the Father looking upon Jesus and us being with God, then we do not live as if we are “Forgiven and Set Free” (Gal 5:1,13-25) It is this which prevents those same leaders from leading – therefore they resort to management.

Practically:

Leadership is an art of bringing about change in a way which others will conform to a new way of thinking and behaving.  Good Leaders lead others to an edge, and Great leaders ensure they never fall to their death. Again, a leader who is not bringing about change is a manager. There is nothing wrong with managing, but leadership is different than managing. Managers do things right, while Leaders do the right things… Managers control things, Leaders change people.

Kingdom Leadership (often referred to in this blog as servantleadership) is rooted in the heart. For out of the heart the mouth speaks and fruit is produced. (Matt 3:8, 12:34, 15:18) Therefore leadership begins not with what we do, but what we hold most dear in our hearts. And yet – leadership is not simply a matter of the heart – it must be matched with visible expression of action. (James 2:14-26)

Leaders learn to find balance in their being and their doing.  This is identified by:

Consistency (being) + Credibility (doing) = Change (becoming).

One self-imposed restriction of leadership, is the leaders own comfort level with change. I am an advocate that people, especially parents, become leaders more quickly by expecting change (a philosophy) rather than working against change or being surprised by it. While some may declare, “I’m not a leader” I believe that all Christians are called to be leaders and that parenting is the highest calling of Christian leadership. (again my philosophy) To lead and to be comfortable with change, a leader must have their own personal compass that does not change. This compass is their calling. Calling happens in a moment, and is refined and clarified throughout the commission of the leader’s life. Joshua’s commissioning is found in the annuals of Moses life. (much like children find their becoming in the context of their parents life.) (Ex. 17:8-16, 24:13, 33:11) And God called Joshua and confirmed his values in Joshua 1:1-18.

Therefore:

Do you believe you are called to leadership? – this is one of the biggest indicators that you will or will not ever become a leader. (again – it is rooted in your philosophy.) It is God who calls – have you heard him? (1 Thess. 2:13)

What are your values and how do they motivate you? – if you don’t know this you will find yourself looking back more often than looking forward when it comes to understanding the change that takes place in your life. Discover your values @ viacharacter.org

If you long to bring change in another’s life – especially children, be the change in the world you long to see most in their lives. (Gandhi – got this right) Talk is cheap, control is illusion, and change is going to happen so invite it and lead through it by demonstrating peace amongst chaos and joy amidst trial rather than reacting to it.

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Time Killers & Killing Time = Empty Moments & Endless Moves

Posted on October 24, 2014 by chaplaincasey

Kingdom Principle – Time in the Kingdom is not linear, nor limited

Love is our only limitation….

Deuteronomy 34:1-12 Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 Matthew 22:34-46

Every year in August, rough 30 new families enter my life for a season. During this season these families will be with me three times a week, we will have a number of extra gatherings and celebrations. The parents entrust their children to me, to develop them, encourage them and to train them to be the best they can be. Then the season simply ends 4 months later and they go on their way. I love being an AYSO Soccer Coach and I believe that my players leave each season being loved. (they may not say it that way… but it is a reality for most) Most years my teams lose just as many games as they win, because I am developing them to be soccer players and to understand the whole game and every position. In fact, if my teams don’t lose, I have missed a valuable teaching opportunity for them about how the game works. Regardless of how the season ends up, the conclusion of every season is a celebration and awards ceremony where by each player is honored or the accomplishment they have achieved. Do you plan to end the season of life with an awards ceremony, regardless of how many wins or loses you have along the way?

If so, you are living your life in seasons, rather than rising and falling with every “game”. The way of the world is to celebrate a win, and to cover up a loss. We live in world that thinks win-lose – meaning if I win, someone else has to lose and vice versa, if I win, someone else has to lose. But in the Kingdom of God, losing is not a loss and winning is not the goal.  Moses did not enter the Promise land, but his life was rivaled by none others and his body did not wither –He did not enter the goal of the Promised Land, yet clearly the Scriptures tell us “that no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of Israel.” Paul did not go to the church of Thessalonica in vain; for he went to share his life regardless of the outcome. And clearly there were some “losses” requiring this letter to be sent to address them.

God does not view time (or life) in the same way that we do as is made clear in the Psalm…. Life in the Kingdom of God is not measured by a linear time-line that is supposed to improve or get better, nor is it limited to being defined by the events that are taking place at the moment. The mistake of the Pharisees in this passage is they accept failure as defeat and fail to see the bigger picture of the development that Jesus is bringing to their lives.

The Kingdom of God moves in “Chronos” seasons that are filled with “Kairos” moments.  (A couple of Greek words) Moses had many highs and lows of kairos moments. Yet as the end of life, what is celebrated is the overall chronos of time he spent walking in friendship with God. The main issue the Paul is dealing with the church of Thessalonica is a time issue – First, they have been believers for only a short amount of time (maybe as short at 3 months), Second, Paul was only with them for roughly 3 weeks of time (Acts 17:1-4) so they are now moving beyond the kairos moments with Paul and headed in to a chronos season – and they are heading down the wrong path. Finally, Paul proclaimed the return of Christ as imminent and their need to be ready. Now people had died before this return and others has begun to “waste time” and are disregarding the chronos aspect of time, simply living for the kairos moment. (1 Thess 4:13-5:11) Regardless, Paul is convinced that his time with them is not a wasted effort. When you capture the balance and beauty of Chronos and Kairos – there becomes your heart becomes aligned with the Kingdom.

Chronos refers to clock time – time that can be measured – seconds, minutes, hours, years. Where chronos is quantitative and dimensional, kairos is qualitative and significant in and of itself. It measures moments, not seconds. Further, it refers to the right moment, as in the opportune moment. Kairos is not the past, it is not really even the present, it is now. As a soon as you live in the now – that moment too is passing. “Now” cannot be divided, but it can be expressed in saying there is no time like NOW. To experience the now, after all, one must be alive. The dead know nothing of now. Therefore, the now, the kairos, is a concept of eternity and the present at the same time. Indeed, eternal life is an everlasting now, in which there is no sequence, no before and after. (2 Cor. 6:1-2). However, too much of the church has over emphasized the spiritual truth of kairos and completely disregarded the value of Chronos time. There is no divide between the sacred and the secular we need not supersize and over spiritualize the moment.

Without chronos time, there is no movement, time fails to have a before and after, time as the future passing through the present and so becoming the past. From chronos we derive such English terms as chronic, chronicle, and chronology. Thus, we call an illness chronic if it lasts a long time. Might we also say if we remove illness, through healing – chronic healing is found in Rev. 22:2 Again we must learn from our karios moments, the deep meanings to be passed on to others. Paul’s defense of his ministry all emerged in time, but has significance because Paul captures each kairos moment for the Kingdom.

  • Their work was NOT in vain (2:1).
  • It was NOT characterized by error, uncleanness, or deception (2:3).
  • Their preaching was NOT aimed at pleasing people instead of God (2:4).
  • They did NOT use flattery (2:5a).
  • They were NOT greedy (2:5b).
  • They did NOT seek personal glory (2:6).

These truths of Paul were gleaned and discovered not because of the amount of time Paul gave, but rather the meaning and movement within the time – each of those NOT’s came out of a moment of being with the people in the NOW. And Now, Paul living in chronos awareness write and maintains relationships because he can not simply live in Kairos thinking – that is often the nostalgia that churches and people get stuck in… thinking “if only we could go back to then…:

Paul uses the phrase “You, yourselves know” – to point the Thessalonians back to a chronos time, where they have missed the kairos meanings – (1 Thess 1:5, 2:2, 2:5) The bottom line for Paul is love and the way in which he and his companions have loved the church of Thessalonica is according to the command of Christ.

Culture cries out for us to repeat and master kairos moments which are wonderful, and to remove karios moments which are painful. Kairos moments have significance both as wonderful and painful and they have significance because they are not Chonos. To move in the Kingdom you must not mistake a “kairos” moment as having the same significance of the “chronos” season and vice versa. There is truly value in both, if you lose every game in the season, yet at the end of the year party a player lights up and shares that they have never had so much fun being “loved” on and valued by the coach. The “Kairos” moment of the team party overcomes the painful “chronos” season. However if after winning all season long, a player never returns to the game because he feels rejected by the team. The successful chronos must not be used to cover up the painful kairos reality.

When you are going through life always out of time, you are being defined by “kairos” moments.  While each moment is to be fully lived into, don’t ever let a moment define you. God moves in seasons and some seasons are filled to many moments while others seem to simply flow. Read the gospels and discover how the flow of Jesus’ ministry follows with the Hebrew Calendar. We have just come through a season (in the Hebrew Calendar) that is filled with many moments. The question for us is to be aware of the season and the moment. So step back and look at the season of the past 45 days not simply the up’s or down’s. What do you know now that you did not know 3 months ago and how is that impacting your next 3 months.

Wrapping this us: To love the Lord with all you heart, mind and soul and to Love your neighbor as yourself, requires you to live in a realm of timelessness. Meaning – you can’t do it (in time, unless your perfect) so rather than keeping score on how you do and how are others doing. Release the expectations and simply live loved, and love others…

Do you feel like you’re always running out of time – take 2 min at the end of each day to make three bullet points.

  • One person who crossed your path that day that made you smile or simply pause to reflect in a positive manner.
  • One karios moment you are thankful for from that day.
  • One act of kindness you can add to your day tomorrow.  (This can be to smile at the person that crossed your path that day. It does not need to be big, keep it very simple.  – Say Good Morning to the barista at Starbucks or your co-worker you usually walk right past) This is a planned chronos effort to capture time and potentially create kairos moments in others lives.
Posted in After Pentecost, Year A | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments