Saying no to strivenness

Not sure how it's spelt but I think I just made it up so I don't think I can be corrected.

A few weeks ago I noticed how I can easily enslave myself to striving and drivenness. I came to recognise a pattern in my life, where given some time to myself I'd fill it up with a list of things I "had" to do. I'd get to the end of that time exhausted and think that what I really needed was to relax and get renewed. Drivenness took the joy out of things. I'd do something that I didn't really need to do because I thought I should. I'd struggle through with frustration and not enjoy it at all.

Strivenness is an awful motivator.

I came to a point one evening and said no to striving and being driven in those situations. I took it easy, happy not to get anything done particularly. I've since noticed that I've been more relaxed generally with the way I've used my time. I haven't felt subject to have-tos that really aren't. I thank God because I think He set me free from something in my heart.

This lack of contentment and joy, and a sense of striving and drivenness can mess with our hearts. I can think of many times I have served others from this place and really I have been searching for some kind of fulfillment in my heart. Where being fulfilled in my Father's love I can do things out of the overflow of His life, from my heart.

I have recently been again impressed by Jesus and the way He seemed to be so secure and so different to our own culture of drivenness. He limited His time with the crowd so that He could spend time on His own with Father God. He didn't do anything to promote Himself or drum up business - He actively sought to keep many miracles quiet. Jesus didn't worry about impressing people or building momentum in His ministry. No strivenness there at all.

Any thoughts?

Impressing Jesus

The main variable for impressing or disappointing Jesus is our faith.

Jesus was amazed at the lack of faith in His hometown and with His disciples on many occasions. At other times He was impressed with people's faith and credited to them for righteousness and healing, such as the Centurion.

Jesus was never impressed by good behaviour or shocked at poor behaviour either (although self-righteousness and it's fruit obviously got right under His skin). Of course, Jesus made it very clear that sin is our problem. His teaching shows us that we could never perform well enough to pass any tests on that front. Our only hope is to believe in Him and His righteousness. Indeed sin is a fruit of our lack of faith. And our idea that we can perform well actually destroys our connection with Him perhaps more than anything else.

I have certainly failed when it comes to sin. I have also fallen short in the area of self-righteousness for that matter. Unfortunately I have also failed miserably when it comes to faith. But I thank Jesus that He is so willing to accept me as I believe in Him, that my mustard seed of faith in Him is grounds for my forgiveness and salvation.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. Hebrews 11:6

I'm so glad that faith is such a key to impressing our Lord Jesus. Our human efforts at achieving right behaviour will fall short; but righteousness itself is a fruit of faith. Believe right then be empowered to behave right.

Love to know your thoughts.

Pentecost Love Letter

12th June 2011

Dear Holy Spirit,

It's Pentecost and I want to write to say I love You. I know You're the same everyday and everywhere. But I want to honour and celebrate You today, and hopefully appreciate You more every other day.

You are the ultimate best friend. You are always here with me. You always have a kind word. You always encourage me and build me up. You even bless me with real peace and real joy. You are amazing!

You are so gracious and loving to me. You know all my thoughts and actions yet You stay with me. You correct me gently, You heal my brokenness and forgive my strife. You never give up on me. You fill me with joy and peace again.

You whisper bold ideas into my ear then You fill me with boldness to follow through. It's always exciting to think about You and recognise You in situations. There's nothing more fulfilling than getting the chance to partner with You in Your purpose. It's fun to flow and fly with You.

Thank You for inviting me to walk with You. What a blessing. It is the best walk of my life. Your kindness and You presence mean so much to me.

I love You so much!
Mark

Waiting for Pentecost

I wonder if the air was different. I wonder if it felt different when you were on your own - waking, thinking, walking. One thing is for sure - things changed very significantly on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts Chapter Two.

I hope in heaven that I get a chance to ask some that were there what it was like before and after. That day was a very significant shift in human history - the Holy Spirit was being poured out on all flesh - not just the few.

When the Holy Spirit was deposited in my life, when I was baptised with Him - I was completely changed. I felt new life, new desires and a new power to live His way. I never want to live without the Holy Spirit's love and power.

I'm determined this Pentecost (and my whole life for that matter) not to take the Holy Spirit for granted. I want to think about Him and desire Him - to acknowledge His presence and everything that He has done is doing for us.

I'm going to celebrate Pentecost this year be bringing the day in with a fire and a few mates in my backyard. I don't know what will happen but as we sit together I hope that we bring honour to Him as we share about what He has done for us. Any guys are welcome between 9pm and midnight.

I've decided to consider the Public Holiday on the Monday after Pentecost Sunday to be also in honour of the Holy Spirit - nice of the government to give us more time to celebrate.

How will you take some time to honour the Holy Spirit at Pentecost?

What I've learnt about fasting

In the last few weeks I've learnt a lot about fasting from the Holy Spirit walking me through it and from a book called "Fasting" by Jentezen Franklin. I am thankful to my Pastor (Ps Jack Hanes) for again challenging our church community to fast over the last three weeks.

Fasting is a normal and important part of life as a Christian.
Although I have fasted from time to time, I've regarded it as a fairly radical and fringe activity. Jentezen's book shows through scripture that it is quite a normal and even expected part of Judaism and Christianity (among other religions). Just as I invest myself in giving or prayer, I also want to be a person for whom fasting is a regular part of my life and worship.

Fasting is for spiritual breakthrough.
Fasting makes a difference to the power of our prayers. Where prayer alone may not work, fasting can be the element that brings the authority to bring a healing or an answer to prayer. Of course, Jesus Himself said this to His disciples. Breaking through physically can precede breaking through spiritually. Same God, same purpose, same prayer - but fasting brings greater power and authority to our prayers. I want to remember this when my prayers don't seem to be answered.

Fasting is not as hard as I thought.
Fasting of any kind has never actually been as difficult as I thought it would be. Before recently I believed that I couldn't fast completely on work days, that I wouldn't have enough energy and I'd get to grumpy without some sugar in my system. Now I know that isn't close to being true. I have even found that I could do (limited) exercise while fasting completely without any side-effects. I have learnt especially how important it is for me to know why I am fasting and to decide before I start exactly how I will fast - working it out as I go has never worked for me.

Fasting is for sanctification.
Fasting is a test. It's like putting your hand up to tell God that you're ready for your character to given a bit of pressure. It is a chance for God to work in our lives to bring sanctification. In this season of fasting God has very clearly walked me through different themes as I have continued - fear, pride, flesh vs. spirit and criticism.

Fasting helps you to get carried away.
Fasting was practiced by so many of my heroes in the Bible and more modern heroes of the faith. I don't know how I haven't fully recognised before how much fasting is a key to a 'deeper' spiritual life. Those with a clear presence of God on their lives and authority and miracles in their ministries have been people who fasted regularly. I want to be a 'carried-away' Christian.

I have a desire to make fasting a regular part of my life and worship. I want to be the kind of person who is quick to fast and pray for salvations and spiritual breakthroughs. I want to be led by the Spirit as I begin to fast more often. I want to crucify the flesh so that I might walk according to the Spirit.

What have you learnt about fasting lately?

Flesh or Spirit

"Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:24-25
Fasting helps me to realise some of the desires of my flesh and hopefully to reinforce the Spirit-desires that God has put in my heart. As I've been feasting on the Word in this time of fasting God has started to speak to me and challenge me about the flesh and the Spirit. I have noticed that Paul had a lot to say about the topic, and that there is much to learn from the life of David.

Paul made it clear that the distinction and indeed the conflict between flesh and Spirit is of great importance in the life of a believer. The flesh, writes Paul in Romans 8, is hostile to God, cannot please God and leads to death - the Spirit brings life! Paul encourages us to live according to the Spirit, the kind of life that is the opposite of the flesh-life. He warns us not to use our freedom to indulge the flesh (Galatians 5).

Paul said that he put no confidence whatsoever in the flesh (Philippians 3). He listed all the wonderful reasons he had for backing himself - his intellect, his breeding, his passion and his accomplishments; but made it clear that in Christ and in truth that his flesh could still not be trusted. Rather we should look to the Spirit for motivation, guidance, and strength.

I have been impressed as I read again about the life of David, the man after God's heart, the man full of the Spirit of God. Like Paul, he could have reasonably acted according to his flesh but rather chose to honour God. David prayed about going to war, when he could have gone ahead according to the power of his army or a desire to crush his enemies. When he had a chance to take his enemy, King Saul's life, he chose to spare him in order to honour God. David didn't put confidence in his flesh which had claim to revenge, self-preservation, anger, rights and even calling. David walked according to the Spirit and trusted Father God.

I have often thought of the influence of the flesh of course as the kind of nasties listed in Galatians 5:19-21. But this has left me off the hook for so many times that I am self-directed, self-indulgent or full of self-pity. Follow the flesh and it will lead to death. Walk with the Spirit and He will give you life. There is no basis for having any confidence in our flesh, rather we should trust our heavenly Father with everything and in every way.

Humbling

Fasting

Praying

Lacking

Waiting

Hurting

Kneeling

Mourning

Worshipping

Asking

Trusting

Listening

Giving

Learning

Loving

Forgiving


God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble.
James 4:6