Growth

assuming that motives matter

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It is possible to have the right behaviour and still be an absolute mess!  It seems to me that when we live without congruence between motives and behaviour we will ultimately be served a gut check that forces us to examine our motives and adjust.  One of the dangers we face in relationships is the temptation of playing god by assuming we know exactly why a person is doing what they do.  We misplay and fall into the trap of judging when we sort out the “why” of another person’s behaviours based on ourselves rather than on their self-reporting.

A culture of trust assumes the best until proven otherwise.  And a culture of distrust assumes the worst until proven otherwise.  The fellowship of Jesus has another way of sorting behaviour through the lens of Scripture and of the motivating power of the Holy Spirit.  Paul indicates that he can celebrate the brothers and sisters in Thessaloniki through the lenses of thankfulness and of “faith, hope, and love.”

“We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.  We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

So assuming that motives matter… when we confess that “Jesus is Lord” behaviour is to be increasingly shaped by Jesus and by the faith, hope and love He produces in our lives.  My view of others will move up when I am first thankful–they are a gift from Jesus.  Hopeful–Jesus is working them.  Loving–I can accept them as Jesus accepted me.  Faithful–let’s stick it out together.

your personal needs are fuel for temptation

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Sunday at Cityview in the Integrity Test series we explored another reality that we have in common with Jesus:  temptation.  The text was Luke 4:1-13.  There we see Satan tempting Jesus by tapping into His personal needs.  You can listen to the message at the Cityview site later this week.  The notes are below:

integrity-test-2

The Big Idea:  Your personal needs are fuel for temptation.

 

1.    Temptation is not sin.  It is a reality of the spiritual life.

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil.  Luke 4:1-2

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes…In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Ephesians 6:11, 16

 

2. When you have become a follower of Jesus, temptation is about making you un-godly, less trusting of God, less useful to God, and less influential in the kingdom of God.

In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble.  If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work. 2 Timothy 2:20-21
 

3.  Temptation targets our “neediness” in order to displace our devotion to Jesus.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.”  For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.    James 1:13-15

Jesus’ Needs               His Response
vs. 2        Hunger            Trust God for provisions.
vs. 5-6    Success           Worship God & serve Him only.
vs. 9-12  Significance  Don’t test God to prove you matter to Him.

 

4.  Temptation can be defeated.

 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.  1 Corinthians 10:13

Our Needs                The Way
Physical                       Choose dependence & trust on/in Jesus.
Finances & Time       Choose devotion to Jesus & His Kingdom.
Emotional                   Choose dedication to Jesus’ ways.

Jesus passed the integrity test in regard to temptation, over and over and over.  You and I do not.  We need a Saviour to give us grace.  We need to repent of what has become habituated patterns of sin in the realm of temptation.  We need His strength to face temptation daily.

We implore you on Christ’s behalf:  Be reconciled to God.  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

 

 

     

 

 

high school graduation and SHIFT

/ Craig / 1 Comment

Growing up for some of us is like driving an automatic:  we shifted gears almost without thinking.  And for others of us growing up has been like learning to drive a standard:  we shift, jolt, restart, look for the sweet spot, and try again;  every transition requires us to think, stop try.  Nothing feels automatic.  

 High school graduation is a major marker in the journey of growing up.  Today I was privileged to be a part of graduation interviews at Tupper High School.  I’m so impressed with the students I met and deeply appreciative of the variety of strengths they have landed on and are seeking to develop in the next years.  Some of them are shifting well almost on automatic, and others are in the midst of learning to shift.

I have been thinking during the day about the kinds of shifts that are needed and one hopes are well on the way by graduation.  Here’s a short list of shifts that I believe high school graduation signals are in order.  What do you think, are these expectations realistic?

1.  From dependence to independence to interdependence.

2.  From working on my weaknesses to living in my strengths.

3.  From trusting that others will solve problems for me to seeking solutions with others.

4.  From simply absorbing the values of others in order to please them to sorting out what really matters to me.

5.  From living for myself as an end to living for something greater than me.

6.  From fear of challenges to facing challenges.

7.  From the inertia of the familiar to the exhilaration of learning something new.  And from depending on others to do this for me to taking the initiative to sharpen my growing edges.

8.  From intoxication with power to the just application of power.

9.  From having others pay the bills to paying the bills myself.

10.  ……….hey what shift do you believe high school graduation signals?

the integrity test: alignment and anxiety

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On the weekend after the Integrity Workshop we began a new series at Cityview called Integrity Test:  6 realities we have in common with Jesus.  As followers of Jesus we live with a much for severe reality than others do.  We live with the reality of God’s perspective and right to our life.  We live with the costliness of His grace.  Anyone who is a new believer or even consider following Christ is probably already aware of the challenge that accompanies alignment with the Jesus and seeking to walk as walked in this world. (See 1 John 1:6)

 The first reality that the series deals with is that your alignment with Jesus may create anxiety in others.  For the follower of Jesus this is integrity 101 after the matter of honesty.  Our text Luke 2:41-52 opens a window on Jesus going to Jerusalem with Mary and Joseph and then staying behind without their knowledge.  After three days they find him in the temple conversing with the elders there.  His parents are astonished.  And Jesus himself seems genuinely surprised that they did not know where he was or what he was about.  Jesus’ alignment with His Heavenly Father created great anxiety for Mary and Joseph.  In a simple reduction of the problem we can say that when faced with the anxiety of others we are pressed into an integrity test.  Will we be a people-pleaser or a God-pleaser?  You can listen to the message at cityviewchurch.ca later this week.  The listening guide is below.

1.  Alignment with Jesus means you will be doing new things and establishing new patterns.  

“Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”  Luke 2:49
2.  Alignment with Jesus creates change in relationships.  

“When his parents saw him, they were astonished.  His mother said, “Son, why have you treated us like this?  Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”  Luke 2:49
3.  Alignment with Jesus does not mean you abandon all your commitments.   But it does require you to sort out your obligations.

 “But they did not understand what he was saying to them.  Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.”  Luke 2:50-51
4.  Alignement with Jesus propels you into essential areas of growth.  

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”  Luke 2:52

Jesus fully met the demands of reality.  We do not and that problem reveals again why I need a Saviour and why Jesus was fully able to meet the reality of my sin:

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  2 Corinthians 5:21

seen at Cityview this weekend

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Here is the video we showed Sunday morning before the service set to Toby Mac’s song Lose My Soul.  The song is based off Jesus teaching on following Him found in Luke 9:23-27.  Specifically verse 25:  “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very sefl?”  What a big difference from the message my kids sang at the table last week, “Baby you can have whatever you want!”