Thursday, January 8, 2009
Are you dead yet?
In the Goose book we were challenged to live out our God-ordained passions until the day we die. Mark Batterson said that most people die long before the date on their tombstone. I'm pretty sure I know my God-birth, God-fueled passions and the gifts He has deposited in me. But my issue is what is identified as the "responsibility cage". I cant tell you how much I feel that paper, phones, management duties, personal finance and yes, even leadership responsibilities divert me from my passion and gifts. This chapter is such a challenge to me and short of an administrative assistant coming into my life, I feel somewhat stuck. I am so alive when I get to do what I love and kind of ticked off when all the other things bury my passion under an avalanche of paper and stuff. So Lord, help me fly with the Goose. How is chapter 1 or 2 messin with you?
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as I left last night the spirit begain to show me some things about the couples at the table but it is also very important to all who are going into ministry.There is a prosess that involves three parts Death, Burial, Resurection. We in ministry have all felt a calling to something at one time and then it just seem to fall apart we new we heard God call us there so why did it not work.This is death. God has shown this time and time for a reason that we might know him in His pain aswell as His Glory.
The next part is the Burial this is were God gets you alone He begins to heal you He makes you anew this sound great but let us remember were Christ went when he was buried it is a form of Hell this part is were you will be reformed, you will loose your identity to put on His, old things are passed away to be born again.
The last is were the POWER of God transforms little old you into a very DANGEROUS TOOL that he can weild against the powers and principalities that dwell in the earth. this is were we find His Goose leading every were we go.
Wow, this is fantastic. It sounds like you have been in these places before. Preach it anonymous. bless you, john
Welcome to the real world where most of the time you don't get to work out of your passion. It is there that most people live. Most of us work in jobs where there is lots temptation, lack of integrity, people who are addicted, obsessed, irresponsible and indifferent. It is in these conditions that we live out our Christianity while trying to take home a paycheck. Many times we don't get to see how we make a difference but trust we do. Enjoy what you get to do.
thanks for sharing, you have a good point. sleep tight. jw
once again i'm urged to write this that we are in the world but not of the world this book speeks of being a light no matter were your earthly location or current job class this is about being led by the spirit of the LIVING GOD that he might be a hope to the hopeless or a light to those in darkness we aren't all called to china or africa but we are all called to His precence DAILY to be acountable in the little and have faith for the great
I'm glad you gave a short list of your job description since many people who work secular jobs dream of the life of full time ministry. It is interesting that you too find roadblocks to your ability to spend more time using your gifts and passions. So much for the glamorous life of a pastor. Which leads me to say that God knows this and has planted each of us where He wants us. It is only when we go to work, no matter what our vocation, with our spiritual antennas up will we be able to be and do all God has intended for us. The opportunities at work are endless if we will be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's prompting. Is it dangerous? You bet. But this is what Batterson is talking about, is it not?
I think all of us not yet dead, can relate to the frustrations of living in the world. Especially when we're not of the world.
Of course the cure, for us all, is faith. With enough faith, we will see that the many good, bad and tedious moments lived for Jesus, are not random.
From the pinnacle of Jehovah's promise, these moments are seen to form a trail of footprints through dust, mud and snow.
And from the light of His dawn, we will each see that we are closing in quickly on that wild goose.
Let me add one comment on chapter two, Goose Bumps. If you believe the passion God has placed in your heart is to be a teacher, go to college to become a teacher. Don't stop after 2 years to become a day care worker. There's nothing wrong with being a day care provider, but if the calling is to be a teacher, don't quit. If God wants you to become a nurse to help kids in our cities, go to nursing school and be faithful and finish. Sometimes, depending upon the call, we need to do some difficult prepping within our lives for God to use us where we want Him to. Are there some exceptions? Sure. But generally God can't put an MD after your name without you first going to med school. Many times countries won't even consider you as a missionary if you have nothing to offer besides the Gospel. If you offer teaching skills or can work in a hospital, they will say "come." Then, as you teach or give aid, you can share your Jesus.
I had to go back and read the "Wet Feet" portion of the book after this to get the full understanding of the revelation of the spirit in it.
The water has always been a type of the Holy Spirit and so this makes complete sense. The priests were required to step into the river and get their feet wet, or look at it this way, there steps were to be covered by the HOLY Spirit that God may be manifest in the miracle of the parting of the sea. This is for us as priest (for the steps of the righteous are ordered of God )to be led in the right path we must seek the Spirit first.
The other part of this miracle of the parting of the seas had puzzled me. If the water is a type of the Spirit then why didn't He require the preists to go in completely up to there heads? After praying, this is what I got. Jesus had not yet made the way through his death and therefore even the priest had not the ability to use the fullness of the Spirit. Now we have (through the blood of the Lamb) the fullness of the Spirit, to do greater things than Jesus himself did. Therefore we are to be great in the eyes of God, being used mightily for his Kingdom! Don't let anyone tell you your average or not good at something because you that are LED by the Spirit ARE the Sons of God.
I was so excited when I heard what this book was about. When I got home and was ready to read, it reminded me of "Good morning Holy Spirit" I grabbed the book, my bible & journal and wanted to hide away with them all. It was like looking forward to meeting your lover. I have devoured this book, received confirmations, liberation, restoration, inspiration, revelation and have been delivered from spiritual constipation.
I know what it's like to feel dead and still breathing. After several months of pressing, things started to change. I would consider this study to be another catapult in our faith and walking by the Spirit. Looking forward to the next class.
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