Run With Horses

Incarnational Living - Being like Jesus Where You Are

 
Incarnational Living
I always talk about need to be Intentional in our life. But what are we intentionally living out? Today I want to look at one aspect of Intentionally living as a follower of Jesus. 
In the theology of Christ, the incarnation is where Jesus took on human nature.Read Millard Erickson.
As a disciple we use it to mean taking on the life of Christ, to living out Christ-like attitudes, behaviors, conversations and relationships in the world today. As Erickson said, God is in the world. As the church, we are his representatives taking His message wherever we go.
We are not really talking about local church ministry that happens when your church family meets for worship. We are talking about the work of the ministry from Ephesians 4 that builds up the body of Christ toward maturity and shines the light of Jesus in a dark world.
It is being responsible for others. Caring about their spiritual walk and willing to take a risk to be part of it.
What does it look like to live out Christ-likeness in your relationships?What networks of relationships do you have?HomeWorkFriendsChurch FamilyNeighborhoodA good way to think about it is to consider how you model Christ in each of these webs of relationships. There are different needs in each context. how can you be what is needed in each relationship?NT Examples:Jesus saw needs and met them. Barnabas helping Paul get accepted by other believers.Dorcas good works and acts of charity, making clothes etc.Aquilla and Priscilla helping Apollos with his understanding of the gospel.
A good question to ask yourself, What does this person or group need to take a step toward Jesus. How do they get closer to glorifying God in their actions, words, and relationships? How can you help? Do you have a role you can take in helping them take the next step?
Praying for others with the expectation that God will use you in their life. What is that right now?
If you have a need that someone has, are you willing to help meet it? Just pointing it out is not always helpful if you aren't willing to be part of the solution.
Susan - seeing needs on mission field, if you see need, you can't expect others to do it.Having hope, maintaining the faith that God can and will change people. Keep that hope in front of those around you. God is at work, point it out and keep Him in focus.

Lessons From Ruth - Part 6

We finish up Ruth 4 today and consider some of the applications for caregivers and followers of Jesus.

Lessons from Ruth - Part 5

Chapter 3 of Ruth

Lessons from Ruth - Part 4

Today we look at some applications so far from the book of Ruth!

Lessons From Ruth - Part 3

Characteristics of Ruth: – Respectful (2:1) “Let me go...(glean).” Sought Naomi’s approval or assent. Also (v. 7), “Please let me glean..” Then, to Boaz later (v. 10), she bowed low to him when he  showed her favor.– Showed initiative. She saw a need (food!) and thought of a way to meet the need.– Industrious. She was not lazy. Worked all day – gleaned, beat barley, carried home– Hopeful and optimistic. “I’ll glean in the field of the one in whose sight I’ll find favor.”– Grateful. 2:10 When Boaz showed kindness, she noted that and thanked him.– Humble. Didn’t expect everyone to go the extra mile or help her. Saw herself humbly. Didn’t expect  good treatment.– Woman of character. Her life showed her integrity and faith in Israel’s God. Actions matched belief.– Self-controlled. (v. 14) She ate until she was satisfied!– Kind and generous. She shared the food with Naomi. Gave detailed explanation to her even though  must have been exhausted.– Dependable. Didn’t just work one day and quit. She saw it through the end of barley harvest AND  wheat harvest!– Dependent on God. “refuge under God’s wings.” (v. 12)– Accepted help and offers of help (v. 14).
 

Lessons from Ruth - Part 2

Ruth - Lessons for Caregivers   - Part 2
Naomi urges her daughters-in-law to return to their people, their Moabite families, their gods. Naomi can’t promise them a future husband or any support. “Please go! Leave me, too!” Orpah does, but not Ruth. She “clung” to her mother-in-law, begging her to quit urging her to leave. She gives her now-famous words: “For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” I can almost see Naomi’s face. She understood that Ruth was “DETERMINED to go with her, so she said no more” (1:18).
RUTH – A closer look1:14 Ruth “clung” to Naomi. She would not leave. This speaks of a deep commitment, a not running away to an easier, more comfortable, more familiar life. What motivated her? It doesn’t say, but in chapter four, the Israelite women said that Ruth’s love for Naomi was proven.
1:16 Ruth communicated well. Not only was she determined to stay, she verbalized this commitment to her mother-in-law. – Do not urge me to leave you or to return– Where you go, I’ll go; where you live, I’ll live.– Your people are my people; your God is mine, too.– Declares emphatically, “May death part us!”– Naomi understood her determination and quit talking about Ruth’s leaving.
Applications1. I must be committed to this life, this calling from the Lord.
2. I must verbalize my commitment to the people involved.
3. I must beware of the untruths of my emotions, filling my mind with God’s Word instead. Part of this involves stepping back from the situation, and seeing how God might be working in the big picture. Why do bad things happen? What is God’s purpose in the world as He has revealed it in the Bible? How do we fit into this plan?
4. Nurture your faith in God. Remind yourself of His character traits. Is He really vindictive? Mean? Hateful? Or is He loving, full of grace and mercy, just, and kind? Remind yourself that God is always working. Most of the time, we don’t see how. We need eyes of faith.
5. Compare: “I went away full, and God has brought me home empty.” When I compare Philippians 2:7-8, I see that same word: Jesus “did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking the form of a servant….He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death.” My situation does not compare with what Jesus endured! He is my model, my perfect example. He totally understands my life and feelings and outcomes. And really, compared to eternity, this time is extremely short. Yet the dividends are out of this world. Literally! And look at Phil. 3:8b! “For his sake (Jesus’s) I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.. Lord, help me to forget what lies behind (the hopeful expectation of nicer living arrangements, in this case) and strain forward to what lies ahead – the goal, which is “the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). ---- Lyrics to “The Servant King” by Graham Kendrick  ----
6. Where is HOME?I’ve been remembering Cameron’s testimony on “HOME” and where that is. It’s speaking to me in a real way. I don’t want to have my mind set on earthly things, because my citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:19-20). This world is not my home! This domicile at 305 N. Liberty Street is not really my home. My true home is in heaven, and it’s definitely not a dump! My name is in the book of life. My eternal future is secure! Nothing can steal it away from me, not death, not a terrorist, not a conspirator, not my government, not even the devil. It won’t rust, fade, or wither away. My reservation is secure. It won’t be long until I see my Savior face to face! Then this will all have been worth it.
7. My attitude is my choice.“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. (This is a perfect backdrop to let this be seen!) The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:4-7). This is so encouraging to me! Rejoicing is my choice. I can be reasonable. The Lord is with me! I have no reason to fear or be upset or worried about anything. What I can do is bring every worry, concern, and sadness to my Lord, making requests of Him, telling Him my fears, leaning on His strength, and being thankful for how His hand is at work, both in me and in those around me. The resulting unbelievable peace is what I long for! Peace that doesn’t make human sense! This peace will guard my heart and mind! What a security promise! Nothing can breach that! This section ends with this command: “..whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy, think about these things!” (Phil. 4:8).As icing on the cake, Phil. 4:11 relays Paul’s testimony: “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content… I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” “My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).

Lessons from Ruth - Part 1

RUTH Thoughts on caregiving
Intro: We were on the airplane, leaving Japan, the country where my husband and I have been missionaries for 20 years, heading back to the United States in order to live with my mother and provide her with extra care. I pulled my kindle out of my backpack and considered where to read in the Bible that day. The Holy Spirit drew me toward the book of Ruth. As I read through the four chapters, I realized that Ruth and I share some similarities in our situations! That led me to look more closely at the story as God laid it out centuries ago. I am finding it to be relevant for me today!
BACKGROUND:Elimelech and Naomi, with sons Mahlon and Chilion, left Israel due to famine to move to Moab, a foreign land. While there, Elimelech died. Naomi’s two sons took wives from that country, and perhaps 10 years later, these sons died, too, leaving Naomi with no living immediate family. Unless you count her daughters-in-law. Which apparently she didn’t! Naomi makes the huge decision to leave Moab – her home for at least a decade – and to go back to her home country of Israel.
What we see in this story so far is a lot of stress for Naomi.– Famine (an unstable food source)– Huge move from familiar to foreign (Israel to Moab). This could also have the stigma of leaving  God’s umbrella of provision. Guilt feelings? Anger? Naomi might not have had a say in it.– Death of a spouse– Death of two (and only) children– Learning to accept new family members (daughters-in-law, at that!)– Huge relocation to “back home” (reverse culture shock), without her husband’s help this time.– A personal load of bitterness, directed toward God– Had to deal with all the questions and attention when she returned home.
NAOMI – A closer lookLeft Bethlehem, her home, her friends, her people, her God?Left the difficulty of famine behindHer husband “left” her in death; 1:3 “she was left with her two sons.”Her sons left her, too; 1:5 “the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.”Perhaps she felt “left” by God, too; she felt “that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me” 1:13. Here’s how she felt:1:13 “It is extremely bitter to me for your sake (daughters-in-law) that the hand of the LORD has gone out against me.” Felt jinxed? Cursed?1:19 “The Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me.”1:21 “the LORD has testified against me and the Almighty has brought calamity upon me.”She told her old friends not to call her Naomi (pleasant) but Mara (bitter).
She is obviously speaking out of her emotions. This is what it felt like to Naomi – that God was against her, had it in for her, was her enemy. Yet, the truth was that God was setting the scene to honor her in a way that few women would! Today, we know the end of her story, that she would become the great-great-grandmother of King David! 
The lesson I learn from this is this:** Though our feelings present themselves as FACTS, they aren’t reliable as truth. We can’t let our minds be controlled by our emotions. We must refocus on truth within every situation. Naomi didn’t know that God was against her. She assumed this, because life wasn’t going the way she though it should. It felt to her like God was against her.
(Chloe’s song – We believe something’s real, but it’s only believing “real lies.” That’s one of Satan’s methods. Ask Eve! We feel something’s true, so we believe it is.)
1:21 Naomi said, “I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty.”First, she didn’t go away full. It was a famine! She left starving! But she did leave “full” of family.Sometimes we glorify the past, and vilify the present or future. “I used to have it so good; I’ll never have it that good again.” Are you God? Do you know that for certain?!
“I went away full, and the LORD has brought me back empty.” I wonder if Ruth heard Naomi say this, and what she thought? Naomi’s basically saying, “God’s brought me back with NOTHING.” What a slap in Ruth’s face! But we’ll see later that even this attitude didn’t affect Ruth’s commitment to her mother-in-law.

Spiritual Leadership Might Not Be What You Think It Is!

 
Jesus and parables : Man who found treasure in a field , reburied it , IN HIS JOY sold all that he had, and then bought the field. Which one is most meaningful to you? Why? Let me know at talk@runwithhorses.net Is it possible you could have a chance to share it with someone this week?
 
Spiritual leadership is not what you think it is!
 
What?
What do you think of when someone says, “leadership” or “leader”?
Where does that c ome from? Maybe the business world? Military? Sports?
Characteristics of a worldly leader – commanding presence, big personality, has the answers, limits their focus to the big picture and important work, is out front, seen in action by others, the face of the organization.
How does that image compare with the life of Jesus, He was definitely a leader!
Where traditional leaders are expected to lead from a position of strength, Jesus lead from a position of truth, cushioned with grace and humility. Don’t mistake that for weakness!
He always did the right thing at the right time in the right way. He looked for where the Father was working and joined Him there. He lead with a heart of compassion that never avoided the difficult conversations because they were uncomfortable.
 
 
Why?
Biblical spiritual leadership is important! And it is missing from many of our homes, churches and communities.
A spiritual leader is a beacon of light in any environment, bringing God into every situation. All of life has a spiritual component, even if many refuse to acknowledge it.
God gives us all a degree of spiritual influence that we should intentionally use in the mission of Christ on earth. That is the purpose of the church and ultimately our lives. Using our influence to lead people towards reconciliation with God is the way that we glorify Him. Our gifts serve the purpose of building up His church so that it can accomplish this great task. The Holy Spirit works in us towards maturity so that we will not remain infants but mature in the Word and our ability to apply it to our own life and lead others to understand and apply it to their lives. This is spiritual leadership. This is the life of every follower of Jesus. This is what it means to be a disciple maker.
 
How to?
Bring the attitude of Jesus into every relationship. Mercy, grace, and humility mark the life of a Biblical leader.
Keep the main thing the main thing. We can easily get distracted by arguments that lead nowhere. Learn to lean on the spirit and recognize where God is working. Love others first. Be quick to repent and confess your own mistakes. Go the extra mile to put others first. Serving others is the path to influence in their lives and will open doors for the big conversations.
Don’t be afraid to lose face or to fail. Ultimately God wins! Live like you believe that.
If you have biblical priorities and your life and conversations reflect that, you will have a chance to speak to those around you because of the difference in your life and theirs. Be ready to give an answer. (NOTE: The questions only come if you actually live different than those around you!)
 
Where do you have spiritual influence? How are you using it now? How can you use it better?
There is value and meaning in every relationship that God gives you. Be a spiritual leader in every area of life and give God the glory.
 
 

How is your Influence?

How is your Influence?
 
If Christianity is about relationships, maybe you can say that disciple making is about influence.
How is yours?
 
Start at home.
Spouse
Kids
Extended family
Friends
Neighbors
Co-workers
 
What are we talking about?
Living a life of intentional relationships. Like all else in the life of a disciple, the focus is to glorify God in all we do and say. Disciple making is to a large extent about conversations. Relationships are built on both life experience together and what we talk about as we go through them with others. To glorify God is to be intentional in our conversations. What do you usually talk about with those around you in the many different contexts of your life? What would it take to include your spiritual life in those relationships?
Get to know people and consider how to spur them on toward love and good works.
 
Why is this so important?
You have a network of relationships that God has given you. What are you doing with them?
To be a disciple maker is to be intentional with our relationships. To Love people is to want their best. Their best is to be a devoted follower of Jesus engaged in His mission to reconcile the world to God.
This is God’s plan for the world and for the church. People investing in people for the glory of God. People using their gifts to build up His church. This is God’s plan A to reach the world and there is no plan B.
If you aren’t willing to have a spiritual conversation with others who will?
 
How do you life a life of intentional relationships?
Like just about everything else in life start with prayer.
Begin praying specifically for the people around you. Who are you near each day? How can you use your gifts to encourage and help them to follow Jesus? What does that look like?
From Praying move on to considering specific actions and conversations that will move you both toward Jesus. Being intentional means planning and preparing to have those valuable conversations.
It might be an invitation to read the bible together or a light conversation about something God has been teaching you recently.
Talk to other believers around you about your desire to grow spiritually. Often this can be the catalyst for others to consider their own spiritual life and habits. Be the spark plug who energizes others toward spiritual change. Refuse to accept stagnation in yourself and you will encourage others to grow as well.
 
 
 

Believing, Being and Doing - Truth, Character and Actions

Life has a purpose – To glorify God. God gives us a LOT of information about how we can do that as we live a life in relationship with His church and attempt to carry out His command to make disciples.
 
Practically living out your purpose has three main parts, Believing, ,Being and Doing.
What you believe will impact how you understand your purpose and how you view yourself in the world. Who you are will impact your ability to live out what you believe about your purpose. What you do each day is the result of your beliefs carried out through the filter of your personality and gifts.
 
Believe -
How do you determine truth?
What is your theology? Foundation for thinking about God, Life, Purpose, Truth
This is your thinking – intentional, deep consideration of truth as well as the beliefs that you pick up from pop culture, things you assume to be true even though you haven’t examined them yourself.
 
 
Be -
Who are you? What kind of person are you? Character traits and personality as well as practical skills.
You are changing over time. Are you growing and intentionally applying yourself to be a better person, however you define it (belief system)? Are you stagnant, the same person you were 10 years ago, just older? How will you be remembered when you are gone?
 
 
Do -
What are you doing? What actions characterize your life? What habits have you developed over time? Are they mostly intentional or just the result of defaulting to the easy path?
You will do something with your life. How will it be talked about at your funeral? How will God judge your life’s actions?