THE UPRISING

If you sleep during seed time & planting, 

you will lack during harvest.  -God

If you had not been faithful during the  'I can't believe I have to do this' phase, you would never have made it to the ' I can't believe I get to do this' phase.  You are enjoying the momentum of 'want to' because you were faithful during the discipline of 'have to'. And what you sowed in faithfulness is being rewarded in fruitfulness. 

   For  followers  of  Christ  I  think  the  primary  question  is  not  'How'  should  our  lives  be  lived?  The  primary  question  is  this;  'From  where'  should  our  lives  be  lived?

I got to thinking about us, the way we were made…The way we are created for greatness, but can equally handle smallness if that sometimes be the road to it. The way we are allowed to take up the Life of Christ & let that deep shift transform, addict, & grab us body & soul.

I got to thinking about us -The way we are empowered to taste the Passover; judgment flying over we hidden souls behind blood stained doors. And the way we are subsquently empowered to passover transgressions from others with that same unshakeable & irresistible power of mercy & forgiveness.

The way we are empowered to lay down our life for others as if it were an honor to be asked, instead of an imposition to be endured.

Got to thinking about us…  Been thinking about how we are wired for greatness - The greatness it takes to take no account of suffered wrong, & to love strong enough for two when the love of one grows cold.  For loving when hated. For embracing when rejected – Rejecting rejection when it comes at us like arrows. For interceding when denied- For standing against the tide… We're created for greatness.

Been thinking how we've been given enough love for us & ours & for everybody else too.  How we can take it, when required. And dish it out when righteously necessary. How we can go it, when the second mile is calling from out of some trying situation. Been thinking about how we can bend when flexibility is the better choice, & stand erect in the winds of foolish change.

 

Been thinkin' bout how we’ve been wired to hold the secrets of others & spread them spilling out like a whisper before the Lord alone in prayer. Bout how we can have that love of God spilling over, plenty for come what may protection against bitterness & criticalness offenses & grudges.  Protecting one another instead of lashing out. 

 

Been thinking about how we are wired for twisting anger to peace with a calm response & gentle edifying words. For practicing ruthless mercy. For offering two garments & taking two slaps with the bigger picture in mind.For taking the high road when the low road seeks to evangelize us to its side.

Been thinking about us… About the way we are destined to bring shift change to our corner of the world with radical generosity & a revolution of goodness which runs headlong against the spirit of me, myself & I as well as the spirit of us & them. Yeah, we're called to greatness. Empowered to walk in it. Encouraged to yeild to it, to accept the truth of it. And with that acceptance, to "forever north crying freedom, run on unshakled"

 

There is a great difference

between asking Christ to

give you life & freedom

versus asking Christ to

be your life & freedom.

The I Heart Revolution - Moravians / Wesley / Booth from Glenn Stewart on Vimeo.

Jesus wants to build a church

that thrives in opposition & trouble.

Jesus wants to build a people

who will look at the greatest difficulties

 just as Joshua & Caleb

looked at the giants in the promised land

& simply said

"They will be bread for us."

He would not bow down to the gods of comfort, convenience, entertainment, sex, selfish ambition, & short cuts. Stood firm in his commitment to worship God & God alone as he undertook a commission to love w/out condition & be a light in great darkness. He would choose death over disobedience, & he wouldn't relent in carrying out his call to walk with God & do His will.

That's my big brother.

I want be just like Him.

Sitting in an uptown coffeehouse inquiring, scheming & dreaming for 2012 underneath the shadow of the skyscrapers above & the homeless below. There somewhere between the marketplace & the marginalized, mission is being plotted to thwart evil & overthrow darkness & break blindness & heal brokenness & help equip revolutionaries in a full on insurrection against lies & less & divided loyalties & lukewarm love. Skyscrapers above. Homeless below. Me in the middle, inquiring & scheming & dreaming toward the making of disciples - disciples not of men, churches, or denominations, but the making of disciples of Christ.

1 “What sorrow awaits my rebellious children,”
says the Lord.
“You make plans that are contrary to mine.
You make alliances not directed by my Spirit,
thus piling up your sins...
8 Now go and write down these words.
Write them in a book.
They will stand until the end of time
as a witness
9 that these people are stubborn rebels
who refuse to pay attention to the Lord’s instructions.
10 They tell the seers,
“Stop seeing visions!”
They tell the prophets,
“Don’t tell us what is right.
Tell us nice things.
Tell us lies.
11 Forget all this gloom.
Get off your narrow path.
Stop telling us about your
‘Holy One of Israel.’”( Isaiah 30)

Months back when Scottish leaders came up to Charlotte & over to 24-7 to get some deliverance training & re-vision casting for their ministries, those few days were some of the best. Enjoyed every second spent teaching, talking, vision-casting, answering questions, listening, & befriending. Can't wait to get over to Scotland to see them again. Till then, 2012 for us will be all about emails & pen on paper & stamps & the mailmen who will help us cultivate & continue the fire that started when we were face to face.

God-culture, which is often very different from church-culture, is at its best when greatly influenced by the pyro-theology of the Apostles & Prophets - these essential builders & construction site gifts who lay a foundation that connects the entire building to God alone - & makes it stunningly clear that it's all about Jesus (No. Not in the way most Pastors & Teachers & Evangelists think.) These gifts lay a sure foundation of Jesus as all in all, & instigate insurrections, transformation, & reformation in individuals & in all church doctrines, structures, cultures, hierarchies, systems, & ways of operating that would prevent or hinder Christ from being formed in the saints. Some Apostles & Prophets are called to work within the flawed systems to bring about this transformation. Others, from outside. Both are needful.

Dear Shepherds.

Call us up to something greater than a new & improved us.

Sincerely, Sheep.

Wash me clean Where I misjudge others Where I dismiss others Where I abuse others Where I ignore others Where I ridicule others Where I use others Wash me clean Where I elevate myself Where I think only of myself Where I want only for myself Where I gather to myself Where I hold to myself Where I value only myself Wash me clean Where I seek for power Where I seek for control Where I seek for praise Where I seek for status Where I seek for fame Where I seek for wealth Wash me clean

In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. -Apostle Paul

To the One who will one day take my breath away...

You take my breath away even now.

And for this death-life-missional-heart-colliding-dance called discipleship,

I thank You.

All my fruitfulness depends not on my ability to stand strong,

but on my willingness to yield to the One who is Strong.

The greatest thing God will ever ask of any of us is ...

 

to yield.

 

 

Standing toe to toe with my defections & affections & demons & deadlines - writing love notes & suicide notes which convey that I am in the freedom of a continual farewell - even as I fight my way to pass & cast the thoughts which exalt themselves above the knowledge of God - even as I sit here in the hollow of the day's noise - even now I get to decide & redecide that the battles & skirmishes & stumbles & risings - even these are a part of what makes the adventure great. Instead of issuing forth prayers of burden-themed-worry as if it were a troublesome chore to be chosen to stand in the trial & in the gap &  in the faith that makes God-endings possible... I stand honored & in awe. Oh these wondrous tragedies & tests & triumphs with there own timelines differing from mine - even these provoke prayers of Wow, i can hardly believe I get to be the one entrusted with believing & appropriating & growing & persevering & ultimately overcoming for myself & for others.  My life is better than Lord of the Rings, & this morning I lean into the grace to rip off the whine & woe is me which daily seeks to adhire like burs, & instead rise into the storyline of this 24 hours - being fully what I am where I am... so that even what I am not yet  stands proudly mocking all that would seek to prevent me from carryout out His life's work in the context of a great & freely given Soul-rest.

 

As Jesus' time on the Earth was coming to a close, He turned to His small band of disciples & said;  "You
are the light of the world". "Go make disciples of all nations...". In essence He communicated that He was leaving & it was now gonna fall on them, that they were going to be the instruments God was going to use to change the world.

Bet they must have been shaking in their boots.  Their 1st thought must have been; "How in the world...?" 

It's likely that their first thoughts were not, "Well If He said it, then He's got a plan & a pace that both cares for us & for the world we're called light up.

I find most people are intimidated by any sizable call from God.  

I know I sometimes am.

What was that Chinese proverb? "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one small step".     I'm intrigued by the fact that after commissioning His disciples to  "Be light of the world" & carry out His mission to "make disciples of all nations..",  his following immediate instruction was for them to go sit down, chill, wait.   So they gathered & waited for the Director & direction as they shared ideas, & talked together about life & ministry & the goodness of God in the context of there one step at a time great big call.

If it is indeed God that's calling you to something - Understand the the call has weight, but beware of the shadows that make things appear much more intimidating than they actually are. Don't let your imagination convince you it will all be too overwhelming. It will always only ever be one step at a time thing.   And remember, God will be with you.

Today, You. Tomorrow, You. The day after that, You.  Not You in some vague general way.

 

 You in the specifics & down below churning at the core. 

 

You, in the deeds -the why & way of the acts that litter the landscape of the day. 

You, in the thoughts & reasonings from the landfills in  my soul. 

You, in the meditations of my heart. You, in the conversations of my mouth.  

You, in the brutal slaying of your rivals to these my affections. You, in the quiet corners at red lights & lines in the grocery store. 

You, in the loud noise of my schedule & son & all trafficking plans in my head. You, in my best laid plans. 

Today, You. You, acknowledged. You, sought. You, admired.  You, known. You, communed with, You, home.

                       This is the paradigm shift...
                       That I must not simply do what I can,
                       I must do what it takes.
                       And risk drowning
                       To swim in the sea of His will.
                       Risk failing.
                       Risk missing the mark.
                       And even risk His displeasure
                       If I am to please Him fully.
This is the paradigm shift : "He who seeks to save his life will lose it" + The shift: "He is not dead, but sleepeth" + That I must not simply do what I can: "Look, I said you could meet here, but who'll pay for this roof?" + What I Can: "God I already went one mile. What more do they expect?" + But I must do what it takes: "The Samaritan put the man on his donkey & went to the inn" + What it takes: "It was I who touched the hem of your garment" + And risk drowning: "Stay your hand, Abraham!" + Drowning: "Lord, if it be you, bid me come" + To swim in the sea of His will: "The man to whom this girdle belongs will be bound" + Risk failing: "No! Be it far from thee, Lord" + Failing: "I told you I know Him not" + Risk missing the mark: "I will take Mary as my wife" + Missing the mark:"You Ninivites will surely die" + And even risk His displeasure: "For even ten righteous, Lord?" + His displeasure: "Then also blot out the name of Moses from thy book along with the Israelites" + If I am to please Him fully: "And they stoned Stephen calling on God."
                       This is the paradigm shift 
                       That I must not simply do what I can,   
                       I must do what it takes.   And risk drowning 
                       To swim in the sea of His will.
                       Risk failing.  Risk missing the mark. 
                       And even risk His displeasure
                       If I am to please Him fully.

In this world there is plenty to do.   

Plenty of something & plenty of nothing & plenty of things in between.

In this world there is child trade & sex trade & human trafficking in corners just now coming to light...  

Not that coming to light guarantees change.    In this world there are genocides & suicides & poverty the likes of which should move us all to action.    Some action. Any action. Even just one action.  

But that which moves us to tears does not automatically moves us to action. In this world there are billionaires & millionaires & even the poor of the richest nation have money to spare.   But money to spare does not equate to money given away to make way for change in those corners brought to light.  In this world there are embittered battles between husbands & wives, brothers & sisters, neighbor to neighbor, gang to gang, church to church, believers against believers...   

In this world there are followers of Christ. though many are more like followers of culture with a dash of morality thrown in; only a shadow of the substance they were meant to be. Others too deeply entrenched in thier clicques or too deeply tucked in thier closets to be of any use out in the world where atrocities & batteries & need-pleas are taking place - some far away, some just next door.

In this world there is plenty to do. Plenty of something & plenty of nothing & plenty of things in between.    What we shadows spend our money, efforts, & emotional inertia on is truer commentary on whose followers we are, than what we say with our lips.    Coming soon... followers of Christ. Recklessly devoted to the man Jesus & to His mission to change the world with a goodness revolution.

Instead of giving us a map,

God gave us a guide.

‎'Doing God's will' was never meant to be a viable substitute for being God's friend.

 

Some of God's most diligent servants are some of His most distant aquaintences

- strong in service to Him, but lacking in intimacy with Him.

 

Present in the fields, but absent from His presence. 

Great at drawing near to Kingdom work, but bad at drawing near to the King. 

 

The 1st command was never "Do stuff for Me. It was & will always be "Love Me".

And the greatest promises of fruitfulness comes not from doing stuff for Him, but from abiding in Him. The issue then, is not either or, but which comes 1st. 

"If I practice extreme obedience & sacrifice, but have not love...."

I've been noticing that most of us try to get prayers to do for us what Jesus promised only relationship with Him was meant to do for us.  We regularly ask Jesus for things that equate to "the good life".  We think simply  praying to Jesus for peace, joy, abundant life, contentment, etc, etc, will save us the expense & inconvenience of laying down our lives to walk with Christ as our peace, joy, abundant life, contentment, etc, etc.  As if  asking Jesus to simply 'fix' our reoccurring problem will save us the trouble of having to surrender our idols, humble ourselves, take up our crosses, tether ourselves to Jesus & follow Him through it.  “Lord, Lord, give me peace?"   "O.K. Shall I send a small diluted amount to you FedEx as usual or should I be packing my bags & making plans to come live with you?  Is there enough room in your house for Me to live?"
Sincerely, Jesus - aka: Peace.

 

He loves me because He loves me.

I believe not in voice-driven but in relationship-driven Christianity. We walk with Him, even when He is silent. We relate to Him & He with us in a million different ways that make up moving through any given day in attentiveness, enjoying, learning, & serving. He pursues us. We pursue Him. We perceive Him. We attempt to obey. He gives Grace to do the impossible... which is to know His heart, Bear His likeness, & carry out His life's work.

 

Our hands too clean.

Our knees too clean.

Our feet avoid the dirty places.

Our houses unsullied & unsoiled by the marginalized, poor, & homeless. So much cleanliness stemming from such unclean hearts living in such sanitized settings.

Camel meet needle's eye.

A proverb for this largely toweless, entangled, entitlement generation...

The richer, the poorer. The poorer, the richer. The cleaner, the dirtier. The dirtier, the cleaner.

Camel meet needle's eye.

What if...?

Maybe. Just maybe, instead of just looking for more ways to get more for yourself as a Christian... More great sermons. More great worship. More great Christian community.  More great meetings to attend. More from Christian self help books. More inner- healing. More growing. More experience of God's presence, etc.

Maybe instead of predominately thinking about getting, acquiring, gathering more good things for you, maybe, just maybe it's time to think predominately about giving more of yourself away to those around you who have even less, know even less - those who are groping in the dark & would kill for the measure of light you have. 

What if you decided to explode missionally with radical generosity, a no-strings-attached-goodness, & a love put to practical use toward those in your corner of the world, & in the places you frequent, & in the neighborhood you live in.

How about it?

How about taking your prayers out on the open road.

Pray & prophecy to the stranger.

How about meeting your neighbors & listening to their stories & trials & offering to help.

How about mowing the lawn of the guy who never mows.

How about making some sick person your personal healing project? 

How about inviting the wall flower or misfit over for dinner?

How about discipling someone.

How about targeting some neighbor, unsaved office worker, or acquaintance & making them your salvation project?

How about seeking out the really lonely people, inviting them into your circle, & investing time with em.

When was the last time you did some random act of radical kindness?

What if the real more you are seeking, but can't seem to hold on to when you get it... what if that lasting kind of more only comes from consistently giving more of yourself away. 

In Short:

What if your internal health is tied to your missional health?

Maybe it's time to take that water to the desert, instead of to the ocean.

Maybe less churchy activities with those you already know, & more service & relational activities with people in your corner of the world you don't already know & with those who don't know Christ?

Maybe, just maybe it could make all the difference in the world.