I’ve heard there are four questions all philosophers try to address:
These are stirring questions.
Are their answers any different depending on where you live – which kingdom you live in? How do their answers effect the way you live? What say you? (Maybe the title of this post should have been “Seven Questions”.)
“Leadership inherently involves followers, who will always have high expectations of a leader, and rightfully so. When we submit to a leader we desire that he be better than us, for our identity becomes intertwined in his. If we submit to a righteous man, then our self-esteem goes up, we feel good about being his servant, and we even see the glory of being subjected to him. We admire and appreciate him as well as desiring his direction, with the hope that he might lead us to the place where he is, for obviously he knows the way and is respected for it. When he asks of us things that we do not understand, we obey, trusting that somehow it will benefit us. Therefore, the two most frustrating things to a follower about a leader are when he cannot be respected and when he will not lead.”- Michael Wells, My Weakness for His Strength.
Identity theft is said to be the number 1 crime in the world. Someone is trying to steal who you are and profit from it.
Has your identity in Jesus been stolen? For years of my Christian life I focused on managing my sin. I had to strive to please God or I’d suffer. I was convinced that if my performance, my behavior, as a Christian wasn’t good enough then I would be rejected and suffer.
My identity in Christ had been stolen.
I allowed others to take my identity in Christ and replace it with an identity they projected on me. The focus was on trying to rehabilitate the old man which stole the identity of the new man. They were making me sin conscious. The sin that Jesus had already taken care of on the cross. The sin that God had already dealt with forever I was supposed to deal with somehow.
Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3 ESV)
For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been set free from sin. (Romans 6:6,7)
Thankfully, my identity was recovered when I became aware that only God – never man – can create my identity. Whew, that was close.
Yes, this is one of those rough times of personal struggle. Blinded by financial wrappings on one eye and irritating health issues on the other, I find myself, feeling alone, groping in the darkness of this world to find the path out of the life-sucking muck.
They say I have a heart condition, for to be harried and hurried is said to be a lack of trust in God’s provision and a rejection of His offered rest (a condition of my heart). Carl Jung said it was not of the devil but was the devil!
I profess the LORD is my portion and my strength, God’s grace is sufficient, and His power is made perfect in my weakness. Now all I have to do is practice it.
Isaiah speaks our Father’s intent to us (42:16). “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, By unfamiliar paths I will guide them. I will turn the darkness into light before them & make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”
Well, amen to that!
“Leadership inherently involves followers, who will always have high expectations of a leader, and rightfully so. When we submit to a leader we desire that he be better than us, for our identity becomes intertwined in his. If we submit to a righteous man, then our self-esteem goes up, we feel good about being his servant, and we even see the glory of being subjected to him. We admire and appreciate him as well as desiring his direction, with the hope that he might lead us to the place where he is, for obviously he knows the way and is respected for it. When he asks of us things that we do not understand, we obey, trusting that somehow it will benefit us. Therefore, the two most frustrating things to a follower about a leader are when he cannot be respected and when he will not lead.”- Michael Wells, My Weakness for His Strength
The question was posed,
“What single word would you use to describe God, today?”
All the usual adjectives popped up: holy, majestic, awesome, kind, gentle, just, merciful, and one of my favorites, gracious.
Then the nouns appeared: Lord, Shepherd, King, Creator, Maker, Healer, Father, Provider, Protector, Redeemer, Friend …
Today, though, as I awaited the sun rise in the twilight, a different word gently grew into my consciousness. It was invited as I sat still in the darkness paling. How should I think of You this day?
“When you think of Me today. Think Relief!“
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
– John 1:17
Michael Wells died in Costa Rica in October. I had lunch with him around 2008. Mike’s works have challenged me and his latest book, published in November after his death is My Weakness for His Strength continues to cause me to evaluate and refine my beliefs. The dedication page reads
To the God who does much with little,
more with less,
and everything with nothing.
This resonates with my desire to be of service to God in His kingdom. During this Advent season, I continue on my journey to unwrap (and I seek to activate) the real person God designed me to be. For, you see, I have spent decades wrapping up that man in the disguise of the man I wanted to be.Recently, my quest is to revert back to His design. Since I can’t do it alone, God is helping me in my willingness through many people. It is a trip. Part of that journey has been to get to know God better so I can hear his voice more clearly.
Mike speaks to this on page 293:
Law is the Word of God written down. Jesus, on the other hand, is the Word become flesh. That is an important distinction, since the Law centers around a page and Word become flesh around a person … Only Jesus can explain Him. We find out who God is from Jesus or we never find out.
Thanks, Mike, for reminding me to spend more time watching Jesus. To see Him and thereby see the Father (John 14:9).
His Kingdom Precepts 