In our days spiritual clarity is everything….
The re-cap from the first email, “In the thick of it…”:
So Kalyn and I visited a team that was in serious relational conflict. Hitting the ground, we met with individual members of this missional team. To get up to speed we needed: to listen. To hear from their perception what was troubling each of them. This missional team is working together to help others in the field reach the lost, and build house churches that would grow. But. Over the months things had been said, or done, and here is the key word, “perceived," that created various offences. Perceived. I know that each of us have been offended, and have been accused of offending. When that happens there is the sting, the hurt. Unfortunately, if we retaliate in like manner, things can escalate. Walls are built internally, and self-justification becomes our defence. What emerges usually are two side with two strong points of view that they are convinced of.Kalyn and I walked into it. Into the leadership of those working to make Jesus known among the lost. Before we look down at them, we must recognize some things. Simply put—a disagreement can easily happen in a marriage, with parents, among good friends, with kids, and in church. Offences wound our self-esteem, and often cause us to react with heated emotions. Too often, what Kalyn and I have done, what we have surprisingly seen in other groups, is working from our life-long default—“self-justification.” “I” am not the problem; “he” or “she” is. “I” keep explaining my point of view and they keep getting more angry. Which gives rise to words and behavior for which we do not want to be remembered. Often we live with (our natural default) by thinking, “It's not my fault, they started it. I can’t believe what they did.” Er, usually, they are thinking the same thing about us. Thus, the "impasse."
Impasse means to wait for the other to apologize—not me!
The re-cap from the second email: “Reality check: We thought we would get an exemption?”
"It’s necessary to have a reality check to remind us who we are, and what we are about, during these times. We are created to think and behave differently with His Spirit in us. We seem to get caught off guard by the unexpected crossfire of strong opinions and convictions coming at us. "Don’t do it!” We jump in. Because we see the problem and the course of action that should be taken. Period. Except. No one is listening. Guys, you can see I, El Guapo, have had my fair share of experience in this offense/ blame dynamic. But the Father wants me to learn His ways.
In the moral confusion of culture we must have a clear head. We need practical outside help. Words and thoughts that change our thinking. Line us up with the right choices. Our understanding and our relationship with Jesus is our anchor. Period. This anchor keeps us from drifting and being tossed about somewhat confused. The insistent voices of an angry culture persist in order to "re-program" us away from the truth of Jesus. To make us concede and fit into a fallen, broken, dark culture with an empty world view, which is “more things to make me happy." We hold dear to another world view that moves purposely, meaningfully (with Jesus) into deeper relationship with a big GOD over the entire cosmos, an incredible Father. Specifically, our inner person is made to connect to the Scriptures so we have spiritual eyes to see in a dark world. We cannot live on yesterday’s manna. We need fresh bread each day to charge our heart with His desires, and His perspective. We have been gifted a "Kingdom reality" that leads us away from the darkness and hopelessness of a culture that has edited GOD out.
We will be offended, and offend others (often without even knowing it). It is the human condition as Self at the helm asserts its way in a dark culture— but how does Jesus ask us to live among the hurting?
So, Team, here we are. In a culture that used to feel familiar—what seemed relaxed, somewhat predictable. But something dramatic has happened. Along with Covid, it seems another virus is going across the land—disturbing our meaningful relationships! In this space and time it seems offences are proliferating, blindsiding us. As if shifts in morality are wreaking havoc, and we cannot stop the rise of cultural hostility toward us for what we believe. Unexpected accusations and judgement coming toward us, it seems. Even family members echoing perceptions of culture? Extended family? And among familiar friendships? Why is language suddenly charged with new words “abuse, toxic, systemic, narcissistic," and more?” Extreme words hurt. We do not want to be the people who are hurting others with our words and our emotions. We have a higher and more meaningful calling. In “Reality check,” we are reminded that we are of another culture—Jesus culture. "In the world but not of the world.”
moral darkness brings bondage
With what’s coming across culture, we must learn to become unoffendable. That’s our target. It requires a foundation in the truth of Jesus. Not harming, accusing, and judging others. That is not our domain. We do not want to be wounded by offense, carrying resentment, and mistreating others. Our ongoing relationship with Jesus has been, and should be, changing our thinking, thus, our choices, and, consequently, our behavior. Slowing us down from entering the fray of culture without our hearts in the right place. We do not run from adversity and hostility. Ah, but we respond differently. We only get ambushed if we do not expect to be ambushed. Brace yourself, I, El Guapo, prophesy “You, dear wishful reader, have a number of ambushes in front of you. Keep your spiritual eyes open.”
The world system cannot fathom a Godly-world view with Jesus in the center of creation and the eternal story. The world system is completely focused on “temporal quality of life (how to get ahead). Believers will be dismissed as irrelevant and problematic to the “real” world. Stop. Slow down. If we read the Word, we knew this was coming. Of course, we know across the globe it happens in Russia, North Korea, China, Iran, and in many nations. We just thought that it would never happen here in America. We may not like it, but our BIG GOD has a bigger plan and vision than extending our great temporal quality of life. “The earth is His footstool.” He rules. When things get stirred, Jesus is on the move. And He uses His saints to change the world to move others into a invisible, staggering eternal glory. See the Book of Acts. It's our turn.
“Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.” Matt. 5:10
Paralysis means a helplessness and inability to ACT.
We do not need to be surprised anymore or react. Unless we have daily time Jesus, we cannot respond with self-control and wisdom to the angry voices. Or our emotions will be triggered and run amuck. We are called to be of a different kind of behavior as He leads us toward some dicey spots. Yes, dicey. And those messy exchanges are coming as things become more antagonistic. His message of hope can only be expressed by His people who are grounded in the right spirit. We are called to reach out and connect with the troubled respectfully, kindly. The Jesus message of Hope wonderfully thrives in vulnerable situations of heart-connections. Let’s be a part of that. Not in heated, heightened disagreement where we lose control of our tongue. Why do I know so much about lack of self-control? Transgression 101. With the cleansing need for confession and repentance. That is why we approach with humility, so we can be a safe place for the disturbed to be vulnerable. Everyone’s looking for safety and kindness. When in a good space, clear-headed, maintaining self-control, listening respectfully, then (this is the best part), we see what the Holy Spirit highlights and we humbly respond gently to their concern and bring hope. That is a part of spiritual heart surgery.
“Blessed are the gentle for they shall inherit the earth.” Matt. 5:5
Yes, we are called into a bigger story, the God story, versus the smaller, actually, the tiny story of eking and surviving in a culture driven by self-gratification and pleasure. Staying close to Jesus, Me! (our Self), will diminish Self after being de-throned. Jesus, through the spiritual portal of truth—the Scriptures--warns us that the world will not get us, or understand our point of view (we keep forgetting that)—unless there is Holy Spirit revelation in them. Arguing our points will not bring any revelation, but rather, our pressing without grace usually gives offense. We are inwardly different, connected with our dynamic, supernatural spirit to another realm. His Spirit turns the light on. Not our persuasive argument. In this invisible Kingdom that we inhabit, fallen culture has no inkling. We move about with different priorities, and values, according to the law of love and righteous behavior learned from Jesus. We must stay close to learn from Jesus when and how to speak to the broken.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Matt. 5:4
“Begins with unforgiveness and develops slowly into bitterness.”
For those growing in Christ, unforgiveness is not an option. Unforgiveness is the enemy’s playground. Resentment actually torments our inner person. We will make mistakes in the middle of the fray. We are still being discipled. Believe me, "I k-n-o-w (said with drama)." Which means we are in a lifestyle of forgiveness so that we come through with the benefit mercy and grace. Not anger or annoyance. But a life built on mercy and grace. Not letting anger take us into a prison of bitterness. Being a temple of the Holy Spirit, how does a lifestyle with the Holy One work?
When we misstep or misspeak (trust me, we will), our conscience will speak for those who desire closeness to His Spirit. Conscience is a beautiful gift for a believer. The place where the Holy Spirit convicts us of bad behavior. He keeps our heart clean by highlighting our misbehavior. When we are a part of a relational mess, His Spirit is in us "to lead us and guide us into all truth.” We cannot follow Jesus without spiritual self-awareness, thus, the Holy Spirit in us to lead us: NOT to blame the other person. Those that desire more of the Holy Spirit must be willing to be convicted when we cross the line. Which means we are convicted by His Spirit, to own failures, repent of them, receive His forgiveness, and proceed with a clean heart. That is how His sons and daughters live with a clean conscience and a pure heart. Staying in right alignment with the Father requires humility. In a humble lifestyle of confession and forgiveness. Simple. Because. Navigating without a clean heart will be confusing and frustrating when ambushed by a dark culture. We will not see clearly. In a broken world It is now a necessity to have an intentional spiritual lifestyle to cultivate a clean heart, make righteous choices, that lead to godly behavior. Jesus invites us to walk the way He walked. With humility.
"Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." Matt. 5:8
Finally, we do not want to lose our bearings or our spiritual clarity. Jesus has paid the price to give each of us incredible new life in the here and now.. Where we demonstrate our real faith. Let’s maximize that value. We are in the fray--but not of it. We are placed strategically and divinely in our spheres by a brilliant GOD. If we take the bait of fighting in the smaller stories to change people without the Holy Spirit, we will be taxed, frustrated, and withdraw from those relationships in discouragement. Let’s tap into His perspective. We cannot do that without staying close to Jesus, keeping our hearts charged. We need fresh bread every day to sustain, to re-energize us, to re-focus us.
He desires for us to shine in dark places as He moves
through us.
Father saw all this coming, and we have been forewarned on what to expect. We are of His Spirit, strategically called, and to be transformed by His Spirit (daily), to make a difference in our personal spheres—the Jesus way. That said, we need to get our spiritual hearts warmed up. To be sensitized again for spiritual clarity. If we allow our hearts to be filled with the junk of pride, self, and judging, our hearts need to be cleansed through confession. Confession and repentance is to be a lifestyle for a clean heart and our daily walk of faith to feel Him use us in a dark world..
Prayer for re-engagement:
“Thank you, Father, for showing me what is in my heart. So i can admit it, confess it, get rid of it through the gift of repentance. I need your Holy Spirit in greater measure to lead me, and change my desires. I want the junk out of my heart to see you more clearly. Jesus paid the price for me to be your pleasure. That’s what I want. Cleansing me now makes room in my heart for more of your truth. Your desires are a must for me to change.”
“Blessed are those that are poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God” Matthew 5:3
