Lessons in the Water

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I see parables everywhere.  While picking fruit in a grocery store, I may think about how each fruit represents a certain personality type and then laugh when I view the lemons.  As I’m driving home, I may envision how the road symbolically applies to my journey of life, and then sigh when I realize I have to make a U-Turn.  Or when I drive by the many gorgeous lakes in the beautiful, Pacific Northwest, I see lessons in the water. Below are a few lessons I couldn’t help but notice in the water.

We will never see the ocean if we refuse to lose sight of the shore:

There are so many possibilities that are beyond our minds but within our reach.  All we have to do is step out of our comfort zones.  The shore is the place where we feel comfortable and secure in our life, and we anchor ourselves there for security.  There is more to life than the shore, but we will never know what is out there if we are too afraid to leave our comfort zones.  If you want to see the ocean then we have to have enough faith to leave the shore.

If the water gets choppy, “fear not.”

In the biblical account of Mark, chapter four, the disciples of Jesus were afraid for their lives when a storm approached the boat.  They thought that they would perish, and Jesus told them very simply “Fear Not.”  Jesus got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind died down, and it was completely calm.

Storms will come, and if we are consumed by fear and worry we won’t be proactive when they come, we will only be reactive. When storms come, have faith and allow Yeshua to take control.

Even when you feel like you’re drifting, there is a still a destination planned for you.

Nature takes its course with the waves.  It directs messages in bottles, pieces of driftwood, and old FedEx packages to land eventually.  Even when we feel like we aren’t doing anything at all, our life is still going somewhere.  Drifting takes us to a destination… but… if we want to take control of our destination, we must direct the sails.

When a boat runs ashore, the sea has spoken.

Everyone on the water gets sanded on the beach every once in a while.  The secret to success is to get back into the water with your faith, without fear, adjust your sails, and raise your anchor.  The sea may speak, but it doesn’t have to have the last word.

Exodus 16 – Lessons in the Manna (Bible Study)

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In the Book of Exodus 16, we see the first instance of God providing food for the Israelites – manna to be exact. There are several lessons that I’ve learned about this particular chapter.

The first lesson in the manna is that we MUST trust God for our daily provision.

When God first provided the manna, the Lord gave specific instructions to gather what they needed for the day. Of course, not everyone listened to God’s instruction. Some people gathered enough for two days. The people who gathered for two days discovered that their manna had maggots in it. They couldn’t eat it. The lesson is that we have to trust God for our daily provision. When we try to provide for ourselves we fail – and by fail, I mean that we cannot rise to the competence of what God can provide for us when we trust in Him. We have what we need when we allow God to provide for us.

Only God can provide for us physically and spiritually. When a person tries to provide themselves with what they think they need spiritually – it’s called religion. Religion can do very little for a person’s soul. It’s far better to be spiritual than religious. Only the Holy Spirit can provide the spiritual abundance we need to sustain and strengthen us.

The second lesson in the manna is that what God graciously gives, we must industriously gather.

God provides, but we must do our part too. We can’t sit idly by and do nothing. Faith without works is dead. We are co-laborers with Christ. We have a role to play, and it’s easy to become unbalanced – some people rely on themselves completely and have lots of work without faith – and others have faith and no works. You have to trust God completely and solely, but God expects you to do your part. We must pray, seek His Face, listen to His voice, walk in obedience and love, and make good decisions. God expects us to choose blessings and life. God provides everything we need to live a godly life, and He has equipped us for the work that He’s called us to do, however, let’s not forget that we have a role that we must fulfill. As God provides, we must be industrious in using what He has provided.

The third lesson in the manna is that when you honor God’s Word, He provides everything you need for the following day.

God told the people to gather twice as much on the sixth day so that they could rest on the seventh. Once the Sabbath day arrived, some people went out into the fields expecting to find manna to gather. But, there was no manna. However, because of God’s instructions to gather twice as much on day six, the people still had provision. The Israelites were learning that God prepares a person for their future when they are obedient to Him and listen to His instructions. The Matthew Henry’s Commentary says this; none are ever losers by serving God.

The final lesson in Exodus 16, is that Christ, Himself is the True Manna.

Yeshua calls Himself the Bread of Life, and indeed, He is. Manna sustained the Israelites for many years, and they had all the nourishment that they needed. If you’ve ever studied nutrition, then you know that the body needs many vitamins and minerals to function. Whenever there is any deficiency of any kind, illness and sickness creep in. A deficiency in any vitamin or mineral will cause symptoms.  For example, if you’re feeling fatigued you might be lacking vitamin D; or if you’re cold all the time, there might be an iron deficiency. However, the Israelites were healthy and strong – Scripture says there was none feeble among them. The manna had everything they needed to stay strong and healthy – and so it is with Christ – He is everything we need! Everything we need is in Yeshua – He is the Bread of Life, the True Manna.

How Joy, Authenticity and Happiness Work Together

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Being happy and being authentic are not synonymous. However, happiness and authenticity work symbiotically. When you are living your authentic self, you are naturally going to have more moments of happiness.

Living authentically produces something even stronger than happiness. Living authentically produces joy. Joy is spiritual, it’s deep, it’s philosophical, and it doesn’t change with the seasons or the environment. Joy is steady. It’s calmer and more reliable than happiness. So what we really want, crave and need is joy because when you have joy you have something that is coming from the inside out, rather than happiness which is often produced from the outside in.

When you are authentic, you naturally have more joy in your life. Joy is a byproduct of living the life that God wants you to live and being who He created you to be. Living authentically produces joy and happiness.

Eccentrics are an excellent example of how joy, happiness, and authenticity merge. Scientific studies and researchers who’ve investigated the lives of eccentrics have discovered that eccentrics are happier than other people. Famed psychologist David Weeks spent years studying eccentrics and found that eccentrics live more freely and fearlessly. They have more excitement in their lives, are more mindful, but most importantly they are themselves – these traits make them happier than the average person.

When you live a life of authenticity and embrace who you are and not care what anybody else thinks, you live a happier and more joyful life.

Of course, there is a downside to living a more authentic life – you may upset the people around you by not living how they want you to live. You might disrupt their peace, but you’ll have peace within, and inner peace is priceless.

There is nothing more disturbing than a restless, chaotic spirit. Confusion is a natural enemy of man. When people are confused, they make bad choices; they get depressed, they stagnate internally and sometimes they just stand paralyzed in their confusion.

One of the ways that you keep confusion out is to stay true to who you are. If you pretend to be someone else, an inner battle begins to rage, and a byproduct of that battle is confusion. Many people are deprived of their peace because they’re confused. And a lot of people are confused because they are not living authentically.

Joyful people aren’t confused. Joyful people live in clarity. They don’t live in a fog with their vision blurred by the past or future. They live in the present. One of my digital mentors taught me that joy is the reward for discerning the divine gift camouflaged in the immediate moment. I would also argue that joy and happiness are the divine gifts camouflaged in living authentically.

People-pleasing is a Bad Idea

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Galatians 1:10 – For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Galatians 1:10 is clear: No one can please everybody.

Each person is going to like aspects and parts of you while disliking parts of you. It’s very rarely that you’ll find someone that likes all of you, and if you do, then you should just marry that person. With that said, different people will want you to behave in a different way – people will have their unique version of who they think you are at your best – this may differ widely. You can’t be who everyone else wants you to be, or even who one particular person wants you to be. Sometimes you can’t even be the person you want to be because that might even be a bad idea.

So here is what I suggest, be the person God wants you to be.

People-pleasing is vanity. It’s like grasping for the wind. It’s a miserable existence to live your life trying to please people. However, trying to live a life that is pleasing to God is far from miserable. People pleasing produces anxiety and fear – discontent and frustration, but God-pleasing produces peace, courage and clarity.

Most of us are guilty of trying to please people. Throughout the Bible, we see men of God attempting to please others. King Saul is a good example. Saul lost the kingdom because he was so focused on pleasing those around him. God gave the kingdom to David, who wasn’t a people-pleaser, but was instead a man after God’s own heart.

I know what it’s like to fall into the trap of wanting to please someone. My life got much easier, far more peaceful and focused once I stopped caring what people thought, and cared more about what God thought. When you can get free of the opinions of others, it’s incredibly liberating. I thank God that He is so merciful and has warned us against people-pleasing.

There are two simple truths that you need to remember:

First, you can’t control what other people think about you. Focus on what God thinks about you. Is God pleased with you? That’s what matters. If God is pleased with you then you are on the right track – His opinion is the only opinion that’s important.

Second, understand that your self-worth isn’t dependent or contingent on someone’s opinion. Your self-worth must be rooted in Christ, and Christ alone. Usually, at the heart of people-pleasing, there is a self-esteem issue or a confidence-conflict. This is something that many of us struggle with. The enemy is a thief, and one of the things that he attempts to steal is our confidence. When you lack confidence and have low self-esteem, it’s easier to fall into the trap of people-pleasing.

Remember how much Yeshua loves you, so root your sense of self-worth in His love. Know that God loves you, and that is all that matters.

Put your trust in God, seek to please Him and put your trust in Him alone.

Tithing Your Time

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Giving isn’t a command – it’s encouraged. And it’s encouraged with good reason because when we give, it transforms us. We evolve into better people when we are generous and unselfish. The doctrine of tithing often focuses on money, but another area that we often overlook is time. While being generous with our money transforms us; giving our time is also transformative.

Many years ago after getting my first “real” job in a corporate environment, God showed me that He wanted me to tithe. I soon realized that money wasn’t the only area of my life that I needed to surrender to God. Time was a part of my life that I had kept entirely to myself. I went to church on Sundays, but God wanted more for me. And so, I began the habit of tithing my time. There are so many different ways to tithe your time, but below are just a few.

Serve in your church – if there are areas of ministry where your church needs help, jump in. Many churches need help with the children’s ministry, or perhaps the church is looking for volunteers who are willing to pray for others or greet visitors at the door. Church is an excellent place to tithe your time.

Volunteer – Homeless shelters, foster homes, crisis centers, hospitals, libraries, and many other places need volunteers. We are all put on earth to help each other. Helping others fulfills our purpose, and is a beautiful way to tithe our time.

Give God the first of your day – In the Old Testament, the Israelites were commanded to give a tenth. Before they paid workers, bought property, or did anything else, they tithed. You can tithe the first of your day by dedicating your mornings to God. When you wake up in the morning before you do anything else, pray.

Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Your Anger

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Many people believe that expressing anger serves no purpose, and it’s best left unexpressed. However, people with this perspective typically end up feeling resentful of their loved ones. They never express their anger, so it just simmers unproductively. The resentment builds, and the relationship deteriorates.

In some cases, anger is better left unexpressed. It’s wrong to express anger in a way that is physically or emotionally harmful towards the person with whom you are angry, but if you know how to communicate in a healthy manner, then expressing your anger can lead to a more fulfilling, honest and authentic relationship.

What many people don’t know is that the idea of not going to bed angry actually comes from the Bible. In Ephesians 4:26, it states; Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.

Ephesians 4 is clear: resolve any conflict before drifting into REM.

Going to bed angry has a profound effect on your brain and subconscious. A study in the Journal of Neuroscience revealed that going to sleep after experiencing anger (or any negative emotion) helps the negative emotion to lodge permanently in the brain. The brain activity that occurs while we sleep “protects” the anger and permanently embeds it our emotions.

If you have a fight with your spouse, don’t sleep it off. Instead, talk it out and choose to resolve the conflict – even if you must agree to disagree, let go of the negative emotions so that you can rest.

Your Home Is Your Sacred Space

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After creating a prayer closet in my former home, I realized two things. First, I realized that I should have carved out the space sooner. Second, I realized that I wanted the peaceful energy that was in my closet to permeate the rest of my house. I stopped praying in just one space and now make it a point to pray, sing, and worship all over my home – the bedroom, the living room, the kitchen – I want my whole house to feel like shalom…. not just the prayer closet.

I do think it’s wise to have a sacred space.

It’s comforting to have a sacred space, and there is power in spiritual ritual and discipline. It’s beautiful and calming to enter a familiar, light space and know exactly why you’re there. But I also think we need to remember to bless our entire house, and speak God’s love and goodness into each room.

I think that we shouldn’t have A sacred space, but rather our homes should be THE sacred space where we’re overwhelmed by an atmosphere of love and peace.

One of the easiest ways to consecrate your home is to incorporate consecration into your home cleaning routine. Before you clean a room, pray over it, consecrate it, and bless it.

Incorporate consecration into your cooking and meal prep – when you walk into the kitchen, bless the room and pray that good, healthy, delicious meals would come from the kitchen. One of my favorite verses for the kitchen is Exodus 23:25.

You can do something similar with your living and recreational areas – ask God to make them places where good memories are created – spaces of love and laughter.

Your home can and should be a sacred space.

Tikkun Olam and Heart Renewal

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There is an interesting concept in Judaism called Tikkun Olam, which is synonymous with social action and the pursuit of justice. Tikkun Olam means ‘World Repair’ and it’s the idea that your actions, the things that you do have the capacity to repair the world – a world that’s been broken by sin.

However, what we need more than world repair is Heart Repair.

You can’t have world repair without heart repair. It’s out of the abundance of the heart that evil comes. Yeshua said For out of the heart come evil thoughts–murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

King David understood the reality of heart repair and asked God in the Psalms to create in him a clean heart and renew a steadfast spirit in him. David understood that if he was going to live a life that pleased God he needed a new heart. I believe that God gave David what he requested and answered his prayer, which is why we also read that David was a man after God’s own heart, because when your heart is clean, you seek His heart.

Thankfully, God is not just a God of repair, but He is a God of renewal because the world needs more than just repair – it needs to be renewed. Repairing the world simply won’t work because we ultimately need a new world altogether. In the New Testament, the disciple John records the future and says this:

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone.

The earth is so defiled and degraded; it’s beyond repair. This is not to say that God can’t repair the earth, because He is God, after all, He can repair anything. However, in the future, God is going to create something new.

It’s encouraging to know that we serve a God of renewal. Until our new world comes, we need heart renewal, and in the meanwhile, as we ask God to renew our hearts we can hold on to the promise of Yeshua, who said “Behold, I am making all things new.”