danmastrapa.com » discipleship

Fakin’ It!

Dan — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 17:43:35 +0000

Steven Furtick had a great post here about a topic I unfortunately know about and have seen often. He has a very sobering quote that someone shared with him that is quite true:

There is very little that we do in the Spirit that we cannot fake in the flesh!

Being part of the Charismatic movement, I have been exposed to the genuine moves of the Spirit and unfortunately all of the fleshly displays of what some have passed off as a move of the “Spirit”. When much of what we do in ministry is based on performance, there is such a tendency to revert to recreating moments that we feel were “breathed” on by the Holy Spirit, in order to keep our acolytes coming back for more. I have watched as “men of God” manipulated people and hyped up worship and rhetoric to elicit a response from people. It makes you want to puke. The reality is though, I have been that guy that has used hype to get a response from the crowd. God forgive me.

When we look at the life of Jesus, there was an effortless flow of power from him because of his intimacy with the Father. Jesus did not have to hype up the crowd in to a fever pitch of uncontrollable frenzy in order for the miraculous to take place. He spoke a word, he sent people on their way, he made mud pies with his spit and applied it over someone’s eyes, he told people to pick up their mats and begin to walk, yet never do we observe him hyping up the crowd.

I echo Steven’s prayer, “God, keep us close to the Source of our strength.
Help us to never manufacture in the flesh
what should only be accomplished in the power of your Spirit.

Can’t eat right now, I’m full!

Dan — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:53:27 +0000

John 4:31 I can imagine this scene in which the disciples are urging Jesus to eat because they got him the pita and hummus combo at the local fast-food joint in Samaria. They didn’t know he had been ministering to a woman while he was waiting for them and at that precise moment a mini-revival was starting in the town.

How funny that the things that we pursue in life apart from the will of God leave us empty, unfulfilled and unsatisfied. When we are in the arena of God’s purpose for our lives, there is a satisfaction that we cannot express and put fully in to words. Ministry has its ups and downs and for sure, some days I was wish I was doing something else. The consistent thing I do know, is that when I am about “my Father’s business” I experience that ‘fullness’ in my spiritual stomach that keeps my going.

Lord, I want to live my life doing your will and accomplishing your work. In that is the promise, not that life will be simple, easy, effortless and tame, but that there will be a ‘fullness’ to my life that I will never encounter apart from you.

Supersize Him

Dan — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:39:18 +0000

John 3:30 Got to love the confidence of John the baptizer as he was told that Jesus was baptizing and all of his congregation was going to Jesus. John understood his purpose and vs. 29-30 in The Message declares that John said “That’s why my cup is running over. This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.”

Do we get jealous when others succeed and we don’t seem to have the same measure of success? This passage convicted me of several things. First, there is something competitive in me that doesn’t allow me to celebrate victories in other people’s lives or ministries as easily as I would like. Secondly, Jesus needs to move to the center of whatever that is in me that creates those feelings of jealousy or competitiveness. I’m sure John being human struggled with these same things but his recognition of his own purpose and that of the Christ allowed him to surmount that.

Lord, help me to overcome in this area and celebrate the successes of those around me, even when I don’t seem to have that same measure of success in my own life. Allow me to understand my own purpose with such laser-like clarity and that Jesus would be the center of this area in my life.

The Issachar Principle_part deux

Dan — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:15:59 +0000

1 Chronicles 12:32 (ESV) “Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.”

In my previous post I shared about the importance of being able to hear the voice of God as the Holy Spirit prompts us. This is ever so important as the landscape of our culture has changed. Reference points of the past may or may not be there so it is imperative that we learn to live the Spirit-led life. As evidenced in the New Testament where the apostles and other disciples were led of the Spirit to speak, to act, to go in another direction and so forth. What confidence they possessed in what they knew to be the voice of the Spirit and they obeyed. I want that in my life – such clarity – such boldness – such audacity!

Of the Sons of Issachar it is chronicled that they not only understood the times, which we so desperately need to possess such understanding, but they also knew what to lead Israel to do. It is in that part that we must take note. When God leads, we must act. When He speaks, we must obey. Let’s get the Word in us so that when He speaks, we bear witness with that prompting, and then we DO! That is a mark of a true disciple.

The Issachar Principle

Dan — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 17:50:38 +0000

1 Chronicles 12:32 (ESV) “Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do.”

Recently I felt impressed in my heart (I could say the Lord told me, but that would be very Charismatic of me) that the current climate that we find ourselves in is one in which the old maps we have used are no longer going to get us where we need to be. Hearing the voice of God, that still-small voice on the inside that is the Holy Spirit leading us, needs to be louder than the noise in our life. Knowing God’s word and hiding it in our heart will be critical. Maps are out — compasses are in. That compass is the Word and the Holy Spirit. We need to be able to navigate the ever-changing landscape with that compass and not the maps of old.