Let’s Build A Tower To Heaven!

We have umpteen different ways to communicate with each other these days: e-mail, texting, telephones, skype and other video-chat systems, instant messages, regular postal mail, hand writing or typing… and let’s not forget talking and sign language and… Did I miss anything?

Isn’t it amazing with all the different ways we have to communicate with each other that we still don’t seem to understand each other? Why is that? It’s because regardless of all the tools we have at our disposal, our sin nature desires to be selfish and worship it’s self and therefore insists on understanding or not understanding how it often wants to serve itself. It is true that God confused the language of the people back in the ancient days and it was because they were going to build a tower to heaven to make a name for themselves. Understand – this was not to bring glory to Father. It was for themselves. The funny thing is, even before the language changes, there were failures to communicate. In fact, we can go all the way back to Eden to see the first.

When the dragon is talking to Eve about eating the forbidden fruit, she says that they are not even supposed to touch it. When God gave the command to Adam about not eating it, He didn’t (at least it’s not recorded in scripture) say to not touch it. However I do like how my pastor explains it: Adam probably told Eve not to touch it because you know how women are when they are shopping, if they touch it, they have to have it. A little humor there but what I’m attempting to show you is that Adam was not clear with Eve when he communicated to her about the forbidden fruit.

Could have things been different if there had been better communication? Shoulda, woulda, coulda… We are here now and this is how it is. What’s cool is that we now are able to be part of the body of Christ! And in that body, we can commune with Him and with each other! We can communicate clearly, better, with greater understanding because His Holy Spirit lives in us and works through us! This is why it is so important for us to be united together, unified as one! So we can accomplish what Father has planned before He laid the universes foundations! So we can advance His Kingdom!

When we are united in the common goal of advancing His Kingdom, nothing is impossible for us!

Genesis 11:1-6 nlt

1 At one time all the people of the world spoke the same language and used the same words… 4 Then they said, “Come, let’s build a great city for ourselves with a tower that reaches into the sky… 5 But the LORD came down to look at the city and the tower the people were building. 6 “Look!” he said. “The people are united, and they all speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them!

 

How well are you communicating with your spouse and your kids? Are you united in those relationships or divided? What needs to change for you to advance the Kingdom further?

Peace!

Take Courage!

Last night I was able to watch the movie, Courageous again. Excellent movie! And this time I was able to watch it with all four of my sons present with me. What an opportunity! What a great chance to encourage teachable moments with my sons! If you haven’t seen this movie, I highly recommend it.

There is a brief snippet in the movie that doesn’t get much attention but it was (at least this time) probably the most profound and moving part that touched me so deeply. Actually there are two parts in order to understand the impact, one at the beginning and one toward the end. And without wrecking the movie for you, let me share a little bit about that.

There is a young police officer and he is referred often as “the rookie”. He is inexperienced and he makes some mistakes. Those mistakes weigh heavy on him not because anybody condemns him but just because he himself knows he can do better. He just isn’t there yet. Now, fast forward toward the end of the movie. After a big shoot out that the rookie police officer and his fellow officers were in, the older, senior officer walks over as the rookie is catching his breath and collecting his thoughts. The conversations goes something like this:

“Hey, you did good out there today.”

“Yeah, you mean for a rookie.”

(dramatic pause for effect)

“Your not a rookie.”

AWESOME!

Do you know what that meant to that young officer? It was like saying, “Welcome to the club” or “you are a man” or “I’ll fight in your foxhole anytime”. I know this is a movie but the concept that is clearly shown here whether of not that was the intent of the movie makers, is this – Older, wiser, more experienced men can and should encourage the younger generation of men and welcome them into the role of manhood! It is up to the elder men to train and establish the younger men as men! This is legacy! This is passing the baton! This is establishing manhood beyond yourself!

It is the young man that needs the older man to believe in him!

I loved it last night after the movie because our host said a few parting words but his final words before we left were this, and they spoke deeply to my heart; He said, “I believe in you.” That right there is awesome!

Men, we look at this and say that that is the fathers responsibility to his son and you’re right, it is but you know as well as I do that all of us are not handling the role and responsibility of “father” as well as we should. Truth be told, there are many young men out there that don’t even have a father. Those ‘sons’ need a dad. They need somebody to believe in them. They need someone that will say, “your not a rookie”. And they need that father to love them as a son.

Do you know a young man that needs you to believe in him?

I do.

 

Peace.

Stop Just Praying…

Last week I wrote about us being “doers”, men created in the image of the Ultimate Creator, Father God! We have a job, a purpose and a destiny. We are created for greatness but we need to get to work doing it to make it happen.

Here is the deal.

Often times people (and this includes me), just want to pray about it. Yeah, I did say “just pray about it”.

Well isn’t that all we need to do?

No. We have to do more. We need to really believe that our prayers are answered. We do that by faith. And real faith is more than just believing. Real faith moves into action. Real faith “does” something.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not talking about a salvation by works system. I’m not talking about a good works / bad works scale or anything like that. Our salvation is a gift. We cannot buy it. We cannot earn it. I’m talking about what we are doing with our life, our real life that the God of all creation gave to us from before the foundation of the universe. I’m talking about His plans of greatness for our lives. I’m talking about accomplishing that God-given destiny and seeing those dreams and visions come to fruition in this lifetime! I’m talking about what are part, position, place is in Gods Kingdom plan to advance Heaven on Earth! That’s what I’m talking about!

When you pray, God hears your prayers but He sees your faith! And it is when you are putting that faith into action that His power moves to put His super on your natural!

God moves by your faith, not by your need. Your action proves that you believe He is going to supply. Your doing is what gets His attention.

So stop just praying…

And start doing.

James 2:14-17 nlt

14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

So, what are you doing? Are you believing for something and putting action to what you believe? Or are you just praying about it?

 

Peace!