Roots and Wings (1) - 28 Jan 2008
Frankly, I don not understand the link. The root problem is on our spirituality and the problem is due to a stagnant spirit. It goes on in the passages and verses calling us not to secularize our spirituality and not to be run on empty. OK with that, but what has that to do with living a life that is not emporal but live a life for external?
What has our spirituality do with begin anxious and what has the solution to our root problem on not to worry and thus being able to live a life for eternal.
Yes, I understand about a worry -free life, a life worth living for eternal, but what has that to do with my problem on false spirituality?
The Human problem: The root issue is we have a stagnant spirit.
Zeph 1:12 At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,and I will punish the menwho are complacent, those who say in their hearts,‘The Lord will not do good,nor will he do ill.’
As a result, the visible symptoms is that we end up with a secularized spirituality.
Mat 6:1-8 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
We need to recognize that we are running on empty. This is a radical reorientation we need to see.
Jer2:5-18 5 Thus says the Lord: “What wrong did your fathers find in methat they went far from me,and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?6 They did not say, ‘Where is the Lordwho brought us up from the land of Egypt,who led us in the wilderness,in a land of deserts and pits,in a land of drought and deep darkness,in a land that none passes through,where no man dwells?’7 And I brought you into a plentiful landto enjoy its fruits and its good things.But when you came in, you defiled my landand made my heritage an abomination.8 The priests did not say, ‘Where is the Lord?’Those who handle the law did not know me;the shepherds [1] transgressed against me;the prophets prophesied by Baaland went after things that do not profit. 9 “Therefore I still contend with you,declares the Lord,and with your children's children I will contend.10 For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see,or send to Kedar and examine with care;see if there has been such a thing.11 Has a nation changed its gods,even though they are no gods?But my people have changed their gloryfor that which does not profit.12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this;be shocked, be utterly desolate,declares the Lord,13 for my people have committed two evils:they have forsaken me,the fountain of living waters,and hewed out cisterns for themselves,broken cisterns that can hold no water. 14 “Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn servant?Why then has he become a prey?15 The lions have roared against him;they have roared loudly.They have made his land a waste;his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant.16 Moreover, the men of Memphis and Tahpanheshave shaved [2] the crown of your head.17 Have you not brought this upon yourselfby forsaking the Lord your God,when he led you in the way?18 And now what do you gain by going to Egyptto drink the waters of the Nile?Or what do you gain by going to Assyriato drink the waters of the Euphrates?
Should we therefore continue to live the way we used to be - a secularized spirituality and running on empty? No in order to soar, we need to live life beyond the temporal. If we don't have God in our live, there is no roots, there is no point trying to create the appearance that we have it and continue living a life acting on it. We recognize that without God we are empty, our spirit life is empty. This is then how we should live - live a life beyond the temporal. For without the vital spirituality, we are living in a life in temporal (acting, empty and never beyond).
90:1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place [1]in all generations.2 Before the mountains were brought forth,or ever you had formed the earth and the world,from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
3 You return man to dustand say, “Return, O children of man!” [2]4 For a thousand years in your sightare but as yesterday when it is past,or as a watch in the night.
5 You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream,like grass that is renewed in the morning:6 in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;in the evening it fades and withers.
7 For we are brought to an end by your anger;by your wrath we are dismayed.8 You have set our iniquities before you,our secret sins in the light of your presence.
9 For all our days pass away under your wrath;we bring our years to an end like a sigh.10 The years of our life are seventy,or even by reason of strength eighty;yet their span [3] is but toil and trouble;they are soon gone, and we fly away.11 Who considers the power of your anger,and your wrath according to the fear of you?
12 So teach us to number our daysthat we may get a heart of wisdom.13 Return, O Lord! How long?Have pity on your servants!14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.15 Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,and for as many years as we have seen evil.16 Let your work be shown to your servants,and your glorious power to their children.17 Let the favor [4] of the Lord our God be upon us,and establish the work of our hands upon us;yes, establish the work of our hands!
The empowered life is a life with roots and wings, a life that lives for eternal.
Mat 6:19-34 19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust [1] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. [2]
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? [3] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
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