Zuckerberg, Babel, and the Church

The World One Common Language
Steven Furtick

Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city with a tower that reaches to the heavens so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole Earth.” -Genesis 11:1-4

The story of the tower of Babel is usually used as a warning against pride. And that’s valid. But I choose to also see it as a challenge. Using the technology of their day – brick baking – mankind tried to build a tower to reach the heavens to make their name great. And they almost succeeded.

Think about that for a second. Mankind had the skill to accomplish this feat. They had the drive. The vision. All they lacked was God’s favor. That made all the difference, of course, but look at what they were willing to try without it. This gets me thinking about the God-sized mandate that Jesus gave to us right before He left the Earth in Matthew 28:19-20: Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

If the people of Babel could do all they did to make their name great, why should anything be impossible to us as a Church as we seek to make the Name of Jesus great? If the people in Genesis 11 could accomplish so much having God against them, how much more should we accomplish having God for us? Maybe it would help if I put this in modern terms:

If Mark Zuckerberg can build Facebook for his own glory, what will we as the church build for the glory of God? If Mark Zuckerberg can build Facebook for his own glory, what will we as the church build for the glory of God? (Luke 16:9-12) If Oprah can start a network to cover the Earth with Oprah, why shouldn’t we use every resource at our disposal to cover the Earth with the name of Jesus? (Matthew 10:16-17, Luke 10:2-4)

The people of Babel built a brick tower for their own glory. Zuckerberg and Oprah are making their names great. The tower came down. Their names were to be forgotten. As much as that is a testimony to the futility of human pride, it’s just as much a question to us:

What will you build for the glory of God? Whose Kingdom will last forever. Whose Name will be praised for eternity.

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Dear Almighty God, please help me to see what You want me to achieve with my life, give me the faith to believe it is possible, and the courage and determination to pursue it with all my heart for the betterment of others and for Your glory. In Jesus’ mighty name I ask and pray. Amen and Amen.

The Need to Control

The Need to Control
Os Hillman

"You acted foolishly," Samuel said .... 1 Samuel 13:13

The prophet Samuel had anointed Saul the first king of Israel. Saul was now 30 years old and was leading the nation in battle against the Philistines. The Philistines had gathered at Micmash to come against Saul and his army. The Lord was directing Saul through the prophet Samuel. Samuel instructed Saul to go ahead of him to Micmash, and he would follow in seven days. He would then offer a burnt offering on behalf of the people of Israel. The pressure began to build as the Philistines gathered around Micmash preparing for battle. The people of Israel grew fearful and began to scatter throughout the countryside. Saul was also afraid. Samuel did not show up on the morning of the seventh day. Finally, Saul, fearing the impending attack, took it upon himself to offer the burnt offering. After he had done this, Samuel showed up.

... "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, He would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after His own heart and appointed him leader of His people, because you have not kept the Lord's command" (1 Samuel 13:13-14).

Saul believed he needed to take control of the situation. Whenever we try to take control of a situation out of God's will, we demonstrate that we are led by fear. Many a boss is so driven by fear that he attempts to manage by over controlling his people. This results in codependent relationships in which the employees are fearful of making the wrong decisions, and are driven to please the manager at all costs. This results in loss of respect for the manager.

Many times the employees make poor choices just to please their manager; as a result, resentment begins to build among the employees due to the manager's over control. Do you see any signs of over control in how you relate to others? Can you allow others the freedom to fail? Do you find yourself changing directions in midstream when you see something you don't like? Are you fearful of failure? These are all symptoms of a Saul-control spirit. Pray that God will allow you to walk in the freedom of trusting in Him and those around you.

The Goal of Life

The Goal of Life
Os Hillman

"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" -Jeremiah 29:11

For many people in the world, real meaning in life is the next vacation, career success, or stepping up the income ladder. It is a life based on pleasurable experiences. Many a human being has toiled their whole life to gain a pleasurable lifestyle only to find a life that is empty and meaningless. You only have to watch television for one evening to discover that advertisers want us to believe this is the goal of life. The work-to-play theme is consistent with most advertising messages.

Solomon was a man who had nothing withheld from his appetite. He was a great builder, a great businessman, and a great lover of women. Every imaginable pleasure was his. Nevertheless, he was to discover that these things alone could not satisfy the human soul. A recent trip to a beautiful island left me grateful that God had allowed me to understand the futile trap of the work-to-play lifestyle. It is great to experience times of refreshing and visit beautiful places as long as we don't fall into the trap of thinking that these experiences equal a meaningful life.

God's beautiful creation can so easily become a prison of emptiness if Jesus is not in the center of it. The apostle Paul said there is only one way to find meaning and purpose in life: "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe..." (Ephesians 1:17-19).

Knowing Christ brings the only real meaning and purpose to the human soul. Spend time today getting to know the Lord in a more intimate way. Then you will discover real meaning and purpose in life.

By Christ’s Measure

By Christ’s Measure
Timrufus

"If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise." -1 Corinthians 3:18

I used to feel stupid because I can’t seem to cope with numbers but because of God, I can now find myself relating better with numbers. Now, people of the world today like to look at the outward appearance of a person, but when God or when Christ measure us, He measure us according to His standard and he looks at the heart.

What is the standard of the world?

James said, suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? For such is the standard of the world, but the bible tells us, by the measure of Christ, the greatest among us ought to be the servant of all.

Here Paul was telling them (the Corinthians) to avoid worldly wisdom, of which sectarianism is carnal; therefore Paul said, "if there is any who think he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become “fools” so that he may in turn become wise." ( NKJV 1 Corinthians 3) In any case, let us always gather with the Lord, for the cause is always "Thy Will be done and Thy Kingdom Come" and never, our will be done, our kingdom come. (Matthew 12:30)

There are however several reasons as to why a person may be blind to the gospel. Firstly, there are some of whom the temporal King of the world has blinded their very eyes. Paul said, “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” (2 Corinthians 4:4-5) In other words, Paul is trying to say, “Look, what we are simply preaching here is the salvation of God and of sin he freely pardons and yet men do not believe us or our testimonial! But even then the conscience that is now pricking on them also testified of this knowledge in Christ.” (verse 6, Luke 24:32)

Secondly, there are others who although knew God, had instead refused to being seen as understood and had so suppress the truth by their wickedness and since what may be known about God is plain to them and because God has made it plain to them, they are without excuses. (Romans 1:18-20) But still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35) The heaven and the earth will indeed pass away and even then as the world today continue to change, knowledge will soon lost its value and will also pass away but this prophecy of the bible will never pass away.

Last but not least, the Hebrew words rendered fool in Psalms denote one who is morally deficient. How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. His ways are all corrupted, and his ways all vile. He does no good for he neither believes in God nor does he believes in Prophecy – That is the Word of God, are actually storing up wrath against himself for the day of God’s wrath; when God’s righteous judgment is revealed unto one's own stubbornness and unrepentant heart. (Romans 2:5)

"The atheist is, morally as well as mentally, a fool, a fool in the heart as well as in the head; a fool in morals as well as in philosophy. Corrupt are they. They are rotten. It is idle to compliment them as sincere doubters, and amiable thinkers— ("they are putrid” ) -Charles H. Spurgeon

Verses For meditation: 1 Corinthians 13:8-12

Yes Lord, indeed he who does not gather with you (Jesus) scatters and if there is anyone who think he is wise by the standards of this age, let him become a “fool” so that he may become wise. For when we are weak, then we are strong but the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.

Changing Our Paradigm of Experience

Changing Our Paradigm of Experience
Os Hillman

"So Moses thought, 'I will go over and see this strange sight-why the bush does not burn up.'" -Exodus 3:3

Have you ever heard someone say, "God doesn't work that way? He would never do that." Well, there are times when God chooses to confound the foolish in order to change our paradigm of experience. Moses had never seen a bush that burned but did not burn up. It got his attention and it drew him to God.

When Jesus appeared on the water in the middle of the night during a storm, the disciples exclaimed, "It's a ghost!" They had never seen a man walk on water. This led to a great miracle-Peter walked on the water, too. When Jesus asked Peter to catch a fish and get the coin from its mouth to pay their taxes, you can imagine what Peter must have thought about those instructions. When Moses got to the Red Sea, he ran out of options. God had an unexpected solution to the Israelites' problem-He parted the Red Sea to demonstrate His power and allow the people of Israel to cross over to flee the Egyptian army.

Each of these new paradigms was a stepping-stone of an encounter with God so that the individual would experience God in a new way. God used these times to enforce the principle that His ways are not our ways. Whenever we try to predict that God will act in a certain way, He changes the paradigm to keep us from becoming our own little gods.

Have you ever been guilty of judging someone for an experience they've had that you've never had? Did you dismiss it as extreme or something not of God? God is in the business of changing our paradigm from no personal experiences to God-experiences. However, if you operate on a level of rigid logic, you may never have the privilege of having the God-experiences. Keep your heart free to experience new paradigms with God today.

Meeting Grace In Your Weakness

Meeting Grace In Your Weakness
Chip Brogden

"I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses,for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." -2 Corithinas 12:10

Now it does not say that Paul made himself weak on purpose. We do not have to seek weaknesses, infirmities, tribulations, temptations, or trials. We already have them. The key is how do we respond to them? We can fight them, or we can embrace them. Paul clearly shows us that it is not always God's will for us to be saved FROM the fire.

Often we are called to walk THROUGH the fire, with no assurance except that His Grace is sufficient. In the fire we learn that "Grace" is a Man, just like Victory is a Man. To be delivered from weakness is one thing, but to meet Grace in my weakness is something else entirely.

Keys of the kingdom of Heaven

Keys of the kingdom of Heaven
Timrufus

The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. -John 3:35

Have you ever come across someone who would give away an empire he has painstakingly built up into the hands of another man? Yet the bible tells us, the heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. (Psalm 115:16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Praise God today that we can count on the Name of Jesus because The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands so that whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever we loose on earth will be loosed in heaven, in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

There is no a religion in the world to witness such great spiritual power given to the sons of men where demons fled at the name of Jesus and a people whose God is The LORD and all glory and power in the Name of God alone and alone. But now with this power on hand, one may be led to think, “Can we also use these keys to release material wealth into our life as well?” True as it is, God is great and much as He longs to be gracious to us and to release His blessings on each and every of his children, the bunch of keys here is certainly not keys for us to help ourselves to the numerous count of goldbars found in His House as in a gold vault but rather what is our new identity in Christ through the Name of God.

What is the Kingdom of heaven like? Jesus likens the Kingdom of heaven to treasure in a field where one man found it and instead of keeping it to himself, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field, and another merchant who had gone in search of fine pearls. Then finding one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. But how can one’s joy be found complete unless he put his hand to the plow and with that same matter of heart into the field he had found - The Kingdom of God?

Now this joy is very much the same as that of John the Baptist who said, “That joy is mine, and it is now complete.” But God had given to us these keys to the kingdom of heaven so that the chains of injustice may be loosed and the cords of the yoke may be untied, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost since the creation of the world and the Kingdom of God is among us. But whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Verse for Meditation: Matthew 16: 17-19

Mighty and Righteous Ruler of the earth, nothing in all creation is hidden from your sight and everything is laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account. We thank you Lord for these keys of the kingdom of Heaven you have placed in our hands, to loose the chain of injustice, to untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and to break every yoke. With this new bunch of keys you now place in our hands, teach us O'LORD the hallmarks of what a true stewardship should be. All glory and honor and power belongs to you and you alone. In Jesus most holy Name. Amen.