Discipleship Archives - To Live As Christ

Get Wisdom

December 18, 2018 by brianmichaelsteck Leave a Comment

Luke 7:35, “Wisdom is proved right by her children.”

We my think we are wise, but the fruit of our decisions bears witness against us. “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD an shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” Proverbs 3:7

We see here a reiteration of the same principle. Wisdom begets fruit. When you walk in wisdom, even your body responds beneficially.

What is wisdom?

If everyone is wise in their own eyes, how an I avoid being deceived into living foolishly. What is wisdom?

Wisdom is adhering to God’s best for your life.

To live by the true principles of wisdom, our world view must be shaped by reality; reality that God is supreme and sovereign, that he created all (including me) and wrote the owner’s manual for my spirit, soul, mind and body, and that He is good and (to His ultimate glory) wants the best for me.

If God is omni-[good, knowing, powerful] then I can trust His prescribed ways for me life.

His ways for my life are chronicled in a little book (the Bible) He had his faithful followers compile for Him. When we read it and obey it, we can’t lose. Life won’t go perfect according to our dreams, but it will produce fruit that bears witness to our obedience and His wisdom.

Just do a word search for “wisdom” in scripture, or spend a year in Proverbs, reading a chapter each day (there are 31 chapters, so that works out nicely).

You’ll pick up incredible nuggets like:

“He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Proverbs 13:20
“Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.” Proverbs 17:28
All of Proverbs chapter 2!

How do you get wisdom?

Wisdom starts with the fear of God. [Proverbs 1:7]

Not a “fear” in the sense of thriller novels and suspenseful movies. A “rightful fear” as in “honor and respect”.

When we approach train tracks, we show honor to the train by giving it enough room to pass. We “rightfully fear” the train. That doesn’t mean we don’t board the train and ride it. Our fear of God is the same. It allows us safety and benefit; intimacy and blessing.

When we know God created it all, including me, and is good — and we believe He has a plan for everything, including me, and it is also good… we can begin to trust Him and love Him. “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.” John 14:21,23

Desiring God’s wisdom means desiring God’s best for my life. It means trusting His ways over my ways.

If I decide to never change my car’s oil, instead of obeying the advice of the owner’s manual, my engine will cease up and my car will become worthless.

In the same way, our lives will eventually unravel when we don’t follow God’s ways.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.” Proverbs 3:7 Fear of the Lord is the first step in true wisdom.

What does that mean?

If my acknowledgment of God a Lord is set, then the next step is to learn what He has to say and then to do it.

I must read scripture. Then I must be willing to change my ways, until they line up in accordance to His ways.

If I say I fear God but don’t do what His word says, I don’t truly fear God. I don’t true love Him. Obedience isn’t always the fruit of love, but love always produces obedience.

I’ve had the opportunity of speaking into many young men’s lives. When I do, some nod their heads in agreement. But until I see them walking out the things I recommended, I won’t know if they agree in the head or in the heart. There is a difference.

Head knowledge, on it’s own, produce pride and deceives. But when truth pierces the heart, in a relationship of love, it has power to change lives.

Seek to fall in love with God. This will start with rightful fear, be coupled with trust and desire; and will conclude with obedience, which will look like wisdom and produce blessing.

How will I know I’m walking in wisdom?

You will know you are walking in wisdom when you are disciplining your spirit, soul, mind and body.

This will look like: time in prayer, time in the word, choosing the things of God, shunning any thoughts that aren’t of God, pursuing holy thinking, and offering your body as a living sacrifice to Him.

You will know you are walking in wisdom when you have men and women of wisdom around you that have permission and accessibility to speak truth into you.

This means you are available to them, and offer yourself so that they can have an accurate perception — you’re not avoiding them, hiding parts of your life from them or deceiving them by only presenting what you think they want to hear.

You will know you are walking in wisdom when you do the things they tell you to do, and stay away from the things they advise you against.

Finally, you will know you are walking in wisdom when your life bears the fruit of wisdom.

People will trust you. There will be blessing and favor, from God and man. Opportunities will open up to you on a regular basis; when doors of opportunity are consistently closing, this can sometimes be a sign of poor fruit in your life. And if your response is to blame everyone else for it, wisdom would acknowledge that you are bearing the bitter fruit of your own foolishness.

God wants good for you. He knows what’s best for you. The ways of wisdom will bear the fruit of God’s goodness towards you, so that, ultimately, He might be glorified rightly.

Judge Not

December 10, 2018 by brianmichaelsteck Leave a Comment

Matthew 7:1 says “Judge not, lest you be judged.”

Or in more common tongue, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”

This one strikes to the heart. I’m guilty as ever.

The Lord, by His Holy Spirit, is showing me how I have pride in my life. I’ve taken offense and I’ve judged and condemned others in my mind.

It’s wrong. It’s gross. It hurts the Bride of Christ, hurts my soul and fails to give God the glory He deserves.

Do unto others

“Leaders never criticize, condemn or complain.”
Revolution5 quote based on How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

These must be some of the earliest and most basic lessons taught in the Christian faith:

Treat people like you’d want them to treat you
Remove the log from your eye before you hunt for the speck from one another’s
Be quick to forgive, slow to speak and slow to become angry

I am woefully aware that I’ve failed at every one of these. In my own heart, I haven’t modeled Christlike love, humility and grace. I’m guilty, once again — totally in need of my Savior.

There is grace and forgiveness for this imperfection; and in the end, may it give God more glory. But in the moment, I feel the conviction of the Spirit. I’m wrong and I know it.

“Father, forgive me, for I have sinned against you and and against my brothers and sisters. I’m humbled before you and I repent. Teach me to respond with love, to overlook the mistakes of others, that I might not be easily offended. To you be the glory, Lord.”

Romans 14:13 says “Therefore let us stop passing judgement on one another.”

As the church, we need to be so slow to cast judgement.

I recently caught part of a satirical response* to a modern worship leader and child of God. Instead of offering prayers, fellowship and forgiveness, Jesus’ precious bride is picking up stones to throw.

We must realize that when we throw stones at other believers, we’re throwing stones at ourself, for how can the body be divided from itself?

“Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgement on it. There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you — who are you to judge your neighbor?”
James 4:11-12

When our flesh desires vengeance, justice and seeks to attack another — even if we feel righteous in our response — let’s surrender it before the Lord.

Justice and judgement are His. He’s big enough to handle it.

*I’ll leave this youtube video unnamed. Our critical opinions spewed publicly for all to see are hurting the heart of God and damaging our witness to non-believers.

Lead with a limp

October 28, 2018 by brianmichaelsteck Leave a Comment

A phrase used often in the Christian leadership program for twenty-somethings I work with, when referencing a seasoned leader, is that they “lead with a limp”.

This isn’t some strange reference to valiant leaders with physical disabilities (e.g., Franklin D. Roosevelt or John McCain). It is, instead, acknowledgment of their humility; a humility gained only after walking through hardship, defeat and the reality that leadership and perfection are unacquainted.

Desiring to lead with a limp

In our world, to “lead with a limp” is a sign of honor. It says, “Behind that welcoming smile is a story of a man or woman who knows pain and suffering, and has chosen to hold their head high and fight another day.”

The untested leader is at the mercy of circumstance.

Like a vessel without a ballast, they are easily swayed and prone to succumbing to the waves of adversity. And while adversity is a blessing to ones’ personal growth, it can be disastrous to an organization whose leader has been placed in positional authority prematurely, without having overcome many series of adversity previously.

Cherish the hard things in life

For this reason, I encourage young men and women to do hard things.

Our society praises and promotes the personality who seems to effortlessly climb the ranks of success (only to then drop them immediately once their humanity is revealed). This elevation of mere humans to celebrity status can make us think that setbacks are proof we are not meant for greatness. This is a lie.

And before I mislead you, greatness is not fame or fortune. Greatness is knowing who you are in the face of your creator and humbly and obediently walking that out.

Greatness, in its’ proper definition, is something we should strive for because it brings God glory. He created us to know Him and be known by Him, to hear Him and respond. Greatness, however, was never achieved by one who escaped challenge.

So do hard things. Learn from your mistakes. Grow. And gain humility, all the while.

You will get knocked down, and that’s okay. But failure is only rewarded to him who refuses to get up again.

When you push through the anguish of loss, the embarrassment of momentary defeat, or the demoralization of inadequacy, don’t lose hope. You are journeying through the gauntlet of perseverance and soon will know what it means to lead with a limp.

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