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The Foolish Squander Wisdom

May 5, 2014 by brianmichaelsteck Leave a Comment

Rev5 Utah 2012 WorshipWhat does it mean to be wise? What does it mean to live rightly? What value is there in pursuing discernment and loving discipline? If none, then let each do as he desires; but if there is something to be gained for earnestly desiring wisdom, seeking to live wisely and inviting discernment and discipline upon our lives, then why do the foolish squander wisdom?

Could it be that the perspective of the foolish is skewed? If the most important thing in my life is me and the pursuit of my own pleasure, then I can understand why choosing the affection of a boy and forsaking the admonition of my community wins over chastity and contentment. Likewise, if all that matters are these momentary enticements and there is no greater future for me, I would choose video games, fairy tales and boyishness over maturity and manhood.

Let’s face it: discipline is hard; contentment is sacrificial; manhood is scary.

So why pursue these things? Why leave behind my childish ways in exchange for the virtues of adulthood?

Perspective. It’s all about perspective.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.Proverbs 9:10

Wisdom accurately sees ourselves in relation to God. He is God (Lord of the earth, center of the universe, creator of all things), I am not. While God is gracious and extends his Hand to all — seeking intimate loving union with us — he is still “holy, holy, holy”. His “otherness” and awesomeness should inspire awe, wonder and humble submission in us.

Some people choose to confine themselves to walking daily in foolishness. “But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:14-15)” When the pursuit of our own desires overtakes our minds and becomes the presiding goal of our hearts, our perspective has shifted — God is no longer God — we are.

This is foolishness. It is for the loss of proper perspective that the foolish squander wisdom.

Filed Under: Discipleship, Lordship, The Kingdom Centered Mind, Worship Tagged With: Foolishness, Perspective, wisdom

Developing an Internal Locus of Control

December 9, 2012 by brianmichaelsteck Leave a Comment

Our world has given itself to laws, but in turn become lawless. Instead, we must nurture an internal locus of control, that we may be free.

These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires. -Colossians 2:23

We HATE rules! Sometimes we love to hate ’em. Let me explain.

We live in a world where rules abound. Speed limits, seat belt regulations, minimum drinking age, no swimming, no skateboarding, no cell phones, minimum height required… sometimes our rules get wacky:

  • Bear wrestling matches are prohibited.
  • Dominoes may not be played on Sunday.
  • It is illegal to wear a fake moustache that causes laughter in church.

(Those laws are just laws in the state of Alabama! Each state has their own ridiculous laws.)

&nsbp;
How does this effect us?

We learn to hate law and authority because of how they restrict us; the abundance of laws seem to reduce us to brainless lab-mice in a maze.

Unfortunately, we’re so tired of man’s laws, it’s no wonder we reject God’s laws and distrust His authority!

&nsbp;
Why do we chose to live like this?

So why are these laws put into place? Assumedly, most are to protect us from ourselves and each other, but they bear evidence of our belief that we, as humans, believe ourselves incapable of making right decisions.

Empty Airport Security Line
Have we been reduced to lab mice?
For example, the flashing “Do Not Walk” exists because someone thought it necessary. At some time or another, folks must have crossed without looking. Refusing to respect traffic, these ignorant walkers were rudely introduced to the bumper of a passing car — in response, we constructed rules and posted signs to protect ourselves. However, in the process we choose captivity over freedom and rules over responsibility, and remain like stranded castaways standing deserted on a street-corner island.

Freedom is dangerous. Freedom requires responsibility and responsibility demands consequences — a consequence either enjoyed or suffered. Freedom comes with the potential for pain. It means we can get hurt. For this reason, some avoid it.

But is a life without freedom, any life at all?

&nsbp;
What have we become?

The deeper question I have is this: have we formed laws around ourselves in such a way as to remove the possibility of pain — but in the process, stripped our ability to lead ourselves? to govern ourselves?

Have we, unknowingly, stripped away our “internal locus of control” — that inner compass that steers us? Have our rules made ourselves blind and deaf to our very own consciences?

I say this, both temporally and spiritually. We’ve come to trust rules and not our very own hearts.

Our abundant rules are evidence that our internal locus of control is undeveloped. We have lost trust of our own ability to wield freedom rightly.

 
The Danger

The problem with this is that when we begin to distrust our hearts, we loose something that is truly essential to being human – our will.

C.S. Lewis describes in The Screwtape Letters that while Satan and God are both interested in our will, Satan desires to steal, kill and destroy it, while God invites us to surrender it, so that he can restore it within us. God wants us to have freedom and choice, personality and individuality. Satan only wants to destroy our souls and leave us empty.

Another danger is this: when we lose trust in our hearts, we surrender control to the decision-making abilities of others, and rely on law instead of our God-given internal locus of control. This may not seem like a bad thing, but a society of law-abiders operates out of fear, not love. They obey the rules, but nothing has changed internally. They are one step from utter lawlessness, because that is all that has been developed internally – lawlessness.

 
Understanding the deceitful heart

The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? -Jeremiah 17:9

I grew up hearing this verse, and believing it, because it is true — yet it is only true in terms of the unregenerate heart. When the Holy Spirit comes upon our hearts and we surrender our hearts, minds and lives to God, believing that He sent Jesus as Lord and savior, we are made new. Our hearts are renewed as we surrender to the Holy Spirit, and it is important to learn to trust both the Holy Spirit and the promptings within our hearts.

The process of listening and obeying to our regenerate hearts develops our internal locus of control.

This piece is essential to following Christ. Our internal locus of control is essential because it flows out of obedience to a loving Father and is much stronger than an external locus of control. Countless men and women have risen to great places in leadership and authority, only to lose it all because they failed to develop their internal locus of control.

If the Kingdom of God is to come to earth (and it is!), it’s citizens must learn to operate by the law of the Kingdom. This law is “written on the hearts of man” [Jeremiah 31:33].

 
Developing an internal locus of control

God develops our internal locus of control in many ways. One of the essential methods is through scripture. Regularly put yourself in the Word. Read the Bible in large chunks and pick it apart in small studies… both are good for increasing your understanding of God and knowledge of His heart.

Self-discipline is another way He develops your internal locus of control, freeing you from reliance on outside rules and legalism. I highly recommend Celebration of the Disciplines by Richard Foster. Read through it and test some of the disciplines he writes about.

Listen for His promptings and obey them, even if they seem silly. If you know the Lord as your savior, but you aren’t hearing his voice, pray that you will begin to hear it. If you used to hear His voice, but it’s been a while, think back to the last thing you heard Him say to you; if it was a command, then do it. If it was truth about you, then believe it. But learn to foster an environment where you are actively listening for His voice and obeying it.

 
Closing thoughts
This is a part of my life that is being developed, and always will be developed. As God teaches me more and prompts me to share, I’ll be writing more about the subject. My prayer is that, as a people of the way, we would be markedly different from the world in the way we live, love and respond — that we would move by the counter-intuitive influence of the Spirit and that many would come to know Him, in Spirit and in truth, as a result.

Filed Under: Lordship, Surrender Tagged With: Freedom, Holy Spirit, Internal Locus of Control, Kingdom of God, Law, Richard Foster, Spiritual Disciplines, Surrender

Being Found Trustworthy

October 23, 2012 by brianmichaelsteck Leave a Comment

I read a verse this morning that prompted some thought on faithfulness and being found trustworthy.

“When arguing with your neighbor, don’t betray another person’s secret. Others may accuse you of gossip, and you will never regain your good reputation.” -Proverbs 25:9-10

My guess is that, at some time or another, all of us have experienced this. Either on the receiving end, or we have been the one to share private information in the heat of the moment. It’s no surprise that neither end of this scenario feels good or ends well.

Are you the type of person that is trusted with the secrets of others?

If so, you know that the privilege of guarding one’s most inner truths, struggles and pains is a very tender and sensitive task. Like described in Proverbs 25:10, one missed step while carrying someone’s trust can lose that trust, and the future trust of others, forever. So what makes you trustworthy? Why do people trust you? What have you demonstrated that has earned you the right to be trusted?

Is the trustworthy person I’m describing something that you are not familiar with? Maybe, for whatever reason, people don’t entrust you with personal details? Or perhaps you’ve had trust broken and simply don’t see trustworthy people around you? Why? Why don’t people come to you when they are in times of need? Why is it that you cannot find trustworthy people around you? What kind of people are you surrounding yourself with? Are your friends and family influencing, shaping and decreasing your likelihood of being found trustworthy?

 
One thing I have learned is that

“if you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be hoest with greater responsibilities.” -Luke 16:10

 
My challenge to you is to claim one area of your life in which you are going to be faithful in.

It may be simple, such as “I’m not going to lie about my weight” or “I’m going to be faithful to myself in following through on the workout plans I established during last year’s New Year’s resolution.” It doesn’t need to be, “I’m never going to exaggerate or lie again.” I think that this will come in time. But, especially if you know this to be an area of struggle, start small.

Garner little victories and take baby-steps in being faithful to yourself. I promise that if you believe yourself and are faithful to the small promises you make to yourself, you will soon be found trustworthy with larger responsibilities and the honor of the secrets of others — and may you soon be found worthy of holding God’s secrets, that He might entrust you with Kingdom responsibility and the Father Heart of God towards His children.

Filed Under: Lordship

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