Compiling God's Code

Recently, I’ve helped, along with a core group of great people, start a ministry at our church. It has been difficult, for me, because I’m typically a shy person, and, yet, extremely rewarding as I witness God’s will fulfilled on a weekly basis. As a group of unique individuals, how do we, as volunteers, succeed in this endeavor when we each bring our own misconceptions, ideals, wants, needs, fears, and anxieties to the group? When you think about all that mishmash of emotions, you might begin to wonder how we can even come close to succeeding. But that would be true if we weren’t all bound by God’s love and guidance, and with his grace we will flourish and fulfill his will.

But that doesn’t just happen easily, and our lives, who we are, what we do, and how we cope, have a chance to interfere with the spirit of God and disrupt what he wants us to do, but, fortunately, there are ways to tackle our issues and bring them to light so that we can work on them.

For the past several months, I’ve also been engaged in a course called Faithwalking. It is taught by Mission Houston, and I am currently in the 20 week course called 201. With this course, I’ve learned so much, and it has taught me how to conquer my negative vows and the anxiety I have about putting myself out there, in front of people, the world, and not staying behind the scenes as a spectator but becoming a participant in God’s design for this world. I highly recommend it to anyone if you want to become an honest, faithful servant of God.

With all that, I thought why not bring to the group some of the core concepts taught in Faithwalking. If these become a mantra that the group follows on a weekly basis, then we will have the tools, or at least a starting point, to stay focused on God’s will. So, with all that being said, here are four keys points that I want to introduce here.

BE FAIR.
And by that, I mean we cannot pass judgment upon others. This has to be the first point because all the rest depend upon this concept. Everyone has his or her own beliefs, and everyone is a sinner. We are all broken. Since that is a truth, we must withhold our judgment least we be judged as well. That means no finger-pointing in the group and outside the group. We must refrain for placing blame upon people and situations that aren’t even a part of the group so that other’s beliefs and actions are not an excuse for our life and decisions.

BE REAL.
Faithwalking uses “authentic,” but that word seems fancy to me and not real. Ironic, possibly. I’m thinking more along the lines of you’ve just told the story of a wreck on a freeway where the car leapt into the air and slammed into the pillars holding up a bridge, and upon that impact, the car instantly exploded in to tiny pieces (not an explosion with fire), but the driver was injured but lived to see another day. Your friends look at you and say, “Are you for real?” Yes. Yes. I am. That did really happen. I saw it on Discover Channel, I think. That’s my humor for the day.

Keep in mind how Jesus was with his disciples. At the last supper, he spoke the truth, even going so far as to tell his disciples that one of them would betray him.

Matthew 26:20-25
English Standard Version (ESV)

20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21 And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23 He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24 The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25 Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”

Eventually, later that evening, Jesus tells Peter of his denial.

Matthew 26:30-35
English Standard Version (ESV)

30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to theMount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ 32 But after I am raised up, I will go before you toGalilee.” 33 Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” 35 Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

In all of this, and many other times, Jesus was real and authentic (I know that I used the word). There was no judgment when he told Peter, who was the rock the church was built upon, that he was to deny him three times.

But in all the New Testament, for me, only one parable brings it all home for me.

Luke 18:9-14
English Standard Version (ESV)

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed[a] thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

We need to be able to reach the truth. We need to put our brokenness on the table so that we can all heal and know that we are all equal in the eyes of the Lord. But remember, be fair and don’t judge.

BE HONORABLE.
Again, Faithwalking uses “integrity,” that also seems fancy to me. I’m weird. I know it, but I’m unique, and that’s okay, because, gosh darn it people like me, as Stuart Smiley would say. Humor attempt number two. But this boils down to doing what you said you would do, in the manner in which you said you would do it, and in the time when you said you would do it.

This week, I discovered two chapters of the bible that I didn’t even know were there, and some of that is because I haven’t read the bible from cover to cover and some of that is because I’ve never heard anyone mention these chapters of the bible. What am I talking about you might ask? Well, let me tell you. In 2 Kings Chapters 22 and 23, you learn about Josiah, king ofJudah. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. From the beginning, he said what he was going to do and he did it.

2 Kings 23:25
English Standard Version (ESV)

25 Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the Lord with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses, nor did any like him arise after him.

That says it all. Think about that. People are always David this and David that. David preceded Josiah. Oh, king Solomon, spilt that baby in two and give them each a half, yes, that king Solomon, he preceded Josiah. I will have to explore Josiah more in another post because he is fascinating. Discover for yourself and read those two chapters, but what I want you to understand is that he was honorable and accomplished all that he said he would do.

Before we move one, remember be fair and do not judge. If you don’t hold to your word, you will not be condemned. There might be consequences, but you won’t be judged, and so you need to apply the same principle to others as well.

BE FAITHFUL.
Put your trust in the spirit of God so that we can all act upon it and co-create his will in our group, and remember, be fair and don’t be quick to judge the word. Listen to what it’s saying. You might be surprised at what you learn from it.

Okay, this is all fine and dandy, but what do I mean by all of this? Here’s my example of all these points in my life.

As Wednesday approached I grew more anxious because at this meeting, we would have more people than we had so far, and I began questioning myself and the message that I wanted to bring to the group. In fact, I got a call Wednesday afternoon from my pastor. He called to ask if he needed to do anything, and I said, yea, handle the topic for the meeting. We laughed like I was joking, but I wasn’t, really; really I wanted to run away, wishing that I didn’t have to do this because I don’t like to put myself out there to protect myself from what others might think about me, that they would think I was stupid, or any other number of things.

But that’s where Faithwalking helped me and where the points allowed me to focus. I knew that I had to be faithful to the spirit of God. He hadn’t called me this far to walk away. No. I had to do what I said I would do, in the manner in which I said I would do it, and at the time I promised to do it. So I prayed. And using techniques that I’ve learned in Faithwalking, I calmly listened to the spirit and didn’t judge what I heard, which was to stick to the plan. God helped me get ready and do what I had to do so that his will was accomplished.