The Cycle of Civilization.

Clarence Manion, the Dean of Notre Dame Law School from 1941-52, boarded a plane sometime during the early 1950’s.  When the plane landed Dean Manion rose from his seat, shook hands with the man he’d been conversing with during the flight, thanked him, and handed him a slip of paper on which he had written these words:

Man begins his existence in bondage,

and rises from bondage through spiritual faith,

from spiritual faith to courage,

from courage to liberty,

from liberty to abundance,

from abundance to selfishness,

from selfishness to complacency,

from complacency to apathy,

from apathy to dependency,

from dependency back into bondage.

This is the Cycle of Civilization.  The rise of the cycle proceeds from the spiritual faith of a few, their belief and supreme confidence in Jesus Christ, the King of All Creation.  The power of their lives— on fire from the Spirit of Christ— infuses courage to a nation, a willingness to sacrifice all for liberty and freedom.  Freedom propels a nation to the summit of supreme abundance, to evangelism by life and lips, to the promotion of this Freedom in all its forms {physical, mental, emotional and spiritual} and for all its citizens equally, whatever their race, color, or creed— a nation blessed by God.  But with abundance comes a change.  Almighty Abba, the Source of All Blessing, is forgotten.  The downward cycle spirals through selfishness, complacency, apathy, dependency, and finally back to bondage.

The only hope to reach and remain at the pinnacle of human existence is an ever-growing trust in the Living Hope, the Lord of Glory, Jesus Christ.  To “love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength” is the greatest endeavor of any human life— Matthew 22:34-30.  And it’s an endeavor which can only be entered by an Apprentice of the Master, by one who is willing to follow in His footsteps.  It is an appeal to those who would become full-grown Sons and Daughters, who refuse to remain in the infancy of their faith.  Who among us will answer the Call?

HJC	Ric Webb  |  Shepherd Heart’s Journey Community 9621 Tall Timber Blvd. |  Little Rock, AR 72204 t +1.501.455.0296
hjcommunity.org
Heart’s Journey – Live Generously and Love Graciously

Leadership Lessons From the Life of David.

Cf. 2 Samuel 23:1-22.

What qualified David to lead the “mighty men” listed here?  And even more importantly, what would make men like this follow him?  Well, you remember 1 Samuel 17 and the Story of David the Giant-killer {and Goliath the Philistine taunting the armies of the Living God}?  You know what happened this faith-filled day, beyond the miracle of the stone, the sling, and the arrogant brought low?  David earned his credibility, like all great leaders, on the field of fire!  In the Battle.  The courage, the faith, the daring audacity of David were evident for all Israel to see this day.

The point is: Leadership must be earned.  You earn the right to lead and the privilege of having others follow, by your actions.  There is no doubt in my mind David knew that if God did not come through this moment, he was dead.

From the Story of Saul and Jonathan— from Saul’s devious envy and Jonathan’s faithful friendship we can see this.  Leaders are known not only by the friends they attract but by the enemies they make.  Oftentimes, not of their own doing.

In 1 Samuel 23 David and his men deliver the city of Keilah.  And the people of the city, the Lord tells him upon his asking, will turn him over to Saul.  There’s a couple of things we can learn here.

[i] Spiritual leadership demands spiritual guidance.  I’ll add that all leadership, to be eternally effective, needs divine direction.

[ii] Spiritual leadership not only demands divine guidance, but requires divine endurance {Heb. 12:1-3}.  “Let us run with endurance the Race which is set before us,” the Life which God has “marked out for us” {12:1d}.

[iii] Don’t expect gratitude from everyone you serve {maybe even anyone you serve}.  Some people whose lives you’ve labored over will turn on you.  Some will run in your hour of need; others will join the ranks of the enemy.  You know what occurred to me along these lines?  Their betrayal says much more about them than anything they can make up about you!

During the time of David’s wilderness wandering, on the lam from Saul and his men, on at least two separate occasions he has the opportunity to kill Saul ...and doesn’t take it.  Out of respect for His God and respect for His King— “the LORD’s Anointed” {1 Sam. 24:6}.  His son, Absalom, will demonstrate one day that he has neither of these.

The lesson?  Real leaders know and understand, “‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ say’s the Lord, ‘I will recompense!’” {Rom. 12:19:b}.

From the phenomenal narrative of Abigail and David in 1 Samuel 25 comes a lesson reflected many centuries later by Sun-tzu, the great Chinese philosopher, in his book The Art of War, “Great warriors fight great battles.”  Don’t get roped into an inessential skirmish.  Ask yourself this question, ‘In the end— by this I mean eternally— does it really matter?’

HJC	Ric Webb  |  Shepherd Heart’s Journey Community 9621 Tall Timber Blvd. |  Little Rock, AR 72204 t +1.501.455.0296
hjcommunity.org
Heart’s Journey – Live Generously and Love Graciously

No Retreat.

The NIV translates Philippians 3:16, “Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”  What does Paul mean by, “what we have already attained”?  I believe he’s talking about our level of spiritual progress, spiritual momentum, the spiritual altitude you’ve “attained.”  Paul is essentially saying what all Bible expositors, all true students of the Word, come to realize eventually as an important distinction.  And that is, here’s what a Truth, a parable, a Psalm, a passage means spiritually; here’s what it has come to mean experientially in my life.  This is the hermeneutical distinction between interpretation and application.

The present passage is no different.  “Let all of us who are mature ...keep living up to what we have already attained,” vv. 15a-16.  Here’s the basic, fundamental meaning: Do what you know to do.  Live according to the level of growth you— and not someone else— have attained in Christ’s Kingdom.  Do not deviate from the principles and practices which have brought you to this present state of maturity.

The word “attained,” phthano, means- ‘arrive at’ a level of understanding, ‘reach and attain’ what you are pursuing.  Paul uses it of the nation of Israel in Romans 9:31 when he say’s, “but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness [By her own works, her own deeds, and her own self-righteousness:], has not attained it.  Why not?  Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works.  They stumbled over the ‘stumbling stone,’” v. 32.  We might even say it this way: ‘Live up to the Light that you have, the Truth which illuminates your soul.’  This is simple enough and easily grasped, but there’s more.  The deeper meaning, the underlying spiritual point is this: What you have achieved in the spiritual realm, do not forfeit; from where you have advanced on spiritual ground, do not retreat!

These Saints in Philippi had “attained” a certain spiritual stature, they had ‘arrived at’ a level of functional maturity.  They were on their way down the Path which leads from the Cross to the Crown.  The goal is ultimately to finish the Race, to achieve your purpose, to fulfill your destiny in the Father’s Plan.  Maturity, a functioning spiritual adulthood, is the halfway point.

What if you’ve just recently been ‘birthed’ into the realm of Eternal Life and into the Kingdom of Grace, and are still a babe in Christ, or are still an adolescent in the things of God, does this make you inferior somehow?  No ...live up to the Light that you have.  In the walking and war-faring of your faith live according to the stature which belongs to you.  My point is: Once you go from babyhood to adolescence, don’t retreat.

Once you go from being an adolescent to being a full-grown Man or Woman, don’t retreat.

Once you go from being a spiritual adult to being a Hero of Faith, don’t retreat.

And once you go from being a Hero of Faith to being the Friend of God, don’t retreat!

HJC	Ric Webb  |  Shepherd Heart’s Journey Community 9621 Tall Timber Blvd. |  Little Rock, AR 72204 t +1.501.455.0296
hjcommunity.org
Heart’s Journey – Live Generously and Love Graciously

Faithful With Our Flaws.

“Those of us who are mature should keep taking this viewpoint, keep taking the mindset of maturity, and if on some point you think differently” {RRExp}, “if in anything you have a different attitude” {NAS}, the Apostle say’s, “that too God will make clear to you” {Phil. 3:15 NIV}.  This is a 1^st class condition in the Greek, meaning the statement made is assumed to be true.  “If in anything you have a different attitude ...and you do.”  Or, “since your thinking is not in line with the will of God in this area, if you’re truly mature, God will reveal this also.”  That’s how it works.  When you have a solid foundation of grace in your Spiritual Life, and when you have the counterbalance of absolute Truth, your momentum is that much stronger, your insight that much clearer, your progress much more rapid.

What does Paul mean when he say’s, “If you’re thinking differently, and you are; if you have different attitudes, and you do; if there is a deficiency in your understanding which you haven’t seen, and there is, God will reveal this.”  Why?  Because God is faithful to point out our flaws.  If you’ll live according to the standard which you have, God will take care of what is lacking.  God holds us accountable for what has been understood, for what we know.  If we do what we know, He’ll reveal what we don’t know.

If we ask God for guidance, or direction, for strength in some battle or wisdom in some decision, and we’re not even doing what we know to be His will in other areas, why should we expect to have this prayer answered?  In essence He says, “You won’t do what I’ve told you to do, why should I tell you any more?”  The neat thing about this is Abba in His uncompromising immutability {un-change-ability} is faithful to reach down, tap us on the shoulder and say, “You’re not doing this, or this, or this.”  Or, “Here’s where you need to focus.”  He will let us in on what we don’t know, one way or another.

What did Peter say in 1 Peter 5:6?  “Humble yourselves, therefore,” which is the passive voice.  It sounds like this.  “If we allow ourselves to be humbled under Abba’s mighty hand [Which implies our attitude is one already lined up under His authority.], He will exalt us [Why?  Because He ‘makes war against the proud, but gives grace lavishly to the humble,’ v. 5c.], He will lift us up, at the proper time.”  God will always do His part to make sure whatever is lacking in understanding, in application, in experience, and ultimately one Day in glory, is filled up!

What’s the point?  In essence, if your theology is sound {accurate, healthy, wholesome} and your application is sound, God will expose, then remove, what is unsound in your practice.  When and only when we possess this unconditional desire for His will, this sensitivity to the Spirit of God.

“Those of you who are spiritually mature, keep on thinking in this manner, keep on viewing the world through this lens, and if in anything you think differently, God will reveal that to you also.”  I want you to notice something one final thing.  The apostle Paul had no compulsions about leaving believers in God’s hands.  And neither should we.  Apparently Paul never bought into the idea of a ‘Christian KGB’ spying on other believers and then reporting back to headquarters with ‘what I saw, what I heard, what I think.’

Is there a lesson here?  I think most definitely so.  You will draw more people to the Lord Jesus Christ, you will inspire and encourage more perseverance among Christians in the Conflict, with grace, with kindness, with love, than with hostility, bitterness, criticism and castigation.  Malice and gossip don’t seem to work too well either, just in case you haven’t discovered this yet.  What brings change to the lives of God’s Children?  The love of God, the grace of God, the wisdom of God {His Word} and the Spirit of God {His strength}.

HJC	Ric Webb  |  Shepherd Heart’s Journey Community 9621 Tall Timber Blvd. |  Little Rock, AR 72204 t +1.501.455.0296
hjcommunity.org
Heart’s Journey – Live Generously and Love Graciously