the first word for team building: be humble

Jesus started a team. He built a team. The first team continued and built more teams. The teams in turn built more teams…it goes on and does not stop. Today the team continues its multiplication effect just as Jesus has intended and demonstrated.

When I first started team building many decades ago in my own business management practice and teaching team building so my team can in turn build teams, I did not realize the Jesus initiative. Today I turned on recorded lessons from a Bible School and listened to one lesson at random as I was carrying out my usual daily chores. The first thing that struck me was that the topic (course subject) was “The Beatitudes” but the teacher talked about team building in the first lesson! As I continued to listen it makes sense and is entirely relevant to me and all Christians who are in a position to lead, train and teach. To me it is really a refresher course in good and basic management practice.

I summarize below the foremost key teaching for the disciples of Jesus in Matthew 5-7. (Living Bible (TLB))
One day as the crowds were gathering, he went up the hillside with his disciples and sat down and taught them there. He taught them to live another lifestyle and equipped them to go to the mission field. He first told them these: “Humble men are very fortunate!”

“Be humble” is the first key teaching of Jesus to disciples. The whole three chapters speak of this command. Why? Jesus knew very well then even the apostles would fall if they became proud. How could they not become proud? With all the power and authority after the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on them just as Jesus had promised. So much power and so much authority with the name of Jesus. Just look at what the apostles could do, preaching the gospels and converted thousands at one go, healed the sick, cast out demons, and even raised the dead! The first generation churches were jam packed with power and authority. It was like they operated with a direct pipeline to heaven channeling down every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 1:3)

How not to be proud? The answer is to “be humble.” If it is not possible to be humble, then there is no need for Jesus to tell us how blessed it is to be humble. If the apostles/us are not likely to be proud then there is also no need for Jesus to specifically spend such time to mention what being humble means.

Pride comes before a fall. Jesus knows. The apostles know. Church history knows. So today we learn a good word. Be humble. Especially in a team like a church (an entity built on the foundation of the apostles). Pride breaks up. Humility builds up. Pride is self-focused. Humility is Christ-focused. Pride divides. Humility unites.

How to tell the difference between pride and humility? The Bible has given us a very accurate measure: Use the Bible as the plumb line. Check the fruit. Weigh on God’s scale.

Matthew 5 Living Bible (TLB) “Humble men are the world’s light!”

5 1-2 One day as the crowds were gathering, he went up the hillside with his disciples and sat down and taught them there.
3 “Humble men are very fortunate!” he told them, “for the Kingdom of Heaven is given to them.
14 You are the world’s light—a city on a hill, glowing in the night for all to see.

A wise and successful king (Solomon) gave his sons the following warning about being proud: (Note how pride ranks together with other evils)
Proverbs 8:13 If anyone respects and fears God, he will hate evil. For wisdom hates pride, arrogance, corruption, and deceit of every kind.
Proverbs 13:10 Pride leads to arguments; be humble, take advice, and become wise.
Proverbs 16:5 Pride disgusts the Lord. Take my word for it—proud men shall be punished.
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall.
Proverbs 18:12 Pride ends in destruction; humility ends in honor.
Proverbs 21:4 Pride, lust, and evil actions are all sin.
Proverbs 29:23 Pride ends in a fall, while humility brings honor.

Luke 1:51-53 New Living Translation (NLT) (Mary’s Song of Praise)
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones
and exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
and sent the rich away with empty hands.

How to identify the difference? Matthew 7:16-18 New Living Translation (NLT)
16 You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit.

What good fruit is from Galatians 5:22-23 [Full Chapter]
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

A warning about being fruitless from Jude 1:12 When these people eat with you in your fellowship meals commemorating the Lord’s love, they are like dangerous reefs that can shipwreck you. They are like shameless shepherds who care only for themselves. They are like clouds blowing over the land without giving any rain. They are like trees in autumn that are doubly dead, for they bear no fruit and have been pulled up by the roots.

Where good fruit comes from? James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
Colossians 1:6 This same Good News that came to you is going out all over the world. It is bearing fruit everywhere by changing lives, just as it changed your lives from the day you first heard and understood the truth about God’s wonderful grace.
Colossians 1:10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better.
Philippians 1:11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God. 

HEED THIS CRY: “HOW LONG”?

Today’s cry is “HOW LONG?”
JESUS ASKS CHRISTIANS (HIS DISCIPLES): “HOW LONG?” Matthew 17:17
Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him here to Me.”
PROPHET ASKS GOD: “HOW LONG?” Habakkuk 1:2 [ The Prophet’s Question ] O Lord, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And You will not save.
GOD ASKS GOD’S PEOPLE: “HOW LONG?” Hosea 8:5 Your calf is rejected, O Samaria! My anger is aroused against them— How long until they attain to innocence?
WISE KING ASKS HIS SONS: “HOW LONG?” Proverbs 1:22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? For scorners delight in their scorning, And fools hate knowledge. Proverbs 6:9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?
GODLY KING ASKS HIS SUBJECTS: Psalm 4:2 How long, O you sons of men, Will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness And seek falsehood? Selah
GOD ASKS THE PASTOR (MOSES)WHO REPRESENTED THE CONGREGATION: Exodus 16:28 And the Lord said to Moses, “How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws? Numbers 14:11 [ Moses Intercedes for the People ] Then the Lord said to Moses: “How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them? Numbers 14:27 “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me.
THE CHURCH WEARIED LEADER ASKS THE LETHARGIC CONGREGATION: Joshua 18:3 Then Joshua said to the children of Israel: “How long will you neglect to go and possess the land which the Lord God of your fathers has given you? (i.e. How long are you going to stay in the old man of sin and not put on the new man of righteousness?)
THE ANSWER FOR A TRULY CBORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN IS “NO LONGER”: Romans 6:2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?

FINALLY, THE PIERCING CRY OF THE MARTYRS:
Revelation 6:9-11New King James Version (NKJV)
Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs
9 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.

Discourse with Jesus :purpose and power

God has revealed His purpose and power for us in this New Year’s journey to see God. Three questions are posted here today with answers from Jesus Himself. I have grouped some questions together for the same theme. Please read the passage or chapter for the context of each of the questions. I have taken them from the Gospel recorded by Luke (in NIV unless specifically denoted separately).

Question 6: What did you go out into the wilderness to see? To what, then, shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? (Luke 7:24, 31-32) (Read from Luke 7:24-35)

Jesus focuses on the key word ‘seeing’ again. You can only see what you want to see. Seeing takes growing up and maturity. In the Kingdom of God seeing requires a heart for God. Seeing what God sees. What does God see in this context of John the Baptist? Jesus has shown us what God sees: A true prophet, a messenger from God, accomplishing God’s plan faithfully. “’This is the one about whom it is written: “’I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’…
There are three types for seeing: (1) seeing the physical nature as it is, such as, the reed blown and swayed by the wind; (2) seeing man’s impressive worldly accomplishment, such as, display of wealth, social status, and political power (What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight. Luke 16:15); or (3) seeing what God sees in the spiritual realm: His will being carried out just as planned for the salvation of mankind. How do we see what God see? We have two most reliable spiritual guides: the Bible, the Holy Spirit.
Seeing God through the preaching, hearing and reading of His words requires positive response and faith in action on our part. The positive response to God comes after a genuine conversion: “All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John.” (Luke 7:29; Matthew 3:5-6)
But another group responded negatively, the Pharisees and the experts of the law. They “rejected God’s purpose for themselves because they were not baptized by John.”(Luke 7:30) Jesus described them like children in the marketplace, mimicking their adults’ mocking, scorning, with contempt for matters they did not understand. Many Pharisees and Sadducees went to where John was baptizing but he saw through their real motive, rebuked them and exposed their unrepentant hearts which disqualified them from being

Question 7: Do you see this woman? Where is your faith? Who touched Me? Who do you say I am? However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth? (Luke 7:44; 8:25; 8:45; 9:20; 18:8)

Jesus focuses on the key word ‘FAITH’ when He asks the above questions. Do you see faith? Do you have faith? Where is your faith? What does faith look like? One thing that stands out is faith must manifest. It can be seen. God can see. The spiritual beings can see. Human can see.
Faith in Jesus brings salvation and healing. An ostracized woman had faith that Jesus came from God, had the power and authority to forgive sins, and was willing to forgive her many sins. So she took an action of faith to approach Him, showered Him her appreciation and reverential love, even at great cost, perhaps the greatest cost of her lifetime. She was forgiven. (Luke 7:44, 47, 50) Another similarly ostracized woman of faith approached Jesus with the same faith, boldness in action, risking being discovered and punished harshly according to their law. She was healed. (Luke 8:45, 48)
In the final analysis, everyone is confronted with the same question: “Who do you think I am?” Salvation and healing do not come cheap. No amount of lip service can bring a person this twin-benefit. Jesus questioned His disciples. “Where is your faith? Who do you think I am?” These are what He is looking for in everyone who wants to follow Him. Without faith in Jesus being the Son of God, the only way to God, no one can go to God. Without faith no one can please God. (Hebrews 11:6)
When Jesus returns he wants to find one thing on earth: Faith. (Luke 18:8) Why? Because before He comes again His believers are required to always pray and not give up (Luke 18:1, 8). During the interval between the time Jesus left earth and His imminent return, His followers will go through storms and squall, boat being swamped, great danger that need faith. That is why Jesus questioned, “Where is your faith?”(Luke 8:22-25) Faith makes things manifest from the unseen realm to the seen realm. (Hebrews 11:3)
Faith is the end time survival key. Faith extinguishes all the flaming arrows from the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16). We need to have the shield of faith as part of the full armor of God on the day of evil. (Ephesians 6:13). Jesus has taught His disciples to put on daily and be prepared for we do not know when it comes. The gospel of Jesus requires faith to receive. The same salvation message was proclaimed but the message some heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who listened to God and obeyed. (Hebrews 4:2)

Question 8: What is written in the Law? How do you read it? You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? How is it that you don’t know how to interpret this present time? (Luke 10:26, 40, 56)

Law is a highly esteemed and favorite study of the Jewish people because it governs every aspect of their lives. In the time of Jesus, There were scholarly experts and specialists in the Law of Moses. They knew all the fine prints and liked to question and challenge Jesus intellectually. But Jesus was more than well prepared for them than they thought. Jesus knew everything they knew. In addition He knew what they did not know because they had no direct link to God in the spirit. Jesus pointed out the flaw in their reasoning.
The Law of Moses had two parts: the written part and the part they read and understood and receive the power of God. The written part is external. People could read, memorize and recite them. The difficulty is in the reading and understanding internally. Jesus questions: "How do you read it?"

There is no real understanding without allowing the words to become life and spirit inside us. (John 6:67)

Jesus pointed out the error of those who tried to interpret God’s truth using the same principle and method they use to interpret physical appearance–natural sciences and philosophy. (Luke 12:56) Reading the Bible is not difficult. But its interpretation requires the Holy Spirit. Jesus said this to the Sadducees who came to challenge Him on the truth of resurrection,

There is no real impact on lives if not accompanied by the power of God. God’s words require interpretation.“Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?” (Mark 12:24)

Summary: Through God's Word, by the power of the Holy Spirit

1. Seeing that God's purpose is to save through Jesus and it is a serious matter of either having eternal life with God or eternal damnation with the devil.

2. Believing and receiving the power of God as real in our lives.

3. Taking the bold step of faith in action: believe in Jesus and receive salvation and healing!

discourse with the King: five pertinent questions -power and intellect

Today we go interactive in a discourse with the King. King Jesus speaks through asking questions. And all His subjects are required to answer.
Why? Questions demand answers. Often He gives us the answers to His tough questions. The questions are often the answers themselves.

Let us read at random five pertinent questions as the watchman opened the Bible and in no particular sequence here below and meditate on them. Jesus puts significance on the interactive requirement of His words, for His audience to think— search our intellect and emotion, expose the real hidden motives and attitudes behind our thought, respond, —and give an account to them, eventually having no choice but to agree with Jesus that He is right about the matter. (Bible verses are quoted from NIV and the boldness/italics of some words/phrases are added.)

Question 1: The following question is for those familiar with the story of the human Jesus. “Why do you still think Jesus is an ordinary good and clever man but continue to ignore or not to believe His true status as the Son of God?”

The twelve years old Jesus questioned Mary and Joseph who thought he was lost like any ordinary boy in a big city on their way home. They returned to Jerusalem and spent three days looking for Him and finally arrived at the temple courts and found Him sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. He was giving answers to His questions. Everyone who heard Him was amazed at His understanding and His answers.
Luke 2:49 Why were you searching for me? Didn't you know I had to be in My Father's house?
The Bible did not record their answer if any to Jesus. They were astonished and stunned. Why do we look for Jesus away from God's place? Where is God's house? Do we know where it is? Is it far from us? Do we turn around from wherever we are going and return to look for Jesus? How shall we answer to Jesus if he asks these questions?

Question 2: This question addresses unbelieving spectators. “Why do you like to see the signs and miracles but do not want to believe that Jesus is the Son of God?”

Jesus said to a paralyzed man that his sins are forgiven and the Pharisees and teachers of the law began to feel offended and questioned in their heart the authority and credibility of Jesus to forgive sins because they knew and believed that only God could forgive sins. Jesus knew their thoughts. So He asked this following seemingly simple question.
Luke 5:22–23 "Why do you think these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk?'
In this instance too the Bible did not record any reply. Jesus went on to heal the man of his paralysis. Jesus performed the miracle to show and challenge the critics and skeptics this truth: Jesus is God. “Now that you have seen I can do what only God can do, are you not going to acknowledge that I am God?” —an unspoken question knocking on the doors of those hearts harden by religious jealousy and other worldly personal agenda). The same question is knocking on hearts today when we read of Jesus, clear and plain, though unspoken. How shall we respond? The question addresses the priority of a church. What is your real motive when you impose strict observance of your tradition and rules to the extent that you forego the original divine principle and purpose of the goodness of God behind the Law governing His elect people?
Jesus has shown us the supreme and divine-commissioned principle of God: to do Good (including healing, setting free from bondages and sufferings, and restoring the wholeness of a human) and Save Lives (from eternal damnation).

Question 3: In this account, Jesus addresses the heart matter. Why are your hearts so harden that you just do not want to see the goodness of God towards others?

He was teaching in a synagogue on Sabbath day and a man was there with a shriveled right hand. Obviously Jesus was expected to heal him. The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were there to look for a reason to accuse Jesus of not following the Law of Moses and disqualify him as a teacher. The real question was they were they sincere in following the law themselves? Do they really care the true purpose of the law? Thus Jesus asked as follows:
Luke 6:9 Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”
The Law of God given through Moses is meant for the good of all people under its governance, and intends to save and preserve lives from destruction. But a person’s obsession with fulfilling self-agenda (often driven by the love of physical pleasure—derived from the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17)— often diverts his attention from looking at the goodness of God to looking for excuses to accuse, manipulate and control other fellow human beings. The ‘religious’ hypocrites could not comply with the Law. They could not practice what they preached. (Matthew 23:3).
Jesus saw through the unholy-ungodly motives of these ‘religious’ hypocrites. No one could answer or challenge His question and they did not bother anyway. They were furious and jealous when Jesus showed that He could not be intimidated to obey mere mortal man. They began to scheme against Jesus because Jesus healed the sick man and demonstrated the goodness and greatness of God’s heart.
Jesus declared that anyone who has seen Him has seen the Father (God). (John 14:9) He equated His miraculous healing with doing good and saving people. Jesus is perfect and merciful because God is perfect and merciful. (Luke 6:36; Matthew 5:48; Matthew 5:17-20) The Law is holy, righteous, good and spiritual. Jesus has taught us how to serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code. (Romans 7:6, 12, 14)

Question 4: Jesus challenges the blindness—the critical and judgmental perspective— of Christian (Pharisees and teachers of the Jewish laws). “Don’t you know you are blind?”

Again the questions are meant to be answered in the hearts. See clearly first. When you cannot see, you see a distorted picture of another Christian. The dust (problem) is not in your brother’s eye. You have a huge hindrance blocking your heart to see accurately and according to how God really see other Christians. Learn to know, obey and apply God’s words on yourself to see the unseen first. Don’t keep focusing on the physical and soul part (the mind, the emotion). You proclaim the wrong words because you have parked yourself in the wrong kingdom, even using the words of God according to the value and interpretation of the flesh (world) and not led by the Spirit of Christ. No one can really see clearly or accurately without being guided by the Holy Spirit. Sons of God are led by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit lifts us up to a higher ground and see from the eyes of God. The words of God are the Sword of the Spirit. They cannot be used unless you are walking by the Spirit and not by flesh. (1 Corinthians 2; Ephesian 6:12-18)
Luke 6:41 Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to you brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Question 5: After challenging their blindness, Jesus challenges their deafness. “Why do you continue to talk idle words when you cannot hear what I say in the first place?”

Jesus equates hearing with doing. After hearing what Jesus says we need to digest, allow the words to transform us by the renewal of our mind, so that we do not continue to follow the world and its way, but know what the good, acceptable and perfect will of God, then we can act on the words with integrity appropriately and truthfully. (Romans 12:1-2) Our actions include both our words and our deeds. How do we know whether the two synchronize? Jesus has given us the guideline: Look at the fruits. We will do the works of Jesus and even greater things because of the Holy Spirit in us who believe. (John 14:12, 21; 15:4, 7-8; Mark 16:15-20; Matthew 28:18-20)
Luke 6:46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”
Look at the context of this question: Only good trees bear good fruits. Good fruits include what come out through our mouths (the words we speak) from our hearts (the thoughts we harbor). (Luke 6:43-45) Only a solid foundation keeps the building standing. Jesus has told us what makes a foundation solid:

“As for everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and put them into practice, I will show you what they are like. They are like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.” (Luke 6:47-48)