February 13, 2009

      I have been considering this subject for some time now and thought it would go good as a blog for Gods people to consider. One of the things that God used in validating Aaron when his and Moses leadership was challenged was a blooming rod. God caused a flourishing to be associated with his validation. This is something that we need to consider. Jesus told a parable about a fig tree planted in a vineyard. The tree never flourished and so the consideration was made to cut it down. This needs to cause us to consider more closely this topic of flourishing.

      The bible makes constant challenges towards Gods people concerning enlargement, expansion and growth. We find a very rich word in the bible. It is the word abound. There are many references to this in the New Testament 2 Peter 1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is in context of the adding of certain virtues to our lives as we serve God. The things mentioned are things like virtue, knowledge, patience, self-control, Godliness etc. So think about this statement with these things in mind. If these things be in you and abound! This word means to super abound, to increase, to have over or above. There is a word that comes to mind   and it is that word prolific. I like to vegetable garden and I like the types of vegetables that are prolific… they put off a lot and the more that you pick them the more that they yield. Here is the idea associated with the word abound to become prolific in things like virtue, knowledge, self-control, brotherly kindness. Hopefully you get the idea and can fill in the blank for yourselves. Here is a simple term and it involves the call to flourish. Here is what God is looking for in the process of our service to him. There is obviously a patience of God involved but there is also the expectation of God. We find this challenge linked to many areas of Christian living. 1 Thess 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: God expects us to be growing or flourishing in relationships. The miracle of salvation is that God takes non-relational people and makes them flourish in relationships. We all too often take liberty here where we do not have it. We can justify relational issues and conflict when God is fully expecting that we are growing in relalationships, specifically in love for one another. If you have to be loved in order to love then you are deficient and need to concentrate yourself upon flourishing in this critical area. 2 Cor 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: Here is the abounding of grace in our lives. We make a lot of excuses why we can’t or how it is too hard. If we are growing in grace we will be over comers in every season of life. 2 Cor 8:7 Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also. We can go on pointing out all of the specific areas that we need to grow or just take Paul’s words here that we abound in everything! God expects that salvation will touch every area of our lives and bring transformation and cause us to flourish.

      Lets turn to another thought for a moment, we are looking at growing in Christian living we also need to be flourishing in ministry and calling. There is the expectation of God that when he places a ministry, a gifting or a calling into our hands that we will make it flourish and bring it to full expression for the kingdom of God. This principle is understood in the parable of the 3 men being issued a certain amount of talents each according to their ability. The lord came back looking to see what each had done with their entrustment. 2 of the 3 flourished and one made excuses and passed blame as to why he did nothing with what he was given. To timothy Paul spoke 2 Tim 4:5 make full proof of thy ministry. The NIV says fulfill your ministry. Paul spoke to Archippus Col 4:17 Take heed to the ministry which you have received in the Lord, that you may fulfill it." The idea and the challenge coincides with this call to flourish or to abound. Ministry, calling, gifting are areas that we need to be growing in and enlarging. It shouldn’t be that years pass and the quality of what you are doing remains the same. What makes a church flourish is when the members of that congregation are flourishing at what they are doing for God. This has a direct offspring, it will affect converts, other ministries etc. We cannot allow mediocrity to even be acceptable not even remotely acceptable. Mediocrity is an enemy of anything associated with something flourishing. Mediocrity is an interesting word to do a synonym and antonym check on. The Synonyms are poorness, weakness, patchiness THE ANTONYM IS excellence! The opposite of mediocrity is excellence. Excellence is associated with something that is flourishing.

      So in conclusion, flourishing really is an issue of the will and desire of your heart. The servant that received one talent and did nothing with it was referred to as a wicked and lazy servant. To flourish is not something that just happens, it is something that you contend and labor for. Laziness and carnality will stifle our ability to flourish. Some people are just too lazy to invest in their spiritual lives and their ministries and the default mode of our lives is Mediocrity. There is a God factor involved. If we will pursue excellence as the standard of all that we do God will place his hand and do a supernatural work. Lets rise up to the call to flourish!  

September 09, 2007

        I want to address a subject closest to Gods heart and that is people. The bible makes a very clear statement Prov 14:4 4 Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox. The understanding here is that oxen cause messes in which people have to clean up. One thing to realize is that we are all oxen and we all make messes that others have to clean up. I want to focus this to the realm of people working with people. One of the ...