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Trading-up and advancing up in 2012
What and where will you occupy?
Contributing Editor: Tiffany L. Mathews |
Greetings!
The year 2011 brought unprecedented change though-out the world. In 2011 the world witnessed the unexpected fall of many kingdoms through various groups of people who were frustrated with their country's leadership. This frustration mixed with modern day communications via social networks caused the Kingdoms of Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt, to crumble and tumble. This same disenchantment with leadership spilled into America through the movement called 'Occupy.' Yet, even on a micro-scale many marriages, companies, families, and relationships disintegrated with little warning due to disenchantment of people within the relationship. In 2011 the world witnessed the reality that there is power-in-numbers when people decided to demonstrate or manifest their inner feelings toward what they perceived to be unfair or unjust - using social networking and virtual connections. At the end of 2011, I wish I could say that the sit-ins, demonstrations, and/or revolts have proven to be successful. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that marriages, family structures, world powers, corporations, Wall Street, or politics have really changed based on the manifestation of people under a misunderstood term called Occupy. Ironically enough, if each of us would be honest we would say that there were numerous times during 2011 where we had strong impulses to take an action such as 'throw in the towel, throw someone overboard, drop our present life and pick up a new one, quit our job, family, marriage, and/or relationship due to the inability to cope with all the stress, perceived injustice, or poor leadership traits we have witnessed. This spiritual bulletin is intended to bring some focus back to our modern day frustrations and how to properly handle them. - The Biblical positive meaning of Occupy
- The Biblical negative side of Occupy
- We will always Occupy what we see!
- Society is ready for transformative leaders
- Occupying in God's Kingdom
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The Biblical Context of Occupy | |
There are two main places in scripture that use the word Occupy. The first example is in Luke 19:13 "And He called his ten servants and delivered them ten pounds and said occupy till I come back." (KJV). The word Occupy in the Greek is prag-mat-yoo'-om-ahee and meansto trade or do business. The context of this full passage is that the Master was concerned that people stay occupied with improving, investing, and advancing their talents and skills. The Master is concern because he is a demanding Master. The Master expected to receive a return on his personal investment from each servant when he returned. For those who actively invested (occupied) he gave them even greater position and authority. To the one servant who assumed occupy meant stay 'idle,' 'camp-out,' and/or possess that which you have in a lifestyle of fear, he had thrown into outer darkness and took back that small investment and gave it to the active investor.
The parable is a clear message that God is a shrewd master who desires us to stay active about His business of making more out of that which he has entrusted to us. The full passage can be found in Luke 19:12-27. This parable shows two extremes ... fearfully inactive people have things taken away, while the faithful active people get things added (in extreme measures). The essence of this parable follows through in John 15:1-6 where God states he desires us to bear fruit, more fruit, and much fruit; and the vines that bear no fruit become burned like the unwise steward who would not invest what he was given.
These passages clearly indicate that we are to be busy, investing and trading up our talents, skills and possessions in the Kingdom of God. This is the healthiest way to live the Kingdom life and the life that is pleasing to God. For this reason Paul tells us in Colossians 1:10 "Walk worthy of the Lord in all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." This concept of being fruitful, occupying, and trading up is captured in the promise that God makes to us in II Corinthians 3:18 "We are And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
If we choose to occupy something in 2012 let's make a commitment to manage the Biblical meaning and advance, trade-up, be more fruitful, and increase in the knowledge of God so we will be sure to receive the reward as the Master continues His return process. Rest assured, you will test and prove your faith as you advance in the Kingdom, produce fruit, and trade your skills and investment upwards. Faith is the currency that was given to each of us in some measure, so that we can each exercise and invest that faith and be pleasing to God. (Rom. 12:3; Heb. 11:6).
This concept is probably a nice description of James 2:17 'Faith without works is dead.' Faith that has no action (motion, work) behind it is really a dead kind of faith.
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The Negative Side of Occupy | |
By its nature Faith with action (works) moves things forward. In fact, faith by its definition is hope or belief -- in action. This is why faith so pleases God, and why He credits us with righteousness by acting out our hope through faith. Faith is an in-motion behavior pattern that we develop. Fear is the opposite of faith and causes us to retreat, stay put, and hold on to what we have. Fear even drives statements of arrogance such as 'I don't want to get in front of God.' No human can get ahead of God due to the fact that He is Light and travels at 186,000 miles per second while being omnipresent. I wonder if this is why 2/3 of God's name is 'Go." (LOL).
A person may get out of step with God, but never in front or ahead of God. However, many people choose to use this cliché' to stay in place and not risk change, reputation, or failure. Timothy reminds us to stay in 'faith' or motion, because if we depart from this forward investment of motion, we will 'occupy' wrong things. 1 Timothy 4:1 "Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings." This is the negative form of occupy that stays put or 'camps-out' in the wrong place. Staying idle and camping-out usually encourages people to usher in wrong imaginations.
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We Will Always Occupy What we See | | In 2012 it is important to note the reality that we will each occupy that which we decide to 'see.' Faith in motion can only be engaged toward the things that we set our sights on seeing. We will not occupy or trade-up, invest, advance or increase in the fruits and knowledge of God if we do not envision (see) our short-term or long-term callings or destinations. Jesus was often asking what people 'saw,' in order to determine what they believed. Jesus asked the religious people what they went out in the desert to see when they went to hear John the Baptist. He did not ask what they went out to hear or learn; but what they went out to see. By confessing what they went out to see, Jesus would be able to tell the state of their heart and faith. Jesus asks them three times what they went out to see. (Matthew 11:7-12).
When the ten Lepers where healed Jesus told them to go to the Church/Synagogue to be cleansed by the priest. When they left, only one of the Lepers decided not to go to church and came back to Jesus. Jesus was pleased with this one Leper and made him completely whole. In essence Jesus knew that this one Leper saw that the proper place to Occupy was with Jesus, not the church. The other Lepers got all the things the priest could offer, and this one Leper received the wholeness that Jesus could offer.
In simpler terms, whatever a person sees and desires will eventually become what they occupy. The apostle Paul could envision and desired to bring the Gospel to the Roman Government. Because of what he saw, he decided to go to Rome where he occupied the Roman prison to reach the Roman Emperor. For a few years Paul occupied the assignment of witnessing to the Roman officials through house arrest as well as their prisons.
On the negative side of life the same is true ... If a person desires and sees internet pornography they will occupy internet porn sites. If a person sees and desires an affair with another person they will eventually find locations and times to occupy places with the other person. If a person desires and sees their children going to college they will occupy the things that get their children to and through college. If a person desires and sees many people saved or healed during 2012 they will be seen occupying spaces-in-time that people need healing or salvation.
What will you decide to desire and see in 2012? Remember, we are to occupy - trade-up, invest, advance, and go from one level of glory to another. This is the place and energies that God desires to find you exercising within should he return in 2012. |
Society is Ready for Transformative Leaders | |
The world is in turmoil because 'leaders' have not led as they promised, and we have waited too long for the next leader to be a better leader, only to find out that the new leader is no better or worse than the previous leader. The leaders of the last four decades have gotten the systems and organizations we have known as far as they can scale or advanced forward. Expecting more from leaders cut-from-the same-cloth or trained to operate in a already broken system is blind faith.
Remember 2011 is the year where kingdoms were crumbling, being overturned, and many leaders were exposed; thus the reason why people are occupying in a negative way. Our societies, the Kingdom of God, and people as a whole have been transformed during the last few decades and transformation at the leadership level will now start to occur. However, the leaders who miraculously end up in the new positions of transformation will be placed by supernatural means. These new leaders are those who have been well trained, and will refuse to replicate the systems that are based on human hope and money alone. They will be capable of seeing the invisible aspects of a transformational God. If you have been properly occupying (advancing, trading-up, and investing) during the last few years it may be your moment to see your new position. The world is hungry, ready, and eager for the transformation that comes in a healthy manner and orchestrated by a miracle working God.
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Occupying in God's Kingdom |
The disappointments the world is experiencing will continue to increase as long as we continue to push the limits of the linear non-connected systems and organizations we have created. The linearly created systems of education, religion, marriage, politics, and relationships have been taxed and tested beyond their limits. Seminars, self-help books, motivational sessions will not be capable of resurrecting these broken systems. Our world has become far more complex than what linear systems can handle. God has begun to prepare the world for His return which includes blended and very complex systems into a singular modality that allows Him to come back for a cleaned up body of Christ. The clean-up process is taking longer and becoming more painful because we want to linger in the old linear forms longer than we should. We still have greater hope for money, politics, pharmaceuticals, religions, and Wall Street as if they can still resurrect our familiar ways of life. 2011 ushered in the initial evidence that kingdoms, organizations, and systems that work against change and transformation will crumble.
The comprehensive nature of the new global, cross cultural, socially connected, and conceptually challenged civilization we live in; requires leadership that thrives on interconnected thoughts, systems, and beliefs that are miraculously interconnected via conceptual means. This description may sound over complicated, yet it is the form of change God allows when people see the need for change. The problem is primitive and linear or binary people see everything as a war against two choices such as democratic or republican; socialist or capitalist; and liberal or conservative; and left or right. Stay tune in 2012 as neither of this binary or linear format may be God's choice. God is far more comprehensive than a linear self-serving and self gratifying choice. In his first advent the binary methods were Sadducees or Pharisees, Jews or Romans, bond or free, royalty or peasant. God surprised them all and wiped the comparisons away. I trust God is up to the same 'clean the slate' moment in our day.
The more of God's Glory that transcends on earth, the more complex and singular our world will become. God is interested in one system that thrives in unity. This will require a breakdown of linear and segregated systems that will either be creatively deconstructed, or end in their own demise. We should all choose to advance, trade-up, step-up, and invest in God's Kingdom as we realize our linear kingdoms are crumbling.
As a reminder to the signs that are obvious we want you to revisit the 'Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign' YouTube Video we completed that shows the same 1971 world frustration mixed with the 2011 signs that were evident through nature.
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Let 2012 be a transformative year where you occupy according to the Great Master, so he can upgrade your status, rather than take away the little you have.
Happy New Year.
Mike and Pam Mathews
Michael.Mathews@focusonheaven.com
Pamela.Mathews@focusonheaven.com
Contributing Editor: Tiffany L. Mathews |
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