Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Sons and Fathers


Tonight Paul Manwaring spoke at BASSM on Sonship.  He talked about what it takes to be a son, and how the process comes about.  It was a great night and some real revelation was released to us all.  Paul is head of all the strategic planning and leads the Global Legacy network. It’s a network of churches that are affiliated with Bethel Redding.  He is also one of the elders in our church and plays a big part in our strategic planning as well.

Paul talked about how one of the marks of a son is his teach ability and not being prideful.  He talked about the verse in Proverbs that says: The eye that mocks a father is never satisfied.  Too often we believe we have arrived.  A true son never stops learning.  He never stops being able to receive from others.  Even if he is more experienced, He must be willing to constantly learn,  To often we stop and say that we have arrived.  Of course we don’t say it out loud, but in our hearts we begin to settle.  We are at peace where we are and don’t want change.  The churches job is to bring change, so we should embrace it, not try to hide from it.

 If you don't learn how to become a son or a daughter then every earthly father will let you down – Paul Manwaring.  We have to learn to become true sons and daughters; otherwise we will constantly run from those fathers who can best pour into our lives.  If we are to succeed in the Kingdom, then we have to let Fathers and Mothers pour into our lives.  If we don’t then we will not be balanced, and will wind up hurting ourselves or others.  This is one of the major problems in the church today.  The orphan spirit doesn’t allow us to trust leaders.  We have been hurt in the past and many times we have not been healed.  We project that same hurt and pain onto other leaders and then we allow ourselves the luxury of not listening to sound advice and getting the opportunity to grow.

Responsibility and faithfulness to those who are not sons looks like performance and duty. - Paul Manwaring.  Once again, we see that the good and the bad can look alike.  The outcome depends upon the heart and our attitudes.  As sons, we are to personify responsibility and faithfulness.  As a son it is easy, because we want to show and release love and respect.  But if we are not sons, it looks and feels like its our duty and we have to perform to get it ready.  It’s all about where our hearts are.  If our heart is right, then our attitude will be right, and then it will feel like we are responsible and faithful.  Otherwise it is all about how we perform and what’s in it for us. 

It really is about serving, but serving as a lover and a son.  In fact, we have to be sons, servants and lovers if we are really going to be the bride of Christ here on the earth.  We all have our own mission, but as sons, we have to allow our mission be brought into submission to the main mission of the church.  Only then will we be released  and sent out by gathers to fulfill our mission.  That’s how it works in the kingdom. Hopefully we can all become sons and daughters, because we can’t become fathers and mothers until we have past that first test.  The world is needing more Fathers and Mothers.  It’s up to us to give it to them.

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