Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Not by Might, Not by Power

 Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
Zechariah 4:6 NIV


As you know from a previous blog (Data Analysis Meeting with God...and Others), I am going through a major personal overhaul!  It's not easy and I see great areas of concern every day, but the Master Builder and Heaven's CEO is working on me with loving hands so I won't complain.


Sooooo, I received this Memo on my spiritual desk not too long ago giving me directives to read and meditate on a few scriptures.  

Although Pride and Entitle- ment were given the boot and ordered not to return during my last spiritual data analysis meeting, apparently they were emailing the remaining members trying to justify themselves!  Well, one thing led to another and Knowledge started to believe what Pride was saying. Hence the memo. 

It's a dangerous thing when pride couples up with your knowledge.  You can shift your gaze inward rather than upward. 

Roman 12: 3 says, "For by the grace [of God] given to me I say to everyone of you not to think more highly of himself [and of his importance and ability] than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has apportioned to each a degree of faith [and a purpose designed for service]."

My memo directions were to read,  prayerfully meditate on, and share that scripture as well as Zechariah 4:6  " Not by might, nor by power, but by MY Spirit says the Lord Almighty." with you!

This blog is more so to the "seasoned" educator or administrator with years of experience and those with stacks of professional development points, several degrees, certifications, and all of the latest jargon and techniques tucked firmly in their belts.  

God wants us to realize this...

It's not by the might that twenty years of teaching has accrued,
Not by the  might of using the good manners and workplace etiquette taught to us by our advisers and mentors,
Not by the might of what's in our college text books,
Not by the power of being an "old school" "no-nonsense" teacher,
Not by the power of who we know because of our connections made over the years,
But it is by the Spirit, the power of the Holy Spirit, working with the effectual wisdom of God ("integrity, creativity and excellence" -Bill Johnson Dreaming with God) that TRUE Kingdom activation in our schools will occur.  
                       * What do you think that looks like? 

I always say that our goal should be to be a "God" teacher, not just a "good" teacher. The difference is the presence and power of the Holy Spirit working in and through the Believer versus the hard-work of the non-believer.  Good things will happen in your classroom and schools.  Great things will even happen, BUT Godly things will be manifested, activated and transformed only by His Spirit!

Think on what's doing well in your classroom and school.  How much greater could it be if God was increasing it because it came directly from Him? Now think about what's just not working.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a strategy to fix it? God wants us to shift our thinking so that we understand how much He desires to be a part of every aspect of our lives...even in our classrooms!  He wants to teach us how to let Him use us to be the answer to the things that perplex our school systems. 
It all happens as a result of the indwelling of His Spirit. Won't you let Him in?

Holy Spirit,

Manifest yourself today in our thoughts, hearts,  mouths, bodies, actions and assignments.  May we give You all the glory and honor for every success we have. Make our vision clear, our hearing keen, our hands directed and strong, our feet beautiful, our repentance deep and sincere and our love pure.

Amen




Sunday, February 19, 2017

A Poem: The 'U' in JesUs

I found this poem while doing some Saturday morning cleaning and decided to share it with you. AS you read this poem, contemplate your assignment as an edUcator for the Lord.  U and I have been given a great task.


The U in JesUs


Before U were thought of or time had begun,
God even stuck U in the name of His Son

And each time U pray, you'll see it's true
You can't spell out JesUs and not include U.

You're a pretty big part of His wonderful name, 
For U, He was born; that's why He came.

And His great love for U is the reason He died.
It even take U to spell crUcified.

Isn't it thrilling and splendidly grand
He rose from the dead, with U in His plan?

The stones split away, the gold trUmpet blew,
and this word resUrrection is spelled with a U.

When JesUs left earth at His upward ascension,
He felt there was one thing He just had to mention.

"Go into the world and tell them it's true
That I love them all- Just like I love U."

So many great people are spelled with a U,
Don't they have a right to know JesUs too?

It all depends now on what U will do,
He'd like them to know,
But it all starts with U.

- Laketa

Thursday, February 9, 2017

A Teacher With Unclean Lips? Yep! I Need a BRITA Mouth!

There is something that God is showing me...again....and again.
 I have to watch my mouth!

No, I don't have what some call a "potty mouth".  Curse words don't roll off my tongue.  They do, sometimes,  get caught in my throat. I have sarcastic humor which artistically veils my displeasure and disgust. So while I teetered on my soap box,  proud that I don't curse like some of those around me,  God poked me and said, "YOU need a BRITA mouth!"
             Gasp!
I couldn't believe.... Ok, I didn't want to believe it.  But trust me when I tell you that when God tells you something about yourself, you're not really surprised.  You knew about your issue for some time because He's been telling you about your issue for some time.  You're just now actually acknowledging the truth! 

Back to topic at hand ...my dirty mouth.

There was a prophet in the bible by the name of Isaiah.  Isaiah had a vision in which he was in the heavenly Temple of God before the Lord Himself who sat on the throne.  Isaiah was so overcome by his sinfulness in the midst of the purity and holiness of God that he cried out, "I have filthy lips!" At once, a Seraphim flew over to him with a burning coal from the altar, touched his lips, and assured him that his guilt was removed and sins forgiven.

Why was Isaiah so concerned about his mouth?  He knew that as a prophet, He was chosen by God to be a holy mouthpiece. He lamented that his lips were filthy because although he could recite back the words of God to others, he knew that where those words flowed from (his heart) made his lips filthy.  Yet, in the spirit of a true intercessor, Isaiah was not only concerned about his own mouth but also for the mouths of those around him.  He exclaimed that he lived among people (people who were handpicked by God to be a an example to the world) whose lips were filthy as well. Filthy in that the words from their mouths projected the true depiction of their hearts which had strayed from God. They spoke just like those around them in a bitter, jealous, petty, rebellious, idolatrous, hateful, lying, boastful, and judging language. 

What are we speaking today?

Christian educators who are true disciples of Jesus have to realize the totality of our assignment in our school divisions. We are God's mouthpiece, for we are to speak as Jesus would speak, in love.  We are handpicked by God to be an example those who are around us,  "you will know them for their love for one another".  

So (finger pointing back at myself) when I speak sarcastically to and about students (no matter how much it makes my coworkers laugh), when I throw up my hands and throw up negative words of despair about my student's ability to improve, I diminish the power of God working through me for healing brains, making families whole, and anything else God wants to do for those He has assigned me to. I no longer look/act/talk any different from those around me and cease to be a light for Jesus. I 'm just a "church go-er" and can not be told apart from a "good person" who doesn't know even know who the true nature and power of Jesus. 

Sidebar: Drawing is not my ministry, but this is the picture God gave me concerning my language in my classroom.  I need to keep "coal" in my mouth as a filter to clean the living waters  He has already placed in me.  The living water will always be clean because its source is pure.  It's the pipes (my heart and mouth), however, in which the living water flows through, that causes the contamination.  Proverbs 4:23 says, "Guard the heart for it is the wellspring of life."   So what I really believe in my heart will flow out of my mouth at some point.  The purposes of our hearts are described as "deep waters" (Prov 20:5).  These deep waters flow from an eternal spring of living water that Jesus said is placed within us because of our belief in Him.  This eternal water spiritually connects to the River of Life that flows from the eternal throne of God.  It provides healing and is life giving. 
  "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4: 29 NIV    

Therefore,  as I move into  the heart of the month of February, I  have to keep into account what was discussed at My Data Meeting with God and the Others (see agenda topic #5) and keep my mouth in alignment with His word! 

Although I know what it looks like,  although I know what the assessment data portrays and I know the kind of answers my students submit on their test and how they reply in the class.... aaauuugggh! 

 if I want to prove that the manifested works of Jesus is 
actual, 
active, 
effective, and 
life giving.... 

I have to clean my mouth!!