Monthly Archives: August 2022

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Uncategorized

Faith-based Computer Networking

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Decades ago, I managed computer systems and network teams at the University of North Dakota’s Aerospace College. Many intelligent people worked with and for me. Me? Not so much. I needed supernatural help on occasion (usually late at night when I was in way over my head!). I’d share those Spirit-enabled success stories with my wife but never labeled the practice until one particular evening.

I had invited a network administrator and his girlfriend to join us for a church-sponsored Valentine’s dinner. During the meal, my wife said, “You know how you pray because you don’t know what you’re doing?” My cohort blurted out, “Ah – faith-based network administration!” I’ll take it. After all, why break what works? But is praying for what I need wrong or selfish? It depends.

God encourages us to pray in our time of need—in dire straights or innocent desire for good things, not selfish gain or ambition. Praying to find car keys to rush a sick child to the hospital would be good and selfless. Asking God for a red sport car when you only need to repair the car you have probably crosses a line. Let me offer some quick guidance about asking for Godly help before continuing.

Someone recently said something like, “If God can love people how I think He should, then I can love Him!” Well, we don’t set moral standards; God does. He doesn’t owe us anything, let alone His ear, and He certainly doesn’t work for us! If our motives are impure or selfish, or we intend to rebel against His standards, God will not listen to us (Psalm 66:18; 1Peter 3:7; James 4:3). And we must be someone God knows in a complete (perfect) relationship if we expect anything from Him. Here are a few verses encouraging those in fellowship with God to ask for direction.

Remember that Jesus taught us to pray for deliverance from temptation and the evil one (Matthew 6:13). One Psalmist begs for God to order his steps and keep sin from overcoming him (Psalm 119:133). And Jesus’ brother James encourages us to ask God for wisdom and discernment (James 1:5). At the same time, Paul admonishes us to ‘pray about everything’ (Philippians 4:6). Do we have examples of this at work? Yep!

Paul got direction from God’s Spirit to go to Macedonia instead of Asia (Acts 16:6-10). Gideon, seeking guidance from God, asked for certain conditions (dry fleece, wet fleece) to confirm the future (Judges 6:36-40). The Jews similarly cast lots to receive guidance from God because they understood that He would direct the outcome according to His desires. Finally, King David continually sought wisdom from God. So should we.

In summary, God listens to His own and gives wisdom accordingly. What about the following article? Since we’ve touched on what God desires, let’s talk about how He seeks partners, not affirmation, zombies, or spiritual couch potatoes!

Blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Uncategorized

The God Box, Part III: Endless Possibilities!

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So far, we’ve learned that a ‘God box’ is anything that keeps God’s Spirit from moving and stifles transformation (e.g., walls, business, religious rules and practices, and passivity). To be free, we must devote, love, transform and be transformed through discipleship. Worship God through action, not religion. Give of time, talents, and treasures first to honor God and love people. Fine. But what can we do with our newfound freedom?

With no God box, the Spirit moves; we can move. And where the Spirit is, there is freedom (2Corinthians 3:17)! We can be joyful and empowered as God’s partners led by His Spirit! Being and making disciples becomes a reality as we build deeper relationships than are possible in one hour a week. Our transformation happens as we move by the Spirit and are illuminated spiritually and scripturally once the restrictions are gone. Healing, love, and intimate prayer become possible when we are face-to-face instead of passively existing side-by-side in an experiential state during a typical service. And we can be God-fearing Christ-followers by focusing on Their instructions instead of human religious rules and practices. Thus, we can worship freely with like-minded Christ-followers of different backgrounds. Religious constraints on things like Communion, prayer, and baptism, which were done freely and intimately without segregation in the earliest Church, disappear. We can build intimate relationships beneficial for spiritual growth, discipleship, and charity. After all, we can’t give to and for what we aren’t aware of!

Speaking of giving, we can be free to care for others in unimaginable ways without the box. In my decades as a churchgoer, I never heard anything like, “Please, give first to care for people and then, if you’re able, give to the church’s business” from the pulpit. Yet, that’s what God commands (e.g., Matthew 22:39 & 25:31-46). Joanne and I visited a home church for a few weeks many years ago and witnessed firsthand the freeing effect of ditching the box. Without a church-imposed financial obligation, and being in such an intimate setting, we learned of others’ needs and finally had resources to help. Obedience to God’s order to love became possible! By the way: The Old Covenant tithe was used for Temple upkeep and an inheritance for the priests and their families. Now, we are encouraged to give without compulsion or limits (2Corinthians 9:7) to care for others and bring God’s Kingdom near to the yet-to-be-churched (see my first article in this God Box series for more information).

In summary, God, people, and discipleship first—religion second. Let’s lighten things up in the following article, where you’ll learn about my ‘faith-based’ computer skills. PS: Don’t tell anyone I couldn’t do my job without help!

Blessings and peace,

Dr. Ron Braley

discipleship, Finding Answers to Stuff Churches Don't Discuss, Uncategorized

The God Box Part II: Freedom

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In my last blog, I explained that a ‘God box’ is anything that keeps God’s Spirit from moving and stifles convert transformation. Physical walls, a business focus, religious rules and practices, and a one-to-many approach during services from the fourth century top the list of God box building materials. Others include personal misconceptions, self-centeredness, and a lack of biblical training. Here, we’ll brainstorm things we can do to escape the box and become complete—perfect—in our relationship with God.

First, let’s break down the religious walls. To do this, we must devote all to God and focus on the Big-T tenants of our faith (see the last article). Remember that all else is secondary or church traditions, often built on bad theology (understanding God or His ways) or human religious doctrines. Don’t treat the secondary issues or human forms of practicing the Big-T stuff as soul-saving necessities.

Second, let’s break down the wall of self-centeredness. God commands us to honor Him and [actionably] love people. This is the prime directive. It’s OK to give to the church’s business (after all, we made it, we must feed it!), but don’t let that derail you from God’s command to give of time, talents, and treasure to care for His creation, again, especially people. Being outward-focused will help free you from self-centeredness.

Third, let’s break down the theological ignorance and spiritual immaturity wall. To be God-box-less, learn the truth of God’s Kingdom that will set you free. I’d say that this should be the first step in ditching the God box: you can’t honor what you don’t know or love well when you don’t understand true, action-oriented love. Understand that our one-to-many services leave little if any room for discipleship or movement by the Spirit. Today’s church service format is probably the boxiest part of the God box and incredibly stifling as well as enabling pew-warming freeloaders. What does freedom look like here? Make sure you don’t rely on Sunday morning alone for your discipleship, obedience to make disciples, or spiritual growth! There’s no substitute for regular Bible study (not devotionals!), life transformation groups offering study, prayer, accountability, and ongoing, never-ending discipleship.

Putting it all together. God called us to honor Him and love people (this is actionable, not emotional!). He didn’t call us to build stuff, lord it over people, or entertain the masses. If you want to symbolically free God and perhaps yourself from a God box, devote, love, and transform and be transformed through discipleship. Worship God through action, not religion. Give of time, talents, and treasures first to honor God and love people. No walls, physical or spiritual, are necessary!

In the final article in this three-part series, we’ll continue our discussion and soar to new heights in “The God Box Part III, Endless Possibilities.”

Dr. Ron Braley