Function Vs. Perform

Often times the word "function" is confused with the word "perform". I've heard it said "I can't function without first having my coffee in the morning", or "I can't function without a full night of sleep"... Although both of those may have something to do with how well we perform, neither of those things determine whether or not we function.

So what's the difference? Is there anything that we simply cannot do without, that will allow or prevent us from functioning? Before we just declare that our ability to function can be altered without something like coffee and sleep, among other things people think they just can not "function" without, first we need to determine the difference between function and perform. As professed Christians, the difference really does matter.

func·tion

  [fuhngk-shuhn] 
the purpose for which something is designed or exists

per·form

  [per-fawrm]
to go through or execute in a customary or established manner

Obviously, we each have a predestined function established by God when we were lovingly and skillfully created. It's what God wants of us, out of the individual creation He designed for us to be, bringing Him glory. How we perform is just our own day to day interpretation of how we think things are supposed to go. It's a habit, a customary way we get used to doing things, usually based on self wants and pleasures and what we feel needs to be done.

So what is our function? Solomon spoke in God's word about honoring God through all aspects of our thoughts and lives by fearing God and obeying Him. He summarized it himself at the end of Ecclesiastes.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
(Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)

We should also be keeping things in a Godly perspective. For David, his ultimate satisfaction would come to him when this life on Earth is done, and we embark on all heaven has to offer. Like Asaph in Psalm 73, our relationship with God should be the most important thing to us... because without that relationship, we ultimately let go of our purpose... our function. Even Paul, in Philippians chapter three, compares everything else to the equivalent of dung.

As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.
(Psalm 17:15)

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
(I John 3:2)

Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.
(Psalm 73:25)

Now that we know what our function should be, what is our performance? What is the customary way we go through our life on a day to day basis? It's so easy to get things off track through the simple "little things" in life that we think is important for us in the now. Then we assume God has left us, or doesn't care enough about us to see us through our circumstance... when all along it was simply our own selfish and rebellious ways that fell short of the glory of God.

Think about your daily routine. Do you set specific time aside for just you and God? Do you include Him throughout your day, every day? Not just Sundays, or when there's a church event or fellowship activity, and certainly not just when you're in the company of fellow "Christian" friends.

What music do you listen to, and is it glorifying to God? Or maybe it's just a "good" song that gets your toe tapping, yet has nothing to do with the Lord. What words do you speak to others, and do they reflect God's goodness in your life? Or maybe they are full of negativity, condemnation, judgement, ridicule, gossip, and worldly things (whether you realize it or not). Do you seek Him in His word? Or perhaps the latest book on vampires or romance is more interesting to your fleshly desires, that time in the word of God is put on the back burner to catch up on later. What shows are you recording on your DVR? Do they minister to your soul, teaching and guiding you in a way that will reflect the Lord in your life? Perhaps it's more entertaining to see who has slept with who in your favorite soap, who's chosen who in the current reality show, or laughing at the way a wife trashes her husband's character in a liberal sitcom as she insists on wearing the pants in the family. Is your household run on God's terms? Or maybe it's easier to just let the kids do what they're going to do to avoid conflict.

Everything we do, watch, say, listen to, and allow to happen in our lives should glorify God... no if's, and's or but's. If it does not glorify God, you are hindering your walk with Him, and retracting yourself from the many blessings He has available to you! Those "small things" that seem so harmless provide a way for the enemy to step in and conquer your spirit, a little at a time, until he is sitting back in comfort watching your life twist itself right out of God's will. Before you know it, you've conformed yourself to the world, rather than the will of God.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
(Romans 12:2)

So how do we get back to our function instead of being stuck in a poor performance that lacks the will of God, the teachings of the Lord, and the fruits of the Spirit? Being a Christian is more than just a title. It's a lifestyle. It's a way of reflecting Christ to others, strangers and loved ones alike, in everything about us... not just the things we decide to reflect because it's comfortable or convenient. Being a Christian should set us apart from the world, not just blend us in with it as a "good guy" among the rest. Yes, we all do fall short of the glory of God, we do sin, we make mistakes. However, the blood Christ shed on Calvary covers a manifest of sin!

Repentance is the first step. Confess the errors in your life to the Lord, give those errors to Him, and ask Him to guide you, helping you to avoid the same mistakes again. Confessing Jesus as your Lord and Savior goes beyond just words. It should mean a lifestyle change... and we can't do that on our own! Although God's will may be sought, and the teaching of Jesus are an example of how we are to live, we are also given a Comforter through the Holy Spirit that can intercede for us, to direct and guide us through our walk with the Lord. In fact, in Acts chapter one, Jesus commanded them to wait, because there was more for them beyond just salvation and baptism of water that was used as a sign of the new covenant with God, and to be baptized in the Holy Ghost. Power is given to us through this baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), and that power makes intercession for us (Romans 8:26)!

We have been given everything we could possibly need to function! It's up to us to make our performance a reflection of the Lord rather than a reflection of the flesh... it's literally a matter of eternal life and eternal condemnation!

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
(Mark 16:15-18)

"Finding Nemo" Teaches a Lesson

Yes, I'm a grown woman and I just listed an animated movie about fish as my favorite movie. Another confession: I even named my pet Chihuahua Dory, after the name of my favorite character in the movie, the bright Regal Blue Tang fish that helps Marlin find Nemo.

Did you know this film can be interpreted as a spiritual lesson for us to learn from? I didn't either the first dozen or so times I watched it. I thought it was finally just a clean movie without a bunch of stupid witchcraft and needless violence for kids (and kids at heart) to enjoy. But there are a few lessons within this animation with insights we can apply to our own lives!

I'll try to keep this as brief and summarized as possible, but I'd like to share some of what I have learned from this animated favorite of mine!

The movie pretty much begins with Marlin and his wife, Coral, enjoying their own underwater garden. There were beautiful views, no limits, nothing but playfulness and love between them as they admire the eggs of their future children, snuggled below in a mini cave. Fairly quickly though, Marlin and Coral spot a barracuda hovering in the distance. Marlin warns Coral not to move, but she feels she knows best, and she dives down toward them anyway, losing her life and the eggs to the barracuda.

In a way this reminds me of Adam and Eve. They had it all in the Garden of Eden. A freedom within perfection that God designed for them to cherish and enjoy. Then the serpent hovered, tempted, and because Eve trusted in herself instead of God's direction, before they realized what hit them, life as Adam and Eve knew it was lost.

Marlin, in the process, was knocked out, and when he comes to he's all alone... all except the one surviving egg, Nemo. Marlin vows to never let anything happen to him, naming him Nemo because it was the only name his wife had thought of for their children before the attack. Marlin becomes overly protective and scared of everything around them. What didn't help Nemo's situation in this, was being born with one fin smaller than the other (which Nemo refers to as his "lucky fin").

You see, Marlin's heart was broken, and the only vow he can make from that broken heart is one based on hurt and lies. He can't honestly vow not to let anything happen to him, that's out of his control. He just harbors Nemo within his own prison of fear. Marlin had constant fear. He worried that something would happen to Nemo... and in turn, everything he tried so hard to avoid, happened anyway.

Nemo saw no fear or limitations to what he could do, learn, explore and achieve. Drowning in the fear of his dad, rebellion kicks in when Nemo is challenged to go touch a boat. He tells his dad he hates him, he rebels, then because of his disobedience he was captured by a diver in the reef.

We do that don't we? We draw so many negative circumstances into our own lives because of our own expectations... that we blindingly wrap those expectations in fear from past situations, preparing ourselves for ultimate failure, whether it comes or not. Our ego's often get in the way because we unknowingly allow our ego's to me motivated, energized, if you will, by fear. We think we know what's best for ourselves and those around us (family, friends, co-workers, etc), because of things that have happened to us. But that was our situation for that moment... it doesn't dictate how a path will unfold for someone else.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
(I John 4:18)

Love kicks in. Not possessive, fear obsessed control, but love. Marlin realizes his love is stronger than any fear hovering from his past. He calls out for help in his moment of need. While it is the Lord we call out to in desperation, in this scenario it is Dory that comes along.

Here's an ironic tidbit. The name given to Dory in this movie is actually significant to the role of this little blue fish. Dory is a variant, a nickname, for Dorothy. The name Dorothy primarily means "gift of God", as well as "Contributor" and "Comforter". The first thing Dory says to Marlin is "It'll be alright, it'll be okay". She was comforting him, telling him she would contribute herself to help find Nemo.

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.
(John 14:16)

Marlin had called out for help, and he was sent a comforter. She has a faith, determination, love, and a hope that will never give up. Although the character is given a funny quirk of forgetfulness, she endures with Marlin through the process. She proves to Marlin the qualities of love described in I Corinthians 13:4-7. She's willing to help him, but in order to accept her help, Marlin has to let go of the fears and hauntings of his past.

They go through trials and obstacles along their way. A song Dory seems to sing through different parts of the movie is "Just keep swimming...". Her faith doesn't dry up. Regardless of the trials, problems, signs of defeat, and endless obstacles that they face... she "just keeps swimming", keeping her focus on the end goal, the finish line, the ultimate purpose for the journey, moving forward with faith. Dory helps Marlin through a number of moments, and after a meaningful triumph of Marlin facing a fear against a dangerous fish that was originally disguised as a deceptive light, Marlin thinks he no longer needs Dory, that he can do it on his own, his way.

Isn't that just like us sometimes? We call out to God for help when things get discouraging, tough, and trying. He faithfully sends His Comforter to give us peace, to show us a love that only He could provide... one that endures forever. He helps us through, and God's glory is lost as we stand puffed up atop of what has been overcome. Sometimes without realization, the Lord is pushed aside as we soar over the mountain top he brought us to out of the valley. It's all going good again, and we forget about our source of triumph through the storm.

So here's Marlin, the all-knowing clown fish that is set and determined to do things his way. Dory stops a school of fish to get accurate directions, but Marlin does things his way and swims over the trench rather than through it, taking them right through an encampment of jellyfish, and Dory is stung by the jellyfish venom that Marlin has a tolerance for, and he swims right through leaving Dory behind.

Ah, again, we let sin creep into our lives, and we build up a tolerance to it. Starting with little things that we convince ourselves surely won't effect a walk with the Lord. Those small things build up a tolerance level that hurts God, and leads us away from him. We, little by little, leave Him behind as we dart through acts of sin that have blinded us as we unknowingly leave God out of our lives and the decisions we make.

Suddenly Marlin sees what he has done, realizing that Dory is a vital part of him and his mission, and he swims back into the mass of jellyfish to find her. They are both stung badly by the jellyfish, and Marlin wakes up to find himself in a different place. In this place, the EAC (East Australian Current), he meets a wise turtle that stops him in his tracks when he reacts out of fear and gives him a lesson on trust and overcoming fear.

The wisdom was shared with Marlin and it begins to sink in. His time of healing and restoration takes place, and he tells his story about losing Nemo and his plight to find him, no matter what. The testimony is spread, starting with the young turtles, passed along through to the fish, sharks, dolphins, and beyond into the ocean. The news is spread about a dedicated father and his son.

Marlin and Dory continue on the journey to find Nemo. When Dory asks for directions from a whale, they are swallowed up. Wearing himself out trying to escape his circumstance, he comes close to giving up. He lashes out at Dory in anger, unable to understand how it could come to this after going and going, facing trial after trial... finally making it that far, just to get swallowed up by a whale. Something Dory says snaps in him though, that the empty promise he gave his son, telling him he would never let anything happen to him, was an impossible promise for him to make. Dory holds onto faith as she keeps an optimistic look into their situation. She doesn't mislead by saying that nothing bad would happen to them, but she assures Marlin that in the end, it will be okay. Marlin trusts in that faith in the end, and they are freed from the whale.

Toward the end, when Nemo gets out of the fish tank the diver had him in, they must all work together one more time. They spread the news to all the fish captured in the net on how to be freed, and what they must do to make it happen. Nemo, Dory, and Marlin all work together toward a common goal, and although it took faith and sacrifice on Marlin's part to let Nemo go to spread the word to the other fish in the net, the end result was a freedom for them all.

We have such a fleshly need to control people, situations, and happenings in our lives... making life for ourselves so much more difficult than it has to be. Working together for the common goal, through faith, sacrifice and overcoming fears, spreading the word to others by what we say and do, can be a powerful witness to achieving the freedom of everlasting life that Jesus provided for us long ago on Calvary.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
(Hebrews 11:1)

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
(Isaiah 41:10)

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:6-7)

Ultimate Surrender

I love a beautiful sunrise or sunset. I love a full house of family and friends. I love daily chat sessions and giggles with my kids. I love crashing into my bed after a long day and feeling my pillow-top mattress fold around me soothing my tired body. I love accomplishing a long to-do list that makes my day feel so productive. Each and every one of those things sound terrific, and could easily be the best part of a day for me. But there's one thing that tops them all without comparison, on a level all its own.

It's a moment of ultimate surrender. When every thought, sound, event, task and chore is pushed out of my mind. It's a number of feelings wrapped into one. If peace, comfort, joy, focus, humbleness and mercy could be combined into one word, one feeling, one experience, one place... that is the best part of my day.

Some days it takes me longer to reach that moment than others, but it is always reachable. The presence of the Lord is always there for me to grasp, appreciate, reverence, and drown away in.

I don't have an exact time of day that I do my reading and praying. Sometimes it is first thing in the morning. Other times it's at night when the kids are winding down for bed. Then there are the mid-day escapes into my room when no one around me is paying attention.

I like to know that all interruptions are clear, and that time can be a specific time for absorbing wisdom from the word, sobbing my plea for forgiveness, praising for the blessings my life is intertwined with, and seeking the guidance for the next step in my path.

I'll be honest, there are days that I struggle, my mind darting from one thought to the next. But then comes that moment. Sweet surrender to the Spirit... and every thought, every task on the agenda disappears as my focus clears.

That is the best time of the day. No matter how good or bad the day seemed before, or even after. It's the only time of the day I can be 100% free from every care in the world. Every worry the enemy attempts to put on my shoulders. Every feeling that is not of God. How can that not be the best... an absolute perfect moment to relish?

Include those moments in your day, despite how difficult it may seem to get there... it's worth it my friends! It has the power to free from bondage, the strength to get you through a hardship, joy for a clouded day of frustration, and a peace that overcomes your circumstance. Whether it be five minutes or five hours... the Lord will meet you there somehow, someway, every time.

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
(Psalm 145:18)

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
(James 4:8)

A Christian's Syllabus

Heaven is my university.
Jesus is my principal.
The Holy Spirit is my teacher.
Angels are my classmates.
The Bible is my textbook.
Church is my homeroom.
Trials and temptations are my exams.
Winning souls are my assignments.
Prayer is my attendance.
The Crown of Life is my degree.
Praise and Worship is my motto.

Enroll today, there is unlimited room for all & tuition was prepaid on Calvary!