9.18.25 ~ My Press Clippings
Good morning!
Sometimes reading your own press clippings can be a detriment to standing/netzavim strong (Jam. 5:17; 1 Cor. 10:12).
If you are reading this study, thoughts from the Torah portion Netzavim/you are standing, looking up the verses, praying over the weekly Torah portion insights, chances are you are head and shoulders above the average believer out there. How do I know? Statistically speaking, those who seek to learn, to gain insights, and open themselves up to new ideas, typically are already successful in their faith; because they have consistently been pursuing higher ground. Just as most gyms are filled with muscle bound people, God's gym is no different. Chances are, If you're disciplined and diligently seek growth daily (Heb. 6:3), most likely you're at the top of your spiritual peer group (Gal. 6:1; Rom. 14:1; 15:1; Heb. 12:13; Jam. 5:19,20; 1 Cor. 3:1; Isa. 35:4; Eze. 34:16; Matt. 18:12-15; Jude 1:22,23; etc.) and this morning I want to say congratulations and let you know that this is a dangerous place to be.
No one ever expects to fail. No one ever plans on dropping from their successful perch spiritually, emotionally, physically, relationally or financially...no one. Success in any realm of life is dangerous because it can breed the most insidious disease of all...complacency. Success breeds complacency and complacency breeds failure. Failure seeks the company of like minded people. No one is immune to this disease! Don't believe me? Let's take a self-perspective test.
In your daily study time...do you have a daily study time...or do you miss a day or two or three or ten...relying on old manna? Does the busyness of the day give your spiritual feeding time a back seat? Are you always reverting back to the same topics in your discussions? Is your prayer life stagnant, repeating the same phrases over and over again?
This is an emotional disease, not an intellectual one. That's why many spiritually savvy people are caught by surprise. The problem with a little spiritual success, is we start to believe our own press clippings thinking we have a full tool bag of spiritual tools to handle all of life's situations. It's comforting to our ego, but very dangerous spiritually.
How do we get rid of this disease? Or, how do we prevent it from gripping us? There are several simple steps.
1. Purposefully, especially during this fall festival season, step up your learning. aggressively learning. feed a growth mindset. Observe those who've blazed the path ahead of you. Probe new ideas. Explore. Test new ideas. Prayerfully ask for new insights (Psa. 119:18)?
Open my eyes, that I may see, Wondrous things from Your law. (Psa. 119:18)
2. Seek outside counsel beyond your normal peer group. Get outsider's perspectives. Step outside your echo chamber. Get out of your cognitive bubble. Leave behind your confirmation bias.
3. Define your next growth curve. Time keeps ticking and if you're not pressing on to new heights in new areas of learning, you'll look back a year from now, the fall feast season that is filled with intimacy, learning, conviction, repentance and rejoicing, and you'll find yourself saying, 'my how time flies'. 'What a wasted year.'
4. Future-proof your life. Look on the road you're traveling down. Anticipate changes...they're coming! Chances are, some things in your life have to be purposefully broken. Our world is rapidly changing...are you (Rom. 12:2)? Are you drifting (Heb. 2:1-3)? Are you keeping up with how to combat the enemies in life (2 Cor. 2:11) or are you being lulled to sleep (Rom. 13:11;1 Thess. 5:6,7)? It's time to wake up from our slumber (Eph. 5:14).
Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” (Eph. 5:14)
Are you complacent? Do you feel complacent? Are you basking in the glory of past victories? If this is you, netzavim/you shall stand has some incredible and practical answers. Our Heavenly Father wants to make learning and growth as simple as possible, but growth can't take place without entering His classroom daily :-).
Yom Teruah, the day of judgment, the day of blowing, the hidden day, the day that no man knows the day or the hour, the day of coronating the King, the day of resurrection, the day of remembering the shofar, and many more, is upon us...how's your preparation? In between Yom Teruah and Day of Atonement(s) there are 10 days...they are upon us...are you utilizing these "shadow days" to prepare for the future reality (Col. 2:17)?
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb. 10:23-25)
Happy 5th day of the week and Chag Sameach/happy feast season!
Shalom,
Alan
If you are reading this study, thoughts from the Torah portion Netzavim/you are standing, looking up the verses, praying over the weekly Torah portion insights, chances are you are head and shoulders above the average believer out there. How do I know? Statistically speaking, those who seek to learn, to gain insights, and open themselves up to new ideas, typically are already successful in their faith; because they have consistently been pursuing higher ground. Just as most gyms are filled with muscle bound people, God's gym is no different. Chances are, If you're disciplined and diligently seek growth daily (Heb. 6:3), most likely you're at the top of your spiritual peer group (Gal. 6:1; Rom. 14:1; 15:1; Heb. 12:13; Jam. 5:19,20; 1 Cor. 3:1; Isa. 35:4; Eze. 34:16; Matt. 18:12-15; Jude 1:22,23; etc.) and this morning I want to say congratulations and let you know that this is a dangerous place to be.
No one ever expects to fail. No one ever plans on dropping from their successful perch spiritually, emotionally, physically, relationally or financially...no one. Success in any realm of life is dangerous because it can breed the most insidious disease of all...complacency. Success breeds complacency and complacency breeds failure. Failure seeks the company of like minded people. No one is immune to this disease! Don't believe me? Let's take a self-perspective test.
In your daily study time...do you have a daily study time...or do you miss a day or two or three or ten...relying on old manna? Does the busyness of the day give your spiritual feeding time a back seat? Are you always reverting back to the same topics in your discussions? Is your prayer life stagnant, repeating the same phrases over and over again?
This is an emotional disease, not an intellectual one. That's why many spiritually savvy people are caught by surprise. The problem with a little spiritual success, is we start to believe our own press clippings thinking we have a full tool bag of spiritual tools to handle all of life's situations. It's comforting to our ego, but very dangerous spiritually.
How do we get rid of this disease? Or, how do we prevent it from gripping us? There are several simple steps.
1. Purposefully, especially during this fall festival season, step up your learning. aggressively learning. feed a growth mindset. Observe those who've blazed the path ahead of you. Probe new ideas. Explore. Test new ideas. Prayerfully ask for new insights (Psa. 119:18)?
Open my eyes, that I may see, Wondrous things from Your law. (Psa. 119:18)
2. Seek outside counsel beyond your normal peer group. Get outsider's perspectives. Step outside your echo chamber. Get out of your cognitive bubble. Leave behind your confirmation bias.
3. Define your next growth curve. Time keeps ticking and if you're not pressing on to new heights in new areas of learning, you'll look back a year from now, the fall feast season that is filled with intimacy, learning, conviction, repentance and rejoicing, and you'll find yourself saying, 'my how time flies'. 'What a wasted year.'
4. Future-proof your life. Look on the road you're traveling down. Anticipate changes...they're coming! Chances are, some things in your life have to be purposefully broken. Our world is rapidly changing...are you (Rom. 12:2)? Are you drifting (Heb. 2:1-3)? Are you keeping up with how to combat the enemies in life (2 Cor. 2:11) or are you being lulled to sleep (Rom. 13:11;1 Thess. 5:6,7)? It's time to wake up from our slumber (Eph. 5:14).
Therefore He says: “Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light.” (Eph. 5:14)
Are you complacent? Do you feel complacent? Are you basking in the glory of past victories? If this is you, netzavim/you shall stand has some incredible and practical answers. Our Heavenly Father wants to make learning and growth as simple as possible, but growth can't take place without entering His classroom daily :-).
Yom Teruah, the day of judgment, the day of blowing, the hidden day, the day that no man knows the day or the hour, the day of coronating the King, the day of resurrection, the day of remembering the shofar, and many more, is upon us...how's your preparation? In between Yom Teruah and Day of Atonement(s) there are 10 days...they are upon us...are you utilizing these "shadow days" to prepare for the future reality (Col. 2:17)?
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb. 10:23-25)
Happy 5th day of the week and Chag Sameach/happy feast season!
Shalom,
Alan
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