Tuesday, July 15, 2014
No Longer Me..but forever You (Process of Transformation)
There is a transformation that takes place when Jesus initiates a call to follow, and as we respond by laying down our lives. We transform by dying to our old self and living a new life through Christ at the helm. I must confess, that I wish this was an instantaneous transformation. Yet, it is described in Isaiah 64:8, that He is the potter and we are his clay. We also have seen the skits of God being an artist who is slowly sculpting his masterpiece (us). These comparisons show us the transformation process, something that identifies 3 main things to me. The first being that we as followers are to look different that we did before. It is no longer a life slave to sin and purpose for self only, but a life that is a slave to righteousness with a definitive purpose from the creator of the universe. Second, we see that the potter/artist (God/Jesus) is the only one who does the molding/sculpting. The clay/sculpture is not the one making changes to itself. Clay doesn't mold itself. Yet, ironically most of us try to cleanse ourselves, or try to act the "Christian way" to appease the Lord. This is foolish! We are too sinful to ever be able to live a holy life on our own. We cannot fight temptation, we will lose every time. Our thoughts are not pure, we cannot love unconditionally. This is important to identify as followers of Christ. Jesus is the only way we can be reconciled of sin, and following Him is the only way to pursue holiness. He will take control and weed out the sinfulness. The potter will mold his clay, the artist will chisel away at the masterpiece, for He wants His followers to experience the abundant life through him. Lastly, I see that this transformation is a process on God's timing. The illustration of the potter and the clay is an accurate way of showing us the type of care God has for our lives. The potter uses his own hands in a intimate process where he spends time erecting his piece from a lifeless clay. He spends time adding and removing, spinning and molding, and doesn't stop until he has his finished product. Then like any good potter, He is pleased with his work. This is the same process that God uses to work in our lives. We are on earth only for a fraction of a second, compared to eternity. God uses that time whether it's 30 minutes on your death bed to 70 years of life to mold you into his masterpiece. Give up control, do not be the believer who doesn't follow. Satan and the demons acknowledge who Christ is, we are not only expected to believe but to respond to the call to follow and be transformed. Allow God to take control of your life and begin a work in you. He aims to bring you an abundant life, fill you with his Spirit of peace and purpose. It is a process, that is on his time, but it is not for us to worry about. The God of the universe is our potter. We were wonderfully made by the creator of the heavens and earth, and for us followers He has promised to continue His work in us, and has given us the reward of eternity with Him. No longer be you, controlled by self, living for you, but be a new work in Christ, be transformed, fulfill a divine purpose for your life.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Sharing is Caring
Sharing is Caring. I laugh when someone says that phrase sarcastically as a joke. Yet, there is truth in that statement, especially when you apply it to the biblical truth that we are all as followers, called to share the Gospel of Christ around the world. We are to take it all the way to the Amazon in Brazil, and back to the house directly behind your very own home. I believe everyone who is a true follower should be able to share the gospel. Now there are some people who I believe have more of a passion than others to go and share the gospel, maybe even label it as a spiritual gift of specifically sharing Christ with others. Yet, we are all suppose to share. But. Can we share without the care? Can we share the Gospel of Christ without truly caring/loving others?
Sharing Christ to others has to start with a love for God, and through Him a love for the lost. See the caring part of sharing is the hardest. We are from birth a slave to our sinful nature, and caring/loving for others as Christ calls us to do is naturally against our makeup. Anyone can share information to someone about anything. Besides getting beyond the nerves of talking to others, sharing the gospel story to others would be fairly easy for those who know it well. Yet, if you are not sharing God's love as well, or if they can't see true joy in you, what would make anyone want to believe, let alone listen to what we have to say. I love the example used over again in the bible that we are to be a light in the darkness just as Jesus was the light. People are drawn to light....Especially if it is dark. The world can be such a dark place. We as followers of Christ should be a radiant light of hope to the lost. We should look different, act different, be approachable, and known for loving others no matter the circumstances. Sharing the Gospel doesn't start with telling the story, it starts with sharing the love of God. You have to meet the lost where they are. Befriend the gay man, give shelter to the homeless, forgive the drunk driver, tell the prostitute she is worth more. In your everyday life, be a light in the darkness. Give the boss the respect you might not think he deserves, be humble, be approachable, do things the right way at all cost, love your children and raise them up in the knowledge of Christ, love your spouse with a unwavering love, and be a man of integrity in your community not to raise your status, but to promote Christ. This....this is how you start to share the gospel, you have to CARE. We used to have a conference when I was in youth called Dare2Share, this is kind of like Dare2Care. Dare to love the lost. Dare to think about others. In our missions committee at church, one of the biggest things we spend time on is putting the lost people of the world in front of our congregation to create awareness. Then you challenge the followers to respond. Dare them to Care. Sharing is Caring. You will never be able to effectively experience the true blessing of sharing Christ with others without Christ's love. We are proclaiming a personal relationship with Jesus, that involves us being personable. As John Mark McMillian says, "You can't hold on to love." Love is essential for sharing the gospel. We don't' have it naturally, but we can ask God for the love to grow in us for the lost. Ask God for a passion to share His love with others, which develops a passion to share His gospel. They go hand in hand. You can't truly love someone without wanting them to know that Christ saves, and that he conquered sin and death. For those who have faith and choose to follow him, he has raised up over the chains of sin, he has paid their penalty of death, and provided us with a path to the Father. This is great news! I can't think of any better news to share with those we care about, and again as Christians we are to care about the lost. Ask God for a heart for the lost, and passion for spreading the gospel of Christ. Sharing is Caring!
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father in heaven." Matthew5:16
Sharing Christ to others has to start with a love for God, and through Him a love for the lost. See the caring part of sharing is the hardest. We are from birth a slave to our sinful nature, and caring/loving for others as Christ calls us to do is naturally against our makeup. Anyone can share information to someone about anything. Besides getting beyond the nerves of talking to others, sharing the gospel story to others would be fairly easy for those who know it well. Yet, if you are not sharing God's love as well, or if they can't see true joy in you, what would make anyone want to believe, let alone listen to what we have to say. I love the example used over again in the bible that we are to be a light in the darkness just as Jesus was the light. People are drawn to light....Especially if it is dark. The world can be such a dark place. We as followers of Christ should be a radiant light of hope to the lost. We should look different, act different, be approachable, and known for loving others no matter the circumstances. Sharing the Gospel doesn't start with telling the story, it starts with sharing the love of God. You have to meet the lost where they are. Befriend the gay man, give shelter to the homeless, forgive the drunk driver, tell the prostitute she is worth more. In your everyday life, be a light in the darkness. Give the boss the respect you might not think he deserves, be humble, be approachable, do things the right way at all cost, love your children and raise them up in the knowledge of Christ, love your spouse with a unwavering love, and be a man of integrity in your community not to raise your status, but to promote Christ. This....this is how you start to share the gospel, you have to CARE. We used to have a conference when I was in youth called Dare2Share, this is kind of like Dare2Care. Dare to love the lost. Dare to think about others. In our missions committee at church, one of the biggest things we spend time on is putting the lost people of the world in front of our congregation to create awareness. Then you challenge the followers to respond. Dare them to Care. Sharing is Caring. You will never be able to effectively experience the true blessing of sharing Christ with others without Christ's love. We are proclaiming a personal relationship with Jesus, that involves us being personable. As John Mark McMillian says, "You can't hold on to love." Love is essential for sharing the gospel. We don't' have it naturally, but we can ask God for the love to grow in us for the lost. Ask God for a passion to share His love with others, which develops a passion to share His gospel. They go hand in hand. You can't truly love someone without wanting them to know that Christ saves, and that he conquered sin and death. For those who have faith and choose to follow him, he has raised up over the chains of sin, he has paid their penalty of death, and provided us with a path to the Father. This is great news! I can't think of any better news to share with those we care about, and again as Christians we are to care about the lost. Ask God for a heart for the lost, and passion for spreading the gospel of Christ. Sharing is Caring!
"In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works, and give glory to your Father in heaven." Matthew5:16
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Where is the Love? 12/5/13
Where is the Love?
Do you remember the popular song "Where is the Love" by the Black Eyed Peas?
I always liked that song. It had a very catchy tune, with captive lyrics that
posed a lot of meaningful questions. Now,
years later, I can still see myself asking that same question. I look at the
world’s view of Christ's church, and I can
almost picture them asking us that same question. Where is the Love? We have
professing followers not showing Christ's love toward others. In my own life, I
can see the constant struggle to love others. Yet, the way we approach the lost
is how we reflect God's love. We are not called to be the moral police to the
lost. We are called to show God's love to others. Look how Jesus responds to
the Jewish religious leaders when asked which of the commandments was the
greatest.
Matthew 22:37-39
37 Jesus replied: "Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
mind.’[38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it:
‘Love your neighbor as yourself."
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A37-39&version=NIV
Love. Love the Lord your God, and then love your neighbor. He goes on to say that all the law and the prophets depend on these 2 commandments. We, as God's people, who have been credited righteousness through faith in His son, are called to love others. The only way to reach our fallen world is to be an example of Christ's love to the lost. What does it mean to be a light in the darkness? Show Christ's love! How do I become a beacon to the lost? Share Christ's love! Let's overcome the world by strengthening in the power of God's love. Put down the picket signs, stop the protest. The lost are not held to the standard of believers. They do not yet have the power to overcome sin and death. This only comes through the grace of God. Why judge those who are slaves to sin? We are to love those who are slaves to sin. How will they know Christ's love if we do not show it to them?
We are also called to love each other as believers. This is the motive/purpose of discipleship. You cannot make disciples apart from love. If you do not love the brother/sister who you are discipling, are you truly investing in their lives? To disciple is to help those grow closer to God's Love, and then teach them how to share God's Love with others. We are also to love our brothers/sisters in Christ enough to confront sin in their lives and help those who are struggling. We are family, a united body in Christ, with love as the veins that run the blood of Jesus through us as our life source.
Where is the Love? I know where the love comes from. A true love for others only comes from God. He is the source of all love. I personally have to pray earnestly for God to give me a love for others. God will provide the love for others in your life. The Holy Spirit is with those who believe to help guide them in sharing God's love.
Love is an action! It is not a emotion, but a devotion. Be active in love. Feed those who are hungry. Show grace to those who have harmed you or your family. Be caring to those who you disagree with. Have a love for the lost! Help your brother/sister who is struggling. Humbly rebuke those entrapped in sin. Invest in others and share life. Love your fellow believers!
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+22%3A37-39&version=NIV
Love. Love the Lord your God, and then love your neighbor. He goes on to say that all the law and the prophets depend on these 2 commandments. We, as God's people, who have been credited righteousness through faith in His son, are called to love others. The only way to reach our fallen world is to be an example of Christ's love to the lost. What does it mean to be a light in the darkness? Show Christ's love! How do I become a beacon to the lost? Share Christ's love! Let's overcome the world by strengthening in the power of God's love. Put down the picket signs, stop the protest. The lost are not held to the standard of believers. They do not yet have the power to overcome sin and death. This only comes through the grace of God. Why judge those who are slaves to sin? We are to love those who are slaves to sin. How will they know Christ's love if we do not show it to them?
We are also called to love each other as believers. This is the motive/purpose of discipleship. You cannot make disciples apart from love. If you do not love the brother/sister who you are discipling, are you truly investing in their lives? To disciple is to help those grow closer to God's Love, and then teach them how to share God's Love with others. We are also to love our brothers/sisters in Christ enough to confront sin in their lives and help those who are struggling. We are family, a united body in Christ, with love as the veins that run the blood of Jesus through us as our life source.
Where is the Love? I know where the love comes from. A true love for others only comes from God. He is the source of all love. I personally have to pray earnestly for God to give me a love for others. God will provide the love for others in your life. The Holy Spirit is with those who believe to help guide them in sharing God's love.
Love is an action! It is not a emotion, but a devotion. Be active in love. Feed those who are hungry. Show grace to those who have harmed you or your family. Be caring to those who you disagree with. Have a love for the lost! Help your brother/sister who is struggling. Humbly rebuke those entrapped in sin. Invest in others and share life. Love your fellow believers!
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
13 If I speak
in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a
resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I
have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if
I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am
nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the
poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not
have love, I gain nothing.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Thanksgiving Post 11/27/13
With the Thanksgiving Holiday being tomorrow, I, like many others across America have been thinking of what I am most thankful for. Of course, the same list always pops up in my mind as the following: Salvation through Christ, Family, Friends, Work, Home, etc. That is a great list to be thankful for, but I really wanted to zero in on one particular thing I was thankful to the Lord for.
I have been reading the book of Romans in the morning. This morning I read over Romans chapter 8. Now, Romans 8 can cause hesitation by some pastors, or carefully breezed over, because of the differences of beliefs among Christians. I understand the controversy it may cause between congregations. Yet, it is God's Word through Paul, and as believers, we believe the Bible is the divine word from God. So as I read over this chapter, I found myself at Romans 8:28-30.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A28-30&version=NIV
As I read over this text written by Paul, I couldn't help but be thankful to our Lord, who brought me out of my sinful nature that leads to death and destruction. Where I once was a slave to sin under law, I'm now a slave to righteousness under faith in Christ Jesus. I am thankful for my God being the all-knowing, all-powerful God that HE is. He knew that He would call me, and I would follow Him. He predestined me to be created in His image to spread His gospel to the world. Then He also promises us that He works for the good of those who love him. Yes, I am thankful to the Lord for my salvation. I am thankful for Jesus! I do not try to use my human logic to describe this subject in a manor where we can put a man created word to label this. I know my understanding and God's understanding are not even close. Yet, I am thankful regardless. Is there free will? Is there limited atonement? Why are we dividing over this? Are we reading this text just to prove that we are right in what we believe? Or, are we reading this text with a thankful heart, saying God I am not worthy of the grace that was given to me from Jesus your son, but I am so thankful for my righteousness that was provided to me through faith in Christ Jesus.
Lets be thankful to the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God that He is. Thankful for the call to receive his grace. Thankful enough to obey his command to go and share this truth with others. Like always, I mention the call to share the gospel to the lost. We are predestined to be like Christ, to share Christ and show His love to others,
I say these things with a thankful heart, and in love to my brothers/sisters in Christ.
sf
I have been reading the book of Romans in the morning. This morning I read over Romans chapter 8. Now, Romans 8 can cause hesitation by some pastors, or carefully breezed over, because of the differences of beliefs among Christians. I understand the controversy it may cause between congregations. Yet, it is God's Word through Paul, and as believers, we believe the Bible is the divine word from God. So as I read over this chapter, I found myself at Romans 8:28-30.
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+8%3A28-30&version=NIV
As I read over this text written by Paul, I couldn't help but be thankful to our Lord, who brought me out of my sinful nature that leads to death and destruction. Where I once was a slave to sin under law, I'm now a slave to righteousness under faith in Christ Jesus. I am thankful for my God being the all-knowing, all-powerful God that HE is. He knew that He would call me, and I would follow Him. He predestined me to be created in His image to spread His gospel to the world. Then He also promises us that He works for the good of those who love him. Yes, I am thankful to the Lord for my salvation. I am thankful for Jesus! I do not try to use my human logic to describe this subject in a manor where we can put a man created word to label this. I know my understanding and God's understanding are not even close. Yet, I am thankful regardless. Is there free will? Is there limited atonement? Why are we dividing over this? Are we reading this text just to prove that we are right in what we believe? Or, are we reading this text with a thankful heart, saying God I am not worthy of the grace that was given to me from Jesus your son, but I am so thankful for my righteousness that was provided to me through faith in Christ Jesus.
Lets be thankful to the omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent God that He is. Thankful for the call to receive his grace. Thankful enough to obey his command to go and share this truth with others. Like always, I mention the call to share the gospel to the lost. We are predestined to be like Christ, to share Christ and show His love to others,
I say these things with a thankful heart, and in love to my brothers/sisters in Christ.
sf
Friday, November 22, 2013
Sin is inevitable 11/22/13
Sin is inevitable. In Romans, Paul said that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. He also states the wages of sin is death. We all sin, therefore what waits for us is eternal death. As sin entered into the world through one man (Adam), so followed death and destruction for all mankind.
How scary would it be if the story ended there? Reality is, that the story does end there for majority of people here on earth. Eternal death and destruction is what awaits those who are not re-born followers of Jesus. That is why for those of us who are followers should be burdened with the task of spreading the gospel. To withhold the gospel, is to help send those unto a path of sin and destruction. We as Jesus' disciples, are to share the same love that He had for the lost. Disciples make Disciples!
For those of us who have put our faith in the grace shown by Jesus on the cross, the story goes on. "Just as the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one man, many were made righteous." Romans 5:19. Through Jesus, taking on the wrath of God for our sins, He took the death and destruction that was meant for us. Then by rising from the dead, He conquered death and made it possible for those who believe and follow Him not to be slaves of sin any longer, but to be slaves to righteousness. Baptism gives us the perfect illustration. As we are submerged into the water, we represent our old sinful nature being deceased. Then as we rise out of the water, it represents being born into a new life, a life through Christ, a life of righteousness.
Yet again, sin is inevitable. Even after you are a born again follower of Christ, you are still left with the old sinful nature that you have called to die. Yet this time, death and destruction do not await you. Jesus paid the price for your sin, you no longer have to pay the eternal penalty for sin. Is there still consequences for sin? Yes, but these are worldly consequences; your eternity is set, your wages of sin have been paid. So are we free to sin as we please? No, Christ calls all of his believers to be His disciples, and experience His abundant life. As His disciples we are to grow to be like Him. We align our lives to His. So when you give into temptation, in your sin, remember that your sin has already been paid for. Repent of that sin, confess it to someone who you trust to hold you accountable. In that way we release the guilt of our sin. Then continue to grow and focus on Christ.
I say these things in love to my fellow brothers/sisters in Christ!
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
How scary would it be if the story ended there? Reality is, that the story does end there for majority of people here on earth. Eternal death and destruction is what awaits those who are not re-born followers of Jesus. That is why for those of us who are followers should be burdened with the task of spreading the gospel. To withhold the gospel, is to help send those unto a path of sin and destruction. We as Jesus' disciples, are to share the same love that He had for the lost. Disciples make Disciples!
For those of us who have put our faith in the grace shown by Jesus on the cross, the story goes on. "Just as the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners, so through the obedience of one man, many were made righteous." Romans 5:19. Through Jesus, taking on the wrath of God for our sins, He took the death and destruction that was meant for us. Then by rising from the dead, He conquered death and made it possible for those who believe and follow Him not to be slaves of sin any longer, but to be slaves to righteousness. Baptism gives us the perfect illustration. As we are submerged into the water, we represent our old sinful nature being deceased. Then as we rise out of the water, it represents being born into a new life, a life through Christ, a life of righteousness.
Yet again, sin is inevitable. Even after you are a born again follower of Christ, you are still left with the old sinful nature that you have called to die. Yet this time, death and destruction do not await you. Jesus paid the price for your sin, you no longer have to pay the eternal penalty for sin. Is there still consequences for sin? Yes, but these are worldly consequences; your eternity is set, your wages of sin have been paid. So are we free to sin as we please? No, Christ calls all of his believers to be His disciples, and experience His abundant life. As His disciples we are to grow to be like Him. We align our lives to His. So when you give into temptation, in your sin, remember that your sin has already been paid for. Repent of that sin, confess it to someone who you trust to hold you accountable. In that way we release the guilt of our sin. Then continue to grow and focus on Christ.
I say these things in love to my fellow brothers/sisters in Christ!
Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Untitled Letter 11/13/13
To the Average Modern American Church:
How blessed are we to be able to come together and worship God without persecution. I see churches being planted and believers who are committed to the church. We smile, we show love, we are concerned about others. We strive to perform/lead the best possible praise music and worship. We try to provide the most comfortable atmosphere for our visitors in Sunday School. We sign up for everything as we are willing to go and help on various projects. We have men of God pastoring, who are blessed with ability to deliver God's word. Yet, there is a problem.
We are not making disciples. We are not changing lives. We have believers getting fed in church and proclaiming Jesus, but not following Jesus. Jesus is a part of their life, but not their whole life. Christ is my personal Lord and Savior. No, Christ is Lord, regardless, and if He was Lord over your lives, then you are stating He is your master and you are His servant. Are we as believers in the modern day American church truly servants of Jesus? Maybe we have watered down what it means to be a follower/disciple of Jesus, therefore we cant truly follow his command to make disciples. Disciples make Disciples!
We need to get back in God's word, and read the plan that was laid out for believers. God's plan is not outdated, its everlasting. We have the outline, we have the blueprint. Jesus said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men," Matthew 4:19. A disciple is a student of his master. Jesus is our master and we are to be students of Him. We are to learn how to become more like Him, for our lives to align with His. His love becomes our love, his passion becomes our passion, His desires are our desires, and we live to follow His will. Then we are to invest in people He has put in our lives, and teach them how to do the same. We need to show others how to study His Word, how to pray earnestly, and the importance of sharing His gospel. We are to disciple others.
As a church, we are to be a place where disciples are making disciples. A place where the gospel is at the forefront and we are focused on changing lives. We need to be sending out more on missions. We need to be rebuking brothers/sisters going down sinful paths that leads to death and destruction. We need to be caring for those in need. We need to be teaching God's Word not for information, but for transformation. We are the light in the darkness, the salt of the earth. We are Christ's bride as the church. The world should look at us and see His love. We are the beacon for the lost. Lets get back to making disciples, and giving up our lives for the spreading of Jesus to all nations. Let's get back to being God's design for His church.
" By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."
- John 15:8
How blessed are we to be able to come together and worship God without persecution. I see churches being planted and believers who are committed to the church. We smile, we show love, we are concerned about others. We strive to perform/lead the best possible praise music and worship. We try to provide the most comfortable atmosphere for our visitors in Sunday School. We sign up for everything as we are willing to go and help on various projects. We have men of God pastoring, who are blessed with ability to deliver God's word. Yet, there is a problem.
We are not making disciples. We are not changing lives. We have believers getting fed in church and proclaiming Jesus, but not following Jesus. Jesus is a part of their life, but not their whole life. Christ is my personal Lord and Savior. No, Christ is Lord, regardless, and if He was Lord over your lives, then you are stating He is your master and you are His servant. Are we as believers in the modern day American church truly servants of Jesus? Maybe we have watered down what it means to be a follower/disciple of Jesus, therefore we cant truly follow his command to make disciples. Disciples make Disciples!
We need to get back in God's word, and read the plan that was laid out for believers. God's plan is not outdated, its everlasting. We have the outline, we have the blueprint. Jesus said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men," Matthew 4:19. A disciple is a student of his master. Jesus is our master and we are to be students of Him. We are to learn how to become more like Him, for our lives to align with His. His love becomes our love, his passion becomes our passion, His desires are our desires, and we live to follow His will. Then we are to invest in people He has put in our lives, and teach them how to do the same. We need to show others how to study His Word, how to pray earnestly, and the importance of sharing His gospel. We are to disciple others.
As a church, we are to be a place where disciples are making disciples. A place where the gospel is at the forefront and we are focused on changing lives. We need to be sending out more on missions. We need to be rebuking brothers/sisters going down sinful paths that leads to death and destruction. We need to be caring for those in need. We need to be teaching God's Word not for information, but for transformation. We are the light in the darkness, the salt of the earth. We are Christ's bride as the church. The world should look at us and see His love. We are the beacon for the lost. Lets get back to making disciples, and giving up our lives for the spreading of Jesus to all nations. Let's get back to being God's design for His church.
" By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples."
- John 15:8
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
David Platt's "Follow Me" Chapters 7-9 Notes
Chapter 7 "The Body of Christ"
- It is biblically, spiritually, and practically impossible to be a disciple (let alone make disciples) of Christ apart from total devotion to a family of Christians
- Isn't the church the bride of Christ?
- to come to Christ is to become part of his church
- planting a "church" these days has almost become only associated with erecting a building
- instead of a building, the New Testament has a different picture of the church, you see a body made up of believers/family, brothers/sisters of Christ who have died together & our living in Christ
- church discipline is fundamental and essential
- handled biblically, church discipline & restoration is one of the closest expression of the love of God on earth
- nothing shows more compassion than to rebuke a brother/sister away from the path of sin
- we reflect grace when we care for brothers/sisters in Christ caught in sin
- people use Matthew 7:1 (speck in your brothers eye, while plank in your own) to not get involved but if you read further in verse 5 Jesus says "First take the plank out of your own eye, & then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye"
- in church we long to love one another, and care for one another in such a way, that we are responsible for one another
- responsible for helping brothers/sisters around us to grow as disciples of Jesus
- we can spend our time and resources on doing what we think is best or spend our time and resources trusting that God knows what is best
- God grows his church through holiness in Christians
- God's grace is at the heart of church discipline
- when people in the world see the life of Christ in the church, they will believe the love of God for the world
- his plan is to take people like you and me, once objects of his wrath, and transform us into objects of his affection
-Chapter 8 "A Vision of the Possible"
- His commission becomes our consuming ambition
- the spread of the gospel in book of Acts took place primarily because ordinary people who where encouraged by extraordinary presence were proclaiming the gospel everywhere they went
- persecution is often a sign that the gospel is progressing
- making disciples involves baptizing them & teaching them to obey everything Christ has commanded
- sewing Gospel threads (putting pieces of gospel story in all of our everyday conversations)
- pastors teach his word formally, He has commanded all of us in his church to teach his Word relationally
- Bible teachings should cut to the heart of American Christians, by all measures we are the richest people to ever walk the earth
- God has given his people wealth on purpose, to spread his world-wide worship
- every disciple is a disciple maker
Chapter 9 "Born to Reproduce"
- every person who is born into God's family is to "Multiply"
- life of a disciple, is a life of a learner
- look for verses, paragraphs, or even chapters that seem significant to you, and commit to them to memory
- disciples read the bible not just for information but for transformation
- we are not only to hear the truth but we are to apply the truth
- consider what things you can do as followers to build up the body of Christ (local church)
- plan to deliberately pray significantly for unreached people groups
- plan to sacrifice & spend for the sake of the nations
- Jesus spent his life sharing gospel to many, but investing in a few
the call is worth dying for
the king is worth living for
- It is biblically, spiritually, and practically impossible to be a disciple (let alone make disciples) of Christ apart from total devotion to a family of Christians
- Isn't the church the bride of Christ?
- to come to Christ is to become part of his church
- planting a "church" these days has almost become only associated with erecting a building
- instead of a building, the New Testament has a different picture of the church, you see a body made up of believers/family, brothers/sisters of Christ who have died together & our living in Christ
- church discipline is fundamental and essential
- handled biblically, church discipline & restoration is one of the closest expression of the love of God on earth
- nothing shows more compassion than to rebuke a brother/sister away from the path of sin
- we reflect grace when we care for brothers/sisters in Christ caught in sin
- people use Matthew 7:1 (speck in your brothers eye, while plank in your own) to not get involved but if you read further in verse 5 Jesus says "First take the plank out of your own eye, & then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye"
- in church we long to love one another, and care for one another in such a way, that we are responsible for one another
- responsible for helping brothers/sisters around us to grow as disciples of Jesus
- we can spend our time and resources on doing what we think is best or spend our time and resources trusting that God knows what is best
- God grows his church through holiness in Christians
- God's grace is at the heart of church discipline
- when people in the world see the life of Christ in the church, they will believe the love of God for the world
- his plan is to take people like you and me, once objects of his wrath, and transform us into objects of his affection
-Chapter 8 "A Vision of the Possible"
- His commission becomes our consuming ambition
- the spread of the gospel in book of Acts took place primarily because ordinary people who where encouraged by extraordinary presence were proclaiming the gospel everywhere they went
- persecution is often a sign that the gospel is progressing
- making disciples involves baptizing them & teaching them to obey everything Christ has commanded
- sewing Gospel threads (putting pieces of gospel story in all of our everyday conversations)
- pastors teach his word formally, He has commanded all of us in his church to teach his Word relationally
- Bible teachings should cut to the heart of American Christians, by all measures we are the richest people to ever walk the earth
- God has given his people wealth on purpose, to spread his world-wide worship
- every disciple is a disciple maker
Chapter 9 "Born to Reproduce"
- every person who is born into God's family is to "Multiply"
- life of a disciple, is a life of a learner
- look for verses, paragraphs, or even chapters that seem significant to you, and commit to them to memory
- disciples read the bible not just for information but for transformation
- we are not only to hear the truth but we are to apply the truth
- consider what things you can do as followers to build up the body of Christ (local church)
- plan to deliberately pray significantly for unreached people groups
- plan to sacrifice & spend for the sake of the nations
- Jesus spent his life sharing gospel to many, but investing in a few
the call is worth dying for
the king is worth living for
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