Discipleship

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Are You Wise?

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”  Ephesians 5:15 – 16

How are you living?  These verses have great application for today because we do live in days that are evil.  Because of the evil around us, we are told to make the most of every opportunity.  How can we do that? 

These verses tell us that one key to making the most of every opportunity, is to be very careful of how we live.  Your lifestyle, your actions, and the decisions that you make, have a direct impact on your effectiveness for the kingdom of God.  Realizing that the days we live in are evil, do you give great consideration to how God would view all aspects of your life?

A second aspect that we see involves living with wisdom.  It is only by wisdom that our careful living can be aligned with God’s will.  It is interesting that we look down to verse 17 and find the instruction to ” . . . not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.”  In Romans 12:1 – 2, we find that as we present our bodies as living sacrifices to God, we are transformed by the renewing of our minds.  This transformation allows us to test and prove, or know, the will of God.  True wisdom involves allowing God to transform our way of thinking.  As our thinking is changed through the working of God’s Spirit in our life, our actions are changed also.

Are you living according to the wisdom that comes from God?  Are you making the most of every opportunity that God brings your way?  I pray that as you live for God, you will be wise.

“Who is wise and understanding among you?  Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”  James 3:13

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What In The World Are You Doing?

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”  Luke 6:46

The story of the wise and foolish builders is a common one.  For many years, kids have been singing about the wise man building his house upon the rock.  Sometimes I fear that we become so familiar with the story and the song that we fail to look at the context around it.  Jesus is concerned about people who address Him as Lord but do not do the things that He says.

People want stability in their life.  You want to know that your life will not fall to pieces when faced with hardship.  Jesus teaches that many people who want to claim Him as Lord have failed to put into practice the Word of God that gives stability.

Do you call Jesus, Lord?  Are you living the words of Jesus?  How are you doing with the basics?  I believe that Jesus defined this as, “Love the Lord your God” and “Love your neighbor“.  Does every detail of your life show a love for God and a love for the people around you?  What are you doing in your daily life?  It should be obvious, even to a lost world, that your life is lived under a higher authority than that of the world.

As you reflect on the actions of your life, I pray that you are in the world doing the things of Christ.

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Michiana Christian Service Camp

Michiana Christian Service CampI just got back from Michiana Christian Service Camp.  I love this camp!  I was there this morning to teach and lead the 5th & 6th grade campers in praying.  I had three “class” sessions where the campers and faculty would come to me and we would use the surroundings of the camp as prayer prompts to worship and communicate with God. 

We praised God for His creativity, His goodness, His provision, His kindness, His gentleness, and His love among other things.  We also thanked Him for the camp facility, the camp staff, the opportunities for fun, and for friends -new and old.  We took our requests to God for safety, for the camp’s expansion plans, for endurance and rest.  I am always impressed at how quickly young people catch the concept of constant communication with God.  They don’t have a problem praying and talking with God about everything and anything.  I pray that they never lose that love for God that just wants to know Him and be known by Him.

I highly recommend Michiana Christian Service Camp to any and all young people.  It is a great place to connect with friends and more importantly, to work on that connection with God.

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E. R.

“Jesus answered them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.'”  Luke 5:31-32

As I wrote this (July 2001), my wife and I had just spent much of the previous night in the Emergency Room with our daughter. 

You can learn a lot in the E. R.  As we look at the words of Jesus recorded for us by Luke, I can’t help but think, “Now there’s a guy who ought to know what Jesus is talking about.”  Dr. Luke should have had first hand knowledge of identifying the sick and giving them his attention.  Jesus wanted His disciples, and those who would listen, to understand that He too was concerned with identifying those who were sick and giving them the care they really needed.

The E. R. was busy last night.  The doctors needed to identify individuals with the greatest need and make sure they were cared for.  The doctors and nurses kept busy trying to keep up with all of the needs brought to them.  They did a great job.  Some even stayed beyond their shift to help get the job done.

We live in a world that is sick and dying.  The problem is sin.  The diagnosis was made and announced by God through His Word that this wasn’t an isolated problem.  It is an epidemic that affects everyone.  Once we’ve been cured through the blood of Jesus, it becomes our responsibility to become the messengers of healing – the nurses if you will – to those around us who are sick and dying. 

Are you preparing people to meet the Great Physician, Jesus?  He is the one who has cleansed us from sin and He wants to do the same for all.  I pray that you would make it a priority to seek out the lost and introduce them to Jesus that He may cleanse them of their sin.

May we become E. R. personnel as we recognize the emergency nature of sin in the lives of people.

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How Are Your Eyes?

Eye

 

“When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”  Matthew 9:36

What do you see when you see a crowd?  Do you see opportunity or problems?  Jesus realized the problems the crowd faced and had compassion on them.  He also realized that the need was great as He follows up this verse in Matthew with an appeal to the people that they would pray to the Lord of the harvest, that He would send forth workers into the harvest fields.

Jesus had a great concern that the harvest not be overlooked.  We often look through physical eyes when we need to use spiritual eyes to see the work God has for us to do.  We see an example of this in John 4.  The disciples decide it is a good time for a lunch break, but Jesus has other plans.  The common belief was that it was 4 months until harvest.  Jesus asks them to open their eyes and look again.  The fields are ripe for harvest.  The harvest had begun and the crop of eternal life is being gathered in.

How are your eyes?  As the seed is being sown around you, are you able to see ripening harvest?  The seed has been, and continues to be, sown.  Many have labored diligently in keeping it cultivated and watered.  Will you be one who continues this and joins in the harvest?  As you pray to the Lord to send out workers into the harvest fields, will you listen as He also calls you to join in?

May God continue to raise up workers as the harvest is brought in.

 

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So, What Do You Think?

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”  Philippians 4:8

So, what do you think?  How often do we hear this phrase?  A discussion is taking place and someone may turn to us and ask, “So, what do you think?”  Often the emphasis is just that, on our individual ideas and opinions.  The person asking may be looking for input and other ideas, but more often than not are only interested in finding agreement with what they already believe.

May I suggest that whenever we hear that question asked of us, we stop and mentally change the focus onto the word “think“.  Otherwise, our answer is often given without any real thought.  As Christians, when we stop and think, our answer should contain much more wisdom and understanding because we serve a God who is generous in His giving of these qualities if we would but ask.  When we stop to think, it gives us time to focus on a Christ-like response.  It no longer becomes our opinion that matters, but God’s opinion takes first place.

Philippians 4:8 gives quite a list of things we should think about.  When our life is consumed with thinking on the things that Paul lists for us, we will be a different person.  The world needs people who are different from the ordinary.  Thinking on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy will begin a process in our lives that will completely transform us.  This transformation continues when we follow up with verse 9, an admonition to put into practice the things we have learned.

May you live a life thinking on the things of God so that your answers to a lost and searching world will bring people to Jesus Christ.

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Can You Spare Some Change?

Spare ChangeOK . . . not that kind of change.

The first thing that probably comes to mind when you read this title is someone wanting money.

Actually, I want to write about something completely different.  Can you remember the last time your life changed in a dramatic way?  Perhaps a new baby in your family, a new job, the death of a family member, a new home, or perhaps you remember the greatest change of all – when the living God came to live in your very being.

As one who has faced transitions in life of various kinds over the past few years, I know that change can bring about a lot of feelings within us.  Some of these feelings are good and keep us moving forward with excitement during change.  Some emotions, however, frighten us and tend to make us resist changes.

I pray that as you seek to follow Christ, you would always be willing to make the changes that He calls for in your life – to enjoy the changes that bring joy and learn from the changes that bring hesitation.  God wants growth in our life and it is impossible to grow without experiencing changes.

May the changes in your life bring you closer to God so that you may serve Him wholeheartedly.

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Are You Ashamed?

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes:  . . ..”   Romans 1:16

How is your witness for Jesus Christ?  When the subjects of religion, the Bible, Jesus, or God come up around you, what is your reaction?  Do you make it clear where you stand in your relationship with Jesus?  Or would your actions, or even your silence, indicate that you are ashamed of the gospel of Christ?

In Romans 1:16, Paul makes a statement that explains why he wasn’t ashamed of the gospel.  We would do well if we understood and applied this to our lives also.  When we fully understand the power of the gospel, I believe we gain a new boldness to share it with others.  Paul states quite clearly that the reason he is not ashamed of the gospel is because it is the power of God leading to salvation.  It is when you and I recognize how lost we are that we can truly appreciate the power of the gospel to save us.

Do you believe you are a “pretty good person” or do  you acknowledge the sin in your life that requires the power of the gospel to cleanse you?  It is my prayer that as you view the power of the gospel being active in your own life, you would gain boldness in sharing this gospel with others.

May Jesus find you not ashamed of Him when He returns in all of His glory.