Disciple

Alone in Prayer

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:56:00 GMT

“When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain alone.” (John 6:15)

How often are you alone with God? How often do you separate yourself from the world to seek God in prayer? What do you do when you face temptation or realize that it could be looming around the next corner?

E.M. Bounds so expressed this need to be alone with God in prayer, that I share his insight about what Jesus did.

“He must be alone in that moment with God. Temptation was in that hour. The multitude had feasted on the five loaves and the two fishes. Filled with food and excited beyond measure, they would have made him a king. He flees from the temptation to secret prayer, for here is the source of his strength to resist evil. What a refuge was secret prayer even to him! What a refuge to us from the world’s dazzling and delusive crowns! What safety there is to be alone with God when the world tempts us, allures us, attracts us!”

Christ went to a quiet place to draw strength from his Father. He drew near to God, fleeing from the temptation. He needed this, we need it as well.

The next time you feel the pressure of the world, the lure of temptation, or just a longing to be in the presence of your heavenly father; flee to a quiet place where you can be alone with God. He will restore your soul and strengthen you by his power.

Bread Alone

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:35:00 GMT

Then Jesus was lead into the wilderness to be tempted there by the devil. For forty days and forty nights he fasted and became very hungry. During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The scriptures say, “People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4: 1-4, NLT)

This scene has been rehearsed over and over in my mind for the past week. I am in the middle of a study focusing on experiencing the life that Jesus lived. My scripture reference for the week, were these verses. I read and re-read the passage all week, meditating on those verses. I piggy-backed this with a memory verse suggested by the author,

“No temptation has seized you, except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” (1 Cor. 10:13)

Jesus was tempted, we will be tempted. Jesus overcame the temptation and provides an example to us, so that we might also be able to overcome the temptation and cling to God.

I write these things to you in view of the Easter season. My mind cannot help but be reminded of the events leading up to Christ’s crucifixion. He was in anguish over what was to come. He had disciples worrying about who would be greatest, some who would betray him, and a torture that awaited him in Jerusalem. Yet, no temptation overcame him. He fell prostrate before his God and emptied himself. He would live by every word that came from the mouth of God. I can’t help but think of the temptation he faced in the wilderness and the preparedness it provided him. Jesus put his trust in God to provide for him. He ate the food of doing the Father’s will and drank the sweet drink of suffering for you and me.

I look inward to what “feeds me” and wonder what have I so suffered in comparison to my Lord. May I thirst for the bread that God gives and drink of his mercies everyday. I sit at his feet and worship him, for he has provided me with an exit route for any temptation that comes my way. Christ is sufficient for me.

I encourage you to feed on his Word daily and let it nourish your bones and bring health to your body.

servants together in Christ,

Paul

Live as Jesus Lived

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 20:04:00 GMT

Live as Jesus Lived “Consider it pure joy my brothers, when you face trials of many kinds, because the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1: 2-4)

The snow is falling outside my window, tiny hints of winter, that whisper quietly “it’s cold outside”. I sit behind my sturdy desk and type slowly the thoughts that come and go. I think of this blog space. I think of God. I think of my morning devotions. The silence. God speaking and me listening, or at least trying to, amidst the distractions of the HVAC unit on the roof. What do I communicate, what should I write? Do I speak of the truths God is diligently trying to show me? Do I talk of the newest books I am reading? Silence. God is walking me through a couple of texts right now. He is leading my early morning moments and providing some much needed “attention getters”.

I would like to share some of what he has shown me. Transformation. Experiencing the Life that Jesus lived. Making the Jesus way a habit. That is what we should engage in as Christians, what we are to strive for. Yet, to engage our ever searching minds, that wonder to a fro; we focus on the things of this earth. I know from experience this is the case. So……I am on a long journey, just like a lot of you, seeking the face of God. Asking him for help to move me from the comforts of the driver’s seat and into the passengers. It’s hard. I grab the keys most mornings and dash out the door to get going. God watching me, until I realize my actions (some mornings) and slowly turn around. I pray to the Lord to bring me into his presence, to bring me into the context of His World. I ask that he guide my every thought and help me respond to the hurry of activities around me with patience and endurance.

I recently read, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4: 6, 7) These verses are being swallowed up into my memory, through repetitive readings and quoting each morning. This is what I would like to encourage you to do. It’s part of a discipline called Lectio Divina. I won’t go into all the ins and outs of it in this space. Maybe later in another entry. But it has helped me to grab hold of a small slice of scripture and take it in. Reading it deeply, clinging to each word, and listening to God as he pulls out something for me to focus on for the day. I memorize a section and work on it all week. It keeps me in the scriptures. That what is important. I truly believe that to live as Jesus lived, to know God and have an intimate relationship with him; you have to be in His Word. How else will you ever “consider it pure joy?” Paul

Experiencing the Life

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:43:39 GMT

When we talk about life, what do you think of? Do you think of how old you are? How you are doing physically? Your job? Your family? Maybe you look back on what you have accomplished or what lies ahead. But do you think of Experiencing this life through obedience to Jesus Christ?

I am reading a new book titled, “Experience the Life”, Making the Jesus Way a Habit. The central point to this book, in a series of five books, is to believe as Jesus believed. Transforming the mind to believe as Jesus believed is essential to our life. It is the way we experience the life. It is the way we live with God.

How can I possibly live in this world with my thoughts focused on the ways of this world? Romans 12:1,2 says, “Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is. His good, pleasing, and perfect will.” The passage says; do not conform to the pattern of the world. That means we don’t form our lives around this world. We don’t take its shape. Its ideals and patterns don’t mold us into who we are, what we believe, or who we are to become. Yet, this is exactly what we allow the world to do.

But by transforming the mind to believe as Jesus believed, to live as he would live, to follow him in obedience, is our only chance of breaking the worldly mold that entraps us. In this act of transformation, this renewing of the mind, we offer our bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God.

May the Lord Jesus provide you today, with the will to begin a process of transformation, so that your mind will be renewed and you can begin to experience the life the way he intended it to be experienced.

Blessings,

Paul

Leadership

Tue, 12 Jun 2007 11:27:00 GMT

I am reading a chapter on Leadership from Gilbert Bilezikian’s book, Community 101, Reclaiming the Local Church as Community of Oneness.

It is fascinating.

I hope to share some of his thoughts with you in this entry.

“The New Testament norms require that the performance of all ministries be dependent on the gifts made available to local congregations by the Holy Spirit. Consequently, leadership assignments are expected to be gift specific.” (pg. 154)

The scriptures are clear that these specifications of gifts are indispensable for the proper functioning of the body. It was never meant to be distributed to only a few individuals. We may be multi-gifted, but never expected to carry out the work of the church by ourselves.

There came about a gradual replacement of the priesthood of all believers by the ministry of professional clergy and this has had some consequences. The first is the separation of believers from the ministry of the church. Since some believers view the trained individuals as something special, they shrank away from ministry involvement or reduced their work to supportive roles. Secondly, the pastor dominant system places an unrealistic burden on the pastor. He is expected to carry the multitude of responsibility for the congregation. But, the minister, no matter how gifted he is, cannot do everything, be everywhere, and meet all of our expectations. The ministry of the local body of believers requires everyone.

Here’s a list of some things that ministers and congregation can work on to share the responsibility for the ministry of the church:

Train people to develop their spiritual gifts and get them involved in a ministry team.
Train the church staff no to do what the congregation can do, but to help them do it.
Train leadership to maintain a low servant profile.
Train staff, leaders, and the congregation always to think of themselves as servants, servants, servants. (1 Cor. 3:5)

Community 101 (Gilbert Bilezikian)

Ministry

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 12:33:00 GMT

Building community does not just happen by itself. It requires some thought, organization, coordination, and cooperation. Biblically, this work that is required is called “ministry”.

In the beginning, ministry began with the responsibility that God gave to Adam and Eve in the garden. God put Adam in the garden “to work it and take care of it”. When Eve was created, human community was created. The two of them were commanded to subdue the earth and to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves on the ground. This work for them was a blessing to them, not a chore; it was their ministry. They were also given an additional responsibility of populating the earth. God entrusted this task to both of them. Neither one was to be excluded or excused from it.

Three conclusions can be drawn about the nature of ministry from the story of the beginnings. For one, the making of community requires work. Secondly, the members of the community are servants together under divine authority. Thirdly, the work of community requires the total involvement of its members.

This was the community as God intended it to be, to function forever as a self-perpetuating, self-maintaining collectivity made of harmonious, servant relationships, where each one brought to the group his or her best contribution.

(Community 101, Chapter 3, Gilbert Bilezikian)

Oneness

Thu, 24 May 2007 12:07:00 GMT

Our community is under attack. We face many obstacles when it comes to building community. The family is under constant pressure. Everything from divorce, child neglect, domestic abuse, and moral relativism are tearing apart the structure of the family. Schools and neighborhoods that were once safe are riddled with crime, rape, and substance abuse. “Modern knowledge and futuristic technologies have the capacity to resolve practically every demographic or economic problem on the face of the earth. Yet relational and social distress in multiple forms has reached a magnitude never attained before the history of humankind. Wherever it still exists, community is under siege.” (Bilezikian)

How has society responded, by building institutions such as government, business, schools, technology, capitalism, socialism, etc... But at the end of the twentieth century, fatigue and despair have taken over. All of the solutions have been tried and, instead of a new world order emerging, the problems are now more complex and the ideas of community are more elusive.

But we, as Christians, sense that the church has the potential to provide solutions. We pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We believe in following the great commission that Christ gave us, to make disciples of all nations. We know we are called to be salt and light and we also know that our influence is to spread through the society like yeast in a small piece of dough.

“Yet, we see the church being driven out of consideration in a world to which it is called to minister. And as far as Christ drawing all people to himself, church leaders consider themselves fortunate if they can keep there own members and their young people instead of losing them to the opposition,” Bilezikian says.

One of the things that I noticed about my experience is that the church for me, when I was growing up, was like a habit. I was trained to play church or to do church, instead of being the church.

When Jesus ordained his followers to be salt and light in this world, he expected the fellowship they would form to become a community that would serve as a model for the world. This would require that they be different not only in their individual lives, but also in the way they related to each other. They were to live like John 17:20-22

“I ask not only on behalf of these, but also on behalf of those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given them, so that they may be one as we are one.”

Paul, in Ephesians 4:3-6, also stated that we are to make every effort to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. Because we believe together that there is one body, one Spirit, on hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, and one Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

It’s all about Oneness. Unity.

The bible teaches that there can be no love of God that is genuine without it resulting in the love of others (1 John 3:10, 14-18).

“Accept one another, then, just as Christ has accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” Romans 15:7

In order to become true oneness, community is built by people who accept each other as Christ accepts them.

So how does Christ except us? Does he ask what race we belong to, whether we are rich or poor, smart or stupid, man or woman, married or single, or divorced? He only asks us if we want to receive his love. At the foot of the cross there is no other question.

We are immersed in a world deprived of oneness that is against community and strives to divide and conquer. But because we are in the image of God, we long for oneness, belonging, to be loved, and to experience the security of oneness. The Church has the awesome opportunity to offer the gift of oneness on God’s behalf.

The Church has two options: It can choose the model of mutual submission and servanthood that God established from the beginning, or adopt the patterns of dominance and rulership that resulted from the fall.

(Community 101: Reclaiming the Local Church as Community of Oneness, Chapter 2, Gilbert Bilezikian)

A Community of Oneness

Mon, 21 May 2007 14:46:00 GMT

I have started a new book called, Community 101, by Gilbert Bilezikian.

I think I can honestly say that I did not realize the importance of community, as Gilbert Bilezikian describes. And it follows the scriptures back to the Garden of Eden where the original intent of God’s true community fell apart. Our sin destroyed that community of oneness, and God’s plan since then has been to restore this oneness.

God offered the gift of oneness to all of us when he created us. This onenesss existed before the creation of the world. Bilezikian says, “Whatever community exists as a result of God’s creation is only a reflection of an eternal reality that is intrinsic to the being of God. Because God is eternally one, when he created in his image, he created oneness.”

The Trinity was the original community of oneness. God is presented as a Tri-unity of divine entities existing as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the eternal community of oneness from whom all other communities derive life and meaning. He experiences the dynamics of community, so when he created us in his image, he created community.

God created us in his own image and we are to reflect that image.

When he created man, he noticed that the man was alone and said,” It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” I like what Bilezikian states in the book. God noticed the man was alone. There was just one solitary individual, but he had no oneness because there was no one else with whom he could be together in oneness. So he created woman out of man. The woman was created to “help” the man out of his aloneness so that together they would form the community of oneness. “Therefore, to reduce the creation of the woman to a complement or addition to the man’s otherwise self-sufficient life is to betray the biblical doctrine of community.” (Bilezikian)

I want to pause here and mention that these statements have really touched some things within me. Do I really understand this oneness that God created? How do I associate with my wife? How do I treat other women? Do I treat them in the aspect of community? Or have I operated out of the actions that resulted from the Fall?

What resulted from the fall in the garden was a breakdown of this community of oneness. Man was broken of from the oneness with God and with the woman. Man and woman were designed to live in oneness with each other. “Mutual submission and servanthood constituted this relationship of oneness. Before sin came into the world, there was no concern with structures of authority among humans and no need for such – only complete reciprocity” (Bilezikian). That’s why there was no inequality between the man and the woman; both were naked in the garden and felt no shame. They were both servants together under the authority of God and, therefore, servant to each other. Only after the sin of rebellion committed by the man and the woman had entered their world were their eyes opened to their former status of mutual servanthood. The oneness they shared was now replaced by a relationship of authority and subjection as man became the ruler.

To end my writing today, I’ll touch on one thing.

Community is deeply grounded in the nature of God. His intentions were for us to live in a community of oneness with him and each other. Because of sin, this oneness was broken, and as a result, mutual submission and servanthood were obsolete. But thanks be to God that he has rescued us from this situation. Jesus Christ, came to the earth, as a man, to restore the relationship between God and man and between each of us.

(Community 101, Gilbert Bilezikian, chapter 1)

A Life of Endurance

Fri, 18 May 2007 13:01:00 GMT

A Life of Endurance: The Experience of Suffering

“Let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us”, the writer of Hebrews says.

“Whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

We develop perseverance when we face hardships and one of the things that come out of our suffering and pain is spiritual growth. So, for us to be transformed, we need to look at how suffering benefits us, or how we respond to it.

And this leads us to the story of Abraham.

He was told to take his son, his only son, and go to the land of Moriah, where he was to offer him as a burnt offering. This was his son, the son of promise, whom the Lord would make into a great nation. And Abraham says, “Here I am, I will not run or hide from you, Oh Lord. I am at your service.” (paraphrase)

How confusing would this be? God blesses you with a child that he has promised and then asks you to give that promise up. Abraham endured in confusion.

He also endured in doubt. Abraham was not immune from doubt. There had been plenty of times that he wasn’t sure how God would do something he said he would do. The birth of a child in his old age, lying about his wife, having a child with another woman…all times of doubt. He did a lot of wrong things, but he did things right also, he kept on going.
He endured in loneliness. Imagine how lonely that walk to Moriah would have been for Abraham.

One of the most painful aspects of suffering is the loneliness of it. Other people may offer support or empathy, but no one can walk the road to Moriah in our place.

Enduring when all seems lost. Abraham holds the knife that will take his son’s life, and yet, even in this moment, somehow believes. The reason that Abraham did not run or hide and kept taking step after step was his hope that somehow this strange and distant God who seemed so remote would yet turn out to be the God who spoke to him so many years ago (Ortberg).

Abraham, obedient to the end, gives up everything, yet still hopes- even when hope seems absurd – that God will deliver him. He doesn’t have perfect faith; he just hangs on and keeps running. Suffering alone does not produce perseverance, only suffering that is endured somehow through faith.

The message of the Cross is that God chose not to separate himself from suffering either. Christ suffered for us, by carrying his cross to the place where he would be the promise that was sacrificed for us. He walked that road for us.

And take heart, he rose on the third day.

(The Life You’ve Always Wanted, Chapter 13, John Ortberg)

I finished the book today. I hope you have been encouraged in your walk of faith. I appreciate John Ortberg and this work that so clearly describes the life that we can have if we place ourselves in the hands of our Lord and learn from his ways. Most importantly, I thank the Lord, my Savior, for His Word and how he guides me on this journey. I will stumble and fall, but thankfully, we can rest assure that he will be there to pick us up.

A Well-Ordered Heart

Wed, 16 May 2007 12:42:00 GMT

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.
Proverbs 4:23

Today, people are looking for a “balanced lifestyle”. Ask anybody today and they will say something about looking for balance. But a balanced lifestyle is not an adequate goal to which to devote our lives.

“The quest for balance can contribute to the tendency to compartmentalize our faith. Often a balanced life is pictured as a pie chart with life divided into seven or eight slices. It blinds us to the fact that God is intensely interested in our every moment and activity.” (Ortberg)

The quest for balance lacks the notion that life is to be given to something bigger than ourselves. Jesus never said, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves, take up their cross and lead a balanced life.” He said to follow him.

It’s not that we should live an unbalanced life, but that there is a pursuit worthy of our devotion. It’s a quest for a well-ordered heart.

“When the heart is well-ordered, we are not only incredibly free from sin, but also increasingly free from the desire to sin. If the heart were truly well-ordered, we would love people so much we would not want to deceive or manipulate or envy them.”

So how do we go about transforming fallen hearts into hearts that love the right thing in the right way with the right kind of love?

It requires a plan of action. William Pausell said, “It is unlikely that we will deepen our relationship with God in a casual or haphazard manner. There will be a need for some intentional commitment and some reorganization in our lives. But there is nothing that will enrich our lives more than a deeper and clearer perception of God’s presence in the routine of daily living.”

How and when will I pray?
How will I handle money in a way that draws me closer to God?
How can I approach work in a way that will help Christ to be formed in me?
How am I involved in Christian community?
How can I fill my daily tasks with a sense of the presence of God?

Think about how you could arrange your day in pursuit of a well-ordered heart.

“Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Paul’s instruction to the Colossians)

(The Life You’ve Always Wanted, Chapter 12, John Ortberg)