A friend of mine said this in a sermon he was giving and it really stuck with me and I wanted to share it with you.
"You have all heard people say, 'Preach the gospel and when necessary, use words.' (A quote by St. Francis of Assisi) But this is like saying, 'Feed the hungry, and when necessary, use food.' Most of the time people use this St. Francis quote as a cop-out because of the fear that they have of actually talking about Jesus to people."
St. Francis coined this saying as a reaction to people during a time when peoples lives weren't matching what they were preaching. If we are really going after God he will change us and our lives will reflect his more and more, but we are to use our words. Out of the heart the mouth speaks. You can tell what people are putting into themselves by what they talk about. If you are saturating yourself in Jesus, what do you think you will be talking about? It will come out in everything, and not forced or because you have to. It will be so natural, you won't be able to help it! Let's devoted ourselves to knowing this man Jesus, and as we do both our lives and our speech will increasingly reflect the King.
The Reward - Jonathan David Helser
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Discipleship
God has called us ALL to be missional. That means everyone who calls Jesus Christ Lord. Whether it is overseas or across the street, we are all called. But what does being missional mean? For most it can just be hip Christian lingo, but at its core I believe it means that we are ALL called to go and make disciples. (Matt. 28:18-20)
One important thing to notice is that Jesus didn't say go and make believers. Jesus said go and make disciples. The two are very different. The Scriptures are clear that even the demons believe, and shudder! (James 2:18) This may sound harsh, but the reality is that there are many people who believe in Jesus that are on the road to hell.
Matt. 7:20-24 says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'" These people were not only people who believed he existed but that they even wanted to do, and did, the things he did i.e. prophesy, cast out demons, do mighty works. But even so they missed the point. The goal isn't doing something FOR Christ, the goal IS Christ! (Phil. 3:14)
To know Jesus and to glorify his name is the point of life. (Phil. 3:7-11)
It is out of a knowledge of him that you won't be able to help but make him known. Mission and ministry is just an overflow to those around you of YOU getting to know Jesus. Do you know him? The word 'to know' in Hebrew is 'yada'. It can mean: to know experientially. One place it is found in Gen. 4:1 "Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived..."
Physical intimacy = physical 'fruit' (kids).
Spiritual intimacy = spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-24, and more disciples)
We must know this man Jesus! We must know our God! (not fully yet, of course) But how? The process of getting to know Christ IS discipleship...becoming a disciple of Jesus. You cannot lead others where you have not first gone yourself and thus you must be a disciple of Jesus in order to go and make disciples. Making disciples is teaching and equipping others on how to get to know Jesus for themselves. Some examples are: teaching them the importance of and how to read the Bible, pray (including how to hear/discern the voice of God), and the need for fellowship. Acts 2:41-42 is a perfect example of this. In verse 41, 3000 people come to believe in Jesus, but it doesn't stop there! In verse 42, we see that the first thing they did was start to devoted themselves to fellowship/breaking of bread, prayer, and the apostles teaching (the Bible: taught from old testament and wrote the new testament). Keep reading the rest of chapter 2 to see what happens as you become a disciple of Jesus.
This is not a light or easy thing and is easier said than done.
But the cost of discipleship is high.
It will cost you everything.
Why do this? Why be willing to give it all up? What do we get in return, one might ask?
WE GET CHRIST!
He is worth everything, but you aren't able to see much of his worth just as a believer, you must become a disciple and draw near to him and seek him out. As you do, He will be found by you and he will draw near to you. The heart of the Father longs for relationship with his creation, you don't have to work hard for his acceptance or nearness. In Jesus, you have it! Christ was left and forsaken by the Father so you wouldn't ever have to be.
If you are convicted and think you might not be a disciple, praise God for his merciful Spirit that convicts us and his kindness that leads us to repentance! Step #1 is to start doing what the disciples did and devote yourself daily to prayer scripture and fellowship. (There is no certain amount of time or any rules or regulations at all, JUST GO AFTER HIM!) And please know that it is really ok if you don't understand the Bible, or know how to pray or have friends who are themselves disciples. Pray that God would open your eyes to his Word, and that he would teach you how to pray (Matt. 6 is a great place to start), and seek out people who shine Jesus and start hanging with them often. It is not too late! Start now! Our God is SO merciful and he loves you! The cross is his love on display.
If you are a disciple of Jesus but aren't disciplining anyone then start praying that the Lord would give you people to pour into what the Lord has poured into you through your time of following and getting to know more and more our savior and friend, Jesus.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.""
Songs of Discipleship:
Take My Life - Chris Tomlin
Oh Lord, You're Beautiful - Jesus Culture
One important thing to notice is that Jesus didn't say go and make believers. Jesus said go and make disciples. The two are very different. The Scriptures are clear that even the demons believe, and shudder! (James 2:18) This may sound harsh, but the reality is that there are many people who believe in Jesus that are on the road to hell.
Matt. 7:20-24 says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'" These people were not only people who believed he existed but that they even wanted to do, and did, the things he did i.e. prophesy, cast out demons, do mighty works. But even so they missed the point. The goal isn't doing something FOR Christ, the goal IS Christ! (Phil. 3:14)
To know Jesus and to glorify his name is the point of life. (Phil. 3:7-11)
It is out of a knowledge of him that you won't be able to help but make him known. Mission and ministry is just an overflow to those around you of YOU getting to know Jesus. Do you know him? The word 'to know' in Hebrew is 'yada'. It can mean: to know experientially. One place it is found in Gen. 4:1 "Now Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived..."
Physical intimacy = physical 'fruit' (kids).
Spiritual intimacy = spiritual fruit (Gal. 5:22-24, and more disciples)
We must know this man Jesus! We must know our God! (not fully yet, of course) But how? The process of getting to know Christ IS discipleship...becoming a disciple of Jesus. You cannot lead others where you have not first gone yourself and thus you must be a disciple of Jesus in order to go and make disciples. Making disciples is teaching and equipping others on how to get to know Jesus for themselves. Some examples are: teaching them the importance of and how to read the Bible, pray (including how to hear/discern the voice of God), and the need for fellowship. Acts 2:41-42 is a perfect example of this. In verse 41, 3000 people come to believe in Jesus, but it doesn't stop there! In verse 42, we see that the first thing they did was start to devoted themselves to fellowship/breaking of bread, prayer, and the apostles teaching (the Bible: taught from old testament and wrote the new testament). Keep reading the rest of chapter 2 to see what happens as you become a disciple of Jesus.
This is not a light or easy thing and is easier said than done.
But the cost of discipleship is high.
It will cost you everything.
Why do this? Why be willing to give it all up? What do we get in return, one might ask?
WE GET CHRIST!
He is worth everything, but you aren't able to see much of his worth just as a believer, you must become a disciple and draw near to him and seek him out. As you do, He will be found by you and he will draw near to you. The heart of the Father longs for relationship with his creation, you don't have to work hard for his acceptance or nearness. In Jesus, you have it! Christ was left and forsaken by the Father so you wouldn't ever have to be.
If you are convicted and think you might not be a disciple, praise God for his merciful Spirit that convicts us and his kindness that leads us to repentance! Step #1 is to start doing what the disciples did and devote yourself daily to prayer scripture and fellowship. (There is no certain amount of time or any rules or regulations at all, JUST GO AFTER HIM!) And please know that it is really ok if you don't understand the Bible, or know how to pray or have friends who are themselves disciples. Pray that God would open your eyes to his Word, and that he would teach you how to pray (Matt. 6 is a great place to start), and seek out people who shine Jesus and start hanging with them often. It is not too late! Start now! Our God is SO merciful and he loves you! The cross is his love on display.
If you are a disciple of Jesus but aren't disciplining anyone then start praying that the Lord would give you people to pour into what the Lord has poured into you through your time of following and getting to know more and more our savior and friend, Jesus.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.""
Songs of Discipleship:
Take My Life - Chris Tomlin
Oh Lord, You're Beautiful - Jesus Culture
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Worship
I recently was given the opportunity to temporarily lead worship at a church while they are in between worship leaders. I have never done this before but when I prayed about it, I felt that the Lord told me to do it. It has been one week and I have learned so much, but in that realized, that I have so much to learn.
I once heard it put this way: "Worship is breathing out what God has breathed in." It is simply a response to the love and the life he has lavished on us. Everything we give to God is something that came from God in the first place.
It starts with worship in the garden as Adam's life is an act of worship as he enjoys the created world with his creator. And it ends in worship as we look ahead to the new heavens and new earth we find that once we see him in his fulless we will be able to declare that he is worthy of our worship. Worship is what happens in heaven, and at the center of all the worship is a throne, and on that throne sits the Only Worthy Three in One. “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation." (Rev. 5:9)
When we see him in his fullness all we will be able to do is worship. But until then, the more clearly we see him, through spending time with him, in the Word, prayer, and fellowship, the more we will not be able to help but worship. But it starts with catching a glimpse of him. Tasting and seeing that the Lord is good.
The bottom line is that worship is all about God. Too many times I have left a worship service and told people that I thought it was good, or bad, or whatever, but quite frankly it just doesn't matter how it was for me because it is not for me to begin with! The question we need to be asking ourselves is, "Was God pleased?"
Hebrews 11:6 says that, "...without faith it is impossible to please God..." The Lord isn't looking for a certain sound or style, he is looking hearts worshiping in spirit and truth, operating out of faith and not out of dead works, or the traditions of man. He doesn't want people worshiping just because this is what they always do on Sunday, or any day for that matter. He wants a people who can't help but worship, a people who desire to sing their guts out, or to dance with all their might, or to paint the scriptures into vivid color using the words of poems or acrylic paint. He is looking at your heart...what is he seeing?
My prayer is that you would not feel any condemnation of guilt, because for those in Christ, there simply is none. But rather that you would be moved to worship, with a heart full of faith responding to the beauty and the goodness of the Living God and his finished work on the cross. Don't get me wrong, I think it is wonderful when that we get often experience the presence of God and that we can be changed more into the likenss of Jesus, but it just is a nice bonus, not the point.
We aren't meant to muster up worship by are own strength but rather we are compelled to as we see Jesus more clearly, experience the love of the Bridegoom King, and sing back the breathe given to us by the One who first breathed life into the dust, sung his song into the clay.
Song that have drawn worship out of me:
Intimacy - Jonathan David Helser
Abba - Jonathan David Helser
Savior - Hillsong United
God, I Look to You - Bethel Live
I once heard it put this way: "Worship is breathing out what God has breathed in." It is simply a response to the love and the life he has lavished on us. Everything we give to God is something that came from God in the first place.
It starts with worship in the garden as Adam's life is an act of worship as he enjoys the created world with his creator. And it ends in worship as we look ahead to the new heavens and new earth we find that once we see him in his fulless we will be able to declare that he is worthy of our worship. Worship is what happens in heaven, and at the center of all the worship is a throne, and on that throne sits the Only Worthy Three in One. “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation." (Rev. 5:9)
When we see him in his fullness all we will be able to do is worship. But until then, the more clearly we see him, through spending time with him, in the Word, prayer, and fellowship, the more we will not be able to help but worship. But it starts with catching a glimpse of him. Tasting and seeing that the Lord is good.
The bottom line is that worship is all about God. Too many times I have left a worship service and told people that I thought it was good, or bad, or whatever, but quite frankly it just doesn't matter how it was for me because it is not for me to begin with! The question we need to be asking ourselves is, "Was God pleased?"
Hebrews 11:6 says that, "...without faith it is impossible to please God..." The Lord isn't looking for a certain sound or style, he is looking hearts worshiping in spirit and truth, operating out of faith and not out of dead works, or the traditions of man. He doesn't want people worshiping just because this is what they always do on Sunday, or any day for that matter. He wants a people who can't help but worship, a people who desire to sing their guts out, or to dance with all their might, or to paint the scriptures into vivid color using the words of poems or acrylic paint. He is looking at your heart...what is he seeing?
My prayer is that you would not feel any condemnation of guilt, because for those in Christ, there simply is none. But rather that you would be moved to worship, with a heart full of faith responding to the beauty and the goodness of the Living God and his finished work on the cross. Don't get me wrong, I think it is wonderful when that we get often experience the presence of God and that we can be changed more into the likenss of Jesus, but it just is a nice bonus, not the point.
We aren't meant to muster up worship by are own strength but rather we are compelled to as we see Jesus more clearly, experience the love of the Bridegoom King, and sing back the breathe given to us by the One who first breathed life into the dust, sung his song into the clay.
Song that have drawn worship out of me:
Intimacy - Jonathan David Helser
Abba - Jonathan David Helser
Savior - Hillsong United
God, I Look to You - Bethel Live
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