Showing posts with label Discipleship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Discipleship. Show all posts
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Proverb - speak the truth
If we avoid speaking the truth in love . . . and with wisdom, we are saying the Gospel is not big enough for that situation.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Do not seek greatness, seek a broken heart
We are not meant for great feats, great feats are nothing in the presence of God. We are meant to have surrendered hearts, to have hearts of stone turned into flesh and to be conformed into the image of Christ. If we get this, let God do what He will with this clay, whether high or low among the feats of men.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Teaching life not "rules"
If you teach them "rules", then they have something to rebel against. If you teach them life and truth, then they have something to love.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
I wrote this in my 20's
“The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.” The most challenging adventure is to touch and captivate the minds and hearts of students, reaching them where they are. I want to teach because the prize is so great! I have learned that the reward of pouring out you life for others is of much more worth than mere material wealth. You gain delight and joy. Yes, it is a struggle. Yes, you suffer, but you gain delight and joy. As a teacher you impact the lives.
I also want to teach, because so often the children of today have forgotten the beauty, the passion the hidden treasures, and the adventure there is to learn and discover. They are drawn in this society and persuaded to love things that are fading, to love things that do not touch their minds or their hearts. They are taken captive by propaganda and advertisement and live in this instead of beauty and truth. They have forgotten to think for themselves. They have much knowledge but it is not based in thought. They lack learning skills. They lack discipline. They need to be led in the way they ought to go.
I want to teach children how to face this world. I want to teach the truth without bias, so that they might be grounded, to face what ever comes up against them. I want to teach with variety, interest, vigor, stimulating them to seek out knowledge. I want to teach them where they are, how they learn, who they are. I want them to be able to know how to think and learn. I want them know beauty. I want them to live passionate lives.
I am a very simple person. I want to teach because I like beauty.
“The purposes of a man’s heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out.” The most challenging adventure is to touch and captivate the minds and hearts of students, reaching them where they are. I want to teach because the prize is so great! I have learned that the reward of pouring out you life for others is of much more worth than mere material wealth. You gain delight and joy. Yes, it is a struggle. Yes, you suffer, but you gain delight and joy. As a teacher you impact the lives.
I also want to teach, because so often the children of today have forgotten the beauty, the passion the hidden treasures, and the adventure there is to learn and discover. They are drawn in this society and persuaded to love things that are fading, to love things that do not touch their minds or their hearts. They are taken captive by propaganda and advertisement and live in this instead of beauty and truth. They have forgotten to think for themselves. They have much knowledge but it is not based in thought. They lack learning skills. They lack discipline. They need to be led in the way they ought to go.
I want to teach children how to face this world. I want to teach the truth without bias, so that they might be grounded, to face what ever comes up against them. I want to teach with variety, interest, vigor, stimulating them to seek out knowledge. I want to teach them where they are, how they learn, who they are. I want them to be able to know how to think and learn. I want them know beauty. I want them to live passionate lives.
I am a very simple person. I want to teach because I like beauty.
Sunday, December 30, 2007
revival
A leter written to my sister seeral years ago
----True revival is a sovereign act of God in which He moves and acts in the hearts of His people to renew them and bring them closer to Himself. The work of the Holy Spirit is intensified in the lives of believers, both individually and corporately. It is God initiated and God controlled. It is not brought about by man or his desires, or works. It is God moving as He pleases.
---- In 1734, God brought about a revival under the preaching of a man named, Jonathan Edwards, a man of sound doctrine and whose preaching focused on the glory of God and not man. Lives were changed and many came to know Christ. Those in the church became passionate about God. Their praising became intense. Their emotions were intense and they freely expressed these emotions in church. They hungered for God and desired to live lives to His honor. The community was changed. And the Gospel was preached everywhere. This was called the Great Awakening.
----Yet there were some who were opposed to this in the church. They said an act of God would not make people so emotional. To this Jonathan Edwards wrote Religious Affections to explain the difference between true and false revival, and to show that it is right to have emotions in a true revival.
----There were other revivals in America in 1727, 1798, 1857, and 1905. After 1800, though a false revival began to be forming. Many began to believe that revival could come about at any time; you just had to have the right “formula”. These preachers believed that if they could bring about the emotional intensity that was marked in the Great Awakening and the other revivals and mass decisions for Christ, that surely this was revival. This came to be known as New School or New Measures. Preachers sought to bring about revival through methodology and techniques that would incite the emotions and “convince men to make a decision for Christ”. They would have a “revival meeting” or a “tent meetings”, in which they would prey on the emotions of men. Charles Finney was one of the leaders in this movement. There came to be an orientation toward the person instead of God. Where as Jonathan Edwards preached about the character and glory of God and sound doctrine, this new methodology focused on convincing man to make a decision and to have an emotional experience. And so many “mass decisions” were made. Yet the community was not affected, it was still as worldly as before and many who made “decisions” turned away from Christ, very few changed their lives, and very few had any discipleship. Evangelism came to mean decisions and numbers, rather than an act of God in some ones life, where they accept Him as Lord and Savior in a radical way.
----And so today, some continue to try to convince men to come to Christ by focusing on man rather than proclaiming God. And now we are in a state of decline where it is hard to tell the difference between a believer and a non-believer. In doing this we have become friends with the world, something the Bible says ought not to be done.
----Now that I have said this, I do believe that some who preach in revival do sincerely desire to obey God. And I would fight side by side with them. And they are truly my brothers and joy. God is bigger than our foolishness. And I do believe that God does work at these “revival meetings”. I also believe that there are some who truly follow sound doctrine and focus on God and not men, yet I would not call this “revival” but merely witnessing. And so you ask if “revivals” are ok. Well, if they are witnessing and discipling and preaching sound doctrine with a focus on the glory of God, then, yes, they are ok, yet this is actually merely witnessing as God has called us to witness. But if they compromise the character of God as many of these “revivals” do, than it is very evil. We are not God and should not presume to be.
P.S.
Yes, like Paul. We plead with men and strive that they might know Christ, but we plead as ambassadors of a King, not as ones who move the King or gives way to men.
Also about the Holy Spirit. Much of it is focussed on emotionalism rather than maturity. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are real and true and good, but it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that makes one mature. The gifts will pass away, but love will always remain. It is a matter of people focusing on the wrong thing.
----True revival is a sovereign act of God in which He moves and acts in the hearts of His people to renew them and bring them closer to Himself. The work of the Holy Spirit is intensified in the lives of believers, both individually and corporately. It is God initiated and God controlled. It is not brought about by man or his desires, or works. It is God moving as He pleases.
---- In 1734, God brought about a revival under the preaching of a man named, Jonathan Edwards, a man of sound doctrine and whose preaching focused on the glory of God and not man. Lives were changed and many came to know Christ. Those in the church became passionate about God. Their praising became intense. Their emotions were intense and they freely expressed these emotions in church. They hungered for God and desired to live lives to His honor. The community was changed. And the Gospel was preached everywhere. This was called the Great Awakening.
----Yet there were some who were opposed to this in the church. They said an act of God would not make people so emotional. To this Jonathan Edwards wrote Religious Affections to explain the difference between true and false revival, and to show that it is right to have emotions in a true revival.
----There were other revivals in America in 1727, 1798, 1857, and 1905. After 1800, though a false revival began to be forming. Many began to believe that revival could come about at any time; you just had to have the right “formula”. These preachers believed that if they could bring about the emotional intensity that was marked in the Great Awakening and the other revivals and mass decisions for Christ, that surely this was revival. This came to be known as New School or New Measures. Preachers sought to bring about revival through methodology and techniques that would incite the emotions and “convince men to make a decision for Christ”. They would have a “revival meeting” or a “tent meetings”, in which they would prey on the emotions of men. Charles Finney was one of the leaders in this movement. There came to be an orientation toward the person instead of God. Where as Jonathan Edwards preached about the character and glory of God and sound doctrine, this new methodology focused on convincing man to make a decision and to have an emotional experience. And so many “mass decisions” were made. Yet the community was not affected, it was still as worldly as before and many who made “decisions” turned away from Christ, very few changed their lives, and very few had any discipleship. Evangelism came to mean decisions and numbers, rather than an act of God in some ones life, where they accept Him as Lord and Savior in a radical way.
----And so today, some continue to try to convince men to come to Christ by focusing on man rather than proclaiming God. And now we are in a state of decline where it is hard to tell the difference between a believer and a non-believer. In doing this we have become friends with the world, something the Bible says ought not to be done.
----Now that I have said this, I do believe that some who preach in revival do sincerely desire to obey God. And I would fight side by side with them. And they are truly my brothers and joy. God is bigger than our foolishness. And I do believe that God does work at these “revival meetings”. I also believe that there are some who truly follow sound doctrine and focus on God and not men, yet I would not call this “revival” but merely witnessing. And so you ask if “revivals” are ok. Well, if they are witnessing and discipling and preaching sound doctrine with a focus on the glory of God, then, yes, they are ok, yet this is actually merely witnessing as God has called us to witness. But if they compromise the character of God as many of these “revivals” do, than it is very evil. We are not God and should not presume to be.
P.S.
Yes, like Paul. We plead with men and strive that they might know Christ, but we plead as ambassadors of a King, not as ones who move the King or gives way to men.
Also about the Holy Spirit. Much of it is focussed on emotionalism rather than maturity. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are real and true and good, but it is the fruit of the Holy Spirit that makes one mature. The gifts will pass away, but love will always remain. It is a matter of people focusing on the wrong thing.
Saturday, November 24, 2007
Make disciples
Written Tuesday, September 04, 2007
“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.”
This is the Great Commission, the dear words Jesus left with us before He ascended. Wow, you can hear these words reaching from the moment that they were spoken to the end of the age. It is for me to live and to lay my life down for. I don’t want to be at fault in taking His words and running with them in vain. I have often made it my goal in evangelism to bring “converts” to “ascent” to the Gospel. But in truth, I only reduced the Gospel and the calling of Christ.
Jesus said, “make disciples”. And in these words He made the Gospel something very personal. We cannot “make disciples” and not be involved in peoples lives. It requires that we pour out our lives for others. This is not merely getting someone to “ascent” to the Gospel, for a “decision” does not save you. It is bringing someone to live (to obey) the Gospel that saves. The Gospel is something that is very hands on and intimate. Our attitude is to be as Christ’s who came and became flesh and was involved in our lives. Paul in his ministry proclaimed the Gospel in this manner. He preached the Gospel and poured his life into those who came to faith in Jesus Christ. And when he taught he did not reduce the gospel, but taught “them to observe all that” Jesus commanded. We see this throughout Acts and in the Epistles, the pouring out of their lives to carefully nurture the gospel in the lives of those with whom they witnessed to.
I am not saying that we wait for an opportune time to preach the Gospel. We are to make the most of every opportunity. In Proverbs, “Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks”. We must preach the Gospel. We are the fragrance of Christ, everywhere. And there is grace for those moments when the encounter with a person is short. However, we do not want to run in vain. We want to walk with them to make sure that their election and salvation is sure. And we want to walk with them as they grow in the faith.
I believe that if our pursuit is to obey Christ in making disciples unto salvation and not just merely speaking the Gospel, we will not run in vain, even when our encounter with a person is short, for Jesus said, “behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
“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.”
This is the Great Commission, the dear words Jesus left with us before He ascended. Wow, you can hear these words reaching from the moment that they were spoken to the end of the age. It is for me to live and to lay my life down for. I don’t want to be at fault in taking His words and running with them in vain. I have often made it my goal in evangelism to bring “converts” to “ascent” to the Gospel. But in truth, I only reduced the Gospel and the calling of Christ.
Jesus said, “make disciples”. And in these words He made the Gospel something very personal. We cannot “make disciples” and not be involved in peoples lives. It requires that we pour out our lives for others. This is not merely getting someone to “ascent” to the Gospel, for a “decision” does not save you. It is bringing someone to live (to obey) the Gospel that saves. The Gospel is something that is very hands on and intimate. Our attitude is to be as Christ’s who came and became flesh and was involved in our lives. Paul in his ministry proclaimed the Gospel in this manner. He preached the Gospel and poured his life into those who came to faith in Jesus Christ. And when he taught he did not reduce the gospel, but taught “them to observe all that” Jesus commanded. We see this throughout Acts and in the Epistles, the pouring out of their lives to carefully nurture the gospel in the lives of those with whom they witnessed to.
I am not saying that we wait for an opportune time to preach the Gospel. We are to make the most of every opportunity. In Proverbs, “Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks”. We must preach the Gospel. We are the fragrance of Christ, everywhere. And there is grace for those moments when the encounter with a person is short. However, we do not want to run in vain. We want to walk with them to make sure that their election and salvation is sure. And we want to walk with them as they grow in the faith.
I believe that if our pursuit is to obey Christ in making disciples unto salvation and not just merely speaking the Gospel, we will not run in vain, even when our encounter with a person is short, for Jesus said, “behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Quote by Will Metzer Tell the Truth, CH.4, p.88
"Our desire is must be nothing less that to see the whole individual converted. We are looking to God for changed persons, not just a response from one segment of a personality. God regenerative work is a thorough renewing that involves all the faculties of the mind, emotions and will. Scriptural language calls this a 'new creation', a 'new birth'. People or either saved or lost. To weaken this radical but scriptural cleavage of mankind by suggesting a third category for people is an attack on the biblical doctrine of regeneration. There is no such thing as being a half Christian- for instance, being a 'Christian' but not a Spirit-baptized Christian; being a 'Christian' but not accepting Christ as Lord; being a 'Christian' but living a life continually characterized by being carnal (spiritual adultery)."
"Our desire is must be nothing less that to see the whole individual converted. We are looking to God for changed persons, not just a response from one segment of a personality. God regenerative work is a thorough renewing that involves all the faculties of the mind, emotions and will. Scriptural language calls this a 'new creation', a 'new birth'. People or either saved or lost. To weaken this radical but scriptural cleavage of mankind by suggesting a third category for people is an attack on the biblical doctrine of regeneration. There is no such thing as being a half Christian- for instance, being a 'Christian' but not a Spirit-baptized Christian; being a 'Christian' but not accepting Christ as Lord; being a 'Christian' but living a life continually characterized by being carnal (spiritual adultery)."
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