Discipleship | Discipleship at Messiah

It Makes a Difference

Posted on 5/27/14 by On the road with Jesus.

It is my pleasure to tell you about the miraculous signs and wonders
that the Most High God has performed for me.
How great are his signs,
how mighty his wonders!
His kingdom is an eternal kingdom;
his dominion endures from generation to generation.

“For he is the living God
and he endures forever;
his kingdom will not be destroyed,
his dominion will never end.
He rescues and he saves;
he performs signs and wonders
in the heavens and on the earth.

Here are two wonderful testimonies to the wonder and greatness of the God of the Bible. Surely, they come from two of the great believers. However, nothing could be further from the truth. They were made by two pagan kings, Nebuchadnezzar and Darius. Why? How did this come to be? In both cases these affirmations of God’s greatness were triggered by the faith of his followers. Nebuchadnezzar had thrown Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego into the roaring furnace and Darius had thrown Daniel into the Lion’s Den because they would not deny God. After God delivered them, both kings were moved to praise. (Read the stories in Daniel 3 and 6)

What a great reminder that, when we trust God, even non-believers recognize God and can come to praise Him.

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Trust God, No Matter What

Posted on 5/22/14 by On the road with Jesus.

Even if he does not.-Daniel 3:18

Maybe you know the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Three young Hebrews were threatened with being thrown into a blazing furnace because they had not bowed to the king’s idol. Their answer was that God could save them. But they added, “even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Job put it this way “though He slay me yet will I trust Him.”

Yes, God can protect us when we stand for right, but even if he does not, are we willing to make the hard choices? Their story has a happy ending, but not all do. The king puts it in perspective. “Then Nebuchadnezzar said, ‘Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the King’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve of worship any God except their own God.”

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Hang in there.

Posted on 5/19/14 by On the road with Jesus.

Stand firm, and you will win life.-Luke 21:19

One day Jesus is talking with some people who are admiring the beauty and permanence of the temple. Jesus shocks them by declaring that even the temple won’t last. Then he uses this opening to warn about threats to life: fear, being led astray, self-indulgence. He urges his followers to “stand firm,” “Hold on” (Phillips). The Bible is clear. Endurance is crucial to reaching God’s destination for us. The text in The Message puts it this way “Stay with it to the end. You won’t be sorry; you’ll be saved.”

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Hope Reborn

Posted on 5/6/14 by On the road with Jesus.

“we had hoped”-Luke 24:21a

What a sad text. To loose hope is the bottom of the human spirit. Two followers of Jesus, distraught over his death and confused by reports, had lost hope. And they represent most of Jesus’ followers at that point. They were not gullible, ignorant people as critics suggest but hard-headed realists who needed to be convinced. Even as the risen Jesus walked with them, they did not recognize who he was. Then, gathered with flawed but like-minded followers, Jesus convinced them.

Discouraged, struggling, hurting, at wits end? Join other lovers of Jesus and look for him to show up.

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Doubting?

Posted on 5/6/14 by On the road with Jesus.

Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” -John 20:28
Even “Doubting” Thomas believes. It took an encounter with Jesus, but it happened. To meet Jesus changes everything.

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“Thanks Giving Is What You Do”

Posted on 11/27/13 by On the road with Jesus.

Understand what the Lord’s will is…. Speaking. …Sing….always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. –Ephesians 5:17-20

There is a popular story about the writer Rudyard Kipling. In his prime he often wrote for newspapers. He received fifty cents a word for his work. Some Oxford University students were not impressed. One of them sent Kipling fifty cents with a request: “Please send us back one of your very best words.” Kipling cabled back to the student a one-word message: “Thanks.”

Kipling was right. “Thanks” is one of the very best words, especially for a Christian. And to have a day on the calendar set aside to give thanks is more important than we realize. It sometimes gets distorted as “turkey day,” a time for gluttony and football. It seems insignificant compared to Christmas and Easter. But make no mistake; there is no more important activity than giving thanks.

It is the most basic Christian action. Failure to give thanks is the basic charge against the “ungodly” and “wicked in the Bible: “So they are without excuse; for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him.” (Romans 1:21) The Apostle Paul tells us all God does for us has a purpose—to increase thanksgiving.

Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. (II Cor. 4:15- NRSV)

Thanksgiving is not complete just because we feel grateful. Nor is thanksgiving just a day. It needs to be expressed, through our words and our actions.

Thank you God for Jesus.

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Tempted?

Posted on 9/19/13 by On the road with Jesus.

And no temptation is irresistible. You can trust God to keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. (I Corinthians 10:13 LB)

Years ago I read a story that offers some insight into temptation. An antelope and a lion entered a diner and took a booth near the window. When the waiter approached, the antelope said, “I’ll have a bowl of hay and a side order of radishes.”

“And what will your friend have?”

“Nothing,” replied the antelope.

The waiter persisted. “Isn’t he hungry?”

“Hey, if he were hungry,” said the antelope, “would I be sitting here?”

Temptation is a powerful force in our life. If the temptation is strong enough, even a friend can “eat” a friend.

There are a lot of temptations which can make it difficult for those trying to follow Jesus. I just read today about a study on will power:

Dr. Loran Nordgren, a senior lecturer at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management in Chicago, found “we tend to overestimate how much self-control we will have against temptation when we’re not in the ‘heat of the moment.’”… Dr. Nordgren warned that “Those who are most confident about their self-control are the most likely to give in to temptation.” His conclusion was that a key element in overcoming temptation is simply humility. Recognizing our weaknesses and avoiding situations where we are tempted.

Some other important ways which enable resistance are:

A definite commitment to God. (priorities)
Absorbing scripture, which the Bible calls the “sword of the
Spirit” (“Your word have I hid in my heart.”)
Accountability of a Christian community. Close
relationships with other followers of Jesus.

Temptation does not lessen with spiritual growth and health. It becomes more subtle, sophisticated and powerful. But we also have greater power and resources to overcome it.

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Encouraged To Be Disciples

Posted on 8/20/13 by On the road with Jesus.

Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said goodbye. -Acts 20:1(NIV)

Some years ago, I attended a conference at Asbury Theological Seminary. I don’t know if the conference leaders had consulted with one another or not. But there was a recurring theme that I didn’t really notice at first.

After the week was over and I returned to the church where I was pastor. And on Monday morning I met the jarring reality of everyday life—Council Meeting, etc. It was a typical Sunday/Monday morning syndrome of pastoral life.

It “so happened” (God’s work) my daily reading was in the book of Acts. And one day something caught my attention: “Paul sent for the disciples and, after encouraging them, said good-by…”

Something started to stir—first, just a little bubble. I’m dense, but God is equal to the task! Without me knowing it, for two weeks God had been putting something together. The recurring theme—encouraged, strengthened, Barnabus (Son of encouragement?). And then I remembered Jesus’ charge to His disciples, what we call “The Great Commission”: “Make disciples.” But it was the final words: “I’m with you,” which brought it together.

Encouragement of his people is a priority for God. He knows about the Sunday/Monday morning syndrome, the wear and tear of the battle, the discouragement brought by the deceitfulness of sin, the failures of our weakness.

The Lord is close to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18)

Encouragement is also a key element in discipleship, both in the being and the making. We tend to loose sight of this element, perhaps in the excitement of new people coming into the church. But later, as the apostles return from their missions, their ministry to the Christians is encouragement.

God’s method of encouragement is that human beings filled with His Spirit, stand with one another to encourage and strengthen. In the book of Hebrews we are told to encourage one another daily (Hebrews 3:13).

Bothers/Sisters God has made provision for Monday morning, for the discouragement that lurks around the corner, for the draining effect of the battle.

That is the primary ministry that we are to have to one another. Any consideration of the way we shape our lives together must keep that in focus.

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Starting Again

Posted on 7/26/13 by On the road with Jesus.

God’s kindness leads you toward repentance. -Romans 2:4b

It happens all the time with children. In the middle of some task they mess it up and you tell them to start over. They’re telling you something and get it all confused. So you say, “Just slow down and start at the beginning.”

Haven’t we all wanted to start over? I wish I had it to do over. But in life, we don’t get that opportunity do we? To go back to square one is not an option is it?

The Bible says it is. God calls us, offers us an opportunity to start over, to start with a clean slate.

It begins with something called repentance which means to change one’s mind, heart, life. In the historic Christian communion service, participation is invited for those who “truly and earnestly repent of your sins and intend to lead a new life.”

The trouble is that repentance doesn’t come easily. Then President Bill Clinton, speaking to a Prayer Breakfast in 1998 put it in perspective. He said, “I don’t think there is a fancy way to say that I have sinned.…For us, turning does not come so easily. It takes an act of will for us to make a turn. It means breaking old habits. It means admitting that we have been wrong, and this is never easy. It means losing face. It means starting all over again. And this is always painful. It means saying I am sorry. It means recognizing that we have the ability to change. These things are terribly hard to do. But unless we turn, we will be trapped forever in yesterday’s ways.” ^^Clinton’s quote ended with this prayer: “Lord help us to turn, from callousness to sensitivity, from hostility to love, from pettiness to purpose, from envy to contentment, from carelessness to discipline, from fear to faith. Turn us around, O Lord, and bring us back toward you. Revive our lives as at the beginning and turn us toward each other, Lord, for in isolation there is no life.”-Q

Repentance means “coming to self,” “turning”, or returning (from the OT). In the NT it is to change one’s mind for the better, have a better mind.

It not only is at the beginning of the Christian Journey but is an on-going necessity of the Christian life. Matthew Henry wrote, “Repentance is a daily duty.”

I am told in the St. Louis airport there is a large watch with hands that run backward. Beneath it are the words, “Make Time Run Backward!” If it were possible to do this and start again what a difference it would make.

There is good news! You can start again! Turn toward God.

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The Meanest Man

Posted on 7/16/13 by On the road with Jesus.

Therefore, if any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come. –II Corinthians 5:17

“The meanest man in Montgomery County,” is how my uncle, Don Ledbetter (known as “Doodle” by relatives and hometown people), was described to his son, D.K., by a man who knew him from his hometown. Doodle’s funeral was Sunday in a rural church in North Carolina. Where he had pastored for 20 years (fresh out of seminary), in a church built during his time there, a packed congregation listened to the story of an amazing life. For more than 50 years, as pastor, teacher, District Superintendent and a hospital chaplain he served the Jesus he loved. He completed a doctoral program in his seventies.

He was more like a brother to me. My mother, his oldest sister, was more like a mother to him because their mother had died when he was five. We played baseball together, hunted, etc. and attended college together. I lived with his family for a while during my college days. Though I moved away and didn’t get to see him much in later years, he was always special to me. He often would have me preach in his church when I would visit.

The impact of his life on so many was obvious from the stories shared and the conversations with former classmates and friends of his and mine.

If you wondered how he got from the “meanest man” to that, you probably have guessed by now. He knew Jesus. As Paul Harvey used to say here’s the rest of the story. The man who called him “the meanest man…” continued. “I’m not a Christian but if I were, I want what Doodle has.” What better evidence of a changed life.

I hope people who know me would say the same: “I want what he has.”

Filed under: character, Dedication, Discipleship, Example, Jesus, Life style, Service/ministry, The Journey | Comments Off on The Meanest Man

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