Tag: discipleship

image_pdfimage_print
How well do you know God?

How Well Do You Know God? Loving God, part VII

Do you know God? One can know all about God, but not really know God. Just like someone famous. We can know all about them through media, but do we truly know them?

While I’ve been talking about a relationship with God for a few weeks now, I’ve been assuming that all my readers had a personal relationship with God. But one can be religious without truly knowing the Living God.

What does it mean to know God?

By the way, this topic is what separates all religions from what we understand on this blog. This is how to be a Christ follower, not a religious follower. There is no religion that enables people to be a “friend of God”.

Jesus did not come to start a religion…

He came to grow His family

I confess that I knew about God for most of my life, but I really didn’t know God personally until much later. It was as if God was a distant Father that was always away and never had time for me, but now I know that it was me that failed to reach out to Him.

James 4: 8a Come close to God, and God will come close to you.

When I finally read His Word diligently, and sincerely sought Him, I discovered God in a way that I never realized. It was like He had this invitation to know Him extended to me all along, but I didn’t actually read the invitation until I finally “woke up”.

We are friends of Jesus

Check out this notable change in the relationship between Jesus and His disciples…

John 15: 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

We are brothers of Jesus

After Jesus is resurrected…

John 20: 17b “…go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'”

We become friends with God as His disciples and we know from this verse in John 20 that Jesus means for us to relate to His God as our God and His Father as our Father.

These verses seem to cement this concept…

Mark 3: 35 Anyone who does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”

Hebrews 2: 11 So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters.

Isn’t this amazing, how the Creator of all things desires us to be in His family? This was His intention from the beginning of time.

Our Father calls us His children

1 John 3: 1 See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognize that we are God’s children because they don’t know him.

Can you see that God gave us earthly families to remind and teach us about how we can relate to Him and His Son? But if we don’t read the Invitation He gave us (the Bible), we’d continue in ignorance of these things and remain estranged to Him, even if we do “believe”!

Do know God as your Father?

About prayer: When you come before God, think of yourself as God’s own son or daughter, because that’s who you are! He is there to listen to us and we can take great comfort in that.



Did you enjoy this post?     Subscribe
Have you seen my testimony?

If you desire a closer walk with Jesus, just want more fellowship or "Bible Time" come join us at TheBibleTeam.com. We have weekly calls where our sole focus is spending time in God's Word.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Are You Producing Fruit?

Are You Producing Fruit? Loving God, part VI

Today we’ll be discussing fruit. Not bananas, not watermelons, but spiritual fruit.

I hope you enjoyed the last two messages on distractions and knowing where your focus needs to be. Those messages need to be understood and applied in order for you to bear fruit.

Galatians 5:  22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control.

We should see a transformation

As we continue seeking God we should be seeing changes in our lives. I think it is important to make observations and journal about it. In this way, we can remember what God is doing in us and we can share this with others as our testimony. As an example, I can say that 10 years ago I lacked peace and patience. After almost 2 and a half years of seriously seeking God, I had a tremendous peace and a lot more patience.

How important is it that we see this fruit?

Matthew 7:17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire.

Whoa! I’d say it’s very important, producing fruit is essential, but know that it is just an indicator. If you can’t see evidence of it, or it’s not obvious, just hang in there. In an age of instant gratification, this is not an overnight process. Look at it as an on-going journey. Many times we need to lessen our expectations and just focus on loving God and others.

Matthew 13: 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

Don’t focus on the fruit, focus on the Lord

The fact that you’ve been reading these messages and more importantly, reading the Bible, means that you are hearing God’s word. These disciplines, in the presence of the Lord, is good soil. If the Bible does not make sense to you, then I invite you to join our weekly discussions.

As long as you are planted in good soil (reading the Word, being in prayer and in fellowship), you do not have to worry about the fruit. You can rest assured that the fruit will develop. We just need to be consistent and deliberately seeking God, making Him the top priority.

Notice that Galatians 5: 22 says “the Holy Spirit produces“, not you. So this isn’t about your ability to be more patient, otherwise, you’d be able to take the credit, but that doesn’t give Him glory.

Here is why I am certain that the fruit will come:

John 15: 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

Are you remaining in Christ?

“Dear Lord, you are my Rock. Whenever I am troubled or in dismay, You are there for me. God, I have a long way to go, I am not anywhere near where I think I should be. Please show me the progress I have made. Please be patient with me as you continue working in my life and changing my heart.”



Did you enjoy this post?     Subscribe
Have you seen my testimony?

If you desire a closer walk with Jesus, just want more fellowship or "Bible Time" come join us at TheBibleTeam.com. We have weekly calls where our sole focus is spending time in God's Word.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
How Are You Dealing With Distractions?

How Are You Dealing With Distractions? Distracted, part 2, Loving God, part V

My last message, part 1 regarding distractions, ended on a serious note. A topic of utmost importance, remember “There is only one thing worth being concerned about“? It is directly related to how distractions, innocent or not, can affect our walk with Jesus.

Here are two more examples of distractions,  with different outcomes…

King Saul was distracted by the enemy

1 Samuel 13: 8 Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn’t come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away. 9 So he demanded, “Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!” And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself.

King Saul’s distraction was the enemy’s attack and seeing his men slip away. He allowed the enemy to pressure him into doing something in haste yet he was told to wait:

1 Samuel 10: 8 I will join you there to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. You must wait for seven days until I arrive and give you further instructions.”

What was the result?

1 Samuel 13: 13 “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you.

This was the beginning of the end for King Saul, he never recovered from this.

Peter focuses on the distractions

Matthew 14: 29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”

This distraction was the wind and waves. He was worried, just as King Saul was.

Can you relate? Not walking on water, of course, but being in circumstances that seem overwhelming and terrifying. I can’t think of a better illustration than Peter taking his eyes off Jesus and beginning to sink. This led him to cry out “Save me, Lord!”.  Do you see that God uses cares and worries to draw us closer to Him?

What does the Bible have to say?

This is my all time favorite verse for dealing with worries and concerns. Because if we can learn to give these matters over to the Lord quickly, the less distracting they’ll become. The fear can linger, so just keep praying and giving it over to the Lord. Meditate on this verse, memorize it, and it will serve you well.

Philippians 4: 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

When you develop the daily habit of spending time with Jesus it’s easier to focus on Jesus. His Words are fresh in your mind and this will help you survive any storm you face.

Be in prayer. Stay in the Word. Join those that love Jesus.

“Dear Lord I praise your name. Thank you for being patient with me. I am easily distracted. Please forgive me for not focusing on you more. You are my Rock and my Provider, I will continue to serve and seek You. Please help keep my mind on you throughout the day. In Jesus’ name, amen.”



Did you enjoy this post?     Subscribe
Have you seen my testimony?

If you desire a closer walk with Jesus, just want more fellowship or "Bible Time" come join us at TheBibleTeam.com. We have weekly calls where our sole focus is spending time in God's Word.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Are You Distracted?

Are You Distracted? (part 1) Loving God, part V

I have a confession…  Not only am I highly distracted but easily distracted. So there, I said it!

We all have to deal with them and they challenge the best of us. That is distractions. This week I want to look at what is causing us to be distracted and what we really need to focus on.

Do you remember this verse from last week’s message, “Are You Being Challenged?”. The parable of the sower is a great passage that illustrates how distractions can inhibit our spiritual growth:

Matthew 13: 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 

What is distracting us and taking our eyes off Christ? 

Here is a list of some “popular” distractions: TV, radio, friends, family, Internet, neighbors, activities, and video games.

Here is another list of distractions that work in a different way: lack of employment, poor health, money (both lack of and lust of), legal issues, lust, appetite, etc.

Even ministry can be a distraction

I can’t list everything, just keep in mind that anything that is taking our focus off Christ is a distraction, even ministry. 

Not all of these activities are “bad”, of course, but they can all distract us from loving God. 

Consider this example of a distraction:

 Luke 10: 38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. 40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.” 41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

We can see here that the distraction is making dinner (serving/ministering). Of course, Martha is saying that Mary is distracted by Jesus “my sister just sits here while I do all the work?”. It’s easy to allow the world guilt us into doing work, but Jesus makes it clear what’s most important.

Focus on what Jesus tells Martha… 

Luke 10: 42: “There is only one thing worth being concerned about“. 

Just think about this… a lot. Consider that Jesus is the One that tells us “Don’t worry” (Matthew 6:34) and we also read “Don’t worry about anything” (Philippians 4: 6) 

And here He’s telling us “There is only one thing worth being concerned about“, which is spending time in the presence of the Lord. This is something we cannot afford to lose sight of. This is the essence of our walk with Him. The time we spend sitting at His feet, “listening to what He teaches“, is how we get to know Him. This is how He knows us!

 Luke 10: 42 “only one thing is necessary” (NASB )

My point here is this: We all get distracted, that is unavoidable. Distractions happen. We, men and women of God, cannot afford to neglect the one thing that is needed. We must spend time at the Lord’s feet.

Be in prayer. Stay in the Word. Join those that love Jesus.



Did you enjoy this post?     Subscribe
Have you seen my testimony?

If you desire a closer walk with Jesus, just want more fellowship or "Bible Time" come join us at TheBibleTeam.com. We have weekly calls where our sole focus is spending time in God's Word.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Are You Being Challenged?

Are You Being Challenged? Loving God, part IV

Did you commit last week, referring to the last post? Committing to Jesus makes all the difference when challenged.

When God challenges you, you will either draw closer to Him or stray further away. God is testing you and how you respond makes all the difference. Read carefully to understand your role in this.

If you committed yet feel like a failure, relax. Loving God and making it a daily practice is not that easy and some days are downright challenging. What’s amazing is that I can go to bed at night feeling down, exhausted and frustrated yet I cast my cares on God. Then somehow, some way, tomorrow is a new day. God has a way of picking me up and changing my perspective on things. He miraculously gives me a new attitude. I’ve come to realize that this is a process. Growth does not happen overnight and growth will not occur unless we are challenged.

Consider this passage…

Luke 13: 23 Someone asked him, “Lord, will only a few be saved?” He replied, 24 “Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail. 25 When the master of the house has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

Who ever said the Christian life was easy?

Although this is a simple message:

John 3: 16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

It does not mean it’s easy, this is why Jesus also says:

John 15: 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.

The key is to remain in Christ.

Remaining/abiding in Christ requires us to be proactive which will bring adversity.

The parable of the sower is a great passage that illustrates how life’s daily challenges can inhibit our spiritual growth:

Matt. 13: 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.

This is the example of the person who strays. They are allowing worldly concerns (worries, wealth, lust, etc.) to come between them and Jesus.

Contrast that verse with this:

Matt. 13: 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

Let me be clear, being in good soil is reading with Word, being in prayer and in close fellowship with other believers frequently. These are the activities that will keep you in Christ. Learn this and you’ll stay in good soil.

For those greatly challenged…

Rom. 5: 3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

This is why it is essential to make time for God each day. Prayer, reading the Word, and regularly spending time with other committed believers is essential to “abiding in Him”.

For resources that may help you in this endeavor of remaining in Christ, visit TheBibleTeam.com.

Does this change your perspective on being challenged?

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
image_pdfimage_print


Did you enjoy this post?     Subscribe
Have you seen my testimony?

If you desire a closer walk with Jesus, just want more fellowship or "Bible Time" come join us at TheBibleTeam.com. We have weekly calls where our sole focus is spending time in God's Word.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Are You Committed?

Are You Committed? Loving God, part III

Have you considered lately how committed you are to knowing God?

The last post, when discussing “Seeking God”, I mentioned one of my favorite verses:

Matthew 6: 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

This verse always reminds me what to focus on. The problem is that I start getting caught up in my daily affairs and other matters of lesser importance start clouding everything.

This week I want to discuss what we can do to keep focusing on God and serving Him.

How committed are you to following God? Is God your most important relationship? If you said yes, then please listen carefully.

Luke 14: 25 A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, 26 “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple.

Have you realized just how committed Jesus wants us to be to Him?

What does it take to grow any relationship? Doesn’t it take time, communication and attentiveness at the very least? If a man expects to have a good marriage, won’t he at least talk to his wife or spend time with her every day? Of course the more a man knows about his wife, the more he knows how to love and please her. The difference with God is that we can’t interact with Him in the same way. I can ask my wife what she wants to eat or where she’d like to go and she’ll tell me. With God it isn’t quite the same, is it? So how do we get to know God more?

I once watched a video that was a biography of our second president, John Adams. The author was recollecting reading through his letters and memoirs and said that he got to know John Adams. I thought that was profound, the idea that well over 200 years ago someone put his thoughts, wishes, plans and ideas on paper and we can know that person today.

Is it any different with God’s Word? In order to know God is there any other way of knowing Him outside of the only Book He ever authored?

If God is our most important relationship, in what ways and how often are we setting time aside for Him? If a man only spends a few hours twice a week with his wife, how do you think that relationship is going? Consider these verses:

Psalm 1: 2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
      meditating on it day and night.

 Joshua 1: 8 Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.

Just imagine how committed King David and Joshua must have been to share these promises.

It makes sense, the same principles that it takes to have a good marriage also applies to improving our relationship with God. If a man doesn’t “make time” for his wife, what will he get in return?

Likewise, what can we expect when we fail to “make time” with God?

Are you committed?

If you are one of the many professed Christians out there that are not reading the Bible and praying daily, I have two ideas:

Pray this prayer: “God, I have taken your Word for granted, please forgive me. I’ve allowed other activities to take precedence in my life and they are not nearly as important as spending time with you and getting to know you better. Today I commit to reading your Word daily and I need your help. Please help me to plan my days so that you get the best time of the day so that I am alert. Thank you in advance for sustaining me through this month and for teaching me new things. In Jesus’ name, amen.“

Click here to start reading today. 



Did you enjoy this post?     Subscribe
Have you seen my testimony?

If you desire a closer walk with Jesus, just want more fellowship or "Bible Time" come join us at TheBibleTeam.com. We have weekly calls where our sole focus is spending time in God's Word.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

King David got it, how about you? Loving God, part I

I want to share with you a revelation that has totally changed my understanding of God and what He wants from us.

Did you ever read a verse that got under your skin? I mean a verse that really bothered you. A verse that you felt you could never live up to and if only you could cut it out of the Bible, then things would be OK?

This particular verse was one of those for me:

John 14: 23 Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching…” (NIV)

What bothered me about this was my inability to obey Him. I thought, “If I could only obey more, or be more righteous, I could be a better Christian”. I actually thought “I must not love God because I can’t obey Him”. Of course, I lacked understanding.

So, I knew that I should love God, but I really didn’t know how. This was something that I did not want to share with anyone. I did not understand how to love God. I thought I loved Him, but to be honest… I didn’t have a clue. I was really a Christian in name only. I might’ve had salvation, but I’m not certain about that.

My point is that I focused on obeying Him, rather than loving Him. Trying to obey God without loving Him is pointless. Now I get it.

John 14: 24  He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Keep in mind that I was not regularly reading the Word, was not being discipled, and did not know how to have a relationship with God.

Now that I have been regularly reading the Word, this concept of how to love God becomes increasingly clear as He reveals Himself to me. Prayer is most helpful in this as well as spending time with mature believers and those who genuinely love Jesus.

I also understand the two greatest commandments more than ever:

Matthew 22: 36“Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?” 37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Furthermore, while reading Hosea I found this verse:

Hosea 6: 6 I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.

Little did I know that this was no ordinary Old Testament verse, but one that Jesus quotes Himself, not just once, but twice.

Matthew 9: 13 Then, he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

Matthew 12: 7 But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’

Just what did King David understand?

Psalm 69: 30 Then I will praise God’s name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving.
31 For this will please the Lord more than sacrificing cattle, more than presenting a bull with its horns and hooves.

Doesn’t this make things simple? Just focus on loving and knowing God. Spend time with Him by reading His Word daily, be in prayer and intimate fellowship with others who love God and you can’t go wrong.

My friends, this is HUGE. It is my prayer that if you did not already understand this, that this will hit home for you.

Do you get it?



Did you enjoy this post?     Subscribe
Have you seen my testimony?

If you desire a closer walk with Jesus, just want more fellowship or "Bible Time" come join us at TheBibleTeam.com. We have weekly calls where our sole focus is spending time in God's Word.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Love Jesus, Love the Church

First I’d like to give credit to author, speaker, blogger, and a mentor of mine, Frank Viola. He has been instrumental in getting me started with this blog. Thank you, Frank!

Recently I read one of his blog posts titled “You Can’t Love Christ and Despise His Bride”

He cites three reasons to make his point and the message really hit home with me. I can relate to people that say they love God yet never want to go to church.

Churches can be difficult and “going to church” is not always as pleasant as it should be. The problem isn’t always the church we go to, however, sometimes it’s our heart.

I confess that I used to be like that. I’d call myself a Christian, yet I didn’t make much effort to find a church, much less go to one. That didn’t work out very well because I kept myself isolated from the very people that I needed to spend time with. This was detrimental to my spiritual health.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” Proverbs 16:25 (ESV)

Frank hit it on the head when he said: “Knowing Jesus Christ will eventually lead a person to desire the ekklesia in their experience.”

This is exactly what I discovered first hand.

What changed my heart and what gave me a better attitude was seeking Jesus and digging into the Word of God like I never have before. He led me to know how to love Him in return and I haven’t been the same since. As a result of my God-given repentance and yielding to His will, He gave me a heart for the Church (the Body of Christ) that I hadn’t had before. A true desire to be in fellowship with others that have a genuine love for Jesus. Now I’m no longer isolated and I spend much time with the Church.

Not all churches are the same, however, so seek Jesus and the Holy Spirit to lead you back to His family, a group of people that will love you just as Jesus does, although don’t expect a “perfect” place because, as you know we all fall short.

If you say you love Jesus but are not spending time with His Body I encourage you to seek Jesus for yourself, read His word diligently and ask Him to help you find others that will love you and encourage you to grow in Him.

I’ll leave you with this:

1 John 4: 20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?



Did you enjoy this post?     Subscribe
Have you seen my testimony?

If you desire a closer walk with Jesus, just want more fellowship or "Bible Time" come join us at TheBibleTeam.com. We have weekly calls where our sole focus is spending time in God's Word.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Did Jesus miss an opportunity?

As I consider the account of Jesus on the cross, between the two thieves, I can’t help but think that Jesus missed an incredible opportunity by not witnessing to the other thief. You know, the one that was not repentant? Didn’t He have all the reasons to convert him, especially when he was about die?

A verse that I read many times before was brought to my attention changed my view of Jesus and my relationship with God entirely when I finally understood it:

John 14: 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me.

Whoa, when I finally understood that Jesus did not say anything that He was not told to, that blew me away. Apparently, Jesus was not supposed to say anything to the other thief. Of course, He did talk to the popular thief, the one who pleaded in Luke 23 “42 … “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” Jesus hears his plea and assures him in the next verse: “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

We cannot ask ourselves WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) because the decision we have to make is what is God telling us. 

With the woman at the well, it was a different story. Jewish men did not even associate with Samaritan women, yet Jesus initiated that conversation: John 4:7 “Please give me a drink.”

What Jesus did was rely on the Father:

John 5: 19 So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.

And verse  30 

“I can do nothing on my own. I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.”

So we clearly cannot base our decisions solely on what Jesus did when He walked the earth, but what God is telling us to do or say today. Of course, there is much to learn and model from reading about our Master, but if we are to imitate Christ as Paul suggests in 1 Cor 11: And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. then we should seek and submit to the Father’s will as Christ did: Luke 5: 16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer. 

Prayer and knowledge of God’s Word are keys to knowing the Father’s will. Consider the famous prayer in Gethsemane:

Matt. 26: 39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

This show’s Jesus humanity and that He sought God during this time of crisis to seek God’s will and of course soon after this He allows Himself to be taken captive, clearly the will of the Father, but not what the disciples had in mind.

I’ll leave you with this verse:

John 15: 5 “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.

Are you remaining in Him?

 



Did you enjoy this post?     Subscribe
Have you seen my testimony?

If you desire a closer walk with Jesus, just want more fellowship or "Bible Time" come join us at TheBibleTeam.com. We have weekly calls where our sole focus is spending time in God's Word.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Are you choosing life or death?

Proverbs 11

18 Evil people get rich for the moment, but the reward of the godly will last.

19 Godly people find life; evil people find death.

Memorizing verse 18 should keep us focused on the long term, the end game; and I love the simplicity of verse 19, it’s almost like the Bible in a nutshell, isn’t it?

But here’s my question, if godly people find life, how can we become godly?

Here’s some insight:

Titus 1

1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. 2 This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began.

Wow, these 2 verses say a lot, including:

  1. You are chosen
  2. You can learn how to be Godly by knowing the truth
  3. Truth gives you confidence of having eternal life, which God promises; reiterating Proverbs 11:19

So how can we know the truth?

John 14

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

Of course, Jesus is the Truth, and I think we all can conclude that the more we know Him and become like Him the more godly we’ll become. Because, after all, He is God.

John 1

1 In the beginning the Word already existed.
The Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
2 He existed in the beginning with God.

…

14 So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

I love this passage, don’t you? Jesus is Truth AND He is the Word personified. The Message of God the Father, His Word, was sent to earth to show us who He really is. As it states in Colossians 1: 15a “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.”

To be certain, in order to be godly, we must know Jesus, personally and His Word, there is no getting around this. The Word teaches us how to pray (Matt 5:15), how to love God (Hosea 6:6), how to relate to others (Gal. 5:13 ), how to conduct our lives (2 Tim. 3:16) and the list goes on and on.

In summary, I’ll make one last connection:

Choosing to read the Bible and submit to the Lord in prayer every day is a daily decision to choose life. Read the Bible in such a way as to seek Him (Psalm 105:4; (2 Chron. 15:2 ).

Are you choosing life?



Did you enjoy this post?     Subscribe
Have you seen my testimony?

If you desire a closer walk with Jesus, just want more fellowship or "Bible Time" come join us at TheBibleTeam.com. We have weekly calls where our sole focus is spending time in God's Word.
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.