Promise of Power

When I was a teenager, I was pretty disciplined in sticking to a weightlifting routine that my high school football and track coach helped me establish, particularly in the summer months. While I do not recall my coach ever telling me that I would look a certain way, gain a certain amount of weight, or run a certain speed if I stuck to the weight training, I had in my mind all of the above (and more). Surely I will get a lot bigger and be a lot faster, I thought. With weightlifting, I assumed there was some promise of power and strength that I could expect.

I never did get as strong as I had hoped, as big as I had hoped, or as fast as I had hoped, though. Still, the weight training definitely did help. My coach knew what he was talking about, as did my dad – who was my basketball coach and also emphasized strength and conditioning training throughout the year. While I never achieved the speed and strength I dreamed of, I did improve. For example, while I did not grow taller after my freshman year of high school, my weight increased from 120 pounds my freshman year to 135 pounds my sophomore year to 155 pounds my junior year, to 170 pounds my senior year.

After football practice one day my freshman year, one of my senior teammates jokingly asked me in the shower, “When the wind blows, do you just fall over?” I tried to laugh, but his mockery hurt because he was right. Sometimes strong gusts of wind probably did knock me over.

Strength training did pay off eventually, however. While far from where I had hoped to be, there was some improvement. All those push-ups, sit-ups, jumping rope, plyometrics, weightlifting, running, etc. were not in vain (at least not completely).

LIMITED PROMISE

Why did I not get as big, strong, and fast as some of my teammates, though? Simple answer – I was not made like them. Sure, there could certainly be a degree of training and consistency that would have helped more, perhaps, but we can only do so much to improve our conditions. Despite what some fools will try to tell you, you cannot “do anything you put your mind to.”

Yes, there are benefits to the disciplines of things like exercise, but the benefits are limited by our genetic makeup. I was never going to be as fast as our all-state backs or as strong as our all-state linebacker. Sure, I improved enough to be a starting cornerback for two years, but that might have been my football ceiling.

Promises are always limited, at least when it comes to our promises and abilities.

UNLIMITED PROMISE

While you and I cannot “do anything we put our minds to,” we can do far more when we know and follow the One who made us. He is not limited like we are.

As a 6-foot, 170-pound 18-year-old with average speed and strength, I was on no one’s radar as an NFL or NBA prospect. No one was recruiting me or “feeding my dreams” anymore. My promise was limited by my physical abilities (and lack thereof). That was difficult for me to accept at the time, but it was what it was.

Our Almighty God, though, is not limited like we are. He is the Creator of the universe and in control of all things. So, when He calls us to live the life He has created us to live, He can and will equip us to live such a life.

On Sunday morning, Lord willing, I will begin a new sermon series through the Book of Acts and preach through Acts 1:1-11 on “The Promise of Power for Our Purpose” (available Sunday evening HERE). I will be challenging those willing to listen that we must trust and depend on God’s promise of power to fulfill His purpose for our lives.

THE PROMISE OF POWER

No amount of “training” will get us to where God intends for us to go – not physically and not spiritually. We need Him. He is the Promise of Power we need. His Holy Spirit is the One who will guide us, enable us, and equip us to be the people He has called us to be.

Sure, do your best to follow His Word. Be disciplined by having daily time with Him in Bible study and prayer, by serving in His church, and by seeking to live out your faith. Realize all the while, though, that you can do absolutely nothing without Him (see Jesus’ words in John 15).

The Holy Spirit whom Jesus promised to all his followers is the Only One who will enable you to fulfill God’s purpose for your life. Are you trusting and depending on Him?

Sure, I worked hard in high school and reaped some benefits from the hard work and discipline, but God is the One who gave me arms and legs, who gave me health and stamina, who kept me safe, and who allowed me to do any of that, whether I realized and accepted this truth or not.

Likewise, God is the One who gives His Spirit, who calls His people, and who equips His people. Have you trusted in Him? Are you continuously trusting in Him?

Discover His purpose for your life by being in His Word and being involved in a faithful, Bible-believing church. Live out His purpose for your life by depending on Him – the Promise of Power. To God be the glory!

To receive and experience the unlimited power of God in and through His Holy Spirit, you must trust in the Only Son of God for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. If you have yet to make such a decision, would you consider checking out The Story and turning to Him today?

Please Judge Me

One of the most quoted (and wrongly applied) Bible verses is Jesus’ statement, “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged” (Matthew 7:1). Many people love to say things like, “Don’t judge me,” when defending themselves in confrontations.

What people often miss, though, is the context of that conversation during Jesus’ famous “Sermon on the Mount,” a message in which He was judging all of us and also calling us to judge one another. Matthew 7:1 is a clear command to not judge others wrongly (by our own standards, rather than God’s standards).

Just verses later, though, Jesus is quoted, “Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5). In other words, do not be a hypocrite and expect from others what you yourself refuse to do. Remove the sin from your life, and then you can help others remove the sin from their lives. Examine (and judge) yourself according to the standard of God’s Word, and then you can rightly judge others according to that standard.

While those in rebellion against God and His Word are quick to say, “Don’t judge me,” followers of Jesus should be quick to say, “Please judge me.” Why? Well, because we are all in need of such judgment – accountability, encouragement, and sharpening.

Please judge me. It might be the most loving thing you can do.

On Sunday morning, Lord willing, I will be preaching through Galatians 6:1-10 on “The Service of Grace.” How does the gospel of grace impact our relationships in the church? How are we called to serve one another?

One of the most important ways we can and should serve one another is through intentional discipleship – building one another up and opening up our spiritual lives to one another. “If someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted. Carry one another’s burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1-2).

Do you see the call for judgment there? Please judge me. Judgment that seeks restoration is essential to that burden carrying and thus essential for fulfilling the law of Christ – to love God and love others.

To be clear, of course, there is gentleness and love required for such judgment. We are not called to the harsh and condemnatory judgment that is anything but loving, but rather to the concerning care for others that longs for them to experience a right relationship with God and with others. That kind of judgment is restorative.

Please judge me. For the sake of my relationship with God and for the sake of my relationships with others, please judge me. When I am stuck in “any wrongdoing” (and this happens to all of us, since we are all sinners), then I need to be judged – called to repentance and action – for the sake of restoration and healing.

Do you love others enough that when you notice unrepentant sin in their lives, you seek to “restore such a person with a gentle spirit“? Also, though, are you careful to seek and trust God according to His Word, “watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted“?

Please judge me according to the standard of God’s Word, and please open your life to the judgment of others. Jesus called us to this judgment, and we all need it.

Realize, too, that we all judge people, as it is impossible not to. We make judgments all the time. The key is – what is your standard for judgment? Let us make sure the Word of God is the standard.

We must invest in one another and have the tough conversations, not allowing our judgments to unnecessarily damage relationships.

God is the eternal Judge, and He created us in His image. Naturally, we are going to judge one another when mistakes are made and sin is committed, but we must also forgive one another and love one another, even in our judgments.

Please love those closest to you by judging them for the purpose of restoration, and be sure to communicate that such judgment is a two-way street. We need such accountability to be who God created us to be and to do what God created us to do.

To know the eternal Judge of the universe and pursue a right relationship with Him, simply call upon His name – Jesus Christ our Lord – today. Check out The Story for more information.

Don’t Love Isolation

Our dog, Lottie, spotted a turtle walking across our driveway yesterday morning and was immediately curious. After watching the turtle slowly advance toward the house, Lottie decided to check it out for a quick sniff. Then, as the turtle remained still, Lottie proceeded to lie down and rest in the turtle’s company.

This is not unusual behavior for our golden lab. She does not love isolation but rather is always interested in the company of others – humans, other dogs, other animals, etc. While she gets plenty of alone time when the kids are at school and Marsha and I are working (and Lottie is “guarding” our front yard), she never chooses alone time when opportunities for company are available. If anyone in our family is outside, whether paying attention to Lottie or not, she will be right there. Busy doing something else? No problem – Lottie will lie next to you.

I believe we can learn a lesson from a lab here. Yes, there are times when we need to be alone, and some people need more alone time than others. Even Jesus “often withdrew to deserted places and prayed” (Luke 5:16). We ought not love isolation, though, but rather should long for the company of others. This is especially true if you are a follower of Jesus, the One who created you to live in fellowship with Him and with His church (i.e. see Hebrews 10:19-25).

Labs love to be around others. This is one of their characteristics and one of the reasons, along with their loyalty, that dogs are traditionally called “man’s best friend.”

Christ-followers love fellowship and worship with other Christ-followers. Our care and concern for one another is what proves our relationship with Jesus, as He said, “Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). Loving others requires relationships, and good, loving relationships require time together.

Do you love being with other Christ-followers? If you are a Christ-follower, the answer can only be yes. If you are quick to answer no to that question and/or you are trying to justify your lack of desire to be around other believers on a regular basis, please examine your heart and your faith to make sure you have truly surrendered your all to the Lord.

Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commands” (John 14:15), and He certainly commands our faithful commitment to a local church (i.e. see 1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12; Ephesians 3; and again Hebrews 10:19-25).

In Matthew 16, Jesus founded the church. In Matthew 18, Jesus established the church’s authority. In Matthew 28, Jesus commissioned the church. And, throughout the book of Acts and church history since then, Jesus has grown the church through the power of His Holy Spirit, the partnership of His people, their proclamation of His gospel, their perseverence in the midst of persecution, and His continued provision in keeping His promises.

Please understand, the church was and is Jesus’ idea, not our idea, and there is no plan B. Thus, it is not possible for a genuine follower of Jesus to lack in his or her desire to be in fellowship with a local church. Sure, circumstances will arise (sickness, military deployment, temporary work requirements, etc.) when involvement becomes inconsistent, but the desire will always be there. The commitment to return will be obvious. Otherwise, saving faith is surely missing, is it not?

John made this clear when he was talking about unbelievers who proved themselves so when they were no longer involved in local fellowship with believers in the church: “They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us” (1 John 2:19).

Those who love Jesus love His church and thus love being with His church. Those who do not love the church and isolate themselves from her prove themselves to also not love Jesus.

Do not love isolation. Follow Jesus and love His church. If this is a struggle for you, pray for the Lord’s grace, mercy, and help. He desires that you walk with Him and find fulfillment in Him. The church is part of His plan for that to happen.

Learn a lesson from Lottie, and do not pursue isolation. Pursue the company of those who love Jesus and will thus love you and help you to grow closer to Him. All glory be to Christ!

To learn more about what it means to truly know and follow the Lord, please check out The Story.

God’s Not a Genie

More times than I can recall, people have said to me, “I prayed but God didn’t answer,” or, “I don’t understand why God seems so far away,” or, “I asked God for wisdom and peace, but I’m miserable.” God did not create you to go through life alone, and His desire is not for your hopelessness and misery. If you feel far from God, there has to be a reason.

STOP TRYING TO RUB THE BOTTLE

I once said to someone who was frustrated that God would not answer her prayers, “You just admitted that you are not following God or obeying His Word, but you expect Him to give you what you want. God’s not a genie.”

She replied, “Really? I thought He was like a genie.”

So often, we want from God while refusing to turn away from our sins and refusing to turn to Him. God is not a genie, though. Treating Him like one not only fails to bring forth helpful results but also sets the stage for deserved judgment.

START TRUSTING AND READING THE BIBLE

Stop trying to rub the bottle, and instead, start trusting and reading the Bible. Find hope in the Lord and experience His presence by knowing and obeying His Word.

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are open to their request. But the face of the Lord is against those who do what is evil” (1 Peter 3:12). Thus, in order to be close to God and experience His unquestionable presence in your life, you have to be counted as “righteous.” Since none of us is righteous, though, that requires that we trust in and follow the Only One who is. Our sin makes us evil, but God declares us righteous when we surrender our all to Him.

For that reason, if anyone ever tells me about their frustration of feeling far from God, I ask them to consider if they are holding on to sin in their life. Are you walking with God and obeying His Word, or are you trying to do things your way?

“The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29).

When you surrender your life to Jesus Christ by repenting of your sins and trusting Him alone to save you, He begins a work in your heart that never ends. Best of all, He takes away your sins and makes you righteous in God’s eyes. You go from wicked to righteous by the blood of Jesus. No, we are still not perfect, but it is as if we were – in the eyes of God – because of the perfect sacrifice of His Son in our place.

TRANSFORMATION REQUIRED

On Sunday morning, Lord willing, I will be preaching from Zechariah 7–8 on the beauty of being “Renewed and Transformed.” When Jesus saves us from our sins, He transforms our hearts and lives. That ongoing transformation is evidence that we have been made right with God.

Like Israel in Zechariah’s time, though, you might be tempted to think that going through the religious motions will suffice. Perhaps God will be pleased with your occasional church attendance and empty prayers and non-sacrificial offerings. Then, when you want or need something from Him, you can rub the proverbial bottle and get from Him what you need.

God is not a genie, though. He is worthy of so much more than your occasional efforts and comfort-level praises. He deserves far more than your half-hearted “commitments” and selective “obedience.”

“Just as I called, and they would not listen, so when they called, I would not listen,” says the Lord of Hosts.(Zechariah 7:13).

Are you calling, but He is not listening? Listen to His Word. Trust in His salvation. Experience transformation.

To begin a growing relationship with God, check out The Story and turn to Him today.

No Half-Bottom Jobs

If Marsha and I ask the kids to sweep the kitchen floor, but they only sweep half, will we be satisfied with their effort? Of course not. From an early age, we try to teach our children the importance of hard work and discipline. Do your best, right?

No “half-bottom” jobs, as I like to say. Growing up, I often heard coaches and others call it “half-something else” jobs or efforts, but I am trying to be clean and appropriate with my kids, while still getting the point across that we need to work hard. We need to give our all. We need to be committed. Do not go through the motions. Be all in!

Are you ever satisfied when you pay for something, need something, request something, etc., and you get an effortless performance or poor product in return? Rarely, if ever. Yet, are you ever content to give your half-best or leftovers to God in service and in worship? Are you satisfied with a half-hearted effort of going through the motions? May we never be!

On Sunday morning, Lord willing, I will be preaching through Malachi 3:7-12 on the call and responsibility to give “The Full Ten Percent.” Of course, this applies primarily to our obedience in stewardship, but the commands and principles that are clear throughout Scripture call us to obey God’s Word fully in every area of our lives. Not partial obedience but complete obedience. No half-bottom jobs in life, and no half-bottom jobs in service to the Lord. And, really, everything we do is to be done in service to the Lord. So, no half-bottom jobs. Period.

Are there areas in your life where you are tempted to go through the motions? Are there commands in the Bible that you are compelled and convinced to obey only when comfortable and/or convenient? If so, regret (at best) and devastation (at worst) will come. Do not settle for less than God has in store for you (spiritual fruit and fulfillment) by giving less than God has called you to (faith and obedience).

Have you given your heart to the Lord? If so, make sure He has your whole heart in all things. If not, will you turn to Him today?

Knowing and following Jesus is the only way to have a right relationship with God and grow in a sincere desire to honor and please Him. To learn more, check out The Story.

Evangelism as Evidence

One very big difference in my life now from my life before I was a follower of Jesus Christ is my desire for others to follow Jesus. Before becoming a born-again Christian, I really did not think much about the salvation of others, let alone care. Sure, I declared myself to be a Christian, but because I did not have a personal relationship with Jesus but was rather just going through the religious motions, I never really considered the importance of others having a relationship with Jesus. Thus, evangelism – sharing the Good News of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection for our salvation – was never on my radar. Really, that is just the job of pastors and preachers and missionaries, right?

After surrendering my life to Jesus during my sophomore year of college, though, I desperately longed for others to know what Jesus did for me. I wanted others to know what He did and could do for them. And, while the commitment, obedience, and even the passion, at times, have been all over the spectrum from on-fire to barely flickering to somewhere in the middle, the flame of longing for others to know and experience the salvation that only Jesus Christ can give has never ceased.

THE SOURCE OF CHANGE

Why the stark difference from my life now and my life before becoming a Christian? The obvious answer is because I have experienced new life in Jesus, life that did not exist before I was 20 years old. Yes, I believed the right things about God and even knew I needed His forgiveness, but life (really, my march toward eternal death) was just about me, or so I thought. What could I get out of this religion thing? How might this help me achieve more for myself?

When God opened my eyes and my heart to the truth of the gospel, though, I was changed forever. The Holy Spirit began a work in me that continues and will continue until Jesus returns or calls me home. He is the source of change and the reason I so long for others to know Him.

Have you experienced that change?

THE EFFECT OF CHANGE

The Holy Spirit of God is the source of change, as He is the only One who can change our hearts for good. What is the resulting effect of that change, then? Well, there are many answers to that question, as the effects of change are the fruits of the Christian life (like we see in places like Galatians and 2 Peter). One effect, though, that I do not believe we talk about nearly enough is evangelism. The effect of gospel change in one’s heart and life is a passion for evangelism.

As is true for all Christ-followers, I believe, evangelism is evidence of salvation. We are either evangelizing or greatly convicted that we need to be.

Yes, we all struggle with obedience at times. Sure, we see various levels of passion and commitment. Certainly, some are more gifted in evangelism than others. The heart of evangelism, though – telling others how they can experience what you have experienced – should be evident in the life of every single one of us who follows Jesus. Truly, I believe it will be.

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses” (Acts 1:8). Not a suggestion but a command. Not an idea but a calling. Not a possibility but a promise. When you trust in Jesus, you receive His Spirit. When you receive His Spirit, you receive power. When you receive power, you evangelize.

Again, that does not necessarily imply that you are faithfully proclaiming the gospel in your everyday life, but it certainly does imply that you know you need to be. Do you?

Evidence of salvation is not limited to evangelism, but it is certainly not less. We ought to long for much more than just that others would also follow Jesus, but we should never want less than that.

On Sunday morning, Lord willing, I will be preaching from Acts 1:1-8 on the challenge we should all consider – “Are You Powerfully Proclaiming?” Are you telling others how they can have eternal life and pleading with them to turn to the Lord? If not, are you burdened that you need to be?

If Jesus has changed your life, I cannot fathom how you would not long for others to experience such change. May we continually pray for evangelism as evidence, hold one another accountable, trust God’s provision, and seek His help. To Him be the glory!

If you have yet to experience a changed heart and changed life, would you check out The Story and turn to the only One who can generate such change?

Not a Penny to My Name

Think back to your childhood for a moment. Do you remember how much you had to rely on your parents or guardians? Food, clothing, shelter, etc. – it all came from someone but not from us when we were children. Most of us were fortunate to have families who provided for us.

I did not think about it much then, but really, I had “not a penny to my name.” Everything I had was from my parents and others who provided for me. Okay, maybe I had some toys and other stuff in my room that I considered “mine,” but even those things were given to me. I did not earn them. I did not work for them. I did not purchase them. Really, you could argue that they, too, truly belonged to my parents.

Regardless of the technicalities of ownership, I greatly depended on my parents to meet my needs. No way I could make it on my own.

Do you remember when you felt like you did not have a penny to your name? Maybe you still feel that way. Maybe you are that way (or close to it).

Really, though, I would argue that we are all that way, regardless of how much we have (or think we have). If what I shared last week is true – that “God Is the Owner of Everything” (1 Chronicles 29:10-22), then the obvious application for us is that we really do not own anything. Lord willing, I hope to communicate that clearly on Sunday as I preach from Genesis 1:26-28 and 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 on why we were created and who we are to be.

God owns everything, and we own nothing. Thus, our priorities and stewardship principles should reflect that truth. We ought not worship nor worry about stuff. We need to be wise with what we “have,” what we spend, how we give, and what we prioritize. All this stuff is not ours, after all.

One day, Christ Jesus will return, and we will give an account for how we managed our time, money, resources, talents, etc. – His time, money, resources, talents, etc. Are you ready for that day? It could be any day, and He expects us to be ready. He calls us to be faithful, as He illustrated so clearly and powerfully in Matthew 25:14-30. Will you hear the words, “Well done!”?

What changes need to take place in your life to honor God with all that you manage? Do you know Him, and do you, as a result, desire to please Him?

I have not a penny to my name, and neither do you. In and through a relationship with Jesus, though, you can one day have more riches (that do not perish) than you could ever fathom. Thus, do not settle for temporary pleasures and pursuits, but find your hope and satisfaction in the One who owns it all forever. Then, you can and will rejoice that you have not a penny to your name. Praise the Lord!

While you and I have not a penny to our names physically, we can have and experience so much more spiritually by believing and trusting the gospel.

Faith with Effect

Late in his life, King David prayed the following prayer before his son Solomon became king of Israel…

May You be praised, LORD God of our father Israel, from eternity to eternity. Yours, LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendor and the majesty, for everything in the heavens and on earth belongs to You. Yours, LORD, is the kingdom, and You are exalted as head over all. Riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of everything. Power and might are in Your hand, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all. Now therefore, our God, we give You thanks and praise Your glorious name.

1 Chronicles 29:10-13

David’s faith had an effect on his actions, including his prayers. His faith had an effect on his decisions, his leadership, and his plan of succession.

Really, is this not true for all of us? What we believe affects what we do. How we live is impacted by our faith. Some might argue that their faith is separate from other areas of their lives, like politics or policies or careers. That belief and attitude, though, simply mean that such “faith” is misplaced (perhaps combining faith in a god with faith in oneself).

SINCERE FAITH AFFECTS ALL THINGS

If you are serious about your faith, such faith will impact every area of your life. Your conversations, your commitments, your attitude, your passions – all are impacted by sincere faith.

Faith that does not have such an impact is an insincere religious activity of going through the motions when convenient, advantageous, and/or comfortable.

How much would you say your faith impacts your everyday life?

WHAT YOU BELIEVE MATTERS

Because sincere faith is so effectual, where you place your faith is of critical importance. What you believe matters. In fact, what you believe is even more important than how strong such faith is.

If you have just a little faith in the weather report, for example, but enough faith to bring an umbrella to a football game when the weather forecast calls for rain, then you will not get wet when the rain hits. You may have been hesitant to believe the forecast, but even a little faith that compelled you to take action was enough to deliver you from the rain.

If you are completely confident in a different weather report that called for sunny skies, though, and you thus do not bring an umbrella, you are not protected from the rain. You may have had all the faith in the world, but your faith was misplaced.

What you believe matters. Who you put your faith in matters.

As David declared in 1 Chronicles 29 and in so many other instances throughout the Psalms, God alone is worthy of our absolute faith and assurance. He alone never fails, is worthy of worship, and will satisfy our needs. If you trust in Him and do so with sincerity and according to the Truth of His Word, He will never fail you.

On Sunday morning, Lord willing, I will begin a new sermon series on a call to biblical stewardship. The foundation for such a call is the truth that “God Is the Owner of Everything” (1 Chronicles 29:10-22). If we truly believe that, we will live in such a way that others will see that belief by what we say, in what we give, through what we do, and by where we go.

Faith with effect will have such an effect not only on those with such faith but also on those who see the living out of such faith.

Are you experiencing the effects of sincere faith? Are those around you? Saving faith in Christ alone will be enough. Turn to Him. Trust in Him. Follow Him. You will be blessed, and the world will be impacted.

To understand and experience the only “faith with effect” that endures forever, check out The Story.

What is discipleship?

At the heart of Christianity is the answer to the question, “What is discipleship?” because a disciple is a student and follower of someone or something. Thus, a disciple of Jesus is what being a Christian is all about, and many of us use the term “discipleship” to explain this lifestyle.

What is discipleship, then? As a follower of Jesus and as a pastor, I talk about this often and try my best to clearly communicate the answer to that question to our church family. Simply put, discipleship is following Jesus and helping others to follow Jesus. Put another way, discipleship is growing closer to Jesus and helping others to grow closer to Jesus.

On Sunday morning, Lord willing, I will be starting a new sermon series through 2 Peter (“Grow in Grace“), and, like many of the New Testament letters, I believe Christian discipleship is at the heart of 2 Peter because God’s Word exists in order for us to know Him, know whom He created us to be, and know how to help others know Him. So, the Bible is our manual for discipleship, answering life’s most important questions and revealing to us the most important truths.

As I have been studying this week for the first message in this series, “Grace to Grow,” I have been reminded how much I need the Lord above all, but also how much I need my brothers and sisters in Christ. Again, discipleship involves both following Jesus and helping others to follow Jesus. That means we need Him, and we need each other. We need God’s Word, and we need God’s church.

For these reasons, and because life tends to get busy and filled with fruitless distractions, I have discovered the importance of being very intentional when it comes to discipleship. Yes, the major part of following Jesus and helping others to follow Jesus should be what we do in our everyday lives. In other words, discipleship is not a program but a lifestyle. Still, I need some intentional focus, or my everyday lifestyle looks less and less like how the Bible calls me to live.

When God saves us, He gives us everything we need not only for eternal life but also for spiritual growth now (see 2 Peter 1:1-4). He gives us His Spirit to enable and equip us, and we have His Word to know Him and know how to live. We still have a responsibility, though, when it comes to our life of discipleship.

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with…” (2 Peter 1:5 – check out verses 5-9 for the list).

Am I “making every effort”? Are you?

In my 22+ years of being a Christian, one of the most helpful tools for my spiritual growth has been discipleship accountability groups (DAGs). Really, DAGs, along with the other three things I shared a few weeks ago (Bible, prayer, and church), have been used by the grace of God to bless me, challenge me, sharpen me, encourage me, and grow me.

In a perfect world, a DAG would not be necessary, as we would be diligent about prioritizing our faith, holding one another accountable, and helping one another grow closer to the Lord. We do not live in a perfect world, though, and we are far from perfect. For that reason, I mentioned the importance of being intentional.

If not for DAGs, would anyone ever ask me if I am walking in sexual purity and avoiding things like pornography? How often would people ask me when the last time is I shared the gospel with an unbeliever? Who would challenge me to memorize Scripture and spend daily time in the Word? Again, if we were all as spiritually mature as we should be, these questions and others like them would be part of our regular Christian relationships. My experience, though, has been that without DAGs or something like them, these questions rarely get asked.

Are you in a weekly DAG with a few other believers (men with men, women with women – since we deal with different issues)? If not, would you consider being in one? I am actually preparing to start a new DAG next month, and if you are interested in learning more about DAGs, resources we have, how to get started, etc., please let me know.

Let us seek with all that we are to grow closer to Jesus and help others grow closer to Jesus. Let us be disciples who make disciple makers.

Of course, to be a disciple, you must first surrender your life to Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. If you have yet to make this most important decision of your life, please consider checking out The Story for more information.

Obeying When You Don’t Feel Like It

As a dad, one thing I have never said to my kids is, “If your heart is in it and it feels right, do what I tell you to do.” Rather, I expect them to obey me, whether they feel like it or not. If you are a parent, I am sure you are the same way, right?

When I recently asked my kids to help me load my truck with chunks of concrete and asphalt (from the piles of dirt in the picture above), I did not expect they would jump for joy and celebrate the chance for manual labor on a muggy day. Still, I needed some help, and it was good for them to help me.

Granted, we can make mistakes as parents because we are sinners and far from perfect. Still, we give our children instructions and expect their obedience because we are trying to teach them right from wrong, educate them on the value of things like hard work and discipline, want what is best for them, and know (usually) better than they do what they need.

To an infinitely greater degree, of course, our Creator knows what we need. He knows what is best for us and has given us His Word to guide us. For His glory and for our good, He expects our obedience, and that expectation is not contingent upon our feelings. Because we are sinners who do not always have a great attitude, there will be plenty of times when we do not feel like obeying God. Will we obey anyway? Will I? Will you?

On Sunday morning, Lord willing, I will be preaching from Ezra 7 on “Reclaimed Obedience” because God’s Word is essential for all of us. We must look to the Lord and depend on the Lord for growth in our obedience to the Lord.

No, we will never, on this side of eternity, be perfect in our obedience. Jesus alone was and is that, and He died on the cross for our disobedience and brokenness. He took the punishment that we all deserve for our sinful disobedience. Then, Jesus rose from the dead and conquered sin and death for all of eternity. By turning to Him for forgiveness and salvation, we can and will live with Him forever.

One of the clearest and most important evidences of that salvation is growing obedience to the Word of God, both when we feel like it and when we do not. As the Holy Spirit of God transforms us and shapes us, too, we will grow in our desire to obey. By the grace of God, though, we will learn to obey even when the desire is lacking.

Will you seek and trust the Lord to help you be like Ezra, who “determined in his heart to study the law of the Lord, obey it, and teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10)? No matter how you feel, as God to help you obey Him in all things.

Are you growing in your obedience to God’s Word? Do you desire to grow and obey? If not, would you examine your heart and consider your relationship with the Lord? You can learn what it means to know and follow Him by checking out The Story.