Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a training conducted by Jeff Sundell, founder of the new 50-5-50 Network and the new National Director for e3 USA, an initiative of e3 Partners.This training has me thinking, what is necessary to make disciples in the USA.

Jeff was with the IMB for more then ten years and saw a disciple-making/church planting movement rapidly spread through Nepal to involve 10,000s of house churches. After returning home and not content to simply be assimilated into the American Church scene, Jeff is now leading a vision to see disciple-making movements started in 50 of the largest USA cities, deploying the same disciple-making methodologies he used in Nepal. This is what some know as the T4T or Four Field model. You can learn more about this at T4TUSA.com. Jeff is just one among a growing group of practitioners to these principles. 

At this recent training, I was challenged with this question: "Whose job is it to make disciples?"  According to Jesus, in his  Great Commission  (Matthew 28:19-20), the job belongs to everyone who would follow him. According to Jesus, all who would follow him have been called to make disciples! Isn't that awesome!? The first challenge  however is that in the USA, and elsewhere, the job of making disciples is often left to the professionals, seminary trained pastors. This leads to the second challenge, which is that all indications are that we are not really making disciples the way Jesus taught.

But what does it mean to make disciples? The way I would answer that question is this: Following Jesus example, by living for God's purpose for the knowledge of his glory in Christ to be known among the nations and teaching others to do likewise by our example (John 17:1-4).  We are called to reproduce ourselves until the knowledge of God's glory fills the earth. For that to happen, it is necessary to flip our existing disciple-making paradigm.

Below is an illustration of what I mean, not my own but something that Jeff taught, I simply reformatted it. If Jesus had in mind that all who would follow him would make disciples, how do we flip the existing paradigm that has produced our current lack of disciple-making in the Church? For starters we can learn from what's happening in areas of the world that are witnessing disicple-making movements and apply similar principles here. Since the principles are right out of Matthew 10 and Luke 9 and 10, they should work here as well.

How would you answer this question?

I’ve realized two disturbing things about my “Gratitude Quotient” recently: (1) I’m not nearly as grateful as I should be for how God has blessed me; (2) Many of the things I’m now MOST grateful for are past events I wasn’t grateful for at all when they were taking place.

I call this second point “gratitude in retrospect.”

Perhaps you can relate. Have you gone through difficult times when it was extremely difficult to give thanks? But now, as you look back, you see that God was at work through it all. Gratitude (finally!) rises in your heart as you see how the painful events have been beautifully woven into the fabric of your life.

• Maybe you had a relationship breakup that broke your heart…but it paved the way for God to provide someone much better in your life.
• Maybe you faced a severe trial in your health…but it caused you to make lifestyle changes in your diet and exercise—and now you’re feeling better than ever.
• Maybe you lost a job you thought you’d have until retirement…but God opened (or will open) a new door that’s a much better fit for your gifts and passions.
• Maybe you’ve experienced a financial meltdown, such as foreclosure or bankruptcy…but you learned vital lessons that finally put you on the path of prosperity.

These are just a few examples of how “gratitude in retrospect” can occur. I first noticed this in my life a few years ago, when a friend suggested that I write a book about church splits. “That’s the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard,” was my initial thought. “Even though I’m an expert on church splits, who would ever be interested in a book about that?”

But my tech-savvy friend pointed out that 8,000 people every month do a Google search on the subject of church splits. “Wow. There must be a lot of people dealing with this,” I concluded.

As a result of that conversation, I wrote The Complete Guide to Church Splits: Prevention, Survival, and Recovery (you can download it at www.ChurchSplits.com).

But this event sparked something much bigger than just a new book project: I discovered that God had been a lot more faithful than I had given Him credit for. And I became much more grateful for the difficult things I’ve experienced in life—even though my gratitude was mostly in retrospect.

I’m still troubled by my struggle to be grateful at the same time as my trials are occurring. The Bible instructs us to give thanks “IN everything,” not just AFTER everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

I’m also sad that although I’ve given lip service to Romans 8:28 for decades, God’s amazing promise there is still not rooted as deeply in my life as it should be. Paul had gone through incredible trials (2 Corinthians 11:22-28), yet he said, “We KNOW that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

As the truth of Romans 8:28 becomes more a part of my life, I hope to become more grateful all the time—not just in retrospect. I want to become increasingly aware that God is always working to “connect the dots” in my life, creating a masterpiece I could never have imagined during my times of adversity.

So I pray you will join me in being grateful TODAY—no matter what the day brings…no matter what you may be going through. You may not understand it all today, but the Lord is working out His wonderful plan nevertheless.

I don't know if you have noticed this or not, but it seems that there are a lot of movies that are coming out that are now the "back stories" of a movie that has already been produced. The Avengers are doing back stories. The Lord of the Rings just recently premiered a backstory of The Hobbit. There is also a television show about the backstories of country music singers, so that we get a sneak peak into their lives prior to them becoming stars.

What has been so compelling in all of these backstories is the desire they conjure up for us to go and discover revelations about people and circumstances in the original movies that made no sense. Once you understand the backstory, you understand more clearly why the actions and turn of events happened the way they did.

The backstory makes sense of the whys.

My favorite of all of the back stories recently produced is definitely Wicked, the broadway musical. Wicked is the backstory of The Wizard of Oz. So as not to spoil anything for anyone who has not seen it yet (and if you haven't, you MUST!), just know that when I watched Wicked, it changed my whole perspective on the wicked witch.

Jesus was interested in other's back stories. Even though He was omniscient, He still talked with the woman at the well about her past. In John 4, He says to her, "Go, call your husband and come back.” 

“I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.” ~John 4:16-18

Jesus took her backstory and used it to help her discover who He really was. And when we get to know another's backstory, we can help another see who He is as well.

When it comes to walking through life with others, especially when it comes to discipling, it is very important that we do not discount their backstory. It is what too many disciplers forget to do, and yet is really one of the most important facets of really being able to help other women walk into deeper waters of relationship with God.

Here's what I believe are the benefits of hearing other's backstories:

• You discover what has motivated another's actions, thoughts, and feelings, to better understand why they act the way they do in current situations.
• You better understand the "labels" that have been placed on another, not just accept those labels as truth.
• You are enabled to look at someone's heart, not just the exterior that they show to the world.

 Knowing the backstory in discipleship is paramount to helping another walk in closer relationship with God.

When has someone's backstory changed your perspective of them?

Written by Jena Forehand, Author of Living Deeper: Women helping women walk with God. To find out more, click here

Need to Change Something?  Find an Accountability Partner (Part 1)

“Ok, I am going to hold you accountable to do what you said you were going to do!”  In a tone that never had much grace this is how my friends and I would attempt to “encourage” each other in our walk with Christ and in trying to live out our spiritual disciplines.  I used to think that accountability meant railing on someone for not doing what they said they were going to do but then I read something that changed my way of thinking… dramatically.   Our Community Group at church has been going through a series entitled, “Instruments in the Hands of the Redeemer.”  This Biblically based, gospel-centered study equips people to learn how to minister to others and help them change (i.e. incarnational ministry).  This last week we read about accountability.  Below is an excerpt from our study guide written by Paul Tripp and Tim Lane.  Take a look at it and then see if maybe your understanding of Biblical accountability has changed.  This is Part 1.  In Part 2 we will look at how this actually looks in holding someone accountable for certain actions.  Feel free to leave a comment.

Accountability
As change is applied to daily living, the Bible gives us two things to remember. First, as we help restore a person to where God wants him to be, we should “carry each other’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). We are also told that we should “encourage one another daily” (Hebrews 3:13). These passages have much to offer us as we think about accountability

• Accountability is not about being a private detective.
• It is not about trying to do the work of the Holy Spirit.
• It is not about being someone’s conscience.
• It is not about forcing someone to obey.
• It is not about chasing someone who is running or looking for someone who is hiding.
  
  Accountability is about providing loving structure, guidance, assistance, encouragement, and warning to a person who is fully committed to the change God is working in his life. Let’s look at these five elements of accountability.

1. Accountability provides structure. Life is often messy and chaotic. Change seems easier when being discussed than it does when being applied to life. Accountability provides an outside system of structure (“Do these things during this period of time”) that can be immensely helpful to the person attempting something for the first time.

2. Accountability provides guidance. Often a person will want to do what is right but won’t be sure how to do it. At these times it is a great benefit to have someone standing alongside to provide ongoing wisdom as to the “where,” “when,” and “how” of change.

3. Accountability provides assistance. There are times when the person is not able to make the needed changes alone (example: a difficult talk with a wife, friend, child) and he literally needs someone there with him, helping him make the changes that are needed.

4. Accountability provides encouragement. Change is difficult and people get beaten down. They are tempted to question their commitments or even to quit. In these times, they need someone they trust alongside them, who knows their situation and who can encourage them to continue.

5. Accountability provides warning. There are times when people confess the need for change, but then begin to rebel against it when they realize the cost and work involved. These people need to be warned of the consequences that their disobedience and rebellion will bring. They need to be reminded that they will harvest what they have sown (Galatians 6:7).

Accountability is not about chasing a person who does not want to change or trying to do the work of the Holy Spirit. It is the willingness to provide ongoing help to the person who is fully committed to the “put off/put on” process.

There are three questions to ask as you seek to provide ongoing

accountability.

1. What kinds of ongoing help will this person need?

2. How often will I need to be in contact with him for change to continue?

3. Are there other resources in the Body of Christ that would be helpful during this period of change? How can I connect this person to those resources?

Remember, as the person begins to apply new insights and new commitments to his situations and relationships, it is important to remind him of his identity in Christ and to provide ongoing accountability.

THE BIG QUESTION: Do you help others bear the burden of change by providing biblical accountability and affirming their identity in Christ?

All for Jesus,

Fletch

Hi! My name is Jena Forehand, a wife, mother, speaker, and author of Living  Deeper and the
Living Deeper Discipleship Series. God has burned a passion for  discipleship in my belly that
compels me to share it with all who will listen!  Here's why:

I believe that deep within the heart of every person is a desire to be a part of  something much
bigger than themselves. It's an irresistible motive to lock arms  with a group of people who share a common passion that transcends the mundane of  each day. It calls us to be a part of a bigger story that involves risk and  ruthless trust, because we know without God's help, we are toast.

The great news is that God offers us all these great adventures to live! The sad  news is that most
of us choose not to. Fear, inadequacies, insecurities, and the  like keep us from ever living life to its fullness.

In Psalm 42:7, King David penned, "Deep calls to deep". He was expressing in  song that the
depths of God's heart is calling to the depths of yours.

God wants us to live in deeper relationship with Him. He wants to take us into  the deep places
where we can know Him fully, follow Him completely , obey Him  willingly, and experience Him
abundantly. That is what Jesus offers us in John  10:10, "I have come to give you life and to give it
to you abundantly!"

God is ready to take us by the hand and lead us into the deeper waters of  relationship with Him.
He wants us to experience the exciting life He created us  to live. Aren't you ready to start living
deeper?

As we begin taking the plunge and heading into the deeper waters with Jesus, He  will guide us to fulfill the very purposes for which we were made: to go and  make disciples. This is paramount to
the culture of today. Here's why:

87% of them want nothing to do with God. Who are they? They are the diverse and  dynamic
generation coming behind us known as the "Millennials". Awesome  individuals that could turn the world upside down for Christ, they have walked  away from faith in Jesus and it is they who we
need to disciple.

Yet, the older generation has lost purpose, the Church has lost it's  effectiveness, and both could
cause us to lose this next generation.  God has  given me a vision to reach this millennial
generation through the launching of a  worldwide discipleship revolution.

Many of us came to Christ, but then felt "left" and never discipled. I believe  that God is calling a
group of women to come together and disciple the next  generation so that the older women will
find new purpose, our faith in Christ  will be carried into the future generations, and the Church will return to the  thriving organism that God created it to be.

This new ministry effort is called "Living Deeper Ministries".  I believe that  fulfilling the Great
Commission, "Go and make disciples of all nations", is the  one mission God desires all of us to be a part of. I want to help the next  generation become disciples, learning how to live in deeper
relationship with  God and carrying others with them.

Jesus said, "store up for yourselves treasures in heaven". The only thing I know  of that lasts
forever is people, and you walking into deeper waters with God and  taking the next generation
with you makes an eternal investment in the future of  the Church.

Just imagine how this world would change if the 87% who want nothing to do with  God could be
reached with the Gospel!   Just imagine the passion and purpose  that would happen inside the
Church if God's people could be empowered to reach  them! This is precisely my mission, and I
hope it becomes your too.

For more information about Jena and Living Deeper Ministries, please go to
www.livingdeeperministries.com

This is still kind of rough shards of thought, but bear with me; I think I’m onto something here… plus, it ties in to my other random devotional pieces as of late…

Everything God gives us is done with the goal—His goal—that it be spent for His glory. The thing is, maybe especially as Americans, we tend to think of giving only in terms of money. And to be sure, our money can represent a number of things lurking behind it. But what about the gifts, spiritual or material, that He’s given us?

And moreso, what about the authority—or, more rawly put, power—He’s entrusted us with, whether that’s in our marriages, our families, our work, our church? Are we as willing to give that away for the sake of those who don’t have it?

Power, like money, is something to be given away to those who need it, rather than hoarded. We serve an all-powerful Lamb who was willingly slain for us, and we must be willing to follow.

Chris Heuertz, in his remarkable book Simple Spirituality, described the measure of our love this way, “It’s not what you give—but what you keep.” Conversely, what we insist upon keeping reveals where we’re still lacking in love.

What we release, lives; what we hang onto dies with us. Thank God for what He’s given you; and ask God to open your hands, and to release what you’re holding onto.

I’ve been coming across our title phrase—or rather, it’s been coming across me—a lot lately (Rom. 9:8, Gal. 4:28). How do we live like “children of promise”? One way to look at it also came across me lately…

As I’ve been working through the prayers in Dawn to Dark (review, for those who missed it, here), one of the exercises was to reflect on my baptism, nearly 30 years ago. What I remember was this: I had no real desire to do it, but I did it anyway out of obedience. And ironically (or fittingly), the week that followed was one of the most joyful of my life.

Obedience isn’t popular in our time (or any, really), let alone in our country. We’d rather be “relevant,” or “tolerant,” or really anything that “proves to God” that we love Him short of obeying Him (and thus really shows that we love other people’s approval a lot more).

But the fact is, we are children of the promise. And we cannot fulfill the promise we have in God without obedience.

We must believe that God really intends to save us and use us for His purposes, not ours. And we must pursue knowing and desiring God’s purposes. And then—even when we do understand or “feel led”—walk them out in obedience. Because that’s what a child of promise does.

I'm a fan of Pinterest. It's interesting, and challenging, addictive, and often, even inspiring. Last night, a posting explained how a mom had led her three daughters in a new approach to Advent last year by creating 25 ideas for Random Acts of Christmas Kindness. Each was put into a brown paper lunchbag and the girls participated each day in one of the random acts of kindness . . . from taping a card and a quarter on a parking meter to surprising their teachers with a favorite beverage from Starbucks. Each act was accompanied by a card that focused on the joy of celebrating the birth of Christ.

I also have friends who have faithfully posted daily five things they are thankful for. No repeats are allowed. They've found that it reminds them of how great God's blessings are.

Thanksgiving and Christmas can easily become overwhelming . . . too much to do in too little time . . . and God's blessings overlooked along the way. So what do you (and your family/friends/church) do to make sure the blessings are not missed?

Maybe by sharing, we can inspire each other through the next weeks!

Margie Williamson

Community Manager

My first E-booklet was just released on Amazon!  It’s titled “14 Shifts in Disciple Making & A Framework.”  It’s subtitled “A Dynamic E-booklet,” because it has been designed to be expanded by you, the community of believers.  It’s not free, but the proceeds will go towards ministering to those in need of much relief in the Andes Mountains Cloud Forest Region of Ecuador.  That said, I’d invite you to purchase it and write a review on Amazon.com

Last week, I went to vote early. I expected no one to be there. I was amazed at the lines, the people, the wait . . . and the seriousness of the moment. I don't know when I've ever felt the tension throughout our country over an election as I have this time. A friend of mine posted on FaceBook that she was concerned that after all the political postings on-line, friends would have trouble remaining friends after the election.

What can we as disciples do as our country prepares for Tuesday? NavPress has published a series of scriptural prayers to help our churches pray for those in authority, such as:

"Lord, give our country leaders who . . ."

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the “upper room discourse” lately, in John 13-14 in particular so far. It’s an interesting section, since it’s one of the few where you really see Jesus interacting with His disciples collectively, instead of just one or two at a time. Heck, we even get a line out of Jude/Thaddeus (aka Judas Not Iscariot) here.

It’s also a hard section to wrap your head around, and simultaneously kind of annoying because it sounds like Jesus is constantly repeating Himself—like He’s constantly rephrasing the same comments over and over because His listeners just don’t get it. Then again, He’s talking to His disciples, and we know they’re kinda thick.

Or at least we should—because after all, we’re His disciples, too.

Anyway, what seems inescapable here is the connection Jesus draws between love and obedience. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). ”Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me” (John 14:21)

In fact, He connects our obedience with our ability to see Him work in our lives. “And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him…. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:21, 23).

This isn’t the first time Jesus makes this connection, though.  “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8). This word also helps contrain our obedience, so that it’s not blind—at best misguided, at worst satanic—obedience. Purity of heart is to want what God wants, in the way God wants it. It necessitates the right kind of obedience, and promises that God will manifest Himself as we do it.

Jesus illustrated this principle Himself later in John 14: “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father” (John 14:30-31, emphasis mine).

Especially to the world, our obedience can look wrong, misguided, and overly submissive—and sometimes it is. There is a time to stand up. But as He prepares to enter the garden of Gethsemane and take up His cross, Jesus shows us what standing up should look like. It’s not “in your face,” but in His name. It is doing what God demands, and letting the chips—and our desires—fall where they may.

So, along with Jesus, “Rise, let us go from here” (John 14:31).

     I watch the children engaged in Sunday School activities. One child, dressed in costume as Ezra, steps up on a wooden platform and reads the Bible aloud to a small group. Another child, pretending to be Ezra the scribe, sits and copies Bible verses. Nearby, children are bowling, knocking over labeled juice bottles and arranging them in Bible book order by division: Law, History, Poetry and Wisdom, and Major Prophets. A third group is engaged learning a Bible verse with a bean bag game. Prayer, thought and preparation birthed these learning activities.

     Yet, when I glance at another area of the classroom, I see a few children who have wandered away from learning about God's word. They are enthralled with a handful of micro toys one boy brought  from home. These children are momentary lost sheep of this Sunday School activity time. I am challenged to plan better and study these individual sheep more to know how I can keep them in the fold. They are worth the extra effort. After all, I realize I spent decades as a lost one. My Shepherd, Jesus, made extra effort to bring me into the fold. How could I do any less for these young sheep of His pasture?

Isaiah 53:6  "We all like sheep have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way. And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." (NIV)

If you've read my blog in the past (which I know is extremely sporadic!), you know that I love stories. And I love the way that God uses these stories from friends and acquaintances to speak to me in a very personal way. I was with three friends at lunch this week, enjoying the food, the conversation, and the companionship. After lunch, one of my friends shared this story with me:

Her family has been going through a lot recently. While the whole family has struggled, her grandsons seem to have had the hardest time knowing how to handle things. Recently, the boys spent the week with my friend and her husband, even sleeping on the floor in their room because they didn't want to be by themselves.

Every night, the four would spend time on the bed in prayer as the boys called out their fears and concerns before God. Yet, any level of peace seemed illusive. One night, my friend told the boys that they prayer time that night would be different. "Tonight," she told them, "We're not going to pray for the things that are worrying us. Tonight, let's pray for the things we're thankful for, for the blessings God has given us. And then, before we close, we'll ask God to protect us during the night and tomorrow." The boys nodded silently, and then the family prayed together. They prayed as she had requested . . . of their thanks, of the blessings God had given them, of the promises He makes, and ended in praying for His protection through the night.

After the prayer time, the oldest grandson, the one who had struggled the most in handling all the family was going through, looked at his grandmother and said, "I liked that prayer time better." Her response? "Me, too!"

What a wonderful and clear lesson from this child! It's so easy to focus on the negative things going on in our lives that we miss God's promises and blessings. And it is through those that we can find true peace.

Times are tough in our country and our world right now. Churches and families are face tough economic times and even tougher decisions of how to handle the challenges that come with those. And, as I write, the Muslim world has risen up in protest of a film that teachings against the Muslim faith, rioting in the streets, attacking embassies, and even killing representatives of our country abroad. It's easy to focus on the frightening events around us. Peace seems illusive at the moment. 

I want to challenge us all to do two things between now and Thanksgiving.

First, listen for the lessons of God that can come so beautifully and simply through a child.

And, second, share those lessons with us through this network, either in response to this blog, or in a blog of your own.

Will you accept that challenge? 

Margie Williamson

Community Manager

My friend Ron passed away Saturday morning. He was a retired educator who was passionately devoted to Christ and who continued to learn and to lead others to do likewise. Ron was an amazing man.

He received word on Wednesday that there was no hope for him and he had no more than 5 days left. His blood had so little oxygen in it that it could not sustain life. He was with a good friend and former pastor when he received the news and spent much of the rest of the day planning his memorial, and talking to his children about their lives to come.

His former pastor encouraged him to use the time he had to look over his life--the churches he had participated in, the schools in which he had taught and the students whose lives he had impacted, the relationships he had with his family members and friends, and even those of whom he needed to forgive or ask forgiveness.

On Thursday, his hospice room was full of people who came to see him and say goodbye, one who even brought his guitar. They sang hymns, and prayed, and praised God together during that time. And Ron was able to tell his pastor that as he had looked over his life, he realized that there was no one he needed for forgive or ask forgiveness. However, there were some people he wanted to talk to. When they were notified, all came to his room to speak with him one last time.

A member of Ron's Sunday School class told me this morning that he had gone to the hospital on Wednesday with a heavy heart, but left having been uplifted through the sermon he had witnessed Ron live that day. He told me that Ron had continued to teach until the very end.

What a beautiful picture of a disciple! 

Thank you God for Ron and for others whose very lives are a living sermon of the hope they have in You!

Margie Williamson

Community Manager

A friend from church was telling us about a gift he and his wife received a few years ago. Since both are avid baseball fans, their kids offered them choice seats behind home plate for an Atlanta Braves. Or, they had the choice of the entire family attending the game with seats in the outfield. They chose the outfield, but decided to have their own transportation home in case the grandchildren didn't make it through the game.

That first year, the grandchildren only made it a few innings. However, it became an annual family event.

The next year, the grandkids made it through the entire game, hooting and hollering for the home team without understanding what was happening on the field.

The third year, the grandkids started asking questions about the game and what they saw.

This past year, the grandson wanted to sit beside Granddad. Why? "Because he talks baseball."

The story was told as Granddad anticipated the upcoming baseball outing and time with the grandkids.

I may be wrong, but that sounds like discipleship to me . . . sharing passion for the game, providing opportunities to be there, teaching them the basics.

I just wonder how many of our children and grandchildren want to be close to us because "we talk Jesus"?

Margie Williamson

Community Manager

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters-yes, even his own life-he cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26-NIV).

The great commission directs us to go out and make disciples from all nations of the earth, commanding them to keep the directives given by Christ and his Apostles. We do not do this. We go out "save soul", telling them they are not obligated to keep the commandments contained in the New Testament because they are saved by grace.

We do not go out to bear witness. We go out to "save souls" and build churches. This is why we do not bear a true witness. We are so anxious to draw people into our denominational framework that we compromise the Gospel of the kingdom. We "sell" the Gospel. This means we do everything we can make it attractive to people.

The Lord Jesus Christ never did this .He spoke in parables so people could not understand and be converted. Christ explained the parables only to those God had given him. He accused the pharisees openly, rebuking them with harsh words.

The apostles Paul did not attempt to sell Felix on the gospel. He spoke to Felix of righteousness ,self control, and the judgement to come until Felix trembled.

The book of acts is not so much a record of the apostles"saving souls", in the sense of urguing their listeners to make a proffessional faith, but of God`s preachers bringing the good news of forgiveness through the blood of the cross and warning people every where to turn from their sins and bring forth the evidence of deep repentance.

When we try to "save souls" and build a large church we are apt to trim the demands of Christ so people are not offended.

The Lord Jesus Christ never did this. He spoke plainly to his followers: If you are going to be my disciple you have to deny yourself, takeup your cross, and follow me. If you once put your hand to the plow and then look back, you are not fit for the kingdom of God. If you love your family members more than you do me you are not worthy of me. If you do not takeup your cross and follow me you are not worthy of me.

Do we hear this preached today ? No indeed we do not. Rather, as in the case of at least one assembly, we fill people`s coffee cups during the taking of the offering so they will feel comfortable and happy and have fun.

We are much more concerned about the growth of the numbers than we are with the spiritual growth of the individuals. We are sowing our traditions and personal ambitions and we are going to reap corruption in the days to come.

One can be an American Christian in all the customery meanings of the term and yet not be a disciple of Jesus Christ . A disciple of Jesus Christ is an individual who in his heart has come out from the world, who is denying himself and seeking Christ with all his might. His whole life-every part of it-is centered on the Lord Jesus Christ.

RESTING IN HIM
From Uganda East Africa
+256(0)752988099
pswmoses1974@yahoo.com

There is one discipline that you absolutely, positively, without a doubt, no excuses have to master as a follower of Christ.  That one discipline is daily Bible reading and prayer.  It is so simple yet so incredibly hard to master.  Here is how it goes:

1. Open your Bible
2. Read
3. Apply

Three EASY steps.  Seriously, it does not have to be complicated.  You do not have to get out your concordance, Confession or Systematic Theology textbook.  Just open your Bible, read and apply.  It doesn’t have to take you an hour, you don’t have to light a candle, you don’t have to be dressed a certain way, you don’t have to say a prayer with a bunch of “thee’s” and “thou’s”.  Open your Bible, read and apply.

Why is it so hard?  There are a thousand reasons but basically we either don’t see the true benefit or we get distracted.  Most people just don’t see how this simple discipline can change your life.  The God of the universe wants to speak and be with you today.  Open your Bible, read and apply.  This is the main way in which God speaks to us but we just don’t always see it. 

We get distracted and have other things to do rather than open your Bible, read and apply.  I was distracted this morning before I started this discipline.  I had this idea for this blog (the one I’m writing right now), and I wanted to write it first, then open my Bible, read and apply.  But I decided to set aside the blog and do the most important thing first, open my Bible, read and apply.  Facebook, email, twitter, a long “to do” list; these and a thousand other things are screaming at you first thing in the morning.  But you really need to be able to set them aside just for a few minutes to open your Bible, read and apply.

I could go into detail about these three things but for now I just want to encourage you to open your Bible, read and apply it to your life.

All for Jesus,

Fletch