Discipleship Network Forum

Sometimes I am easily amused, like sitting in a coffee shop, reading T-shirts, while waiting on an appointment with a friend. On a recent day the back of a nearby t-shirt read, “Together is better,” which was a good thought. Then I noticed a scripture reference underneath, Ecclesiastes 4:9, which reads, “Two are better than one.” As I was able to pick up bits and pieces of the conversation, I realized that the one in the t-shirt was offering spiritual counsel with the other person at the table. It was so refreshing to see someone actually living what they were displaying on their t-shirt. Much better than the t-shirt I saw on another occasion, which read, “I’m only talking to my dog today” as the person chatted continually with a friend. Or the t-shirt that read, “I love New York” worn by a person with a distinctly southern accent. A better t-shirt message might be the words of Helen Keller, who said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” The best thing about togetherness for Christians, is expressed in the words of Jesus who said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20). Together is better. Together with Jesus is best – whether worn on a t-shirt on not.

Today's Question: Broadly speaking, what are the major issues James confronts in Chapter 2, and what is the gist of his arguments?

In Chapter 2 James discusses three important correlations that all Christians would do well to heed. The first (verses 1-9), addresses the relationship between the rich and poor. James scoffs at Christians who cater to the rich while ignoring the plight of poor people, and speaks of scoffers as unrighteous judges with evil thoughts. He also makes the point that such actions contradict the faith exemplified by Jesus, and redefines riches to no longer be based on material wealth, but on the priceless value of a poor person’s faith. James also teaches that even though it is the rich who oppress and blaspheme, true believers should still love them. Lastly, he informed us that those who put the interests of the rich ahead of the poor, commit sin by their actions.

The second correlation (verses 10-13), addresses the relationship between mercy and judgment, and those who fail to extend mercy to others will not receive God’s mercy during judgment! James informs us that it is a fallacy to believe that a Christian can get into Heaven based upon his/her own righteousness, because if a person breaks any part of God’s law, they have broken it all! Therefore, all must come before God’s judgment seat. The difference is the merciful also will receive God’s mercy because mercy triumphs over judgment!

The third correlation addresses the relationship between faith and works, and James nullifies any faith that is based strictly on belief (or mental assent), because true faith impels Christ’s true followers to address the prevailing needs of the downtrodden. That need may be food, shelter, or clothing, but if all a Christian does is pronounce a blessing on that needy person, when it is within his/her power to supply that which is needed, their blessing is meaningless because faith without works is dead! James gives examples of two Biblical characters who were rewarded for living out their faith through action: Abraham and Rahab. And just like a body without any spirit is dead, James teaches that faith without works is also dead, vain, and meaningless!

Next Week’s Question: There should be little disagreement that discrimination remains a part of the social fabric of America, so what are the underlying problems with showing partiality or favoritism, as commanded by James in James 2:1-9?

Who am I? I am Rev. Philip L. Hilliard, the Senior Pastor of Austin Corinthian Baptist Church (ACBC), located on the Westside of Chicago. ACBC, was founded by my father, the late Rev. Clarence L. Hilliard – my mentor and spiritual leader, and I studied and received Biblical training under him. Therefore, I have no formal Bible Training since my undergrad degree is in business and I spent over 30 years in the Information Technology field; most of which was spent traveling coast-to-coast managing the implementation of and building computer information systems as a consultant. I assumed the role of Senior Pastor in 2005 when my dad went home to be with The Lord!

My dad was a Black Evangelical Prophet who put The Lord first in everything he did, and his whole focus was to build up the Kingdom of God by spreading unadulterated Gospel Truths to everyone he encountered. He grew up in Buffalo, NY and was a civil rights leader who fought for justice and fair housing. Because he championed justice, he received hate mail, but that never deterred his fight for justice, and he is noted for the following:

• Cohorting with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by driving him around when he visited Buffalo, NY;
• Debating Malcolm X on the University of Buffalo South Campus in 1963;
• Developing the Funky Gospel (an abbreviated version appeared in Christianity Today in January 1976) – an equivocal message that Jesus challenges (then and now), the status quo and sides with the poor, powerless, and oppressed;
• Being forced out of his team pastorate position at Circle Evangelical Free Church, a church that sought to bridge the racial divide by adopting, what it called, the Open Church;
• Holding long time Board Chairmanship for National Black Evangelical Association (NBEA) and simultaneously holding position of Social Action Commission Chairperson for NBEA and NAE (National Association of Evangelicals); and 
• Championing the cause of social justice, with his dissenting viewpoint, at the Consultation on World Evangelization conferences in Lausanne, Switzerland and Pattaya, Thailand.

My mother, Annie Pearl Williams Hilliard, grew up in Oxford, North Carolina, the daughter of a sharecropper. She experienced first-hand the discrimination and injustice imposed upon Blacks in the south. Her own father was arrested and on the brink of a lynching until an influential police officer, when he saw it was Bennie Williams, intervened because of his “good family name.” Eventually, my grandfather left his sons to farm the land, traveled to Buffalo, found work, and saved money to move his family.

A major focus of ACBC’s ministry has been to bridge the racial divide, because that is what the Kingdom of God (which is already among us), is all about! To that end, I meet with a multiracial group of Pastors and others, at least weekly, in different forums to address issues that are dividing God’s Kingdom. It is hard to miss the fact that God’s Word is taking a backseat to political ideology, fearmongering, racism, nationalism, injustice, and equality. On Wednesdays I lead a thought-provoking Bible Study, and we are currently studying James 2 which I believe speaks to various spiritual issues that plagues today’s Church and Evangelical Communities. Each week I will post a question and on the following week my answer and another question. God is a God of justice, so when we live His way, everyone benefits equally!

Today's Question: Broadly speaking, what are the major issues James confronts in Chapter 2, what is the gist of his arguments?

I lovingly embrace you and faithfully carry you close to My heart. What difference does it really make? All the difference in the world! When you follow Me as your Shepherd, I take good care of you.

Hungry? I alone can satisfy your heart’s deepest hunger. Like a sheep after a satisfying meal, you lie down in a green meadow to take a nap—content.

Falling apart under stress? Take My hand—I will lead you by peaceful streams where you will not be frightened and you can enjoy My poise.

Tottering? Look to Me for strength for life’s challenges—soar higher than mediocrity, run faster than temptation, walk farther than lethargy. Find renewed energy in the pleasure of My company.

Yearning to be holy? My paths are right and honorable—walk on them and grow in My likeness.

Troubled at the thought of dying? Do not fear—I am with you. I will protect and comfort you as you cross the dark valley to the city of light.

Encircled by foes? Take a seat at My table—enjoy a meal with Me.

Hurting? Divine hospitality cures your headache and heartache.

Unhappy? Look around—then look up and thank Me for overflowing blessings in your life. I do not just hang one star in the sky—I spangle nights with countless constellations. I do not plant only a single flower for your viewing enjoyment—I arrange whole fields. I do more than toss occasional blessings—goodness cascades from My heart to yours day after day.

Feeling unloved in an uncaring world? Nestle near My heart, and My goodness and unfailing love will warm yours. It can indeed be a cold, cruel world—as I learned firsthand when I visited your tilted planet—but I am the heartwarming God.

Longing for permanence? Heaven on earth will bring you an unchanging address. Better than hope-so, maybe-so, guess-so talk—know-so confidence faces forever with unflinching faith in your Shepherd. I am your Center of Gravity—everything you need in time and eternity. Follow Me—I will get you home.

© Pastor Johnny R. Almond, Day 200 Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Paul was the disciple and discipler par excellence. While his and our perfect example is the Messiah, and we are commanded to "walk as He walked" (1 John 2:6) Christ was sinless and we are not. 

Because Paul had a sinful nature just as we do, and for several other important reasons, Paul understood the outworkings of the high calling as no one else did. Therefore Paul could make this astounding declaration "Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).

The primary aspect of being a disciple is in inward preparation which will never end.

The secondary aspect of being a disciple is to be a discipler; it is a call to invest our lives in only a few others. 

Jesus had the twelve but interestingly, He invested His life more in three out of the twelve. The beneficial outcome was clearly evident to the Church and Paul who wrote: "James and Peter and John, who were reputed to be pillars" Galatians 2:9.

Paul focused on Timothy, Barnabas, Silvanus, and a few others because of his travels; Sosthenes and Titus among others. His disciples were encouraged to do the same (2 Timothy 2:2).

So we would not think that walking with Christ gave an advantage to James and Peter and John that we could never have, thus giving them an advantage over us, God chose Paul the rebel with the gospels as a background, to show us that the same result could be possible for us today. The Holy Spirit gave us a clear view of the life, the thoughts, and the ways of Paul and thus provide us with a pattern to live by. There is much to say about all of this of course.

"Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ" (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Beginning with us individually first, and as the second coming is approaching, God is calling us back to basics as He restore the Church He had after the resurrection; both in its theology (Jude 3) and in its function. "And that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time" Acts 3:20-21.

My GOD, my God, why have You forsaken me?

Why are You so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?

Psalm 22:1 THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE

     The place of the skull was a place of doubt. My Son thought I had forsaken Him. In sadness, you feel you are in a God-forsaken place. When you need Me the most, you may sometimes conclude I am hiding. Skeptics are no help—      they mockingly tell you I am a very absent help in trouble. Then you remember I have promised never to leave you alone.

     The place of the skull was a place of desperation. Golgotha meant groaning for Jesus. Cries for His Father’s help ascended from the cross. In times of sorrow, you feel a little like He did. Oppressed by the enemy, you mourn. Prayer seems pointless in pain. “Why bother?” you ask. When you reach the end of your rope, tie a prayer knot and hang on. When it is hardest to pray, pray your hardest. I bless desperation.

     The place of the skull was a place of derision. Calvary meant contempt for Christ. Carrying your cross will bring a similar response. Human scorn may lower your self-esteem to that of a worm! Sarcasm may hurt your heart. Enemies of righteousness will taunt you, “So where is this God of yours you claim is so helpful?” Unbelievers have no time for Me or you—uninterested in holiness, they take aim at anyone who is. The world is not a friend to grace, to help you get nearer Me. So keep your eyes on Jesus your Friend.

     The place of the skull was a place of death. Jesus died on His cross—die on yours. Discipleship means death to self. The cross crosses out “I.” Die to selfishness and find self-fulfillment. Shoulder your cross for My sake, and discover life’s truest meaning. Deny yourself, and come alive.

     The place of the skull was a place of deliverance. Rejection was not the end of Jesus’ story; I had a surprise for the world—resurrection! My love for you began before you were born and will continue infinitely beyond the day of your death. Eternal life will be yours—abundant life is yours you rise above moral corruption and spiritual death.

     Jesus was mocked so you could inherit a mansion. He was deserted so you could be delighted by the pleasure of My company. He was crucified so you could be changed. He went to hell for a while so you could go to heaven forever. He bore a gory cross so you could wear a glorious crown. Walk in His steps even though it hurts—             total redemption is on the way!

© Pastor Johnny R. Almond, Day 199 Gentle Whispers from Eternity

By Allen White

The American church is off-mission.

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Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

That may seem like a ridiculous statement considering the number of growing megachurches and multisite churches around the country. How could the church be off-mission with record crowds? Well, let’s go back and look at the church’s mission statement:

Jesus said: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20, NIV).

Regardless of how churches can rephrase and reframe their mission statements, this is the mission: to go and make disciples. The church is not called to make converts. In fact, to lead people in a prayer without offering them a pathway and companions for the journey is irresponsible. The church is not called to make leaders. In Jesus’ view, the first would be the least. This doesn’t sound like western leadership. It sounds like discipleship. The church is not called to make volunteers to staff the weekend services. In fact, to reduce the ministry of the church body to guest service roles is an affront to the New Testament church. The church is not called to draw crowds. The church is not called to build buildings. The church is not called to make money. We are called to make disciples.

But, how can megachurches or any church for that matter make disciples?

Disciples Aren’t Processed. They’re crafted.

Many churches attempt to convert their crowd into some form of discipleship through an assimilation process. Take this class. Make this commitment. Sign this card. Yet an assembly line process doesn’t work with people. They aren’t raw materials. They don’t all start from the same place.

Who are you the most like? What is your default? While we would all like to say, “Jesus,” the reality is that you and I are more like our parents than any other people on the planet. We think like them. We talk like them. We parent like them. We relate like them. Our habits are like them. Their example is ingrained in us. Some of us had great parents. Some of us had loving parents who did their best. Some of us had parents who were complete nightmares. Regardless of what type of parents we had, what’s ingrained in us is difficult to overcome. Even the example of the best parents can be improved upon. No one’s parents are perfect.

Then, in addition to parents, we can add experiences, tragedies, pain, addictions, suffering, career paths, relationships, and so many other things that shape our lives. Discipleship is not making widgets on an assembly line. Widgets are made from pure, raw materials. Disciples are made from broken and sinful people who long for transformation. But, it doesn’t disappear all at once. As Pete Scazzero says, “Jesus may be in our hearts, but grandpa is in our bones.”

Processes are inadequate to make disciples, yet how many churches have an assimilation process, department, or even pastor of assimilation for that exact purpose? In college I had a double major in biblical studies and missions. What I learned in cross-cultural communication and anthropology is that assimilation is the process of helping people adapt to a new culture. They take on the language, the customs, the mannerism, and the wardrobe of their adopted culture. Once they look like, talk like, and act like the new culture, they are regarded as being assimilated. So if we are assimilating non-church people into becoming part of the church, we are teaching them how to look like, talk like, and act like people who belong to the church. What is lacking is actual life transformation. Mimicking actions, language, and appearance does not make a disciple. It makes a cultural Christian and that’s a lot to live up to. Disciples make disciples, but not in mass quantity.

And while we’re at it, stop using the V word: volunteer. Churches should not have volunteers. The church, meaning the people or the body of Christ, have been equipped with spiritual gifts, abilities, and passions to fulfill a divine calling. By reducing the focus to serving and helps, a church is effectively ignoring about 20 other spiritual gifts. The “real” ministry is reserved for paid staff members. This flies in the face of what Paul taught the Corinthians, the Romans, and the Ephesians about the nature and use of spiritual gifts. Paul admonishes the church that no one part of the body can say to the other “I do not need you,” but that’s exactly what the American church is saying today. The attractional movement told people to sit back, relax, and leave the driving to us. That was Greyhound’s slogan. When was the last time you took the bus?

People are reluctant to get involved because the opportunities churches offer them are beneath them. That doesn’t mean that they’re too good to serve. It just means that the only opportunities most churches offer to their people are menial tasks that feed the demands of the weekend service. When CEOs are handing out bulletins and entrepreneurs are parking cars, this is a great misuse of their gifts and talents. They have so much more to offer.

Processes are inadequate for making disciples. Any mass approach to discipleship is a failure. Assimilation doesn’t make disciples. Worship services don’t make disciples. Sermons don’t make disciples. As Mike Breen says, “People learn by imitation, not instruction.” Yet, most churches attempt a programmatic process of making disciples that does little to help people overcome the powerful models they’ve come to imitate. People can be very inspired by sermons, yet within a day they resort to their default behavior. The only way to help people change and grow is to provide personal encouragement and accountability, and of course, all of this is built on the expectation that every member should apply God’s Word to his or her life. If the expectation is for people to come back next Sunday, then we’ve missed an opportunity and are relying on the weekend service to have a greater impact than it possibly can.

Disciples are crafted, not processed. After all, it takes a disciple to make a disciple.

Big Hairy Audacious Goals

Jim Collins, author of Good to Great among other titles, coined this term for when success organizations set out to achieve ridiculous levels of growth. They didn’t settle for being stalled or accepting mediocre, incremental growth. They went for it.

Jesus spent three and a half years of His life pouring into 12 men. The impact of these disciples is still felt 2,000 years later around the globe and involves over 2 billion people. Jesus set the BHAG in Acts 1:8. Propelled more by persecution than ambition (Acts 8:1), the disciples spread a movement worldwide to transform lives.

How can you activate your disciples when most are intimidated by the thought of evangelism and distracted by the busyness of life? Groups could be the answer. You could argue that many people don’t have the time or the desire to lead a group. Some don’t even believe they can. I think we’re going at this all wrong.

Jesus didn’t call us to make leaders. Jesus called us to make disciples. And, disciples make disciples. Do you get it? You don’t need to recruit leaders to lead groups to make disciples. You could, but you don’t have to. You need to equip disciples to make disciples. Who in your church couldn’t be a disciple?

Often in the church today, we embrace the definition of disciple as “follower” or “student” when in reality we’re just working hard to increase the size of the crowd. The crowd are not disciples, if they were, they would be making disciples. In Jesus’ ministry, He spent 73% of his time with His disciples. Jesus could have easily built a megachurch, but He spent very little time with the crowd. The modern American church has flipped Jesus’ ministry on its head. Most churches choose to rapidly add people rather than invest in multiplication. This has a diminishing return.

A Disciple-Making Moonshot

So now that I’ve poked at the church and pointed out what’s broken, let’s fix it. Rather than putting our energy into mass efforts of corralling the most people we possibly can at the fastest rate, let’s focus on the 1/3 of your congregation who has enough of a spiritual basis they could each disciple two other people. Who would be on that list? Church members? Leaders? Long-time members? Then, with the church’s guidance, curriculum, and coaching, you could equip these disciples to make disciples. If the church can get 1/3 of its people to disciple the other 2/3, then you’re making some significant progress. You don’t need to do this all at once, but you certainly could. And, it’s doesn’t need to be just groups of three. You could use church-wide campaigns and host homes to get them started, but don’t leave them there. Or challenge people to get together with their friends and do a study. The bottom line is to stop intimidating people with the thoughts of leadership and evangelism and challenge them to offer what God has given them in community with other believers. What they lack, they can learn from a coach, a resource, or relevant training.

We measure what is important. When you think about the metrics used by most churches, they count nickels and noses. Maybe they count the number of groups or the number of people in groups. Maybe they count the number of people who are serving. But what if churches focused on a new metric? This metric would dynamically impact all of the other metrics. What if the measurement of success became the number of people actively discipling other people? It could be a person discipling two other people as I described above. Or it could be a person discipling eight other people. And of course the intention of all of this discipling is to produce more disciples who make disciples.

What Kind of Church is Yours?

Not all pastors and churches are doing a bad job at making disciples. But, not very many are doing a good job either. Pastors and churches fit into one of four categories when it comes to making disciples:

Content: These pastors and churches are happy with what they have. Often discipleship and small group pastors in these churches are content with the groups and discipleship efforts they have because they have met the expectations of their leadership. They are satisfied with a good job that’s keeping them from achieving a great job at discipleship.

Confused: These churches and pastors believe they are making a greater impact with discipleship than they actually are. Often these churches are led by brilliant teachers who can captivate an audience. The thought is if the pastor gives the people more of the truth, then they will learn and become more like Christ. This is a result of the Enlightenment. Knowledge is king. But, we must remember that “Knowledge puffs up, while love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1, NIV). How many people know a great deal of God’s Word, yet it’s not reflected in their actions and attitudes? Great teaching alone won’t overcome the average person’s default which was established by imitating their parents and other role models. They need the support and accountability of others to apply God’s Word to their lives. One service or series won’t dramatically change someone’s daily habits. In fact, a call to change without the means to change will lead to tremendous frustration.

Frustrated: These pastors are trying to make disciples in a church that doesn’t support their efforts. Make disciples anyway. These churches have a spiritual growth/discipleship/assimilation/small groups department for the minimum purpose of preventing members from complaining about a lack of discipleship. When someone asks what the church is doing to help people grow or to go deeper, these pastors and churches just need to point to the department. If you are a pastor who’s discipleship efforts or small group ministry as been relegated to a complaint department for unchallenged members, you have my sympathy. In your church, the weekend service is king. But, in your circumstance, you can still make disciples who make disciples despite the limitations.

Disciple-making: These pastors and churches are making disciples who make disciples. They use worship services and sermons to catalyze commitments that lead to next steps in discipleship groups, support groups, or whatever next steps people need in their spiritual walk. In every worship service, every event, every church initiative, these churches provide an opportunity for people to take the next step of working through issues, applying God’s Word to their lives, finding their unique calling as part of the body of Christ, overcoming sin and addiction, and so many other things. A worship service alone will not resolve these things, but it can motivate people to take their next step. People need someone to disciple them. Disciples make disciples.

Which church are you? Isn’t it time to stop striving to become the megachurch you will never be? Isn’t it time to come to grips with the fact that bigger is only better as long as the church stays on-mission to make disciples? The alternative is wearing yourself out trying to raise money, build buildings, market strategically, and recruit volunteers to maintain a large weekend gathering that doesn’t make disciples in and of itself. Then you wonder why you don’t have any energy to fulfill the church’s calling to make disciples. If your church’s focus is not on making disciples, then what are you making?

This is why I am calling churches to the 100 Groups Challenge in 2020. We have got to make up for this deficit of discipleship in our churches. We need to give 100% effort to either connecting 100% of the weekend attendance into groups, reaching 100 total groups in your church, or starting 100 new groups in 2020.

If you are ready to go for it and join the 100 Groups Challenge, you can find out more here. There is no cost. My goal is to help 100 churches start 100 groups in 2020 and effectively disciple 100,000 people. Over the last eight years, I’ve helped churches to start over 16,000 groups and connect over 125,000 people into groups. My BHAG is to do the same in 1 year! Will you join me?

People battling illness or other serious trials often turn to the book of Job looking for some kind of explanation for what’s happening to them. Although it’s unlikely our situation is even a fraction of the horrendous things Job endured, he becomes our model nevertheless.

If you remember the story, Job’s friends were convinced his suffering was God’s judgment on hidden sin in his life. They were sincere and passionate in their theology, yet they were totally misguided in applying their assumptions to their friend Job.

To the contrary, when the curtain to the unseen realm is pulled back, readers see God boasting to Satan about Job’s exceptional virtue: “There is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1:8).

What a great endorsement of Job’s character, and coming from Almighty God Himself!

So make no mistake about it: God wasn’t mad at Job. Nothing that happened to this righteous man was because of divine displeasure. In fact, Job’s trials were actually part of the Lord’s plan to bless Him in even greater ways. His story would conclude with a happy ending and a supernatural upgrade: “The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning” (Job 42:12).

Despite his understandable bewilderment during his trials, Job somehow realized he would exit the crucible of affliction a better man. “[God] knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10).

I’ve always loved this verse. What a great declaration about trusting God to use every adverse situation in our life for our ultimate good. In the furnace of our affliction, He is producing pure gold.

However, I’ve never noticed the surprising context, where the preceding verses make Job’s statement even more amazing:

Look, I go forward, but He is not there,
And backward, but I cannot perceive Him;
When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him;
When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him (Job 23:8-9).

I find this confession stunning. During the first part of his ordeal, Job was unable to “feel” the Lord’s presence at all. Although He trusted that God was somehow at work on His behalf, there were no goose bumps. Try as he might, he couldn’t perceive the Lord’s hand in his circumstances or understand why all this was happening to him.

Like Job, this was my experience during the first part of my battle against cancer. I trusted in God’s love and goodness, but I struggled to feel His presence amid my unpleasant symptoms and the side effects of chemo.

Yes, I clung to verses about the Lord being with us “in the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4) and when we pass through difficult circumstances (Isaiah 43:1-5). However, for months I didn’t have any reassuring feelings that He was truly walking with me on this difficult journey. And though I hoped for a positive outcome, it was hard to envision how that could happen.

During this season when God seemed unusually silent, someone posted a helpful perspective on Facebook: When you trust everything into God’s hand, you will eventually see God’s hand in everything.

I like that! We are sometimes called upon, like Job was, to trust God even when we can’t see or feel His loving arms around us.

So what does it take to experience a turnaround? In Job’s case, there was a pivotal verse where he finally began to sense what God was showing him through his circumstances: “Behold, these are the fringes of His ways; and how faint a word we hear of Him!” (Job 26:14).

After years of feeling the smug satisfaction of knowing he was an exceptionally upright and virtuous man, Job finally understood an awful truth: Although he had been doing all the right “religious” things, he was still only on the outer edges of God’s plan for his life. Instead of having an intimate daily relationship with the Lord, he was only hearing God’s voice faintly and sporadically.

Why had Job never noticed this before? Part of the problem was that he and his friends spent far too much time comparing their righteousness to one another. As 2 Corinthians 10:12 would later tell us, that’s never a good idea – even though we’re all prone to do it.

Job’s story also reveals another sad reality: Far too often, our knowledge of God is based on mere hearsay, not direct experience. We can quote our pastor, our friends, some Instagram memes, and our favorite TV preachers and authors, but we rarely have an encounter with the Lord Himself.  

During the climactic final scene of Job’s story, he finally begins to recognize this: “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; but now my eye sees You; therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6).

You see, when Job compared himself to his friends, he felt proud of his spirituality. But when He finally caught a glimpse of God’s awesome holiness, all he could do was humble himself and repent.

People always wonder why Job had to go through such terrible trials. Although there are many possible ways to explain the lessons in this story, part of the answer is simply this: God wouldn’t allow Job to remain on the fringe of His purposes.

The trials Job faced weren’t a sign of God’s judgment, but quite the contrary: The Lord wanted to bless him in new ways, beyond Job’s wildest dreams.

Yet none of that would have been possible if Job had stayed content to remain on the fringe. If given the choice, Job may have been content to cling to the blessings he was already experiencing, as described in chapter one. But God had a far greater dimension of intimacy and abundance in mind for Job – right on the other side of his trials.

Looking back on my decades of life, I realize there have been many times when I was content to languish on the fringe of God’s ways. Perhaps you have too. Sadly, when we’re fairly comfortably on the fringe, we often don’t even recognize what we’re missing.

Until the heat was on, Job didn’t have a clue about his true condition. He had fallen into the common trap of comparing himself to those around him, instead of comparing himself to God’s awesome holiness. He was content to be “the greatest of all the people of the East” instead of being truly great in God’s kingdom (Job 1:1-3).

Amid Job’s horrific circumstances, God was working all things together for his good (Romans 8:28). If it hadn’t been for his trials, Job might have been content with a “hearsay” relationship with the Lord, never recognizing that he was merely living on the fringe.

Aren’t you tired of living on the fringe of God’s purposes for your life? I sure am.

So let’s go deeper in our relationship with the Lord and dive into the very center of His will. When we leave the fringe, we’ll experience an amazing new beginning of adventure, fulfillment, and impact.

She played fast and loose with life, she never considered tomorrow,

and now she’s crashed royally, with no one to hold her hand.

“Look at my pain, O God! And how the enemy cruelly struts.”

Lamentations 1:9 THE MESSAGE

After getting burned playing with fire, you say, “I just wasn’t thinking.”

    You should have been!

    Flirting with temptation starts you on a toboggan ride toward disaster.

    Sin’s slippery slope is difficult to exit—it is easier to avoid altogether.

    It is foolhardy to only consider the consequences after they hit.

    Impulsive choices typically land you in trouble.

    Human nature chooses the easy way, and that is usually wrong.

Think back—learn from history you cannot sin without painful effects.

    Reflect on how unpleasant your life became when you acted badly.

    Reconsider how complicated relationships got when you misbehaved.

Think ahead—anticipate the awful effects of sin—turn away from it.

    Keep in mind consequences of guilt and grief—avoid doing wrong.

    Reflect on how pleasant your life is when you trust and obey Me.

Jerusalem, city of peace, was exiled to heart-wrenching loneliness.

    Jerusalem, city of the Great King, was shackled by cruel tyrants.

    Jerusalem, the holy city, was orphaned from the Promised Land.

    If they had only thought ahead, they could have avoided disaster.

Now it is your turn.

    Repent and walk humbly with Me, and I will help you live correctly.

    Hold My nail-scarred hand, and I will guide you on a glorious path—

        a path of peace and joy, not chaos and heartache.

Want to celebrate victory—not defeat—at sunset?

    Then, at sunrise, think ahead!

© Pastor Johnny R. Almond, Day 280 Gentle Whispers from Eternity

A few Sundays ago, my pastor preached on Psalm 73, reminding me that I had also preached on that Psalm – several times in fact. It is the age-old conflict of the prosperity of the wicked vs. the suffering of the righteous, and the Psalmist began by asking tough questions. Make no mistake, the wicked do prosper, and our questions make little difference to them. But one must quickly get past the questions to Psalm 73:16-17, “When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful for me – until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood.” In those days, to enter the sanctuary, the tabernacle, or the Temple, was to enter the presence of God. There sits on my shelf, an old book entitled “Settled in the Sanctuary,” published in 1925, written by a retired pastor to ministerial students in the college where he taught. In his book, W.W. Landrum wrote, “Whether I understand or not, God does understand, and by communion with Him I shall have whatever explanation he is pleased to afford a trusting child. And that is all that my mind demands, or my heart craves.” When the Psalmist left the sanctuary, he was just as poor, and the righteous were just as prosperous, and he still had no answer to his question, but now he had a new perspective, making his previous question irrelevant. He had settled it in the presence of God, in the sanctuary. I have a suggestion. Next time you have an unanswered question, head for the sanctuary – or wherever you go to be in the presence of God – and there settle it. You may not come away with an answer, but God’s presence makes many of earth’s questions irrelevant. Martin Luther said it this way: “As long as I have Thee, I wish for nothing else in heaven or on earth.”

Praying Hands  Albrecht Durer 

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Psalm 20:7 NIV

     When you are in distress, I am your Vitality. When life crashes and you send out an SOS, I quickly respond to your desperation. I do not give you an attitude of paralyzing fear or immobilizing timidity—I embolden action, intensify compassion, and calm anxieties. Do not go to pieces when trouble comes—I hold you together. Discover the secret of surviving every situation—lean on Almighty God!

     When you are discouraged, I am your Valiancy. When the fight is fiercest, I am on the front line with you. With My support, you will not sink—you will soar high on eagle’s wings. You can be strong, not intimidated; brave-hearted, not cowardly; faith-full, not fearful; determined, not irresolute—all because of Me. There is a Higher Power on your side, fighting your battles for you—press on!

     When you are bothered by doubt, I am your Vision. Your devotion to Me will eventually be openly vindicated. Place your life on the altar of surrender, and I promise to remember your sacrifice and smile on your efforts in My cause. Detractors judge worship worthless, but unfolding developments will prove its worth. When time gives way to eternity and human governments are replaced by My throne, the wisdom of worship will be crystal clear to the entire universe. On the other side of trouble and sin and sadness—you will sing My praises, serve Me wholeheartedly, enjoy face-to-face communion, and reign with Me forever. So make a conscious effort to live a pure life.

     Lowell’s poem “The Present Crisis” eloquently expresses ultimate reality:

                   Then to side with Truth is noble when we share her wretched crust,

                    Ere her cause bring fame and profit, and ’tis prosperous to be just;

                   Then it is the brave man chooses, while the coward stands aside,

                    Doubting in his abject spirit, till his Lord is crucified,

                    And the multitude make virtue of the faith they had denied.

     It may seem at times you are on the brink of defeat, but that will never happen, because I am your Victory. Life’s battles may occasionally make you weak-kneed, but you do not buckle under—stand tall! Military armed forces cannot stop evil   fiends attacking your heart; cruise missiles and fighter jets will not help in this fight with the Devil. The sure formula for spiritual conquest is to earnestly seek My help. Include Me in your formula for living—and you are sure to win!

© Pastor Johnny R. Almond, Day 198 Gentle Whispers from Eternity

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you,

O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14 NLT

     See My smile in star-shine marvel and sunlight majesty. The skies speak of My omnipotent greatness. The dazzling beauties of My earliest creations reflect My supernatural power.

     My throne is in the third heaven—invisible to you from earth. However, you can gaze in wonder at the second heaven of stars and the first heaven of clouds. High above faltering people, I direct the traffic patterns of countless galaxies and paint canopies of beauty. Spacious firmament, blazing sun, sparkling stars, and orbiting planets are “forever singing as they shine, ‘The hand that made us is divine’” (Joseph Addison).

     See My smile in inspired Scripture. My Word is a compass revealing wise moral principles. The Book from Heaven is a travel guide for meaningful living. My flawless law puts a spring in your step. My true Word gives sense to your head. My basic principles inspire a song in the depths of your heart. My direct orders clarify your soul’s vision.

     See My smile in your everyday life. My face shines on you with reinforcing smiles—undying grace sustains. My face shines on you with revitalizing smiles—unfaltering light energizes. My face shines on you with loving smiles—unfailing wisdom teaches. My face shines on you with understanding smiles—unparalleled compassion holds you together.

     In the grip of despair? Hear gentle whispers from eternity—find hope. Discouraged? Recall your ultimate destination—get up and keep going. Saddened by the world scene? Look up—I will teach you to smile again.

     See My smile of approval as you obey the Omnipresent God. If your conscience yearns to please Me, submit to My thorough x-ray of your life—I will test your thoughts and point out attitudes and habits that sadden My heart. Make necessary changes and all will be well.

     To hear My “well done” will not compare to the joy you will experience when you see My gracious smile. When you stand before your King, everything you have done in My service and for My honor will be worth it. Let this thought keep you going—live and work above all for My pleasure. I will repay yo with something better than a golden crown—My smile.

(c) Pastor Johnny R. Almond, Day 197 Gentle Whispers from Eternity

Larry (not his real name) lived across the street during high school. We played on the golf team together, but Larry was a much better golfer. After I trusted Christ, I share the good news with Larry. He called me soon afterward and said, “Mark, I placed my faith in Christ and am so excited. Can I see you?”

I couldn’t wait to see Larry. I lived off campus. Larry knocked on my door, and we talked awhile. “Let’s go to a park and share our faith,” Larry said. “Sounds like a great idea,” I said.

Larry and his father were very close. A few weeks later, Larry called me. “I shared the gospel with my father and he said I’m too fanatical about my faith. Our family doesn’t believe like that. I don’t want my father mad at me!” That’s the last time I heard from Larry. 

Sociologists Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton wrote in their book, Soul Searching, that many people live what they call, Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. Faith is reduced to rules for a happy life, religion is a self-help tool, and God is a removed and distant being. This religion won’t offend anyone.  

How can we live a life of distinction so we stay consistent in the midst of persecution while drawing non-believers to Christ?

1. Exploit God-provided situations

One of the Pharisee leaders watched Jesus closely when He asked, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?" Jesus healed a man suffering from dropsy. He reasoned that you would pull a son or ox out of a well on the Sabbath (Luke 14:1-6). Minister to needs that come across your path.

2. Humble yourself

Jesus spoke a parable to invited guests after noticing they picked places of honor at the table. Instead, He told them to sit in the last place so the master may say, 'Friend, move up higher', resulting in honor instead of disgrace. "For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted" (Luke 14:7-11). Humble yourself to be exalted.  

3. Spend time with the needy

Jesus told the host not to invite his friends, brothers, relatives or rich neighbors, lest they invite him in return. When giving a reception, invite the poor, crippled, lame and blind to be blessed since they can’t repay. Wait for payment at the resurrection of the righteous (Luke 14:12-14). Spend time with the poor, crippled, lame and blind.

4. Leave your comfort zone

Jesus shared another parable about a man who invited many to a big dinner. They made various excuses why they couldn't come: oversaw a piece of land, tried out five yoke of oxen, and married a wife. The master told his slave to go immediately into the streets and bring in the poor, crippled, blind and lame. After finding there was still room, the master said to "go out into the highways and along the hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." None invited shall taste of His dinner (Luke 14:15-24). Leave your comfort zone so the poor, crippled, blind and lame can experience a personal relationship with Christ. 

5. Make Christ your first love

To be a disciple, one’s love for Christ is like hate for family and his own life. Being a disciple involves carrying a cross. Count the cost to become a disciple like building a tower or being strong enough to win in battle. Put possessions in proper perspective. Not paying the price of discipleship results in being tasteless and ineffective (Luke 14:25-35). Make Christ your first love in order to influence others.

Action Steps:

1. Do I minister to needs that come across my path or walk on the other side to avoid them? 
2. Am I humble not expecting attention or exalt myself to feel important?
3. Do I spend time with the poor, crippled, blind and lame (either physically or spiritually) or only hang out with important and beautiful people?
4. Do I leave my comfort zone to help the poor, crippled, blind and lame experience a personal relationship with God or hide away at home, in my office or church building?
5. Do I pay the price in loving Christ more than other things or love other things more than Christ?

I will repent of my sin, ask God to change my heart, and obey Him doing what’s listed first in each question. 

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Guard me as the apple of your eye. Hide me in the shadow of your wings.

Psalm 17:8 NLT

     Incredibly, I take a personal interest in you. Believe it or not, you are a gleam in your Heavenly Father’s eyes! The sun and moon and brightest stars do not bring Me as much delight as caring for you.

     My unfailing love, undeserved mercy, and kind understanding are your heart’s sweetest delights. However, how often do you consider the reality that I actually enjoy you? Trust Me, it is not too good to be true! As your Creator, I celebrate you. As your Father, I dance for joy when I think of you. You set My heart to singing. You are one sheep in millions—yet I know you intimately, calling you by name. You are far more to Me than a number on the books—you are the apple of My eye.

     Invariably, I protect you. Your archenemy is intent on stealing enthusiasm, killing contentment, and destroying influence. Your Greatest Friend is intent on enriching your life, guarding you from all that would rob you of joy.

     You naturally protect the pupil of your eye—I supernaturally encircle you. My commandments are not designed to make you miserable—I am not a killjoy! I nestle you near My heart in eternal love—death’s terrors cannot kill love, life’s troubles cannot overcome love, demons’ distractions cannot cancel love, today’s fears cannot overwhelm love, tomorrow’s worries cannot defeat love, hell’s powers cannot destroy love.

     Infinitely, I provide for you. I govern your life every day in every way. Providence engineers your circumstances, orchestrating every event for good. Whatever happens to you, I either cause or permit. I do not sign every piece of work, but I am the Artist behind the scenes.

     I am the Good Shepherd leading the way through life’s labyrinth. Recognize My voice in the midst of the competing cacophony—trust My limitless knowledge to know what is best for you. Life makes sense when you take time to listen to My voice and seek My face. The journey will be an adventure if you stay close to your Guide. Feeling overwhelmed, remember My wings overshadow you. When you tremble on foot bridges, I am out there with you—trust Me to find your way across the deep ravine.

     Immortally, I make paradise your home. Face to face, we will embrace in joy. Waking up from death’s sleep and getting up from the grave to see the One who made it possible—that is My promise to you! Until you see your Savior, let the light of heaven sparkle in your eyes.

© Pastor Johnny R. Almond, Day 196 Gentle Whispers from Eternity

O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever? How long will you look the other way?

How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul, with sorrow in my heart every day?

How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

Psalm 13:1-2 NLT

     When you experience one of those days when life is in shambles, nothing goes right, and you wonder if it will ever end—in your heartache and despair, you theorize I have forgotten you and left you out in the cold to eke out an existence on your own.

     Raging winds of catastrophe and faith-quakes raise serious questions. In a seemingly endless emotional tempest, you cry out “How long?” In your desperate moments, recall My promise never to orphan you in the storm.

     When problems overwhelm you, you may wonder how long you will have to look at the back of My head. In a long day of panic and perplexity, you may ache to experience My Presence. Wrestling with heavy thoughts and broken heart, you may wonder if worry will ever stop. A ton of trouble may weigh so heavily on your shoulders that you feel you are going under. Battling evil, you may doubt that you can ever experience victory.

     When you are afraid, let Me remind you of your conqueror status. Death’s terror, life’s trouble, demons’ distractions, today’s fears, tomorrow’s worries, hell’s powers—none of these can come between Me and you, because we are inseparable! Any friend of My Son is a friend of Mine—when the smoke of battle clears, you will share in the King’s glorious reign!

     In your most frustrating day—when you are tempted to conclude I have actually written you off—continue to exercise tenacious faith in Me. In chaos, believe in Christ. In trouble, trust. In every difficult situation, seek My help and you will survive. In heartache, count on My unfailing love. Rely on heaven’s help, and you will make it through earth’s toughest day.

     You will not always feel like celebrating circumstances, but you can always celebrate inner-stances. Your heart is My permanent home—nothing will cause Me to move away. My Presence in your life is your greatest blessing—Christ in you is your hope of heaven. I am with you for the long haul—you can stay in high spirits because of My Spirit.

     The longest day is not forever. At the close of time’s little day, you will see Jesus and join a symphony of praise in eternity’s unending celebration.     Listen hopefully for heaven’s future melody—dance faithfully for joy today.

© Pastor Johnny R. Almond, Day 195 Gentle Whispers from Eternity

It’s humbling to discover you’re not indispensable. This unpleasant experience happened to me a few months ago when I had to go on medical leave from work.

The whole thing was unimaginable. Within days I went from having a full-time job I loved to no longer even having a workable scan key to get me into the building.

Most humbling of all was having to encounter the painful Myth of Indispensability. Put simply, this myth says people can’t survive without us. We’re irreplaceable and thus have unlimited job security.

To be honest, it feels good to think you’re indispensable. You feel like a person of exceptional importance, with skills no one else possesses. What an ego trip.

However, humbling as it has been, I discovered in recent months that the world at Inspiration Ministries was quite capable of going on without me. To my deep regret, the suddenness of my departure certainly made things much more difficult for everyone, but they rose to the occasion and life went on.

Is anyone truly indispensable? Perhaps you’re somewhat irreplaceable in your role as a spouse, parent, or grandparent. But in just about any other setting someone else could take your place.

Some of us predicted the quick demise of the Apple brand after the untimely death of Steve Jobs in 2011. But although they lost a great innovator when Steve died, they somehow are doing quite well without him.

Throughout the Bible, we see the Myth of Indispensability confronted…

• How could anyone replace an amazing leader like Moses? Yet the Israelites’ leadership passed into the hands of Moses’ 40-year understudy, Joshua. Although Joshua must have experienced considerable trepidation at his new assignment, he was encouraged by the Lord to be strong and courageous (Joshua 1:1-9). The result? Joshua took God’s people further into their destiny than Moses has been able to do.
• Elijah seemed like a unique and totally irreplaceable prophetic voice. “I alone am left,” he grumbled to God (1 Kings 19:10). Yet the Lord told him to quit complaining and go train his replacement, Elisha (v. 16). Not only did Elisha perform many of the same miracles as Elijah, but Bible scholars point out that he seems to have done twice as many as his mentor!
• Queen Esther appeared to be the only person with even a small chance of defeating Haman’s plot to annihilate the Jewish people. Yet Esther’s cousin Mordecai told her something incredible: “If you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place” (Esther 4:14). Even Queen Esther was replaceable in fulfilling the purposes of God. If she wasn’t willing to step up to the occasion, Mordecai was confident the Lord would find someone else.

The Indispensability of Jesus

Far beyond these other examples, Jesus provided us with the most stunning example of the Myth of Indispensability. On the one hand, He’s the only Person in the universe who truly IS indispensable. His disciples came to understand this, so they must have been shocked and dismayed when He assured them that it would be to their advantage when He no longer walked with them in His physical body (John 16:7).

While the disciples must have wondered how they would even survive Jesus’ physical departure, He told them they would actually thrive. They would do the same works He had done when He was with them…and even greater works (John 14:12).

You see, Jesus was the kind of leader who recognizes the folly of the Myth of Indispensability. He easily could have told His disheartened disciples, “Guys, you clearly suck at this leadership stuff, and things are bound to fall apart after I’m gone.”

Instead, Jesus said just the opposite. He assured them they would receive such great power from the Holy Spirit that they would be able to extend His kingdom far beyond Jerusalem and Judea…to the very ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Notice the stark contrast: Insecure leaders, like King Saul, try to hold on to the reigns of power rather than invest themselves in the next generation. Exceptional leaders, like Jesus, confront the Myth of Indispensability by freely dispensing their lives into the lives of others.

If we are truly “indispensable” in our leadership role, something is clearly wrong. It’s a clear indication that, over the course of months or years, we’ve failed to dispense ourselves into those who are called to carry the leadership baton into the future.

But we’ve all seen churches that end up shutting down after the founding pastor dies or must leave his post for some other reason. And countless businesses have to be sold or shut down when the original owner can no longer provide leadership. How sad. Success without a successor often ends in failure.

So what lessons can we learn when forced to admit we’re not as indispensable as we thought? Painful as this experience is, it’s also amazingly liberating. It leads to an acknowledgement that the government of the universe doesn’t rest on our shoulders, but on the Lord’s (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Facing our limitations and vulnerabilities will also help us focus on the Biblical mandate to train our replacement. We’ll be challenged to greater intentionality in dispensing our lives into the lives of others in the months and years ahead.

When the Myth of Indispensability is shattered in your life, it can feel pretty traumatic. I picture it like the scene in the Wizard of Oz where the curtain is pulled back on the “great and powerful Oz.” How embarrassing…

But it’s time to come out from behind the curtain, acknowledging our dispensability and our need for others. Instead of trying to impress people with our own importance, we can transform lives by helping people unleash their own remarkable potential.