Discipleship Network Forum

Philippians 1:14- “And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

Espresso machines are costly. They are unique and make some of the richest flavors of coffee the world seeks to indulge in. What separates this machine from ordinary coffee brewers is the amount of water pushed through a small opening into a fine grind of beans. A true espresso machine runs pressure at 9 bars or 135 PSI. (Pressure per square inch)

The pressure is so intense that when the concentrated liquid comes out into the glass it looks like dark oil laced with a “crema,” a foam topping that looks like copper. This desired drink could only be created by high heat and extreme pressure. Once you witness this process regular coffee makers seem boring.

A life lived in the mundane with no purpose, no passion, and no desire to be what God created us to be seems like a simple cup of coffee. Who wants to be slow dripped into a regular pot seemingly with no ambition or aspiration?

Contrary to this, a life lived chasing daylight with purpose centered in Christ many times requires pressure and sifting. Through intense trials and faith journeys God desires us to live a life rich in flavor for the benefit of others, not only for ourselves.

The next time you feel under pressure and the world gives the impression of squeezing you beyond you’re comfort zone, God may be seasoning you to be the greatest cup of inspiration to those who seek something other than a simple cup of java.

Be espresso!  

Coffee Tip: Espresso is not a type of bean, roast, or blend. Espresso is the “way” coffee is prepared- shooting pressurized, hot water through a finely ground coffee.

Canadian Tom Cochrane wrote and Rascal Flatts famously sang that, “Life's like a road that you travel on” (Life Is a Highway).

Beloved American poet Robert Frost stated that, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference.”

John Bunyan dedicated an entire classic book to the life-journey of a man named Christian in The Pilgrim's Progress.

In Matthew 7, Jesus clearly alluded that faith is a walk by teaching that, at the beginning of our sojourn, we should, “Enter by the narrow gate....For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Through song, poem, allegorical novel, and scripture, we learn that life is a journey, a progress toward a desired destination, an adventure. Or, as Eugene Peterson might call it, “a long obedience in the same direction.”

Now, in The Road We Must Travel: A Personal Guide for Your Journey (Worthy Publishing), Peterson and 11 other writers in 18 pithy chapters offer useful tips for successfully navigating the path God lays out for us, His followers.

The articles have appeared previously in various print and online publications of the media ministry, Christianity Today, such as Leadership Journal and PreachingToday.com.

The book is mapped into five sections, each opening with unifying introductions imbued with travel imagery.

Topics covered include the importance of self-assessment, being properly equipped, avoiding potholes of contamination, recovering from wrecks, working through conflicts with fellow travelers, getting proper rest and tune-ups, mentoring those new to the journey, and how to properly read our map (aka the Bible) spiritually.

Knowing our path can be muddy, full of rocks, pockmarked with potholes, making the trek feel like an exhausting slog, a favorite, thought-provoking quote (“If you do not go to your grave in confusion, you will not go to your grave trusting. Explanations are a substitute for trust.”) comes from Tullian Tchividjian’s rumination on Job and suffering.

Tchividjian reminds us that, while the inevitable rust of grief will try to grind us to a standstill, grace is the grease and hope the fuel that ultimately propels us forward.

The book feels primarily geared toward senior pastors and others in professional ministry positions. However, lay ministers and other servers of Christ should not be deterred from discovering real value in the guidance and sound wisdom offered. After all, as fellow believers, we are all wending the same path.

This is an excellent and accessible “travel” guide for any Christian that can be read cover-to-cover or consulted as needed.I recommend it for your spiritual glove compartment or backpack to enjoy and reference when taking a break from your travels. There’s good, encouraging stuff here.

One nitpicky point is that a collection such as this usually includes brief bios of the contributors and this one, oddly, does not. While many of the writers are well-known, not all are. So, below, for your convenience, I’ve assembled brief bios for each (the number in parentheses indicates how many chapters the writer has contributed).

• Gordon MacDonald (4) - Author, speaker, and teacher.
• Mark Buchanan (3) - Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology at the Ambrose Seminary in Calgary, Alberta.
• Bill Hybels (2) - Founding and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church.
• Nathan Conrad (as told to Matt Woodley) (1) – Nathan is a pastor at Naperville (Illinois) Presbyterian Church. Matt is the Managing Editor for PreachingToday.com and pastor of Compassion Ministries at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois.
• Francis Chan (1) - Author, pastor, and Founder and Chancellor of Eternity Bible College.
• Eugene Peterson (1) - Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology at Regent College and writer of The Message.
• Steve May (1) - Speaker, author, and missionary living in Knoxville, Tennessee.
• Tullian Tchividjian (1) - Senior pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church.
• Ruth Haley Brown (1) - Adjunct Professor of Spiritual Formation at Northern Seminary and founder of the Transforming Center.
• Skye Jethani (1) - Managing editor of Leadership Journal.
• Mark Labberton (1) - President and Lloyd John Ogilvie Professor of Preaching School of Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary.
• Donald Sunukjian (1) - Professor of Christian Ministry and Leadership, Homiletics at the Talbot School of Theology of Biola University.

NOTE: To comply with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255): I selected this book to review and received it free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.


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What books have you read that have been particularly helpful to your Christian walk? NOTE: This was originally posted on my blog, FaithBraised.com, which was awarded top honors for a single author blog by the Evangelical Press Association in 2012 and 2014.

Many are talking about "making disciples" these day. But what exactly is disciple-making, really?

What disciple making, or discipleship, has become in most American churches is a program for becoming the best ‘Christian’ an individual can be, whatever that may look like.

Certainly we are called to pursue personal holiness (Ephesians 1:4, Hebrews 12:14, James 1:27) and to grow in the knowledge of the Lord (Colossians 1:10). That’s great...unless it is the only result of our discipleship. (continuing reading). 

Praying for Others

I try to start most of my days in the Scriptures and praying.  I don’t hit every day but it’s a habit I feel is worth working on. I use a journal because it helps me to focus and I like to write out my prayers.  Reading, studying and meditating on Scripture is a rich time for me personally.  However, I also like to pray for others, but sometimes I’m not always sure what to pray for.

So, I decided, “why not pray for them what the Scriptures are teaching me.”  For instance, this morning I read Psalm 28 and wrote out verses 8-9 in my journal,

“The Lord is the strength of his people;

He is the saving refuge of His anointed.

Oh, save your people and bless your heritage!

Be their shepherd and carry them forever.”

I just turn this Scripture into a prayer for others, that the Lord would be their strength today, that they would be blessed and that Jesus, our Shepherd would carry them.  This is a simple and yet profound way to pray for people because it uses God’s Word, not just my own. Give it a try. You really can’t go wrong, and people will be blessed and strengthened as God answers your prayers, which by the way, He loves to do!

All for Jesus,

Fletcher

www.liveforchristresources.com

When I first started in ministry, I had a policy to never preach the same sermon twice, even in different locations. But in recent years, I’ve taken a new approach: If God gives me a powerful message, I assume it’s likely to apply to multiple people and places. So why not preach it more than once?

But I’ve learned something shocking in the process: The power of my message often has as much to do with the responsiveness of the people as to my own prayer and preparation beforehand.

Not long ago, I preached a very similar message to two different groups, and I’m convinced the message “fit” both groups equally well. But although my preparation and delivery were the same, the message had a powerful impact on one group, while the other group yarned most of the time.

What is the lesson here? I asked the Lord.

I was reminded that the impact of a message is greatly affected by the prayerful, responsive hearts of the recipients. People who are hungry for God’s Word will be impacted far more than people who are just sitting in their seats, often with their mind on other things.

Somebody once observed: “If people are eager to hear and be transformed by the Word of God, you can sing ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb’ and everyone will shout hallelujah at the great revelation you presented!”

Of course, sometimes a truly anointed preacher can break through people’s apathy and dullness of hearing. But even Jesus commented that some of His hearers were much more responsive than others. And in some cases, people missed His points entirely.

One of my conclusions is that preachers probably get too much credit for “good” sermons and too much blame for “bad” ones. So if you think your pastor has been boring lately, I encourage you to do two things: (1) Pray for him and (2) Make sure your own heart has been prepared to receive and heed the Word of God.

And speaking of credit and blame: What about a situation where a church isn’t growing? Typically the blame is put entirely on the pastor. But many visitors to a church are repulsed not by the pastor’s message, but by the unfriendliness of the congregation or the lack of volunteers to provide excellence in the ministry to children and teens.

Instead of blaming your pastor if the church isn’t growing as fast as you would like, how about taking time to regularly pray for a fresh outpouring of God’s Spirit? And what about making a new commitment to invite people to the church and give visitors a warm welcome?

One thing both pastors and parishioners can be blamed for: Pastors in today’s American church have been put on pedestals that are virtually impossible to maintain. No wonder the pastors receive too much credit when things go well, and too much blame when they don’t.

I would much rather be a leader like Aaron than like his younger brother, Moses. Aaron was clearly the more popular of the two, and for good reason. While Moses often seemed aloof—a loner and introvert—Aaron was a man of the people, far more comfortable in social settings.

We see the style of these two leaders in stark contrast in Exodus 32. Moses shunned the people in order to climb Mount Sinai and spend 40 days with God. Aaron stayed down at the bottom of the mountain, where he could hang out with the people.

Which of these leaders would you like to be? Isolated for 40 days—just you and God—or partying with the people in joyous revelry?

When the people got impatient waiting for Moses to return, they “gathered around Aaron” (v. 1), the leader they knew would give them what they wanted. Their request was remarkably straightforward: “Make us some gods who can lead us.”

How would you have responded to such a request? Would you rebuke the people or “go along to get along”?

Incredibly, Aaron complied with their plan and asked them to bring him their “gold rings” that he could melt and shape into a calf they could worship (vs. 2-4).

Notice that bad decisions typically end up being about the gold—the money. How many politicians, preachers, and CEOs have gotten themselves in trouble by telling people, “Bring me the money!”

Of course, Aaron rationalized that all of this was done so the people could have “a festival to the Lord!” (v. 5). Isn’t that astounding reasoning? Yet it has happened again and again throughout history: practicing paganism “in the name of the Lord.”

And you have to admit, Aaron really knew how to throw a party. After going through a few religious rituals to relieve their conscience, the people “celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry” (v. 6).

All the while, Aaron was the chaperone—the “adult” on duty during an episode of “Israelites gone wild.”

Both God and Moses were livid about the situation. After smashing the stone tablets containing the 10 Commandments, Moses angrily demanded from Aaron, “What did these people do to you to make you bring such terrible sin upon them?” (v. 21)

Moses apparently thought Aaron must have been tortured or threatened with his life in order to permit such an idolatrous orgy. But no, it was all too easy for the people to persuade Aaron to do their bidding. He was a man of the people, after all.

Aaron seems to have been completely tone deaf to how serious this offense was. First, he blamed the people. Then he acted as if the calf had just miraculously appeared when gold was thrown into the fire.

But his brother had been with God, and he wouldn’t buy any of these lame explanations: “Moses saw that Aaron had let the people get completely out of control, much to the amusement of their enemies” (v. 25).

Are you a leader, or parent, who allows people to “get completely out of control” in order to have them like you? Do you choose to look the other way instead of take a stand?

When God’s people compromise with sin or idolatry, the result is always the same, as Moses points out: We become a laughingstock to the Lord’s enemies. Instead of being respected or liked, our credibility is undercut.

So I ask you again: Would you rather be a leader like Moses or like Aaron? Let’s be honest: It would be no fun at all to be in Moses’ position in this story. Who wants to be the “bad guy,” calling for repentance and spoiling people’s “fun”?

There always are consequences to Aaron’s kind of people-pleasing leadership. “Then the Lord sent a great plague upon the people because they had worshiped the calf Aaron had made” (v. 35). At the end of the day, the pleasures of sin were replaced by a plague of judgment.

I guess I would rather be a Moses kind of leader after all.

Taking a do-it-yourself approach to life? Or  trusting the Master?

“It is for men to choose whether they will govern themselves or be governed.”

- Henry Ward Beecher, Proverbs from Plymouth Pulpit (1887)

Who would you say is in charge of your life?

Whoever controls your heart controls everything.

All facets of your personality are dominated by your will. 

If you live by self-rule, anarchy will confuse you and misguide you.

If you live by majority-rule opinion polls, you’ll find the crowd is wrong.

The only perfect government in the world is the monarchy of the King of hearts.

Jesus reigns as Emperor of the soul, annexing His subjects to His out-of-this-world empire.

One day an angel will incarcerate hell’s despot-dragon, and paradise will dawn over new Jerusalem.

Until that golden day, storms hide stars, making it hard to find your bearings; high seas may disorient you.

Do not merely use Christ as a figurehead on the bow—

surrender the ship’s wheel to the Captain and He will make sense of it all.

“These are the kings who reigned in Edom before an Israelite king reigned over them.”

Genesis 36:31 NLT

Johnny R. Almond

                Pastor, Colonial Beach Baptist Church, Virginia

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity—Scripture Personalized

Available on-line; author’s blog www.GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized.com

George Barna, the founder and director of the Christian research group known as the Barna Group took his team and evaluated churches across America to determine how we’re doing with the task of making disciples. Based on his findings, he asserts, “Almost every church in our country has some type of discipleship program or set of activities, but stunningly few churches have a church of disciples.”¹ Indeed, we have gradually set our eyes on the wrong priorities and the wrong measuring rods. The average church leader concludes that we’re doing OK if we can get people to attend our worship services so as to show growing numbers (in order to pay for our buildings and staff salaries), log statistics supporting reports of people being baptized and joining our church, and have an assortment of well-attended programs. But what are the objectives given to us in God’s Word? If Christ is the head of the church, what are his marching orders? I believe that the greatest command of our Lord has been misunderstood, misapplied, or simply ignored by most churches in this modern era.

As I talk to pastors they invariably defend their church methodology by saying that the Greek word for disciple is mathaytás, translated into English as learner. They believe they are teaching, therefore they are doing discipleship. The problem is that Jesus never said to do discipleship. He said Make Disciples and to explain more fully what this looks like he said we should be “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you…” (Matthew 28:20, NASB). Chuck Colson said “The church is 3,000 miles wide and an inch deep.”². Why is this so often true? Because we are just doing discipleship and not making disciples. We are teaching for knowledge but doing a poor job in helping people become transformed into a true follower of Jesus Christ.

My new blog web site will be finished by May 15, 2014

1.  Barna, George, Growing True Disciples (Colorado Springs: WaterBrook Press, 2001), p. 20.

2.  Quoted in Ogden, Greg, Transforming Discipleship (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), p.22

Recently a friend and I were discussing some of the hot-button issues in our country today. We mentioned such things as gay marriage, abortion, healthcare, and income inequality, to name a few.

We all have our opinions on such things, of course. As believers, our opinions hopefully have been shaped by God’s principles and wisdom found in the Scriptures. In a world filled with moral relativism, we desperately need the Word of God as a plumb line to reveals our off-kilter values and behaviors (Amos 7:7-8).

But while discussing these things with my friend, I saw that being right on the issues is only half the battle. If are beliefs are right, but our attitudes are wrong, no one will be impacted in a positive way. Instead of having a platform to transform our society, we will either be ignored or ridiculed—and we’ll have only ourselves to blame.

So, while some people are too timid to address the hot-button issues at all, others undercut their message because of a calloused, unloving attitude toward their audience. They may be “speaking the truth,” but they are failing to do so in love (Ephesians 4:15).

No wonder we’ve lost our audience and become largely irrelevant in the debates over the pressing social issues of our day. How sad.

The Message and the Heart

As I’ve pondered this unfortunate state of affairs, I’ve concluded that two problems must be remedied. First, our message must regain its clarity. The apostle Paul warned, “If the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?” (1 Corinthians 14:8) Where are the pulpits and publications today that are trumpeting a clear message from God instead of just spiritual mumbo jumbo? Too often, we sound more like politicians than preachers, coming down on each side of every issue. No one will be moved to action by that kind of indistinct trumpet sound.

But as important as it is for our message to regain laser-like clarity, the other problem is perhaps even more urgent: We must speak our message with the heart and “face” of Jesus. This gets back to the attitude and spirit in which our message is delivered. Correct words become hollow and impotent unless spoken with a correct heart (1 Corinthians 13:1).

Perhaps you’ve never given it much thought, but this is a crucial issue. If the body of Christ is supposed to express Jesus’ “face” to today’s world, what expression should that be? Anger? Accommodation? Confrontation? Fear? Smugness? Disinterest?

I’ve concluded that there are actually four “faces of Jesus” presented in Scripture, and these provide us with a helpful glimpse of what our posture should be as we interact with our society. We see these four faces reflected in the description of the “four living creatures” in Ezekiel 1:10 (and mentioned again in Revelation 4:7):

As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man; each of the four had the face of a lion on the right side, each of the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and each of the four had the face of an eagle. 

If you grew up in a church with stained-glass windows, you probably have seen these four faces depicted. And as Bible commentators have frequently pointed out, the four Gospels each emphasize one of these four characteristics of Jesus’ personality and ministry:

LION: Matthew quotes the most Old Testament prophesies about Jesus, presenting Him as the King and the “lion of the tribe Judah.” (regaining our “roar” and seeing a mandate to “reign in life”)

OX: Mark focuses on Jesus as the suffering Servant, coming to obey the Father’s will and serve humanity by laying down His life.

MAN: Luke, as a medical doctor, emphasizes Jesus’ humanity and His concern for those who were hurting.

EAGLE: John presented an “eagle’s eye view” of Jesus’ life and ministry, revealing Him as the living Word of God who existed from eternity.

As Christians living in the 21^st century, we are called upon to approach our world with each of these four aspects of Jesus’ nature:

• As LIONS, we need to regain our “roar.” While we’re called to be kings of the jungle—ruling and reigning with Christ (Romans 5:17)—we’ve allowed ourselves to become tame and housebroken. Instead of being conquerors and victors, striking terror in evildoers, we’ve become more like kittens, a threat to no one.

• As OXEN, we must approach our society with the heart of servants. Rather than being known for our angry denunciation of our nation’s shortcomings, we need to offer our love, prayers, and service to make things better.

• As MEN and WOMEN, we must model the humanity and compassion of Jesus for those in need. This means weeping over our city and our nation, even as we call them to repentance (Luke 13:34-35).

• As EAGLES, we must strive to see the big picture and view our world from God’s heavenly perspective. The Lord is calling us to come to a higher place of revelation and wisdom than we’ve had before: “Come up here, and I will show you things…” He is saying again today (Revelation 4:1-2). And in order to have the maximum impact, the church needs “sons of Issachar”—people with prophetic insight, who understand the times and know what God’s people should do (1 Chronicles 12:32).

Jesus said that anyone who saw Him would know what the Father looked like (John 14:9). In the same way, a watching world should be able to know what Jesus looks like by observing the lives of His followers.

The world desperately needs to see Jesus again. But that will only happen if we once again model the face of a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle. It’s time to roar, serve, weep…and SOAR!

“The difference between duty and love is that the first represents Sinai and the second Calvary.”

- Richard Braunstein

Washed in the blood of the Lamb, the believer discards worldly garments and dons a heavenly wardrobe.

The old evil nature is exchanged for brand new clothes with the Lord Jesus Christ’s designer label—

tenderheartedness instead of steel-cold armor, humility rather than street-smart arrogance.

Slipping an engagement ring on our finger, we prove fidelity to the Lover of our soul.

Love is not the hottest fad with the people who are all wrapped up in themselves,

but it is high fashion and a stylish outfit for people suited up for worship.

Love is the most critical apparel, to be worn on every occasion.

Love for Christ is our response to a clear vision of Calvary.

Love for others is our response to Christ’s love for us.

Loving God and others is not a duty, but a delight.

Sinai points out our sin—Skull Hill our Savior.

Christ's love is the way to the truth of life.

“God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.”

1 John 4:16 NLT

Johnny R. Almond

Pastor, Colonial Beach Baptist Church, Virginia

Author, Gentle Whispers from Eternity—Scripture Personalized

Book available through local bookseller or preferred on-line retailer.

Author’s blog www.GentleWhispersFromEternity-ScripturePersonalized.com

[This devotion was based on/adapted from Day 24 of Gentle Whispers from Eternity]

“I don’t understand why I have to learn this stuff!”  If you haven’t heard your kids say this yet, just wait, school only started yesterday.  I was one of those kids.  I just didn’t care much for school.  I was too busy playing baseball, tennis and blowing up green army men with firecrackers.  School was not a highlight for me growing up.  Of course my lack of desire for learning spilled over into my spiritual life as well.  The Bible seemed boring and irrelevant as did most of church and Sunday school.

However, that all started to change after I became a Christian.  It was during high school that I heard the gospel in a very clear way and felt in my heart that I needed Christ and needed to follow Him.  God started working on my heart and changing my lack of desire to learn and study.  Now, I am not saying I didn’t struggle with school.  I struggled all the way through college and really didn’t catch on to the academic study thing until seminary.  Probably because it was then that I felt God calling me into ministry and I had a purpose to study.  But I will say that my desires to study my Bible, go to church and Sunday school, get involved in a weekly Bible study really did change quickly in high school.  I got involved in all those things and started trying to reach out to my friends as well.  To illustrate my point, I actually took notes during the sermons while I was in high school.

Since then I have always felt a strong desire to learn and study God’s Word.  I guess that’s a good thing since I’m a pastor.  But seriously, my prayer for everyone is that they have a “teachable spirit” towards the things of God.  Have you ever heard someone say (or maybe you said it yourself), “I’ve heard this Bible story before.”  The tone with a bit of pride in it that says, “I already know what this passage is about and it’s really doubtful that I’m going to learn anything new here.”   I know I’m guilty of saying it.  But is that the attitude we should have toward the Scriptures, even if we have heard the story a million times before?  God’s Word is living and active, it will always have something new to teach us.  We will never, ever be able to exhaust the riches of God’s grace in the Bible.  That is, if we approach the Bible with a teachable spirit that says with the Psalmist,

“Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. ³⁴ Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. ³⁵ Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. ³⁶ Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! ³⁷ Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.”                                                                Psalm 119:33-37

There are numerous ways to allow God’s Word to impact your heart and life.  Study and meditate daily on God’s Word, be at church every week and take notes on the sermon, be committed to a Faith & Life class (while your kids and in Sunday school), get involved in a weekly Bible study and Community Group, get involved in the men’s and women’s ministries, listen to a message on your way to work.  I encourage you to do all of the above.  Immerse yourself in learning the things of God and what it means to follow Christ.

What have I been learning lately?  Well, I have been thinking about Philippians 4:6-7 which says,

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I memorized this verse in high school so you would think that I know all there is to know about it by now.  But recently this passage has given me profound comfort during times when I am anxious.  I have been able to meditate on it, pick it apart, listen to each word and understand it in a deeper way that I have never seen in it before. 

Lord, give me a teachable spirit that I may soak in your Word each day, allowing it to wash me with its grace, mold my heart and give me the courage to live it out among the world around me.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

More than 30 years ago, I received a call from an elderly man named John Hunter. Someone had given him my name, and he said he hoped I might be able to answer some of his questions about the new things God was doing in the church.

I agreed to meet with him, and after that initial meeting John and I got together often. I learned that he had already known the Lord for more than 50 years—much longer than I had even been alive at that point. He didn’t flaunt his credentials, but he also had many years of experience as a church leader and Bible teacher. John clearly knew Christ in a deep and profound way.

So why did he want to get together with me? That was something I always found puzzling. Was it that he had a fatherly concern for me as a young Christian leader? Yes, I’m sure he wanted me to succeed as a leader—but that was not why he wanted to get together.

Did he want to straighten out my theology? No, that was the furthest thing from his mind.

Still to this day, I’m shocked by John’s primary reason for wanting to spend time with me: He was so hungry for the things of God that he hoped to learn something even from a “youngster” like me.

This may not seem so remarkable to you, but it still challenges me to the very core of my being. Why? Because John Hunter was hungrier for the Lord than I was.

Let me explain…

Before I met John, I was pretty satisfied with the spiritual level I had attained. I felt knowledgeable about the Scriptures and in touch with the Holy Spirit—wasn’t that enough? But John exemplified the same kind of insatiable hunger for God that the apostle Paul wrote about:

Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect [mature], have this attitude (Philippians 3:12-15).

Until his dying day, John Hunter was still pressing on, not satisfied with the knowledge of God he already had. In his later years John developed Parkinson’s Disease, which made it much more difficult to “press on”—but he did nonetheless. His gait was more wobbly each time we met, as if his tall, lanky body might fall at any moment.

But he insisted on getting together anyway.

When we sat to have lunch, John’s hands shook violently if he tried to gesture or to bring a spoon to his mouth. Often his food spilled on his shirt, drawing the attention of those at neighboring tables in the restaurant.

As his final days approached, John’s words came out slowly and slurred. Sometimes he didn’t finish the sentences he started. But I could always sense the presence of the Lord during the times we shared.

It will be great to see John Hunter again someday. In heaven, I’m sure he has a fantastic new body, unaffected by anything like Parkinson’s. And I can’t wait to see how his childlike spiritual hunger is finally being satisfied as he dances in worship before God’s throne.

Let’s remind each other to follow John Hunter’s example, always yearning to go higher, toward the “upward call of God” for our lives. Let’s stay hungry until our hunger is fulfilled in eternity.

And perhaps the Lord would even have us invest ourselves in a new generation, as John Hunter did with me. Our lives will be changed when we do.

It seems most of us Christians in the United States today have become like domesticated lions. While we’re called to be kings of the jungle—ruling and reigning with Christ (Romans 5:17)—we’ve allowed ourselves to become tame and housebroken. Instead of being predators, striking terror in the princes of darkness, we’ve become mere pussy cats, a threat to no one.

Is anyone afraid of the church in America today? Does the devil quake when the saints of God gather? Are those who pollute our society with moral filth concerned about a holy uprising of the Lord’s people in response?

And what about the TV preachers who happily go on secular talk shows to promote their books—yet refuse to take a stand on the moral issues of our day? Rather than represent the true Prince of Peace—the One who angrily cast moneychangers out of the temple—many have become mere pacifists, opting for peace at any price. Instead of challenging the world, we’ve taken the easy road and accommodated the world.

Abraham’s nephew Lot became a domesticated lion. He thought he had it made when Abraham told him he could choose the most lucrative place to live. But he became soft…spiritually dull…compromised. It’s not easy to maintain your spiritual edge when you’re living in the lap of luxury.

Yet Lot seemed to think all was well until two angels of the Lord came to visit him one evening (Genesis 19). After all, he was on good terms with the wicked inhabitants of Sodom—or so he thought.

How tragic. But we who are domesticated lions have taken a similar path. Just as Lot thought he could placate the men of Sodom, we smugly think the world actually accepts us. Lot found out too late that the people of Sodom were never fooled by his compromised life.

We who seek to follow Jesus need to remember how He prayed to the Father for us: “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:14).  

We all want to be liked and accepted, don’t we? That’s human nature. But sometimes the call to follow Christ will put us at odds with the world. What will we do then? Will we allow the world to emasculate us and turn us into kittens instead of lions? Or will be willing to die to ourselves and let the Lion of the tribe of Judah rise up big within us?

God wants to replace our pitiful meows with the ROAR of champions again. Are you ready?

Over the years, I’ve had friends who had strong spiritual convictions but low moral standards. The results of such lifestyles have been displayed widely in the media. I fear what has been revealed in the spotlight is only a fraction of what has been practiced in the shadows. More recently I have developed friendships with those who have strong moral beliefs, but not much spirituality. Must it be either/or? Can it not be both/and? Jesus found a way to incorporate both spirituality and morality into one lifestyle, so much so that his spirituality infuriated the religious leaders, who likely lacked moral convictions, and His solid morality was described as, “in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Expounding on this balance, Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “If we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values - that all reality hinges on moral foundations and that all reality has spiritual control.” However you say it, the ideal is a God-intended, Jesus modeled, lifestyle balance of healthy morality and solid spirituality.

For more from Dr. Dan, go to www.discipleallnations.org/blog.

H – E – Double Hockey Sticks. Hell.

The place we want to send all of our enemies while avoiding it ourselves. And for many, a place imagined to be one giant endless debauched party. Woot!

Which is, of course, better than being bored in a heaven.

Right? Wrong!

As absurd as it is to curse someone by telling them, “I’ll see you in hell!” it is equally absurd to imagine heaven as nothing but a bunch of silk-robed cloud-riding harp-strummers.

Sadly, for many, their views of heaven and hell are as wrongly skewed as their view of God. Or even Satan. What should be viewed with awe, respect, and fear has been made pretty and puny through trivialization and petty humor.
 
So, how does one reset and enlarge their understanding of heaven and hell?

Well, you could read some of the many recent books on hell, such as Erasing Hell by Francis Chan. And then a few from the many available on heaven, such as Heaven by Randy Alcorn.

Or, how about a basic primer that references these two books and many more while covering both heaven and hell?
 
While not exactly a Heaven and Hell For Dummies*” Christopher D. Hudson** has come close with his new book Heaven & Hell: Are They Real? recently released by Thomas Nelson***.

Divided conveniently into two sections the book addresses 61 intriguing questions people ask about heaven and hell. Many of the questions were apparently suggested by readers of Hudson’s blog and followers of his Facebook page and Twitter account.

Get a clue about heaven for heaven’s sake!

On the heaven side of things, you’ll learn about what happens right after you die, what life will be like in heaven, what your resurrected body will be like, and who you might see way up yonder.

Probably one of the biggest misconceptions of heaven is that it will be boring. Clearly those who believe this haven’t really paid attention to what the Bible actually says about the place.

Hudson quotes Hank Hanegraff, known as “The Bible Answer Man,” who explains “..heaven will be a place of continuous learning, growth, and development.” Hudson adds, “our activities will include work and relationships that are enjoyable and fulfilling.”

Speaking of enjoyable, another area covered addresses whether or not there will be sex in heaven. While we will be busy, sex won’t be the activity. Unlike some religions that promise 20 virgins per guy, our focus will be somewhere else once we are face-to-face with our Creator God.

To address the sex issue, Hudson leans on C.S. Lewis who reminds us that “heaven is more than earth,” that our earthly relationships will be “subsumed…with deeper intimacy unspoiled by sin,” and the issue is “not that sex is taken away, but taken up into something even greater.” In other words, “where we fear fasting, there is really feasting.”

The bottom line is that our life in heaven is going to be far above and beyond anything we can fully imagine with our tiny little creature minds.

Hell no you don’t want to go to there!

On the flip side, many pooh-pooh a fiery hell making it out to be the more interesting-than-heaven after-death alternative; a kind of party-central.

Not. Even. Close.

And as far as seeing anyone there, if that’s possible you won’t know them or even care.

You and they will be in wretched everlasting agony.

The book touches on the fact that hell is indeed a real place, that getting a ticket to hell is your choice, that once confronted with the reality of hell you’ll resist and be tossed in, and how God’s sending people to hell is entirely just.

Probably the biggest issue for some is the struggle to understand how a loving God can condemn people to hell, aka eternal damnation. Those who raise this question often have a limited understanding of who and how holy God really is.

To them Satan is a pipsqueak, God is a glorified Santa, heaven’s a myth, and hell is a fantasy.

They’ll often object to the consequence of sin that is hell by claiming it’s not fair to receive endless punishment for a few sinfully delicious indiscretions. But on the other hand, they have no trouble claiming that a life of trivial good deeds and smug niceness should win them an eternity in paradise.

Really?

The reality is, as Hudson points out, that hell is just and you will lose everything if you end up there. “There are no friendships and no relationships. There is no love or joy or anything that will make you smile.”

And unlike some who believe that annihilation and non-existence follows death, there are chapters that address the eternal nature of our souls and the persistence of punishment in hell for those who choose to reject God.

You don’t just stop being when you die.

In fact, Hudson reminds us of Jesus’ own words regarding the awfulness of hell where, “the worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched, [and] everyone will be salted with fire.”

Jesus repeated emphatic warnings to avoid hell and the terrors it holds. The only after-death party will be the big one in heaven.

You’ve got to serve somebody

Hudson winds the book down by stating, “Hell is not a consequence for a specific sin or the list of sins we may commit over a lifetime. It is the eternal punishment and inevitable destination for those who have rejected God and his plan for salvation.”

Being good doesn’t earn merits for getting into heaven. There is only one way, and that is to accept, believe in, and follow Jesus who said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12, NIV).

As Hudson concludes, “By following Jesus, we travel a well-lit path that leads to heaven, a place where we will experience life to the fullest in the presence of God himself.”

There is no other path. No other way. No other light.

You may not believe in God and heaven or hell and Satan now. But you will one day. And then, it will be too late.
 
It’s your choice. Which will it be? Heaven or hell?

Choose wisely. You will spend eternity in one or the other.

The good, the odd, and the missing

This is a book that can be read from front to back, but also is designed to work as a reference of sorts. Using the table of contents, you can easily look up and read the parts you are specifically curious about.

Being an entry-level text on the topics of heaven and hell, this would be a great book for a new Christian or a serious seeker. It’s accessible and biblically grounded providing a good overview.

This would be an okay book for a group study but is better suited for individual use. If used in a group, it would be best to tackle it a subsection at a time. There are five subsections on heaven and six on hell, making for a decent 11 week small group study.

Each chapter ends with only a single one or two sentence question for further thought or as discussion generators if used in a group.

Included in the book are a couple of info-graphics and a smattering of art reproductions. Some of these are etchings which are fairly dense visually and barely hold up printed in black on the lightweight pages. And, oddly, not a single illustration is referenced in the text leaving the reader to ascertain their significance.

The book is primarily comprised of quotes, both short and extensive, from a variety of sources, all well footnoted.

Sadly, there is no bibliography, index, or list of suggested readings. To go deeper, you’ll need to take the time to look up the books and sources referenced in the footnotes. However, there is an appendix that lists Bible verses by topic.

Overall, the book will probably not definitively answer every question you may have about heaven or hell, but it is adequate for getting a good grasp on the essentials from a solidly Christian and biblical point of view.

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***Disclosure #1 (to comply with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255): I selected this book to review and received it free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

**Disclosure #2: After receiving the book and doing a little research, I realized that Chris, the author, was the project editor for Inside the Mysteries of the Bible: New Perspectives on Ancient Truths (American Bible Society), to which I was a contributor. ‘Tis a small world.

*Disclosure #3: Not that it’s important, but I used to be a project editor with Wiley Publishing in the awkwardly named Consumer Dummies division. I shepherded the development of titles such as Seasonal Affective Disorder For Dummies,The Book of Revelation For Dummies, and U.S. Military History For Dummies (all excellent titles). I also unsuccessfully lobbied for the development of Heaven and Hell For Dummies, a title I still believe they should pursue.

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What do you think heaven will be like? What do you think hell will be like? How have you come to these perceptions of heaven and/or hell? Share your thoughts on heaven and hell in the comments!NOTE: This was originally posted on my blog, FaithBraised.com, which was awarded top honors for a single author blog by the Evangelical Press Association in 2012 and 2014.

The skeptic asked me, “Why do Christians talk so much about God?” Good question. Everyone talks about what is important to them, what’s in their heart. Maybe it’s about kids or grandkids, or the weather, or ball scores, or the latest movie or song, or a new found friend. So the path is from the heart to the tongue. While Christians do the same, something additional is in our heart. Moses wrote God’s laws/commands on tablets of stone (Exodus 24:12). Twice, the writer of Proverbs used the phrase, “The tablet of your heart” (Prov. 3:3; 7:3), indicating we are to write God’s laws/commands on our hearts – the true inner self which determines who we really are – to be felt, remembered, and shared. Jesus added, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45). So, here’s the Christian path – God’s law/commands given in a lasting, permanent, unchanging manner (“tablets of stone”), transferred to us (“tablet of your heart”), and then shared from our heart with others. What a wonderful opportunity we have at the Christmas season to share with others – from tablet to tongue.

For more from Dr. Dan Crawford check his blog at www.discipleallnations.org/blog.

What if I told you I thought you might be living in sin? Offended and defensive, you likely would protest, “What do you mean? I’ve been faithful to my spouse, I go to church nearly every week, and I even tithe.”

If our conversation continued, you probably would add that you don’t cheat on your taxes, lie about your neighbors, or take the Lord’s name in vain.

Congratulations on all the things you are doing right, and on all the evil things you’re abstaining from. But my question remains: Are you unknowingly living in sin?

Here’s what I mean…

God reminded me recently of this amazing statement by the apostle Paul: “Everything that does not come from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23).

Let that sink in for a moment. It means that even if we are trying to do the right things, we’re still “living in sin” if we’re not acting in faith and relying on God. Anything we do is sin—even if it is well-meaning—if it doesn’t proceed from an active trust relationship with the Lord.

“Sin” (Greek hamartia) basically means “to miss the mark.” And that is exactly what happens every time we trust in our own abilities and insights rather than on Christ living within us (Galatians 2:20, Colossians 1:27).

You see, without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Unless we’re relying on God, our attempts to be righteous will inevitably fall short, and we’ll end up with a frustrating and unfulfilling life (Romans 7).

So let me ask you again: Are you living in faith or in sin? If you are trying to live the Christian life in your own strength, you will surely fail (2 Corinthians 5:7, John 15:1-5). Positionally, you might be “the righteousness of God” in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21), but experientially you will be falling dreadfully short of His plan for your life.

Entire books have been written on what it means to walk by faith. But I’m convinced that genuine faith is much rarer than we commonly think. For example…

• We’re unlikely to get much out of the Bible if we read it merely as a religious exercise, without adding faith and a life-giving relationship with the Holy Spirit.
• Attending church because it’s the religious thing to do is much different than gathering with God’s people in expectation of life-changing miracles.
• Paying our tithes out of obligation or fear is entirely different than sowing financial seeds into God’s kingdom with faith and expectancy.

Be honest: When was the last time you actually took a “risk” because you sensed God leading you to do something? If you’re constantly playing it safe in life, you might want to check and see if faith is having any role at all.

The rich young ruler thought he was an exceptionally holy guy (Mark 10:17-22). But despite his commendable religious deeds, it turned out that he was living in fear and unbelief—trusting in his wealth instead of in the promises of God.

I’m praying today that the Lord will expose our areas of fear and unbelief. May He show us the areas of our lives where we’re no longer operating in faith and dependence on Him. As the old hymn tells us, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”

Why all the fascination with “Duck Dynasty” these days? Is it just another example of mindless cultural fluff, or is a profound spiritual message somehow involved? My purpose in this blog post is not to wade into the recent controversy about Phil Robertson's comments on homosexuality, but rather the larger cultural context: How can a believer "keep it real" and walk in God's truth in a politically correct world? 

       The A&E Network’s unlikely hit series is the second most watched original series on a cable channel. As you probably know by now, the show chronicles the Robertson clan, the rags-to-riches family that has turned making duck calls into a lucrative company called Duck Commander.

      On a recent media blitz in New York City, the bearded stars were asked by Matt Lauer on “The Today Show” whether “Duck Dynasty” episodes were “real” or scripted. Family patriarch Phil Robertson replied, “Most of the time we ad-lib. Think about it: Some TV producer out of L.A. is fixin’ to put words into our mouth? Gimme a break.”

      Jase, one of the Robertson sons, described the culture shock between the TV producers and the fiercely independent Louisianans: “They come up with ideas, and we just get to be ourselves in the situation.”

      Is that the secret to the amazing success of the Robertsons, after all—the fact that they “just get to be themselves”?

      In various other interviews, the Robertsons have discussed how crucial it is for them to “keep it real,” even in the face of constant pressure to compromise their faith and values. Success has its own temptations, but it would be deadly to the show’s success if the family tried to fit into some mold set by TV gurus.

      But I’ve admitted to some friends lately that I don’t always like “reality.” Yes, the truth will set us free (John 8:32), but first it often brings pain and dismay. I can see why some people prefer to live their whole life in a fantasy world.

      And have you ever wondered what people would see if YOUR life was a TV reality show? Would it be the most boring program ever, because you never do anything heroic or adventurous? Would you be embarrassed if hidden cameras caught a behind-the-scenes look at what’s really going on in your family or career?

      Perhaps the reality show cameras would reveal that your public persona is far different from who you truly are. As Jesus described the Pharisees, maybe you’re a hypocrite…a play actor…wearing a religious mask or “happy face” to hide your inner reality.

      Jesus once told a Samaritan woman who had bounced from one immoral relationship to another, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). There’s an important message here about whether we’re living lives that are authentic or phony.

      The Greek word translated “truth” is alētheia. In addition to meaning “truth” in terms of what is right and wrong (e.g., the truth of Scripture), alētheia has a much broader meaning. It can be translated as “reality,” and one Bible dictionary defines it as “candor of mind which is free from pretense, simulation, falsehood, or deceit.”

      Many people today are yearning for reality. Perhaps they’ve never classified themselves as a “seeker of truth,” but they’re tired of the phony, the fabricated, and the hyped.

      Yet, sadly, not everyone is ready to face the truth. Jack Nicholson’s character in “A Few Good Men” may have been right when he famously said, “You can’t HANDLE the truth!”

      Let’s be honest: At the same time as we applaud the “reality” of a program like “Duck Dynasty,” millions are also watching the un-reality of “Keeping Up with the Kardashians.”

      Do we even have a clue as to what is “real” anymore? Do we even care?

      As you’ve probably guessed, my concern isn’t whether the Robertsons or the Kardashians are living in reality or phoniness. My concern is for you and me.

      I pray you have some true friends who are helping you “keep it real”—people who refuse to allow you to drift into unreality and self-deception. Even though it’s unlikely you’ll ever be offered your own TV program, may the reality of Christ be evident in your life. Although people will be impacted little by what you PROFESS, they can be impacted greatly by the reality of what you POSSESS.

      While the Robertson clan has made a mark on the world through manufacturing duck calls, you probably won’t be attracting any ducks through your sincere walk with Jesus. But I predict you surely will succeed as a fisher of men (Matthew 4:19).

We don’t know the exact time frame of the journey made by “wise men from the East” in search of young King Jesus (Matthew 2:1-12). It may have been several months or even a few years after Jesus’ birth when they arrived at Herod’s palace and asked, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?” (v. 1)

But while some of the details of their journey may be unclear, there’s much we can learn from the wonderful example set by the magi:

1.   They made it a priority to pursue the Lord (v. 1). These men came from a great distance to encounter the Savior. They weren’t just casual believers, but were committed to having a personal encounter with the newborn King. In the same way, shouldn’t we make it a priority to pursue the Lord and spend time in His presence?

2.   They came to worship Him (v. 2). Right from the beginning, the magi made the purpose of their journey clear: “We have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” May that be our focus as well during this Christmas season. Instead of being distracted by all the trappings of the holidays, let’s take time to worship Jesus!

3.   Nothing could divert them from their mission (vs. 3-8). When God gives us a dream to pursue, we often have to deal with a “King Herod” who tries to distract us along the way. The magi truly proved to be “wise men,” able to discern that King Herod had no intention of furthering their mission. In the same way, we must avoid the influence of toxic people and naysayers during the holiday season.

4.   They not only worshiped Jesus with their words and their time, but they also worshiped Him with a generous offering. “When they had opened their treasures, they presented to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh” (v. 11). If we have a genuine encounter with our Savior, the King of Kings, how can we not honor Him with our possessions? True worship demands nothing less. Our treasure and our heart are always linked together (Matthew 6:21).

5.   They returned home “another way” (v. 12). Genuine worship will transform us and cause us to walk on a different path than we started on. If necessary, we’ll even be given supernatural direction or “divinely warned in a dream.” As you worship Jesus this holiday season, He wants to instruct you, change your life, and give you the breakthrough you need!

This Christmas, may the Lord give you a fresh revelation of His LOVE for you—love that took Him from the glories of Heaven to a dusty stable in Bethlehem…to a Cross on a Jerusalem hillside…to the right hand of God’s throne in Heaven…so that you might spend eternity with Him.