Discipleship Network Forum

The Name of the only GOD

       And Moses said unto ELOHIM, “Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel,

       and shall say unto them, ‘The ELOHIM of your fathers hath sent me unto you’;

       and they shall say to me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say unto them?

       And ELOHIM said unto Moses, “I AM THAT I AM”: and he said, Thus shalt thou

       say unto the children of Israel, “I AM hath sent me unto you.” And God said

       moreover unto Moses, “Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The

       YHWH ELOHIM of your fathers, the ELOHIM of Abraham, the ELOHIM of Isaac,

       and the ELOHIM of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this

       is my memorial unto all generations.” (Exodus 3:13-15)

      What’s in a name?  Today, names are used mainly as identifiers.  We form letters that when pronounced together form a sound that makes music to our ears.  But a long time ago, back in the days when time began, names meant something very significant to every person.  A name evokes pictures of the character, authority and honor of a person.  A name carries the very essence of a person.  In those days, when the father names his child, he is in fact, prophesying the nature and character of his child which influences his future. 

      When we read the part of Scripture that enumerates the names of ancestors, we usually want to read fast or sometimes skip the passage in order to get to the meat of the message.  But the HOLY SPIRIT wrote those names for a purpose.  Let me show you an example.  Please read Genesis 5:1-9 – the Generations of Adam.  Let me shorten it by showing you the names and the meanings of each from ancient Hebrew:

            Adam – man

            Shet    -  appointed

             Enosh -  mortal

             Kenan -  sorrow

             Mahalalel – The blessed GOD

             Yered  - shall come down

             Hanoch – teaching

             Methuselah – his death shall bring

             Lemech – despairing

             Noach   - comfort or rest

Let’s put it all together:  “Man appointed mortal sorrow (but) the blessed GOD shall come down teaching (that) his death shall bring (the) despairing comfort/rest.”  YHWH ELOHIM preached the Gospel through the names of the generations of Adam showing men at that time and even today, that He really cares what happens to man and is willing to take the responsibility to save them.

To YHWH ELOHIM, names mean a lot.  How would you like it if somebody calls you and yells, “Hey, John Doe!” or “Hey, whatsamacallit!”  Would you respond?  How would you feel?  Would you even turn your head? 

I don’t know what happened, but some people decided to delete the name of YHWH and substituted it with LORD in our translated Scriptures.  As a linguistic rule in grammar, one never translates a proper name.  If you’re an American, you probably have an American name; or maybe not, depending on your ethnic background.  The fact of the matter is, whatever name you were given at birth, you don’t want somebody changing it for his own convenience.  Sane people would consider that an insult or a racial slur! 

But people who call themselves Christians do it to YHWH ELOHIM daily, even in their prayers!  Many are convinced that it’s okay to change GOD’s name, anyway, they’re sure He would understand.  I guess they don’t really take the commandments (particularly Ex 2:3,7) seriously; after all, it’s Old Testament rules and they really don’t apply to New Testament Christians.  Or do they?  If we are truly followers of YESHUA, we better understand that He followed the Torah (yes, all of it!) and if He did, then we should also.  Otherwise, we can’t call ourselves, followers of YESHUA.  Any serious man of the Word would tell you that the New Testament can only be understood in the light of the Old Testament. 

Doesn’t it seem strange to you that translators changed the Name of YHWH into LORD but did not even make a notable change to the name of Satan?  Somehow, some people succumbed to the influence of the enemy.  Some quarters say that the Name is too holy to even utter.  Well, all I can say is, if YHWH commanded that this is the Name that He should be known from generation to generation.  Who am I to assume that He would be angry if I call Him by His chosen Name?  Fear is not from YHWH but from the enemy.  Anyone who loves YHWH is welcome to call on Him by His holy Name!  The Name of YHWH is a strong tower.  The righteous run to it and they are safe!(Prov 18:10)

When you pray, are you sure, you’re calling on the only true ELOHIM (GOD)?  Or are you actually calling on an unknown god?  You see, when you call YHWH, God, it is as if you’re relegating Him to the status of the pagan gods, because His Name, YHWH bears His exalted and honourable position and authority of omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence.  We often call Him Father, but are you sure you know the Father you are calling? 

The Scriptures, first mentioned the Name, YHWH in Genesis 2:5 when He was causing life to come out of the earth.  Especially in relation to forming and molding Adam, YHWH’s (the One who causes to be) nature was manifested in the human whom he fashioned according to His own image and likeness.  No wonder many who profess to believe, do not really appreciate who they are in YHWH because they don’t even call on the Name by which they are patterned after.  How can they be in union with their Father whom they don’t really know?  As the Scriptures say, “How can two walk together if they be not of one mind?”

Well, some might say, “We are in union with JESUS!”  Don’t you know?  YESHUA (the one you call Jesus) always glorifies the Father and only does and says what the Father wills.  The Father has given Himself a name that is exalted above all – YHWH – by which He shall be known from generation to generation. 

If your name is like music to your ears, so is the Name of our ELOHIM to His ears.  Rest assured, “Whoever calls on the Name of YHWH will never be disappointed!”

So, let me ask you, have you been disappointed in your prayers?

מלאך

Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.

I haven't blogged in a while. You may not have noticed, but I have.

I've felt guilty about it.

I've thought of a dozen things I wanted to blog about, but then didn't follow through.

That made me even more guilty.

I have feeling guilty . . . 

When I feel guilty for two long, I have a panic attack.

That's never pretty and it brings on more guilt.

And the bottom line is I haven't blogged because I've been too busy to stop long enough to do it.

It's not like I'm never thinking about God. For example, during the past weeks I've spent a ton of time in the Bible. I teach two Bible studies a week and spend time preparing for both. I'm editing Bible curriculum each week (usually two a week) and working through parts of curriculum with new writers every week. I'm editing a manuscript about that curriculum. This week I worked through 8 chapters of it. Lot's of time spent in the Bible.

But if I'm not careful, I get caught up with the work load, the deadlines, the expectations I've put on myself, with the other 12 things I'm trying to do for my family . . . all good stuff, by the way . . . and neglect to take time to be quiet and reflect in one's happening in my spiritual life. That doesn't mean my prayer life is non-existent, or that I never worship.

It just means that blogging is a time for me to be quiet for a few minutes and listen for God's voice. Obviously, I haven't had much quiet time lately. 

I wonder if I had more quiet time if I'd have fewer feelings of guilt?

Now, that's a "no-brainer."

Margie Williamson

Community Manager

Many small groups in America are not missional. They are good at caring for one another and studying the Bible, which is good . . . but not great! In Good to Great, Jim Collins discusses our need to “confront the brutal facts.”  In Small Group Vital Signs,I help you and your small group honestly and diligently confront the brutal facts of your current reality in comparison to the truth of God’s Word. This examination may lead you to a major decision point in your life together and move you off your comfy couches to do something God-sized . . . or remain where you are and maintain the status quo.

This post is an excerpt from the Introduction of Small Group Vital Signs: Seven Indicators of Health that Make Groups Flourish. I talk more about our church's story and what we learned from it throughout the book. By the way, the book is written for group leaders to help you as you lead your group to health. I also included an appendix for small group point people, with ideas on how you can implement the vital signs in your church.

 But just as it is written, "Things that no eye has seen,

or ear heard, or mind imagined, are the things

God has prepared for those who love him."

God has revealed these to us by the Spirit. For the Spirit

searches all things, even the deep things of God.

1 Cor 2:9, 10

In many Christian circles, when a person starts sharing about GOD talking to him, oftentimes questions arise in the minds of fellow believers. Is this really true? Does GOD really talk to people today just like He talked to Moses or Abraham? Some believers are even indignant for not having the same experience. They begin to wonder if GOD has chosen to leave them out of the conversation.

Well, let me ask you? Does GOD talk to you? Do you have on-going conversation with GOD during the day? Or is your prayer life a one-way street? If GOD is not talking to you, then you don't have a living relationship with Him! It is not my intention to make you feel condemned but only to point out what you may be missing – a thriving, growing relationship with your heavenly Father. I, very seldom, hear a message on how to hear from GOD and so I have decided to share with you my own personal experience. Since every individual was created unique, I don't expect you to have exactly the same experience as I but we would certainly have a common ground.

King David once said, "The nearness of GOD is my good"(Ps 73:28). King David cleaved to YHWH and made Adonai Elohim his refuge. He prayed to YHWH at least seven times a day! Even at the night watch, he wakes up to be with YHWH. YHWH said, "David is a man after my own heart." David was so close to YHWH that he came to know His very heart and will. Saul offered sacrifices to YHWH and was condemned but David wore the priestly ephod and burned sacrifices before YHWH and he was accepted. Wow! What was the difference? Though Shaul was anointed king, he never bothered to get close to YHWH but David poured out his soul daily to YHWH. David appreciated how significant YHWH has been to his daily walk. In fact, David refreshed himself daily in the presence of YHWH.

So how does YHWH speak to His children? There are several examples from the Scriptures but you can meditate on that by yourself. At the outset, I would like to submit that my example is very subjective but I would like to share my own experience to make it more relevant. Early in my christian life, I used to wonder what my mentors meant when they said, "God told me..." To them, God was very personal and He dealt with them as sons. But I didn't hear from God like any of them; so I felt like a second-class citizen. One Saturday morning, as I was meditating on Isaiah chapter 6, when YHWH appeared to Isaiah in a vision, I suddenly stopped and blurted out my frustration, "LORD, I am your son just as all your other children and I don't believe that a father ignores his son. I won't utter a word and will be quiet until I hear you speak to me." At that moment, YHWH recognized my longing and I heard Him speak to me, "Fred, who will represent Us? Whom shall We send?" To say that I was astounded is an understatement. I was totally awed, and knelt down and worshipped, saying, "Here I am FATHER, send me!" That day He anointed me as a teacher to make known His wonders. That was the first of only two times that I heard YHWH speak to me audibly.

Oftentimes, YHWH would speak to me as a word that enters my consciousness. He is not formal at all. Most of the time, He speaks to me as a Father would to His son. He instructs and directs me. He counsels and comforts me. He rebukes and corrects me. He is the gentlest Person I know and His 'ever-presence' soothes my spirit. There were certain times when the word of YHWH would come and command me to deliver a message or send me to pray for a sick person. In any of these, YHWH was always very specific.

When I meditate on a passage of Scripture, the HOLY SPIRIT instructs me not only at that moment of reading the Word but throughout the day and even at night as I sleep. I think I am especially susceptable to instruction when asleep because my flesh and carnal mind could not interrupt, so the HOLY SPIRIT uses my imagination to instruct me through dreams. There have been several instances when I needed a new idea and as I asked the FATHER before I slept, He did enlighten me through a dream. I have also experienced seeing a vision as the LORD YESHUA spoke to me in the midst of prayer. The LORD has given me so much encouragement at these times and strengthened my faith.

If you notice, I address GOD by the Name that He said He should be known from generation to generation – YHWH. Some say that His name is too holy to utter so they have substituted God instead of the Name. Even in the English Bible translations, the translators also substituted LORD to the proper name of YHWH. The enemy has really succeeded in this endeavor because the adversary knows that there is power in the Name and the character and nature of YHWH is in the Name. In strict grammar rule in linguistics, proper nouns are not translated but may be transliterated; for example, YESHUA (Hebrew) to JESUS (English). Personally, I address YHWH as He wants to be named. All the pagan gods are named by men and are otherwise known by them as God; but I don't want to call on my GOD in the same name as the pagans do. YHWH invites us to call Him by His Name and as FATHER. I raised this matter up because calling the person you love by his name is an essential part of an intimate relationship. Communion with YHWH is based on an intimate knowledge of the holy.

You cannot expect an intimate relationship to develop without spending time with the person you love. With the greatest Person in the universe, it means giving Him priority over every other activity and over every other person. It means whatever He says, you believe and trust that whatever He promised, He will fulfill. It means, not just reading the Scriptures but really bothering to know what He meant and invoking it over the circumstances of your life as a habit. It means wanting more of Him everyday. It means desiring His presence every moment of your life.

In a dream, YHWH described time to me as a cycle of lessons in dependence. The past is before me because it is already known, while the present is what I observe happening as I walk; but the future is at my back because it is unknown. In order to walk in safety as I walk backward into the future, I must hold on to His steady hand that upholds me, trusting that He knows the way because He owns eternity. The journey is long and I must walk in union with YESHUA because He is the Way. I must abide by His Truth and only the sum of His word is Truth. I must continually fill up with His life so I can also impart life. The walk of a follower requires a constant connection to the throne of Grace so I cannot help but ensure that a vibrant link is maintained. I must not only upload my thoughts but also download YHWH's thoughts so that I am thoroughly guided whether in simple circumstances or in difficult challenges. As Shaul said, "Do all to the glory of YHWH."

In the spirit realm, the language of thought prevails. What prevails within your thoughts? YHWH said through the prophet Jeremiah, "I will put My Torah within them and write it on their hearts..." (Jer 31:33) What language do you speak?

YESHUA said, "My sheep listen to My voice, I recognize them, and they follow Me..."(Jn 10:27a)

מלאך

A small group, at its core, is Christ’s body in action. Stop and think about this for a moment. Your small group is the church. Not a subset of the church. Not a supportive program within the church. Not a tool to close the back door. Unfortunately, in today’s world, our mental image of “church” is usually something much bigger or more institutional than a single small group. We say, “I’m going to church,” meaning a building, a mass meeting, or possibly a structured program of some sort. The New Testament never uses the word church that way. Rather it refers to God’s people, called to carry out his mission. The New Testament uses the word church in three basic ways:

1. The church that meets in the home (Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Philemon 1:2)
2. The church in a certain geographical area (Acts 13:1; Romans 16:1; 1 Corinthians 1:2)
3. All of God’s called-out people (ecclesia, Matthew 16:18)

My objective here is not to get into a pointless argument about the definition of words (see 1 Timothy 6:4 and 2 Timothy 2:14). I want to help you see what your group really is, or at least what it has the potential to become.

You are the church. You are the body of Christ,

perfectly arranged by God to carry out his mission for his world.  — 1 Corinthians 12:18

If your group is not healthy, this definition may not fit you today. Perhaps you are not seeing God’s mission accomplished through your group at the present time. But I believe there is hope! I believe that God can transform your group into a robust and healthy expression of Christ’s body.

In my new book, Small Group Vital Signs, I put on my doctor’s scrubs and got out my diagnostic instruments to help you measure the health of your group. Then, I provided holistic cures to help your group become the healthy body that God designed it to be.  If you are the group’s leader, don’t attempt to do this alone. Your whole group must be involved!

______

This blog is an excerpt from my new book, Small Group Vital Signs: Seven Indicators of Health that Make Groups Flourish (TOUCH Publications) to be released late February, 2012.

Hey everyone, just wondering if anyone else on here struggles with entertainment choices.  I love good old classic rock music, and blues...and movies.  I generally find myslef listening to christian music, but feel pulled back over & over again to the secular music. 

I just was wondering if anyone struggle with this.  I know that most of this music has subject matter that is not good.  Also, when it comes to movies, I am offended by the use of the "f" word and the using of the Lord's name in vain, and yet sometimes still watch movies containing these things.

I wonder is this is a result of living in an entertainment saturated culture.  I'm sure that the church in persecuted countries don't have this issue.

What are some of your thoughts?

GOD said, "Let the earth put forth grass, seed-producing plants, and fruit trees,

each yielding its own kind of seed-bearing fruit, on the earth";

and that is how it was. - Gen 1:11

When the people of GOD understand the basic principle of the seed as YHWH laid it out from the beginning, then they will understand much of the parables that the LORD YESHUA taught in the New Testament. You see, YHWH our ELOHIM, declared the end from the beginning and from ancient times (Isaiah 46:10).

Each seed produces a plant that produces fruits and each fruit has seeds that produces the same kind of plant and so on and so forth until you have a thick forest before you. What is the potential of a seed? YESHUA said that a mustard seed could become a tree even if it is the smallest seed among the garden herbs; and the birds of the air come and nest in its branches (Mt 13:31-32). Bur that is just one mustard seed and it can produce a lot more mustard seeds. The possibilities are exponential!

Each seed carries within itself the characteristics of its kind. The mustard seed produces mustard. An apple seed produces apples and orange seed produces oranges. Adam originally bore the image of YHWH but lost it at the Fall and had been on survival mode after that. He bore children after his own fallen image. The last Adam, YESHUA the Messiah, was the Word made flesh who was the exact representation of the FATHER and He triumph over the enemy. YESHUA is the firstfruit among many brethren; brethren who are born again from above in accordance to His image, sharing His divine nature. YESHUA is the seed of the woman (Eve), the seed of Abraham, the root of Jesse, the son of David and the beloved SON of EL ELYON.

All believers were born again by the imperishable seed through the living Word of ELOHIM that last forever (1 Pet 1:23). When you received the word of ELOHIM in the soil of your heart, you trusted in His promise of salvation and that word became flesh and you were born from above, not by the will of man but by the will of the FATHER. The Word of ELOHIM is spirit and life itself. The Word is the basic ingredient of creation. The Word is YESHUA and YESHUA is ELOHIM!(Jn 1:1-2)

The principle of the seed is the principle of exponential duplication. We reproduce who we are. So, ask yourself, whose son are you?

ךמלא

Sometimes I have to go out to my shed to get something when it’s dark.  I usually forget to take a flashlight, so when I get there I’m just frustrated because I can’t find what I’m looking for because it is so dark. 

In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  Jesus is the light of the world.  But why do we need a light?  Because the world is actually a dark place because of sin and satan.  The world we live in can be extremely difficult to navigate through. 

Most of the time we don’t even realize how dark it is or what obstacles are out there because we are blind even to the darkness.  We see life through our own eyes which normally give us a self-centered, pleasure seeking, pain avoiding, idol making perspective.  It’s really hard to walk in darkness. You don’t know where you are going or what is before you.  It can be scary, dangerous and frustrating. 

But Jesus knows this world, he knows about our skewed perspective on life.  So he tells us he is the light of the world.  He will be our light for us.  One of my friends has a flashlight, but it’s not your ordinary flashlight.  It is the size of a mini-mag light, about six inches long, but this light is bright.  It is actually as bright as a car headlight.  We were at a camp where it gets really dark at night but having him shine this light made it look like daylight. 

This is what Jesus does when we follow him.  The very presence of Jesus in our life lights up our way.  I see people everyday walking in darkness.  They do things that they are completely blind to see how harmful they are and how contrary their actions are to the way they were created to live.  I’m not trying to be judgmental, I really feel sorry for them.  I pray that God would open their eyes to see Jesus, his love, his mercy, his grace and his forgiveness.  I pray that they would believe in Jesus so they can see where they are going in life and how their life needs to be satisfied by God himself and that they need to be living for His glory and not their own.  Then I look at my own life and how I often choose to walk in the darkness. 

I know Jesus is leading me in one direction, but I will choose to walk in a different one.  So then I pray that God will pick me up and put me back on the path to follow Jesus.   May you and I follow Jesus today, the Light of the world, so that we can clearly see where we are going, and that we can clearly see God’s will for us today and how we might glorify Him in all that we say, do and think about.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

Intentional discipleship is surrendering to the Father's will and walking in Jesus' presence.

So how do we live the life of an intentional disciple?  How do we stay connected to Jesus when he is not bodily present with us like he was with his first disciples?  The answer is the spiritual discipline, or practices.  If you read last week’s post, it may seem like I am writing in circles, but I am trying to make a subtle but important distinction in the way we see view the disciplines.  A spiritual practice is anything that connects us to the vine, keeps us connected, or identifies and roots out obstacles to connectedness.

The practices themselves are not discipleship.  The practices do not change us.  What they do is connect us to the vine, ushering us into his presence.  They connect us to the source of transformation.  Reading Scripture is one such practice.  When we engage Scripture, we open ourselves up to experience transformation in our lives, but it is not the reading that transforms us, it is the connection to the vine that the reading promotes that brings transformation into our lives.

This gives us a different perspective of the disciplines.  We don’t do them because we should – though we should.  We don’t do them for transformation – though they lead to transformation.  We engage in spiritual practices because they connect us to the vine, and God uses that connection to transform us.  In other words, the disciplines cultivate the characteristics of connectedness and make us aware of and help root out characteristics that obstruct connectedness.

The transformation we experience in our connection to the vine is not an instantaneous experience.  It is an ongoing process.  This is why we hear people refer to the Christian life as a journey.  There is no magic pill or six easy steps to transformation.  It is only abiding in his presence that brings real, honest, and true transformation.  The point of intentional discipleship is not to act a certain way or follow a certain set of guidelines.  The point is to become the kind of people who act a certain way.  I don’t want to be someone who tries really hard to not sin.  I want to be the kind of person whose desires and inner direction keeps me off the dark path of sin.

Intentional discipleship is surrendering to the Father's will and walking in Jesus’ presence. 

My last post looked at Jesus the Rabbi and how a first century disciple sat at the master’s feet longing to take on his character.  In John 15:1-8 Jesus uses a vine and branches as a metaphor for what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

I am the true vine, my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.  You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.  Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.  I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown in the fire and burned.  If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Notice what Jesus is telling us to do.  We are to remain in him, stay close to him.  If we do that we will bear fruit, and if we are bearing fruit, we give glory to God and show ourselves to be his disciples.  The mark of a disciple is the bearing of fruit.  Bearing fruit comes only from abiding in Jesus.  Therefore, a disciple must abide in him.

We may not be able to physically follow Jesus like the Apostles, but we can abide in his transforming presence through the Holy Spirit.  This is the heart of intentional discipleship.  It is not trying really hard or even doing a specific practice or set of practices.  The heart of intentional discipleship is remaining constantly connected to the vine.  We will need to try hard, and we will certainly engage in spiritual practices.  But our effort and the spiritual practices we engage in are merely tools.  Intentional discipleship is the connection, the stem connecting us to the vine.  Let me say that again.

Doing spiritual practices is NOT the essence of intentional discipleship.  The essence of intentional discipleship is remaining deeply connected to Jesus.

Intentional discipleship is surrendering to the Father's will and walking in Jesus’ presence.

For a disciple, time in the teacher’s presence is vital, because it is in his presence that the disciple learns to do what the teacher does. You could compare the disciple to the modern day apprentice.  Some things are taught in an apprenticeship because they are best learned in the field alongside a master. We could learn about building a house or wiring a home in a classroom.  We could probably learn about these things by reading a book, attending a seminar, watching a video, or listening to a podcast, but none of these methods match the depth of learning experienced in an apprenticeship.

The apprentice learns directly from a master in the midst of real life as he watches the master in action.  The classroom is sanitary, but the real world is messy.  The apprentice has the opportunity to observe the master responding to the unexpected, the bumps, and the messiness of real life.

These same characteristics are present in the relationship of the rabbi and his disciples.  The rabbi’s disciple learns from him in the midst of everyday life, not the classroom.  He doesn’t tell his students how to live; he shows them.  He doesn’t teach about theoretical pain.  He teaches in the midst of pain.  He doesn’t teach about dealing with an imaginary enemy, he demonstrates it as he responds to an enemy.

There is a saying in the Mishnah that reads, “Let your home be a meeting-house for the sages, and cover yourself in the dust of their feet, and drink in their words thirstily.”  In the first century a rabbi might travel from town to town teaching in people’s homes.  The roads they walked were dry and dirty, so their feet had a tendency to get caked with dust.

This blessing encourages the reader to sit at the rabbi’s feet as he teaches, drinking in his words as if they were water to a dry and thirsty soul.  But what if we take the meaning a little further?  What if the dust on his feet is a metaphor for the long and many roads he has walked in his life.  What if the dust represents the experiences and lessons he has learned as he journeyed with God?  In other words, could the dust of the rabbi’s feet represent his life and his wisdom?  This is the essence of intentional discipleship, taking on the character of Jesus as we walk closely with him.

Intentional discipleship is surrendering to the will of the Father.

The first of AA’s twelve steps is to admit you are powerless to bring about change in your life, and the second step goes hand in hand with it, to believe there is a “higher power” who is able to facilitate the change you desire. These are also the first two steps in the life of a disciple.  We must be willing to admit that we are powerless to plant and cultivate the seeds of kingdom life in our own hearts, and we must submit to the only one who can.  By choosing to be a disciple, a student, we admit that we need to be taught.  Without this beginning in humility and surrender, the fullness of the abundant kingdom life will elude us. Humble submission to the creator of the universe is the foundation of intentional discipleship.

Surrender is a recurring theme in Jesus’ teaching. Over and over he teaches that clinging too tightly to our own ways will prevent us from experiencing the kingdom life.  He says, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other.” (Mt 6:24) He tells one rich man that his attachment to wealth is keeping him from the kingdom (Mark 10:17-22), and he turns away three would be followers in Luke 9:57-62 because they are unwilling to give their whole lives to be disciples.  Over and over Jesus confronts the divided loyalty of people, and over and over he says they cannot follow him without full devotion.

If we are going to enter the kingdom of God, we must be willing to leave our own kingdoms.  Land is a part of one state or another, one country or another.  There are no overlapping territories, and the same is true in the kingdom of God.  As long as I insist on living in my kingdom, I will not enter the kingdom of God.  There is an incredible home for each of us in the kingdom, but for some reason we keep paying rent on the dilapidated studio in our own kingdom.  As long as we do, the beautiful kingdom house is just a dream.

Even Jesus experienced surrender. In Philippians 2:6-11 Paul says that Jesus emptied himself and became a servant even to the point of dying one of the most horrible deaths imaginable.  Perhaps the most dramatic examples of his submission to the Father’s will comes in Luke 42:22.  For some time Jesus has known what awaited him in Jerusalem.  As he made his way down the dusty paths from Galilee to Jerusalem, Jesus spoke often of his death, and I suspect it was constantly on his mind. Yet when the time came, he sat alone in a garden praying, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”  Moments before his arrest and hours before his death, even Jesus had to surrender his will to the will of his Father.

Surrender is not primarily a matter of obedience.  Obedience is a part of it, but I would rather look at obedience as the outcome rather than the starting point. We surrender to the will of the Father because of who he is.  He is God.  He is creator.  He is love.  Living a life of surrender means that we acknowledge that we are the created, and we cannot live the lives we were created to live under our own power.  We acknowledge that the one who can cultivate within us the life we so deeply desire is God.  We acknowledge that he is the creator of all things, that he loves us, and that he alone has the power to bring about our transformation.

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I once posted a blog that looked at some of the troubling statistics that detailed just how little our faith seems to be impacting the way we live our lives?  The root cause of the unhinging of what we say we believe from how we live is a lack of intentional discipleship.  Because we haven’t figured this out we struggle to live up to Jesus’ expectations. If we would commit to a life of intentional discipleship there is no doubt in my mind that our actions would match what we say we believe.

Without intentional discipleship we may be able to grit our teeth and struggle our way into behavior that matches our teaching, but over time, our real hearts will begin to show through.  We can only try our way to changed practices for so long before we revert back to what is true inside.  If, however, we engage in intentional discipleship our inner lives begin to transform, and when our lives are transformed, we begin to live the lives we were created to live.  When we are transformed, the abundant kingdom life becomes an inner reality that influences everything we do and flows out like streams of living water.

We have said that a disciple is a student, a student of the master, but since we can’t follow Jesus in the same way the Apostles did, what does it look like for someone to follow Jesus today? What are the characteristics of a modern, intentional discipleship?

I’d like to suggest that intentional discipleship is surrendering to the Father’s will and walking in Jesus’ presence constantly.  This surrendering and walking brings us into the kingdom by cultivating within me the life I was created to live.  I become the person God created me to be by the transformation of my inner character into the image of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.  I believe this understanding of discipleship encapsulates the key elements of following Jesus.  Over the next few weeks what do you say we spend some time unpacking this definition?

Our Mens Breakfast is currently studying the chronological life of Christ, which takes all four gospels and trys to put them on a time line so we study passages in the order the events supposedly happened. We are using serveral sources and strangely they all dont agree on the exact order of things.

We have reached Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, possibly the greatest sermon ever and certainly the most quoted. One concern I have as we embark on the study of this sermon is that many will have the tendancy to want to replace the law written on tablets of stone, with this set of "New Laws" for Christians. We are under Grace so it is going to be a interesting journey.

What are your thoughts is this a new tighter set of criteria for us to follow in order to maintain salvation or something else?

Phil Miglioratti recently stirred my reflective juices by asking for my perspective on how discipleship, prayer, and evangelism are related.

    It's a worthy question, especially for people who are so involved in any particular aspect of ministry that it becomes their primary, almost exclusive, frame of reference. Step by subtle step, all other forms of ministry become compartmentalized into separate (and perhaps secondary) roles. That's the "silo effect."

     Should discipleship, prayer, and evangelism be separate ministry silos? If so, what are the implications? If not, how would you describe their connection?

Here is my 3-paragraph perspective:

• Context. Discipleship, evangelism, and prayer are parts of a larger context: our relationship with God. True life revolves around Him -- not us. Human beings were created and designed to worship God; that is, to “honor Him in ways that He accepts.” We are most fulfilled and He is most honored when we live and function as designed—as true, vibrant worshipers of God.

• Lifestyle. We "worship" God -- i.e., we honor Him in ways that He accepts --  by loving Him, abiding in Him, and serving Him. Imagine those as 3 concentric circles with loving at the core, abiding next, and serving as the external circle. In general, the 3 circles represent a Christ-follower's heart, head, and hands. ~~~ A core process in producing this lifestyle is our constant cultivation and practice of Christlike character. ~~~ Examples of this concept in the Scriptures include 1 Cor 13, Jn 15, Rom 12, and the entire book of Ephesians. ~~~ Our lifestyle worship is the way we meet Christ’s challenge in Matthew 5:14-16.

• Connection. Discipleship includes much of what we mean by “abiding in” (or "walking with" in Ephesians) Him, such as our spiritual disciplines, Bible study, and obedience. Prayer is another way we “abide in” Him. Evangelism—with and without speaking evangelistic words—is part of our “serving.”

Your thoughts?

“When I seek the Lord my God, I will find Him if I seek Him with all my heart and with all my soul.” Deuteronomy 4:29 Does this sound like God is hiding?

Do you think God hides from us and then we have to go about seeking Him? I don’t think that God hides from us. I believe God is in plain sight and is always ready and willing to engage us on the deepest level. What blocks our view of God then?

The latter part of the verse gives us a clue. “…if I seek Him with all my heart and with all my soul.” We miss seeing God because we allow ourselves to get in the way. Our hearts and our souls can be so self-centered that we block out seeing God who is right in front of us. So our encouragement today is to examine our heart and soul, allow the grace of Christ to wash away any selfishness or impurity so we can have a clear view of God. He is there and He is totally excited to be with you, to help you, to rescue you, to give you whatever you need today to live for His glory. Christ is for you today.

All for Jesus,

Fletch

"The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark." (Michelangelo)

Not many of us will are claim to be leaders. Behind the name tags, the title on the name cards, or the qualifications that surround our names, is an ordinary person who is dependent on God. I was reflecting today on the state of leadership in the Church. One of my elders recently wrote me, saying that if I were to challenge church members by setting a high bar, it will scare them away.

Of course, that comment disturbed me. Are we preparing to tough it out to be spiritual champs, or are we preferring to take it easy and become spiritual wimps? Personally, I rather have one good and committed leader than 10 half-hearted and sleepy ones.  The reason why we have a lack of leaders is because many of us are not sure of our own identity. We have not been challenged enough to raise our own bar for personal growth and excellence. 

I read the introductory name tag of Paul:

"Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior," (Titus 1:1-3)

In one short paragraph, Paul states his identity: 'Paul, a servant of God.' He declares his calling: 'an apostle of JEsus Christ.' He shares his purpose in life: 'for the faith of God's elect.' He uses his spiritual gift of exhortation: contending for 'the knowledge of the truth.' He is fixated on the reason for his calling: 'to godliness.' He reminds and anchors himself on God: 'a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life.' He reaffirms the goodness and nature of God, 'who does not lie.' He is passionate about being faithful to bring God's Word to life.

In contrast, far too many Christians are too laxed about their own identity. To the question 'Who are you?' they usually say:

• "I am a graduate of so-and-so University with a degree in _______"
• "I work at XYZ company for 15 years."
• " I serve in Church located at ABC place."
• ....
• ...

Not Paul. He boasts nothing about his legal credentials. He does not exhibit lists of ministry experience to show off. If he ever did, it would be to boast of God's strengths in his weaknesses in 2 Cor 12. Paul writes to his fellow believer, Titus, by first declaring his faith and identity as in Christ. His calling is in Christ. His passion, purpose, and programs are all made with glorifying God in Christ. As I think of Michelangelo's words about setting a high bar, and not to set a low bar for ourselves, I believe that as Christians, we are all called to be leaders. The difference is whether we are a good or a poor leader. All of us are leaders in some way, either at home, at work, or at other places. If that is the case, instead of waiting for a title, why not live out the title without the title?

This can be done by first setting a high bar for ourselves. Better still, let our desire for God, be the high bar, each time, and every time. Each time we set a high bar of desiring God, we are practicing leadership.

conrade