Discipleship Network Forum

The English language is interesting, isn't it? Try to say the words "presents" and "presence" so that they sound different. I can intone them differently but they don't really sound different. They are spelled differently but I can't make them sound differently.

So, what is the point? The culture in which we live is taken by "presents". I love to receive presents and I love to give presents. [Don't ask which gives me greater pleasure!] The media and advertisers helps, if not insists, that we focus on presents and the society measures our worth by the size or value of our presents.

I am trying to focus on the presents of Jesus - the presence of the Christ in my daily life. Presents are not bad but presence is better. Do I really tap into the presence of Christ on a regular basis? I want to be in the presence of the King of Kings who gives the greatest and best presents of all.

My wife is a cook of cooks. It’s safe to say that she doesn’t compare to my mother . . . she actually does it better . . . hands down. Now I don’t want my Mom to know this (Shhh!) but she is a strong number 2 . . . I suspect however that this would not make her feel good at all.

It hasn’t always been this way with Elaine. I remember in 1976, sometime after our June the 5th wedding, as a newly married pastoral couple, inhabiting the 51 Wilson Ave. parsonage in Presque Isle ME, we sat down for a Sunday feast. Roast beef! The smell was tantalizing and we sat down together. Prayer . . . the first slice in my mouth and we were off to the races.

As we talked and as I chewed, and chewed . . . and chewed, the piece of meat just seemed to get bigger. I think, as I look back, that we were both trying to ignore what we were experiencing, but finally the roast overtook our ability to talk . . . and then we had to spit it out and start over.

It was a rump roast. The taste was fine but the more that you chewed on it the less likely you were to be able to swallow it. It just got bigger and bigger. My mouth was full and my stomach was empty.

I have found theology to be much the same as rump roast. There are certain things that seem to grow bigger the more that you chew on them. At times in my life, my head has been full and my heart has been empty.

It's not meant to be difficult or complicated or relegated to experts.

I could have starved to death chewing on rump. I could starve to death chewing on theology as well.

Last week I celebrated by 37th birthday and it was nothing monumental. But out of curiosity, I researched some of the great accomplishments people have achieved before their 37th birthday. Michelangelo finished painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. Robert Jarvik invented a pneumatically powered heart .Frederic William Herschel invented the contact lens. Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star Spangled Banner.” Amelia Earhart flew in an airplane across the Atlantic by herself. Last year, I successfully replaced a broken taillight on my car all by myself (applause please).

The greatest accomplishment in the world came nearly 2000 years ago when Jesus paid the penalty for sin as He died on a cross around the age of thirty-three. Just a few days before this event, the Lord would tell His disciples something truly amazing and intriguing. “You will do greater things than I have done.”
We need to rewind for a moment. The Son of God came to this earth through a miraculous birth and lived a perfect life. He performed countless miracles and emerged as the greatest teacher to ever live. He shouldered the weight of our sin and, in perfect humility and obedience, made the greatest sacrifice of love by offering Himself for us. What could someone do that is greater than the sum of these?
As Jesus sits with His disciples in the upper room for the last time, He proclaims this incredible promise. Judas has been dismissed and the disciples are trembling with fear. Their hearts are trouble at the prophetic instructions from the Lord about the events of the next few days. He speaks to them words of hope. He tells them, “You will do greater things than I have done.”
The current world record for running the mile is three minutes and forty three second, which is held by Hicham El Guerrouj. What if I told you that I possess a single pill that would enable you to break this record no matter your age or medical condition? Would say I was insane or question my truthfulness? The promise of Jesus was even more preposterous. That is until we clearly understand what these “greater works” are.
Jesus is talking about the results of the message that occur after His death and resurrection. This was all part of God’s plan. Jesus was preparing the disciples for a worldwide movement. What the body of Christ can do together in unity is incomprehensible.
When we see a verse like this, it is our unfortunate tendency to soften it. Jesus must have meant that the first disciples would do greater things, right? For example, after Peter’s first sermon, 3,000 people got saved. That result was a greater work. The Apostle Paul would take the Gospel throughout the entire Roman Empire. That progress was a greater work. We can think of many people throughout church history who have achieved great things for the cause of Christ. There is only one problem with thinking that Jesus is only talking about people with some kind of elite spiritual status: verse 12. “Whoever believes in Me…” Jesus simply states that every believer has this potential.
How are we to do greater works? Jesus gives us the two ingredients in the next few verses. “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” Pastor Ray Stedman once stated, “It is significant to note that, though Jesus never taught his disciples how to preach, he did teach them how to pray.” We cannot do anything great for the Kingdom of God unless we are connected to our Lord and His Will. We are not working for ourselves, but in His Power. Prayer is the essential first step of any great endeavor for the believer and for the Body.
The second ingredient for “greater things” is the power of the Holy Spirit. We do not have the strength to walk with Christ by ourselves. Jackie Robinson was the first black man to play major league baseball, but this pioneering came at a price. Jackie was criticized heavily for every single mistake. Once when he was playing on the team’s home field, he committed an error and the fans ridiculed him ruthlessly. That is until Pee Wee Reece, the shortstop, came over, put his arm around Robinson, and turned to the crowd. The crowd became instantly silent and Robinson believed that this moment saved his career.
Jesus stated that the Holy Spirit is our Helper. The root of the greek word comes from fortis, meaning to fortify or strengthen. The Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is like the steel beams that hold up a skyscraper. He is like the spine in a person’s back that keeps the Body standing. The Holy Spirit is not an accessory to the Christian life. He is absolutely essential. We could do nothing spiritually without His leading and teaching.
What “greater thing” does God have for you? What is the potential for your life and mine if we would simply yield to the work of the Holy Spirit? Only God knows the answer, but we do have the promise. ”I assure you: The one who believes in Me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these...”

Have you noticed how many things have gone retro… clothes, cars, furniture, appliances. Vinyl records are making a comeback. I wish I had kept my leisure suits because I am sure they will return soon! Maybe even my bell bottom pants I wore in college. Some are nostalgic and want to return to the good ole days when church attendance was up and life seemed much simpler. This retro thinking reminds me of how we sometimes view discipleship.

We go to all the new conferences, seminars and read the latest books to get a grip on how to more effectively grow our churches and make disciples. Nothing wrong with that, but everyone seems to be looking for the discipleship silver bullet; that one easy step that will propel our church forward and solve all our problems. Maybe, something from the past was lost. We debate Sunday School versus small groups, traditional music versus contemporary, deacons versus elders, using hymn books versus projectors, and on and on.

The truth is the Lord can bless any church He chooses to bless regardless of their music or methods. 1 Cor 3:6 says, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth.” NASU “makes things grow” NIV “God gave the increase” KJV “God gave the growth” HCSB

The single factor I’ve observed in churches that are growing is the fact that they are committed to “make disciples.” They constantly celebrate baptisms and spiritual victories in the lives of their members and other lives that their members touch. They are not doing church but being church. The members have been equipped, trained and released to do ministry. All feel called to make disciples and all are using their spiritual gifts to make a difference in their churches and communities. This is not rocket science.

My observation is that discipleship happens best in small groups with someone who loves the Lord and loves people and is willing to spend some time and energy helping these people grow in Christ. Jesus modeled this with His disciples. We cannot improve on His Message or His Model for doing discipleship.

We need to retro back to the first century.

I believe it was Will Rogers who said, “Nostalgia is not what it used to be.” I do wish I could wear my bell bottoms again.

Keep the Son in your Eyes,

Mike James (blog- 28nineteen.org)

The Pharisees asked YESHUA when the Kingdom of GOD would come. “The Kingdom of GOD,” He answered, “does not come with visible signs; nor will people be able to say, ‘Look! Here it is!’ or, ‘Over there!’ Because, you see, the Kingdom of GOD is among you.” (Luke 17:20-21)

He will rebuild the Temple on the mount in all its glory and lead Israel’s army to conquer its enemies.
The Messiah will restore the temple sacrifices and the Aaronic priesthood and would strictly enforce the Torah.

But is that what the Scriptures teach? The rabbinical teachings was first popularized by Rambam Maimonides and widely accepted by Orthodox Jews. However, it runs counter to the teachings of the prophets and YESHUA himself.

The prophets teach that the Messiah will be born of a virgin and is sinless and must first suffer and be rejected by His own people and die for sinners; then the Messiah will conquer death. The Messiah will
bring people out of bondage and free the prisoners and the oppressed. The prophecies depict the Messiah as GOD on earth, performing wonders and expressing GOD’s wisdom. They also prophesied that the Messiah will come again in glory with His holy angels to rule the world with an iron scepter. He will cover Jerusalem with shalom like a river. The Scriptures also prophesy that the Messiah will judge all unbelievers and throw them into the Lake of Fire; but for the faithful, He will give them their just reward. There will be new heavens and a new earth and ADONAI will rule in the new Jerusalem forever and ever!(see Mic 4:14, 5:1; Ps 2:7-8, 16:10, 22:16-17; Ps 72:10,11; Ps 118:22; Prov 30:4; Is 7:14; Is 9:5-6;
Is 11:2, 61:1,2; 35:4-6; 42:18; Is 53; Is 50:6, 66:15-22; Jer 23:5-6; Dan 9:24-26; Zech 9:9, 11:12-13, 12:10, 13:7; Mal 3:1; Jude 14,15(quoting Enoch)).

Daniel prophesied that there will be a Kingdom, not of this world; a Kingdom, whose origin is ADONAI and it will conquer all the kingdoms of the world and would last forever (Dan 2:44-45). ‘The time is coming when I will gather together all nations and languages. They will come
and see My glory, and I will give them a sign. I will send some of their survivors to the nations of Tarshish, Pul, Lud, Tuval, Greece and more distant coasts, where they have neither heard of My
fame nor seen My glory. They will proclaim My glory in these nations, and they will bring all your kinsmen out of all the nations as an offering to ADONAI…to My holy mountain, Jerusalem,” says
ADONAI (Is 66:18-20).

The Kingdom of GOD starts from within as man believes and confesses with his mouth that YESHUA is both LORD and Savior. At that point, the FATHER seals the man with the HOLY SPIRIT as a guarantee of his eternal destiny. The Kingdom begins a radical change from the inside out until the person thinks, sees, speaks and acts like YESHUA. He can’t help but affect all the people around him. This is how the Kingdom grows, one person at a time. The believer’s extreme experience with the LORD changes him and his world. To him, there is no middle ground. A fire burns eternally within him to speak and to act for YESHUA.

Are you this person? Have you been radically changed?

There are no lukewarm people in the Kingdom. To walk with YESHUA is an extreme experience!

מלאך

I believe we need transparency in the pulpit now more than ever. We are in an age where transparency is looked upon as a weekness instead of a strongpoint. Especially when your a leader in the church. Leaders are telling their congragation to go out and share the the gospel, when they themselves have trouble sharing. Leaders need to tell the church they go through the same issues as anyone else does. We need more confession.

I realize that certin things are more private than others. These things like any other confession needs prayer before telling the church.But these private confessions need to be shared as well. Leaders need to be real with the church that they are shepards over. The church will respect the leaders more for their honesty. Like any reltionship their needs to be a covenent between the leaders and the church.

In 2 Corinthians 11:30 Pus says "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness". Later in chapter 12 God says My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness". If you read chaper 12 of 2 Corinthians you will see that God will show how strong he is when we confess are weeknesses. In 1 Corinthians 1:20-21 Paul says, "Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of the age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe".(NIV) God also says that "God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are".(NIV) So as you can see God uses our weeknesses for his will to be done. i believe this is true humility.

Then ADONAI said,

“Because these people approach Me with empty words,

And the honor they bestow on Me is mere lip-service;

While in fact, they have distanced their hearts from Me,

And their fear of Me is just a regulation of human origin –

Therefore, I will have to keep shocking these people with astounding

and amazing things until the ‘wisdom’ of their ‘wise ones’ vanishes,

And the ‘discernment’ of their ‘discerning ones’ is hidden away.”

- Isaiah 29:13-14

At the time of the prophet Isaiah, many of the people of Judah were worshipping other gods while they also sacrificed to ADONAI as part of their obligation as a people. They thought that by observing
the official feasts and giving their sacrifices and keeping the regulations of their religious leaders they had paid their dues and would be exempted from judgment. But they neglected to keep the
real Torah which should have been resident in their hearts and in their minds and fulfilled through their hands. They showed how much they trusted ADONAI when they made a treaty with Egypt for
protection against the Assyrians. They were all swept away and their protectors also captured and subjugated by their feared enemy. These were all prophesied while their ‘prophets’ and priests preached peace and prosperity.

Today, many supposed Christians play religious games, just like the Israelites of old. Many attend church meetings, pray during meals and even attend religious conferences. But Truth is vindicated by its fruit. Church membership is not a relationship with YESHUA. Attending Sunday church is not
discipleship. Prayer during meals is not communion with the Holy. Attending religiousconferences is not real worship. Serving in ministry is not life in the Spirit.

Enoch never attended a congregational meeting, but there is one thing he majored on that really hit the spot – Enoch walked with ELOHIM! So did Noah, Abraham, Isaac and all the others in the Hall of
Faith. If a believer has done all the other things in service to GOD but has not really “talked” and “walked” with GOD, all of it was for nothing, as if “by works”!

Many of the Israelites missed it because they approached the life of faith as if by works. We can easily fulfill our obligations but if YESHUA is not involved in our moment by moment walk, our
lives are in vain. The more we distance ourselves from YESHUA, the more dull our hearing become and our hearts become hardened.

מלאך

And there is one LORD, one trust, one immersion, and one GOD, the FATHER of all, who rules over all, works through all and is in all (Eph 4:5)

Have you ever wondered why GOD created only one man at first? Why not several men? He obviously wanted all men to have a common ancestor. But more than that, He created man in His own image and likeness and commanded Adam to reproduce His image and likeness, not Adam’s. The flesh profits nothing but GOD’s spiritual DNA is of utmost importance. As GOD’s representative, Adam bore GOD’s glory and manifested GOD’s authority on earth.

GOD reminded Israel, “Hear O Israel, ADONAI our GOD, ADONAI is one (Deut 6:4). In the Hebrew language, that every citizen uttered daily to communicate, the first alphabet, alef (א ), brings to their attention, the presence of ELOHIM. Alef also stands for number 1 and is written in three strokes reminding them that GOD is One but is also a Trinity.

The number 1 point upwards telling us to look up before anything else. Man was created to stand erect unlike other animals so he can easily look up to the heavens. Man was created to rule as GOD’s number 1
over all creatures and over all the earth.

Adam failed, but the second Adam was victorious. YESHUA said, “I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the ending…” YESHUA is the Alef and the Tav, the first and the last letter of the
Hebrew alphabet. In Him resides all the spiritual powers and energy of creation. As GOD spoke all the words that created all, He spoke the very essence of YESHUA into each particle of matter.
For by Him all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, dominions, or principalities or powers; all things were created by Him and for him. And He is before all things and by Him all things consist. YESHUA holds first place in everything! (Col 1:15-18)

Alef is GOD’s number and Tav in ancient Hebrew is symbolized by a cross – the covenant seal.

In binary mathematics, there are only two numbers, 1 and 0. In computer programming, 1 is equivalent to “on” and 0 is equivalent to “off”. In the same way, if you are born from above, you are GOD’s kind, your spirit is alive or “on”. If you are an unbeliever, your spirit is dead or “off”. The only way, you can be alive or “on” is to make the LORD YESHUA, your LORD and Savior. YESHUA is the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the FATHER except through Him (Jn 14:6).

GOD chooses those who choose Him alone!

מלאך

“As the deer pants for the water-brooks, my soul longs for you.

I am thirsty for GOD, for the living GOD!”

- Psalm 42:1,2

I have a beautiful male Maine Coon named Prosciutto. He is not perfect, but he has a beautiful light brown fur with tiger design and is very endearing, and patiently waits for my wife and I to come home. He seems to know the exact time of our arrival. No matter what time it is, he is there by the door, waiting.

Prosciutto is very sociable and never temperamental. He loves to be brushed, petted and carried in my arms. Every day, when we arrive, he would meow softly begging to be carried and stroked.
He loves to be fed from our hand and drink water from our cup. Early in the morning, he would meow softly, asking permission to come up to bed. Then, he would curl up on my armpit as I gently stroke him. Prosciutto is our stress reliever.

A few days ago, GOD impressed on me that I should be more like Prosciutto when I come to Him. I should emulate his desire to be with me; to always want to snuggle up and be fed from His hand. To always desire to commune with Him whenever and wherever, unashamedly. I should
depend on Him for life itself!

The LORD used Prosciutto to tell me how to worship Him. Prosciutto is not rebellious nor proud.
He is always looking up at me, always attentive and loving. Prosciutto is not an ordinary cat because I
believe GOD is using him to teach me and my wife a lesson on communion with Him.

The SPIRIT says, “Come away with Me!”

מלאך

Spike the Ball

A friend of mine thinks that we who do ministry need to learn to “spike the ball.” When football players finally get the ball into the end zone, they don’t stand around the goal post looking depressed, grumbling to one another about how many plays they had to run or talking about how they fumbled the ball on first down ten minutes
ago. No! They celebrate! They give each other high fives and jump up in the air and they spike the ball. At that moment it doesn’t matter whether or not they played flawless football. It doesn’t matter how many interceptions were thrown, or how many times the quarterback got sacked. They got the ball in the end zone and that’s the whole point of the game. It puts them six points closer to victory.

I have been thinking about this and trying to figure out why we often feel this way. (Is it just the women?) I’m sure there are many possible reasons. My guess, though, is that this vague feeling flows mostly from a failure to remember how the kingdom of God works – through ordinary people living ordinary lives. It also works slowly and out of sight, like the mustard seed and the yeast in the parables Jesus tells in Matthew 13:31-33:
“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” The second parable says: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."

• The series of weekly meetings where worship was awesome and the messages were creative, clear and compelling (move over Louie Giglio!)
  
• The small group Bible study you led that turned into genuine community, where girls shared their hearts, and brought their friends and they encountered God’s Spirit at work through his word
• That one on one where your words were not your own and seemed to penetrate to the very heart of the issue and a girl’s life was changed
• The party you pulled off and everyone is still talking about how much fun it was
• The ten women you personally led to faith in Christ this semester

A lot of parties are fun, but not that memorable. Not every Bible study or one on one will be so clearly effective. Sometimes you only get to be one link in someone’s journey to faith in Christ. So, be as faithful as you can with the ministry God has given you. Work hard. Pray hard. Learn from your mistakes. Accept the fact that both big events and small group Bible studies rarely come off without any glitches. Don’t beat yourself up over events or
conversations that were not “perfect.” (I often labor over these occasional articles and then don’t send them because I can’t get them just perfect.) Never forget for one moment that God is the ONLY ONE who is always faithful, perfectly insightful and, of course, wondrously creative. Consider the possibility that good is sometimes good enough. Go ahead and spike the ball.

© Melody Richeson, July 2010

I remember when I first began to understand that I wanted to give my life helping make disciples. I was introduced to the idea when I was still in high school. I began to grasp it and actually try to do it as a college student. I was captured by the vision of helping young men and women walk with God. It was a compelling life purpose; however, I often felt handicapped because I had never “been discipled.” Then, in my late twenties I went on staff with a collegiate ministry where this was to be my full time job: Making disciples. Suddenly, I felt woefully inadequate as I was faced day after day with the needs, questions, eagerness and sinfulness of a
large group of college students under my care and direction.

One weekend I was invited to join some friends who were hosting one of their mentors, a man who was well known as a very effective disciple-maker. God had used him tremendously in these friends’ lives and, although I had never been around him personally, I had a lot of respect for him. It was a small group of ten or twelve and we sat casually in the living room as he shared his thoughts on making disciples and tried to encourage us
regarding our various ministries. Toward the end of the evening he invited us to ask questions. Somewhere during the next few minutes I took a deep breath and found the courage to ask, “What if no one ever discipled me? How can I learn how to disciple someone else if no one ever discipled me?” (I’m pretty certain I said this with a distinct whine in my voice.) He looked at me and replied, “No one ever discipled me.” I was
stunned. And convicted. And challenged. Here was a man who had influenced hundreds of people and no one had ever personally discipled him. In that moment it began to dawn on me: there is no magic wand. No secret handshake. I am a disciple by following Jesus with all my heart, and I make disciples by loving people and coming alongside them on their journey to know, love and follow Jesus.

© Melody Richeson, August 2010

The emissaries said to the LORD, “Increase our trust.” The LORD replied, “If you had trust as tiny as a mustard seed, you could say to this fig tree, ‘Be uprooted and replanted in the sea!’ and it would obey you. If one of you has a slave tending the sheep or plowing, when he comes back from
the field, will you say to him, ‘Come along now, sit down and eat?’ No, you’ll say, ‘Get my supper ready, dress for work, and serve me until I have finished eating and drinking; after that, you may eat and drink.’ Does he thank the slave because he did what he was told to do? No! It’s the same with you – when you have done everything you were told to do, you should be saying, ‘We’re just ordinary slaves, we have only done our duty.’ (Luke 17:5-10)

The emissaries of the religious leaders clamored for the LORD YESHUA to increase their faith. Surprisingly, the LORD told them a parable. To the disciples of the LORD YESHUA, the
secrets of the Kingdom is revealed; but to curiosity seekers, the message is veiled.

The basic amount of faith or trust in a believer is the size of a mustard seed. Yet, with a little mustard seed faith, a fig tree would obey him! It is quite uncommon in our present world to witness this kind of faith, even with all the faith teachings that abound in our midst. YESHUA once posed a question,
“When the Son of Man comes, would He find faith in the earth?”

So, the parable is a rebuke, not just to the emissaries, but even to the disciples who exhibited so little faith. If a believer cannot even use the mustard seed faith which the HOLY SPIRIT has given him, how could he ask for more? If we have not even done our duty in exercising our little faith, we are faithless servants, not sons. A faithful servant does his duty but a son has the FATHER’s DNA and acts like the FATHER. A son speaks the FATHER’s words and works the FATHER’s works.

To believe in YESHUA is the FATHER’s work. Whatever YESHUA did, the adopted son also does because he bears YESHUA’s character (Name) (John 14:12).

GOD’s power has given us everything we need for life and godliness, through our knowing the One who called us to His own glory and goodness. By these He has given us valuable and superlatively great promises, so that through them you might come to share in GOD’s nature and escape the corruption which evil desires have brought into the world (2 Peter 1:3-4). We need to declare the promises of GOD to be true in our lives and act accordingly. This is the truth that every believer must stand on daily.

We walk by faith and not by sight. The righteous shall live by his faith!

מלאך