This is another one of those “hey I found a great link” kind of post. Sorry about that but … this is really good, particularly for the women in our church. The link below is from a women’s conference that was held by 9Marks ministry (who I greatly respect by the way).
Listen to “9Marks at 9: Women and the Local Church — TGC’s Women’s Conference 2018” on Spreaker.
Above is a picture of a dog. I know, I know, pretty obvious but have you ever really studied dogs? I have been the proud dog owner for many years and one thing that I’ve noticed that all dogs have in common is that they all possess (some to a greater degree than others) a “meh” kind of attitude. Not all the time, sometimes not very often .. but every now and then every dog I’ve ever met will at some point look at you as if to say “meh”.
I share that observation (and I’m happy for you to agree or disagree!) because often we too display a “meh” about our own walk with Jesus. Let me introduce to you a man who has both encouraged and equipped me over the years: David Powlison. David is the exec. director of a Christian counselling ministry called CCEF and writes extensively on their website and journal and is the author of a number of books on the relationship between faith and psychology. I’d like to share an open letter he has written that is entitled “To those apathetic about their sanctification”. The word apatheic means “meh” …. Prepare to be challenged .. :
Dear friend,
How can I light a fire and get you engaged and active in wanting to grow when you don’t really seem that interested? You’re “eh,” “meh,” and “whatever.” What could shake you out of apathy and indifference? What could shake you out of plodding along through life, going through the motions in your Christianity?
There’s no magic answer of course. But let me share a couple of things that I’ve found that have affected my own lethargy and apathy. First of all, I often look at myself in light of the seven deadly sins. (These are actually the seven daily sins, things that are endemic to what it means to be a human being!) The one that always gets me is sloth (Latin: acedia). Sloth doesn’t just mean you’re just sitting around watching TV all day, popping bonbons. Sloth also means indifference. Feeling apathetic. Sloth says, “I don’t really care. It doesn’t matter. What’s the use? Whatever.” It’s a pretty accurate characteristic of the modern era, a mild cynicism that questions whether or not anything really matters.
The thing is, everything actually does matter. It matters a whole lot. The tiniest things we do, the most careless words we say, the smallest act of kindness towards another person—all these things actually count. We live in God’s world. From God’s perspective, there’s nothing we do that’s outside his concern or gaze.
Think of how Jesus chose to single out giving a glass of cold water to somebody who is thirsty, and talked about how you won’t lose your reward in heaven when you do something that small. He thought that spotting someone else and serving them in some small way really, really mattered. It’s the opposite of indifference because someone else’s need matters to the point that you put yourself out.
Also, let’s think about the way in which people who are apathetic also often complain and grumble. We can become negative, mildly sour, skeptical about stuff that happens. You know, in the Bible, the people of Israel were killed for grumbling! It was a death-sentence crime to grumble, because God is truly good, and we lose sight of that when we become absorbed in our own needy desires.
We forget, but God doesn’t forget. Grumbling matters before him. He is continually calling for us to wake up and remember. He reminds us not to fall asleep or lose sight of what it’s all about. He says, “Don’t forget who you are, and don’t forget who I am.” Don’t forget that everything we do and say actually matters. Every careless word or unthinking comment actually matters, and our God is committed to touch us right down to the throw-away comments, the casual bad attitudes and “whatevers” that can so degrade our lives into apathy.
Human life—every choice, every thought, every word, every deed, and every attitude—really, truly matters. As you awaken to that, you awaken to the fact that you really need help. You’re able to say, “God, I really need you. I need your strength. I need your forgiveness. Give me the grace to care about things that really matter.”
—David
Here are the notes from Bob Claycamp’s message that the Day in the Word Conference.
Matt 28:30 – “I am with you always” – Discipleship is a life long process not a 12 week program
Three deadly seeds against Discipleship
– Comfort
– Conveniency
– Complacency
Nine areas of Discipleship
from Paul’s last letter to young pastor Timothy: “this is what you’ve seen in my life, this is how I discipled you”
Life Witness
1. Doctrine (James 3:17 – content and the way the content is relayed)
2. Manner of life – no duplicity in Paul’s life.
3. Purpose – three level purpose: far-reaching (to glorify God in everything), mid-level (carrying out ministry that God gives to individuals), day-to-day purpose (you can only do the other two if you are effective at meeting Jesus day to day).
Fruitfulness during Trials – fruits of the Spirit evident coming from Paul’s life even in hard times
4. Faith – 2 Cor 11:23-28. Timothy saw Paul in the midst of these circumstances and he witnessed faith come up to the surface each time.
5. Long-suffering – “being offended and loving back”. He saw Paul suffer from the words of people but loves back.
6. Love – Paul loved back. He didn’t allow bitterness.
Overcoming Life Threatening Situations
7. Perseverance – the characteristic of being unswerving in conviction, even because of …..
8. Persecutions
9. Afflictions
Timothy had seen these things in Paul’s life, as Paul had discipled him.
Here are the notes from David Guzik message that the Day in the Word Conference.
Previously Luke has told us that coming to God is like accepting an invitation. It is likely that he included this portion here, at this time, to demonstrate that it’s not exactly like accepting an invitation. So, Luke tells us what Jesus says about being His disciple.
“To be my disciple you must:
….. regard me as God” (verse 26)
If Jesus was not claiming to be God he was telling us to be idolators. Jesus is commanding us to place all good relationships at a lower importance than our relationship with Him. Without apology, Jesus asks that He be of first importance in our lives so that all other relationships seems as hate in comparison.
The danger of idolatry is placing good things in the best place.
…… “have the mentality that you are dead” (verse 27)
Carrying your cross always led to death on the cross. Criminals always carried their cross (or the cross beam) and only had a one way journey to the place of death.
Bearing your cross means living unto Him. It means dying to self.
…….. “Keep your eyes on me” (verse 27)
We follow Him. If we will keep Jesus at the centre it will not be a suffering that will be in vain. He carried His own cross and so must His followers
He walked to his own death and so must His followers
…… “Count the cost”
Two parables demand that we count the cost. Verse 29-30 talk about a building and counting the cost. “Do you have enough resources to be my disciple?”. Verse 31-32 talk about going to war against a much bigger enemy. The question is : “count the cost of going against me.”
Christianity is an evangelistic religion and yet it seems that Jesus is pushing people away – “you cannot be my disciple”. Jesus demands more than simple doctrinal agreement. He demands more than that we add something good to our life – He becomes our life in exchange for ours.
Chapter 15:1 – the result was that tax collectors and sinners turned to him, even though the demand was so great.
David Guzik notes from the Day in the Word Conference.
1. Carefully choose your examples
– 1 Cor 5:15
– Phil 3:17
– 2 Thess 3:7
– 1 Tim 4:12
– 1 Tim 1:15-16
“I press on” – 2. We all need drive to follow God the way that we should
– We should never have the mentality that we have arrived and everyone else should reach our level. Examples from the life of Ironsides, Hudson Taylor & Apostle Paul (Paul always had drive, just in the wrong direction).
– Matthew 11:12 – Jesus is speaking about the intensity that is needed preserve in the Kingdom. There is no cruise control in the Kingdom.
– Genesis 30:1 – approach God with the same passion that cannot be denied. “Lord, take me deeper with you lest I die”
Beware of lost drive in the Christian life.
3. Make sure your drive is set in the right direction
“To make it my own because Jesus has made me His own”
The return by us is to grasp Jesus with all of our might.
“The prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” – the prize is the call
Being able to run the race at all.
The price ledge of pursuing Jesus in service
“Let those of us who are mature think this way – failure to press on is an evidence of immaturity
This post comes from Calvary Chapel Pastors
Anyone who asks Jesus a question—especially a loaded one—should prepare to get more of an answer than he bargained for.
A lot more.
One afternoon Jesus’ opponents sought to get Him in hot water with the Roman authorities. So they asked Him whether a pious Jew should pay taxes to Caesar. When Jesus’ answer dumbfounded them, other challengers in the crowd asked a question they considered much tougher. And when His brilliant answer silenced them, still other skittish observers said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.” At that point the gospel writer Luke adds—I’m guessing with a twinkle in his eye—“after that they dared not question Him anymore” (See Luke 20:20-40).
As I said, when you ask Jesus a question, get prepared for a surprising answer!
That certainly happened the day a lawyer asked Him to name “the first commandment.” Without hesitation, Jesus gave the expected answer: “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment” (Mark 12:29-30).
So far, so good. I’m sure a lot of heads in the audience nodded in approval. But then came the “more-than-you-bargained-for” part.
And the second, like it, is this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:31).
A second commandment like the first? Nobody had asked Jesus about this! Still, He gave it to them anyway. And then to top things off, He made it clear that these two commandments were really just different sides of the same, single commandment. “There is no other commandment”—singular—“greater than these,” Jesus insisted.
Jesus immediately tied love of one’s neighbor to love for God. The two actions are inseparable. Love for God has to come first, but love for neighbors must follow. You cannot love God without subsequently loving your neighbor, and you cannot love your neighbor without first loving God.
The apostle John later wrote, “And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also” (1 John 4:21). The heart of the Christian gospel is love—God loving you, you loving God supremely, and you loving your neighbor as yourself. That’s the heart and the essence of the Christian message.
Our heavenly Father calls you and me to so love Him and one another that we might clearly demonstrate what true Christianity is all about. Even the Pharisees and scribes had a hard time acknowledging this truth. The question Jesus asks us today is: If we say we love God, are we also showing love to our brother?
Never has the world more desperately needed such a demonstration. What too often passes itself off as Christianity today is only another form of hollow religion, woefully lacking in love. God calls us to love as He loves—and that’s not something we can conjure up within ourselves. It will happen only as we ask Him to plant His love in our hearts. Only then will we love as He loves.
– excerpted from Love The More Excellent Way by Chuck Smith
continue reading the views expressed in this post do not necessarily reflect the views of Calvary Southampton