Tag: church

Make Disciples

The Great Commission #3

Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Matthew 28:18-20 (WEB)

In the full power of His authority, Jesus tells His disciples to go. Giving specifics now, He instructs them to complete three primary tasks – the first of these being to make disciples. In subsequent posts, we will look at the other two instructions which are to baptise and to teach.

Firstly, what is a disciple? We cannot hope to “make” them if we are not clear what they are.

A disciple is simply a “follower.” A disciple of Jesus therefore, is one who follows Him.

Following someone is most commonly used in physical terms. We follow someone when they are showing us the right way to go. Perhaps you are going to a new place and you do not know the way, if you follow a friend then they go on ahead and you tag along behind.

We can follow in many more ways than just physical however. You may, for example, follow your favourite sports teams; keeping up with their scores, team news and key stats. Likewise, you might follow a singer or band, streaming their latest music and “following” them on the socials.

To follow Christ means something rather deeper. It implies a firm commitment to Him, and not to be a mere “fan” of His, but instead to devote your life in His service. Following Jesus is to follow in His footsteps, and again, I do not mean physically. We aspire to be more and more like Him; walking in love, being unselfish, caring for others, but most importantly, bringing people into a deeper relationship with the Father.

To be Christ’s disciple is to put aside all else, and follow Him with your whole heart.

To be Christ’s disciple is to put aside all else, and follow Him with your whole heart. #Bible #Christianity #Jesus

We learn about Him yes, but we learn with Him. We do what He asks of us, and we put Him first above all else. We follow Jesus into blessing, and we follow Him into troubles and trials. We sacrifice what this world has to offer and instead choose His glory. We put our trust in Him, relying on Him for our life in this world and the next. That is what it is to be a disciple.

So how do we “make” them?

Earlier on, I asked how you would sum up the Great Commission, and pointed out that many might answer by saying “Telling others about Jesus.” Sharing the Good News about Christ is the first step to making disciples.

For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”Joel 2:32 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher? 15 And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace,

    who bring glad tidings of good things!”

Romans 10:13-15 (WEB)

They cannot call on the name of the Lord and begin to follow Him unless they are first told. To begin making disciples, we must tell them the truth. We tell them the Gospel, which is that Christ came, He lived and died, and on the third day He rose again to new life. Whoever believes in Him will live and have eternal life! Praise His Holy Name!

Is telling those who do not know Jesus enough to make disciples? For some it might be. They hear the word preached to them, and the Spirit of God stirs up their hearts to make a lifelong commitment to Him. For others, they may start to accept and believe the truth of the Gospel, but will then need love, support and guidance. For all of us, there is a substantial journey between the moment we give our lives to Jesus, and the time we reach maturity in the faith.

This is why God has given the church a variety of gifts and offices:

He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;

Ephesians 4:11 (WEB)

Our goal in making disciples is not simply to get someone to mouth the words “I believe in Jesus,” but rather we want them to experience the changed life that comes from being a true follower of Christ. At times we need to be taught the truth, and at other times we need the care of the shepherd or pastor. There are times we may need the warning or encouragement of the prophet, and many begin our journeys responding to the call of the evangelist. All are involved in making disciples.

All Nations

Carefully reading Jesus’ words again shows us that “make disciples” is not the full command, instead He tells us to “make disciples of all nations.” This shows us that no one is excluded. God wants His Gospel preached everywhere, and to have disciples present in all places. You might consider the collective disciples as the global church, which is God’s hands and feet, reaching every corner of the globe.

No one person can do this. If you are worried you might have to travel far and wide to begin making disciples, then let me reassure you. There are plenty of opportunities on your doorstep. Perhaps God may call some of us to go to far off places and make disciples there, but for the most part we are to do it in our own backyard.

We can make disciples in our own family. We can make disciples of our work friends. We can make disciples of our neighbours. We can make disciples of our followers on social. And if we write, we can make disciples of Christ of our readers.

One of the great things about writing a blog is that the stats tell you where your readers come from. I live in the UK, and many of my readers come from there, but I also see readers from places I am never likely to go. It is humbling that my words, such as they are, reach such places. It remains my continued prayer that those who do read will become more and more like Christ. That is, surely, what making disciples is all about.

What will you do?

Some questions for you to think about:

  • How well are you following Jesus?
  • What is your role in making disciples, do you think?
  • Can you think of someone who may need encouraging in their walk with Jesus today?

Go!

The Great Commission #2

Jesus came to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Matthew 28:18-20 (WEB)

Having established His authority, the Lord Jesus begins to command His Eleven disciples. Jesus is neither vague, nor unclear. He sets out for them several things they must now go and do to fulfil this Great Commission, and we will examine each in turn in the coming days.

Every journey must begin with the very first step. For the Great Commission, the first step is to simply “Go!”

To go is an action. It is not standing still and letting the world pass you by, but it is to move, and move forwards.

The Eleven would never fulfil this mission if they had set up camp on that mountainside. Had they stayed there, discussing what Jesus had told them or all the things that had happened, then we may never have heard of them again. Had they formed a committee to decide the best course of action, taking a vote on the right direction to travel in or what was the best approach to teaching, then they would have been paralysed on the spot.

There is a place for discussion, planning and committees, don’t get me wrong, but there is also a time for action. I do not advise you to jump into something without prior thought, but neither do I suggest you sit around shooting the breeze.

Go! Says the Lord, move out and together we will change the world.

It does not matter how far you go, as long as you do go. Whether you walk a dozen steps to your neighbour’s house, travel half a mile to the local town square, or cross the globe to a far flung nation, go and take the message of Christ with you.

Using a Bible search engine, the word “Go” appears over 1400 times in the KJV version of the Scriptures, whereas the word “stop” only occurs 7 times! Clearly God wants us to get the message that we are to go, pressing on and doing the work He has called us to.

Philip was told “Go!” and he went to Samaria:

Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 The multitudes listened with one accord to the things that were spoken by Philip when they heard and saw the signs which he did. 7 For unclean spirits came out of many of those who had them. They came out, crying with a loud voice. Many who had been paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 There was great joy in that city.

Acts 8:5-8 (WEB)

Paul followed the command to go, and he went to the Gentiles, Peter did likewise, but to the Jewish people:

Then after a period of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me. 2 I went up by revelation, and I laid before them the Good News which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before those who were respected, for fear that I might be running, or had run, in vain.

but to the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the Good News for the uncircumcised, even as Peter with the Good News for the circumcised— 8 for he who worked through Peter in the apostleship with the circumcised also worked through me with the Gentiles

Galatians 2:1-2, 7-8 (WEB)

Moses was told to go to Pharoah. Jonah was instructed to go to Nineveh. God told Joshua to go and conquer the land. Elijah told the widow of Zarephath to go, and bring him a cake, and she went, receiving a miracle. Likewise, Elisha told another widow to go and get empty jars that they might be filled with oil, and she, too, went.

Where is God telling you to go?

The point of my post today is not some deep theology, but rather to encourage and inspire you. I am not revealing some great doctrinal truth, but instead am directing you to action. We will never fulfil the Great Commission without it.

For you to go may mean a shift in your attitude, habits or thinking. It may not mean a change in physical location, but a definite decision to alter your mindset and do whatever Christ is calling you to.

When you go, you may need to leave certain “baggage” behind you. Gossiping friends, TV addiction, the comfort of familiarity or just plain old worries may need to be discarded so you can fully go for the Lord.

The word “go” means to move or proceed, as I think I have emphasised above. It can also mean to  start or begin, as in to fire the starting gun on the race track.

This exclamation – Go! – is a trigger for us to begin. When that starting gun fires, the runners do not amble along, enjoying the sunshine and having a chat! No, they leap forward with energy and vigour, and that is precisely how we ought to launch into the Great Commission.

I do not want you to proceed without haste; to just quit your job, up sticks and charge ahead without clear direction from God. That is not wise. I do want you to proceed with urgency, energy and excitement however, giving this all you have.

Make a firm decision today that you are going to follow Christ and all He commands with everything you have. Join me, and let’s go!

What will you do?

My questions to you today are:

  • What does it mean for you to “go?”
  • Is there anything hindering you, or holding you back from going?
  • Can  you think of anyone else from the Bible who was told to go, and what can you learn from them?

Family Time

I read this post over the weekend, and really wanted to share it with you. I perhaps should have done so yesterday (on the Sunday) or even waited until next weekend…

But here it is, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Morning friends and welcome to the weekend. I had a different post for this morning but I think the Lord had other ideas so I have put it back into …

Family Time

This Sunday at Church: Talk to your kids what the Lord’s Supper Mean

For this Sunday here’s what you can do: Talk to your kids what the Lord’s Supper Mean. For our upcoming Lord’s Day today we will be doing Communion. …

This Sunday at Church: Talk to your kids what the Lord’s Supper Mean

Pray for your Neighbour – Sunday Suggestion

This Sunday, after church of course, why don’t you take a walk around your neighbourhood and pray for those living there. You could focus on your own street, or else wander a little further afield. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, and see if He will lead you to pray over a particular house or area.

Prayer walking is a great habit to get into. Not only does your physical body get some exercise, but it also gives you the chance to stretch those spiritual muscles. There are many practical ways to bless your neighbour, but only prayer allows you to invite God into their lives and do His miracle work.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Mark 12:30-31 (NIV)

Love your #neighbour as yourself #Bible #Jesus #Christianity

The chances are that the most popular name on your prayer list is your own… I know that’s true for me, I’m ashamed to admit. Yet verse 31 tells us to love our neighbour as we do ourselves. Well, if we pray mostly for our own needs, then let us each love our neighbour that way, and lift them before the Lord.

Perhaps it just isn’t possible for you to prayer walk right now, and that’s ok. If you can, pray at home for those living near you, as that will be beneficial too.

Finally, if you live in the UK, don’t forget your raincoat!

Have a great weekend!

Buy Dirt

In my younger days, I was never much of a fan of country music. In more recent times though, I must admit to enjoying it much more. Not all of it is particularly edifying of course, so I’d advise you be selective (as with all things) if you tune in to country radio.

I heard a song the other day called “Buy Dirt” by Jordan Davis and featuring Luke Bryan. I will put a link below in case you are not familiar with it.

The song is about a younger man sitting down and sharing a coffee with an older gentleman, perhaps a grandfather. Over the course of their beverage, the older man shares some wisdom with the younger, and I thought I’d examine the wisdom given in light of Scripture with you today.

Chasing the dollar

When the older man asks the younger what he’s been up to, the younger replies that he’s been “chasing the dollar.” This is what prompts the wisdom sharing.

We cannot deny that all of us need money, and earning it takes up no small amount of our lives. Chasing after it though is a dangerous thing.

The Bible says:

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1 Timothy 6:10 (WEB)

This does not say that money is evil, but that loving it is a root of all kinds of evil. Having too much or too little money can lead us into temptation. Loving money can even lead us away from our faith, so let each of us have a proper relationship with it.

Some devote their lives to earning and having more. To do this, they can sacrifice their health, their families, their friends and even their relationship with God. The thing is, when you are on your death bed, you are unlikely to ask for your accountant. Instead, you will be wanting the comfort of family and faith.

Do What You Love, But Call It Work

The older man advises the younger to do what you love, and call it work. This is a great nugget of wisdom in my view. It has been said that if you love what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life. This is so true!

There have been times in my life where I really did not enjoy my job, and those days were hard indeed! In more recent times, I have loved doing my job, and when that is the case, it does not feel like work at all.

We must remember it is a privilege to enjoy one’s job, as there are many who work to pay their bills and support their family, and “enjoyment” does not even come in to it.

As with all things, it is a balance. If you are doing a job you hate, then prayerfully consider a change. If you have little choice because of financial demands or to support those you love, then clearly I am not telling you to quit, do a job you love and face bankruptcy. Do what you need to do of course, but also do not feel trapped where you are. And look for opportunities to move towards a job that you love.

Throw a Little Money

At one point in the song, the advice is given to throw a little money in the church offering. While I do not want to overthink such a line, as it is clearly not a theological song, it does give you pause to think.

It is good advice to give, no question about that. The Bible is full of instruction for us to give to God’s work. Throwing a little money in the collection plate though is not the way we ought to be giving. That smacks of someone who is unprepared and just grabbing whatever they have in their pocket at the time. Our giving should be more purposeful than that.

Paul says:

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I commanded the assemblies of Galatia, you do likewise. 2 On the first day of every week, let each one of you save, as he may prosper, that no collections are made when I come.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (WEB)

This instruction suggests planning on our part, and deliberate giving. Notice it is on the first day of the week, so that God is given to first and does not end up with whatever we have left over at the end.

Giving is also connected to the points above about working. We work, not for our own pleasure, but rather so that we might have something to share with the church.

In Ephesians, Paul states:

Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.

Ephesians 4:28 (NIV)

We work to support ourselves and our families yes, but we work primarily that we might have something to give to the family of believers.

Send Your Prayers Up and Your Roots Down

This gem of wisdom needs little explaining. Indeed, we ought to be sending up our prayers regularly. In fact, not just regularly, but at all times.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word[a] of God; 18 with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:

Ephesians 6:17-18 (WEB)

Likewise, putting down roots, in the context of the song at least, is about building your family in the community. As I write, I cannot think of a specific verse to quote here, but believe it is biblical for us to be a positive force in the place where we live. You could point to the Great Commission for instance on that one. I also feel that Christians should have a good level of commitment to the place where they live.

It All Goes By Real Quick

It sure does! Need I emphasise this point to you? Life is short, and goes by very quickly indeed! We must make the most of it, and never forget it is the preparation for all eternity.

In the psalms, we read:

You have made my days a mere handbreadth;

    the span of my years is as nothing before you.

Everyone is but a breath,

    even those who seem secure

Psalm 39:5 (NIV)

It may seem negative to point out the shortness of life, but I do not mean it to be. Even a life of 100+ years is short in comparison to all eternity. God is Eternal, unending and beyond time itself. Our handful of decades here is a mere blip next to the infinite life to come. Ensure you make the most of it while you are here, and be ready for the next!

Buy Dirt and Thank the Good Lord For It

The song is titled “Buy Dirt,” and says although you cannot buy happiness, you can buy a home and build a good life for yourself and your family. This is true, and while a nice house does not make a home, we can all do the best with what we have and make our lives worth living.

Throughout it all, when times are both good and bad, we thank the good Lord for it all. He has given us life, and our very breath is dependent upon Him.

Join me in thanking Him today for all the good things in our lives, and for what we have learned from the bad.

Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Here’s the song, and I hope you enjoy it.

Don’t Be Wise (Proverbs 3:7-10)

There is sufficient wisdom in Proverbs 3:7 alone to keep us going for a lifetime! As you probably do not want to spend the rest of your life reading my blog, I will try to be concise!

7 Don’t be wise in your own eyes.

Fear Yahweh, and depart from evil.

8 It will be health to your body,

and nourishment to your bones.

9 Honor Yahweh with your substance,

with the first fruits of all your increase:

10 so your barns will be filled with plenty,

and your vats will overflow with new wine.

Proverbs 3:7-10 WEB)

Taken out of context, the phrase “Don’t be wise…” does not appear too often in Proverbs! This is heavily qualified though by adding “in your own eyes.”

Our own eyes, when used to look on ourselves, are rarely a good judge. Few people would admit to being unwise, and only by looking at ourselves soberly can we obtain a truer estimate.

Paul, in his letter to the Romans, says this:

For I say through the grace that was given me, to every man who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.

Romans 12:3 (WEB)

Too often we give ourselves miles of leeway, while giving others none whatsoever. We judge our own intentions, while we criticise others’ performance (irrespective of their intent).

Too often we give ourselves miles of leeway, while giving others none whatsoever. #Bible #Wisdom #Christianity

When we think we are wise, we can be overinflated and that makes us careless and prone to mistakes. Rather, we should know that wisdom comes from dependence on God and on His ways. Each and every moment we must surrender to Him, seeking His guidance and obeying His commands.

Verse 7 ends by telling us to fear God and depart from evil. That is something we must live our lives by!

Verse 8 links the fear of the Lord to our physical health. We have touched on this point before, earlier on in Proverbs 3, and will do so again later on. Being a Christian does not guarantee good health, neither does avoiding evil prevent all and every sickness. The principle here is that if we make wisdom our guide, following Jesus and steering well clear of evil, then we reduce our likelihood of ill-health. As we noted before, this is a natural consequence. It is wise to eat healthily, exercise regularly and avoid excessive stress. I do not think anyone would argue that such things will indeed bring health to our bodies.

Verse 9 and 10 instruct us to honour God with our money and possessions. This is quite right to do, and is essentially an act of our worship. We may pray, sing songs, study the Bible and attend church; all of which are acts of praise. Giving of our money and possessions is every bit as important though.

How so? Because we humans are rather attached to our money and “things.” By offering them freely to the Lord, we are rightly putting Him above all such material items. We invest much of our life trying to earn money, and so, by giving it to God, we are reminding ourselves of His rightful place in our life.

God has given us so very much! And by offering back to Him a portion of our income, we are honouring Him. Notice it uses the phrase “first fruits” indicating that we do not give God whatever we have left at the end of the month, rather we give Him the first part of our income because He is first in our lives.

Verse 10 begins with the word “So” indicating that what it says is the result of our giving in verse 9. Because we have given God first place in our lives, even with our income (verse 9), we will have barns filled with plenty and vats overflowing with wine (verse 10).

I want to tread carefully here, as many who buy into the prosperity gospel might teach this rather simply as “Give to God, and He’ll give back to you.” God is not an ATM or better still, fruit machine. We do not simply throw in a coin, crank the handle and out comes a jackpot. God is not a machine, nor a set of rules for us to decipher and “crack the code.” He is a Person, and a Father, and He is keen for us to learn a healthy relationship to money.

Like any good Father does, God wants us to use money wisely; He was us to have possessions, but does not want them to have us! By putting Him first in our finances, and indeed in every area, we are ensuring that God is number one and that nothing is competing for His place.

So do not be wise in your own eyes. Do not think you can get away with evil, ignore God and live a healthy and abundant life. God wants us to be healthy, and I believe He wants us to have good things too, but more than either of those, He wants us to be devoted to Him and His glory. We do not seek after money, nor do we consider ourselves to be God’s gift to humanity.

Rather, we should be sober minded, honest about our own wisdom, and utterly dependant on God for our physical and financial needs.

Thanks for reading!

Take Note and Review – Sunday Suggestion

This Sunday, when you go to church, don’t just keep the seat warm but try to fully engage with your pastor’s message. It took them time to prepare and study, so rather than just listen to what they say, make some decent notes which you can review throughout this week.

Each day, or even more often than that, pull out your notes and go over them. Remind yourself what the key points were, and re-read the Bible passages.

Turn the notes into some actions which you can do. What steps will you take to act on what you’ve heard? How can you put this particular message into practice in your life?

Even better, pair up with someone from church and review the notes together. See what actions you can take together and encourage each other as you do.

James says:

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

James 1:22 (NLT)

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. #Bible #Jesus #Christianity

Finally, when you see your pastor next week, tell them what you have done with the message they taught. It will truly bless and encourage them to hear that you have taken their words and acted on them. Tell them what you enjoyed and how it has challenged you to live more fully for Christ.

How many Christians sit and listen to every word their pastor has said, yet has forgotten every one by the time they reach the parking lot/car park? Don’t let that be you!

Spiritual growth is not automatic, and takes effort on our part. Engage with the Bible, learn from your pastor, and let the Holy Spirit be your guide.

Enjoy your weekend!

One Thing I Ask

The one thing I ask of the Lord—

    the thing I seek most—

is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

    delighting in the Lord’s perfections

    and meditating in his Temple.

Psalm 27:4 (WEB)

I recall a time when I was speaking to a group of students about what heaven might be like. One of them thought it would be like a perpetual praise service, with unending worship, music and dancing. Another student thought that sounded more like torture than paradise!

In this verse from the Psalms, King David is making a request. He does not ask for gold or silver, victory in battle nor wives and children. Instead, he requests that he might live in the house of the Lord all the days of his life.

Does that sound like something you would want?

Sometimes we are guilty of wanting the gifts more than the Giver, and for seeking God’s presents instead of His presence. The Lord Himself is our reward though, and far greater than any gift we could want.

The psalm points out two things we might do in His presence.

The first is to delight! Delight is a wonderful word, and means to have a “high degree of pleasure or enjoyment.” That sounds like something we want to do more of! Delighting in what though? In the Lord’s perfections. We might think of this as delighting in God’s character or attributes.

God is an infinite God, with wonders beyond measure. A day dwelling on who He is and enjoying His character is a day well spent in my book. How often do you set aside time to do nothing else but simply enjoy the Lord?

The second thing is meditation. Meditation is not emptying one’s mind of thought, but instead it is filling it with the wonders of God and His Word. It is said that meditation is like rumination, which is the action of a cow chewing the grass over and over again. When we meditate on God, we are deploying our thinking on all the goodness of His character and ways.

To meditate on the Lord is, I believe, to begin to delight in Him also. One leads to the other. The more we meditate, the more delighted we become, and the more delighted we are, the more we want to dwell on who He is.

Paul says, in Philippians:

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

You need not think about everything that pops into your head, but can direct your thoughts on to Jesus.

You need not #think about everything that pops into your head, but can direct your thoughts on to #Jesus. #Bible

Set aside some time when you can, even if it is just fifteen minutes, and delight yourself in the Lord. Make a list of all the good things He has done for you, and note down the aspects of His character which most excite you. It will be time well spent indeed!

For more thoughts on Philippians 4:8, check out my post – Pure vs OK

Be Careful for Nothing!

I would highly recommend the writing of both Alan and Bruce in their two separate blogs. if you are looking for something new, then please do check them out.

I am pleased to introduce a guest post by brother Bruce Cooper, one the brethren filling in for me while I am busy preparing for a family wedding. …

Be Careful for Nothing!

Trust in the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6)

In our study of the book of Proverbs, we reach a set of rather well-known verses. At some point in my life, I committed these to memory and they have never faded. There are many people who would recognise these, but I wonder how many actually put them into practice?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

    do not depend on your own understanding.

6 Seek his will in all you do,

    and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

Trust

It seems obvious that Christians should trust the Lord, and if you asked them, then I guess most would say they do. Sometimes though, our actions betray that we do not really trust Him. Worry, for example, is a clear indication that we are not fully trusting in the Lord. When we worry, we are not acting in faith but rehearsing all the things that might go wrong. If we cannot trust God enough not to worry about a minor problem we have, then how can we trust Him for eternal salvation?

If we cannot #trust #God enough not to #worry about a minor problem we have, then how can we trust Him for eternal #salvation? #Bible #Wisdom #Jesus

A few days ago, some Christian friends and I were discussing persecution and even martyrdom. There are Christians in this world who face death simply for acknowledging Jesus as Lord. Yet we crumble if someone makes fun of us for our faith, or merely laughs at us.

If we really trust Him, then we must trust Him even unto death itself. That is surely the point of our faith?

All Your Heart

As we trust in God, we do not do so in a small way. We cannot partially trust Him! Instead, we must trust Him fully and completely, with all of our heart.

Our hearts must not be divided. We should not say we trust in God, but then have a backup plan.

In what ways do you find it difficult to trust God? Is it with your health, your family, your career or something else? Whatever it may be, you can rely on God. The Bible is full of promises which you can build your trust upon. Dig into that Word and strengthen your faith by storing those promises deep within your heart. Not every promise is for the here and now, but a day will come when every Word God has spoken will be fulfilled – in this life or the next.

God is not a man that He should lie, and every single thing He has said will be proved true.

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? Num 23:19 #Bible

Leave any doubts behind, and follow Him with all of your heart. You can fully rely on Him and what He has promised.

Lean Not On Your Own Understanding

Verse five tells us not just to trust God, but to lean not on our own understanding. To put it another way, we must not reason or use our own thinking to determine our path. I do want to be careful here, as clearly we have a brain and God intended us to use it. The difference is though that we are not to pursue it if it contradicts what God is telling us.

Take giving for an example. Our brains would tell us that to give is to have less. The Bible, and therefore God, tells us that if we give, it will be given back to us – a good measure, pressed down and shaken together (Luke 6:37). If we think and our understanding says, do not give, then we should dismiss it and instead follow the command of the Lord.

Our understanding will always be limited, because we are limited and sinful beings. God’s understanding is complete, because He knows the end from the beginning, and we would do well to defer to His judgement instead of our own.

Seek and Acknowledge

6 Seek his will in all you do,

    and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:6 (NLT(

Verse six, rendered here from the New Living Translation, advises us to seek God’s will. In the New International Version, it is instead telling us to acknowledge God. These two translations paint slightly different pictures, and yet both are extremely helpful and powerful advice.

Seek God’s will in your life, and not your own. Do not simply live your life in whatever way you see fit, but instead, put God in charge and follow Him. Do not merely follow Him in word only, but let your deeds show that you are directed by God, not your feelings, dreams or wants.

Acknowledging God is to consider Him in all that you do. It means when you go to work, you recognise that God goes with you. When you go shopping, you do so aware of the Lord’s presence. It is really about doing life with God. We do not simply call on Him on a Sunday morning, but live with Him throughout the week.

All You Do

Verse six says to acknowledge God, or to seek Him, in all that we do. As above, this means that whatever it is you do, do it all unto the Lord. God is not reserved for only the spiritual aspects of life, but for the entire thing. God wants to be involved in your every day, no matter if you are doing DIY, running errands or watching TV.

In fact, acknowledging God is all you do means that it will be far more difficult for you to step into sin. Imagine walking down the street with the physical Jesus by your side. If temptation came your way, it would be far easier to avoid it with Jesus stood right there. Even though the physical Jesus is not walking alongside us, the Holy Spirit is. He is every bit as real and present as a physical being, but He is easier for us to ignore. Let us not ignore Him! Let each of us constantly remind ourselves of His presence with us, and we will say no to sin when it comes our way.

The Result

Trusting in the Lord with all of our hearts, and leaning not on our understanding. Acknowledging Him in all we do, and seeking His will for our lives will result in what exactly? In God showing us which path to take!

This is no small outcome. Each and every day we face choices, and to the best of our abilities we try to make right ones. Imagine how different our lives would be if we knew for sure which road to choose. God, if we trust Him fully and completely, will guide us. That will lead to success (God’s kind, not the world’s kind).

If you want to succeed in this life and the next, then there is only one way to achieve it. Trust. Trust in the Lord this day, and forever more!

Kindness and Favour (Proverbs 3:3-4)

I know that I am only taking bitesize chunks of Proverbs, but the text is so rich I do not want to miss any of it! I today focus on two more verses from chapter three, focussing on something very important.

Never let loyalty and kindness leave you!

    Tie them around your neck as a reminder.

    Write them deep within your heart.

4 Then you will find favour with both God and people,

    and you will earn a good reputation.

Proverbs 3:3-4 (NLT)

Kindness

Verse three tells us plainly to never allow kindness to leave us. This simply means that we should always be kind to those around us. It sounds so straightforward that Christians should be kind, and yet some things that don’t need to be said, need to be said!

We have all seen or heard of examples of Christians not being kind. When that happens, it harms the witness of not only that individual, but of the church as a whole. “Christians are just a bunch of hypocrites!” they say, and this stems from those who say they are Christian but act like the devil!

Don’t call yourself a #Christian and then act like the devil! #Bible #Christianity #Jesus

Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23) and is something we should all practice. It is not always easy to be kind, especially when we are being badly treated, but it is a powerful act of love.

Kindness need not be costly either, and every one of us has the ability to do it.

Some suggestions might include:

  • Smile, just smile!
  • Pay someone a compliment
  • Be encouraging
  • Help someone in need
  • Give someone a lift
  • Pick up a neighbour’s shopping for them
  • Tip well in a restaurant

There are countless examples I could give, and I am sure you can think of many of your own. If you can make a big enough list, why not write them down on Post-it/sticky notes or slips of paper, put them in a jar and draw one out to do each day.

Make kindness your mission. It will be fun! See how many people you can bless and be kind to, it won’t be long before someone asks you why, and you can tell them about Christ!

The verse instructs us to tie them around our necks, this is a way of remembering. You can certainly wear a sign like a sandwich board to remind you if you wish, but a more convenient method might be to set a reminder on your phone! Whatever works for you!

The more you do this, the more kindness will become a part of you. As verse three concludes, kindness will be written on your very heart. Kindness will become second-nature, it will be an automatic response for you. You will be known for your kind ways.

Why? Why go to all this trouble just to be kind? Because of…

Favour

4 Then you will find favour with both God and people,

    and you will earn a good reputation.

Proverbs 3:4 (NLT)

If you are kind, then you will find favour with both God and man.

Favour is something I pray over my children regularly. When they go to school, I ask the Lord to bless them with favour; with their teachers, with their classmates, with the bus driver… with whomever they meet.

Favour is to be favoured, that is, to receive some form of special treatment in deed or attitude. When I ask for favour for my children with their teachers say, I am asking God to ensure that the teacher is particularly aware of my children’s needs, treats them well and takes special care of them. When I ask for favour for their friendships, I am asking God to ensure they make the right friends, and friends who will benefit them and not pull them away from their faith.

Favour is to have doors of opportunity opened to you to share the Gospel. It is also to find just the right parking spot. One way to describe it might be a nod from God in our direction, in a big or small way, to know that He is with us and preparing the way ahead of us as His own children.

This is not to say that everything in life will be easy and smooth, and that we’ll never hit any problems. That is not realistic. We will face trials and difficulty as long as we walk this Earth, but favour comes from being a child of God. Even if my children face troubles, I will still be there to help them and make it easier if at all possible. God is a better Father than I am.

Kindness breeds favour because it marks us out as people who go a little further to help or assist. When people see us being kind, they remember it, and that may open a door for us in future. There will always be people who try to take advantage of us for being kind, but that should not stop us. While some may abuse our kindness, God’s favour on us will override it.

Favour also means to have a good reputation, as verse four points out. Reputations are hard to earn and easy to lose. Having a good one in our career, church or community is a real blessing and can strengthen our witness in many respects.

Reputations are hard to earn and easy to lose #truth #Christianity #Bible #Wisdom

Be kind. Gain favour. And build a good reputation.

Dear Lord,

We thank You that You are the perfect example of kindness. Help us to follow Your lead and be kind to all that we meet. Please give us creative ideas of how we can show love and be generous to the people in our lives.

We ask for Your favour today and every day. May we have favour with our families, friends, employers, teachers and all those we interact with. Let Your favour go before us, preparing the way, and please open doors for us to share Your truth with those who need it.

May You help us to build a good reputation that we might have a powerful witness, and that those who see us will want to know more about You and Your ways.

Let our goal not be to gain favour with men, but to please You in all we do. In Jesus’ mighty Name!

Amen!