Category: Dicsipleship

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How Do You Think?

ThinkHave you ever witnessed something in the dark that appeared one way only to discover is was totally different in the light?

This phenomena is not unique to children, it also happens to adults. The biggest difference is that adults usually have enough experience to know that they are likely witnessing an illusion. These kinds of experiences are not unique to the physical world either, they have parallels in the soul and spirit.
There is a lot of teaching about how we think and how thinking guides our lives. Much of the modern discussion surrounds self-improvement and achieving goals. While there is certainly validity and usefulness in these discussions, most only skim the surface of something much deeper and infinitely more important.

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Practicing Our Posture

posture1“My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me. Fear and trembling have beset me; horror has overwhelmed me. I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. (Psa 55:4-6 NIV)

Fear can cause us to respond to our environment in ways that are not positive. If we are not careful, it can derail our lives and hinder progress toward our destiny. There are three ways that people naturally respond when afraid: Fight, Flight or Freeze. Depending on the situation each response may be good or bad.

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FOCUS

focus1015“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13-14)

Thoughts

One of the most basic rules of aviation is trust your instruments. A variety of circumstances and situations can disorient even the most seasoned pilot, but a properly maintained cockpit instrument is consistent. It is not affected by lack of oxygen or too little sleep. It looks the same in foggy weather as it does in clear. Bad days do not affect its judgment. These instruments provide a critical reference for achieving the goal of a safe landing at the desired destination.

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Leadership 101

reflectionAs we prepare to move into new roles and responsibilities, it is important to take time to step back and reflect on the kind of person we are going to be. It is a time to not only evaluate our expectations, but also to set boundaries and solidify our core values – and to make sure that our actions line up.

Although we are not certain when David composed the one hundred and first Psalm, most scholars agree that it was at a time of transition in his life – he was walking through an important threshold of leadership advancement. Perhaps he was ascending to King, or perhaps he was preparing for leadership in the wilderness.

In eight short verses, David declares his commitment, not to what he is going to do, but who he is going to be. Take a minute to read Psalm 101 now. Don’t worry I’ll wait…

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Where is Your Trust

trustGod’s heart was breaking! He looked with great sadness upon the people who had repeatedly rejected Him. Though He had freed them from slavery in Egypt, dried up the Red Sea for their escape from Pharaoh’s army,  provided for them through the wilderness and led them into their promised land, their hearts were stubborn and unyielding.

Like a husband who loves his wife deeply, God cried for them to turn back to Him. Though they had betrayed Him over and over again, He was willing to take them back and restore them to their former place of glory, but they would have no part of it.

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Apprehended by God

1apprehendHis mission was simple. He would attend the bizarre Christian meetings and gather evidence he could use against them in the classes he taught. The night would not go as planned.

The time was the early 1900’s, the city was Los Angeles. Although traffic was already becoming a problem, there were very few roads. Motion pictures were still largely a dream although Nickelodeons had begun to pop up, and Thomas Edison had produced a feature film.

In an old livery stable, turned apartment building, turned church, a growing number of people were meeting under the leadership of William Seymour. Seymour was a simple man, he was the son of former slaves whose father had been killed fighting for the Union Army in the Civil war. The father’s death left the family absolutely devastated. Seymour was completely blind in one eye following an illness.

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Much Ado About Love

trueloveFrom pulpits to social media, the world is saturated with talk of love. By contemporary measures it would seem that there is more love today than ever before, but what does the Bible really say, have we really been misreading it for two-thousand years?

The Apostle John discusses love in this way, “Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:7 NLT)

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Why Revival Won’t Bring Unity

waterfallCan a new Great Awakening style revival bring unity to the Church? Many are praying, crying out and prophesying it today, but I’m sorry to say it just won’t happen.

As much as we need a renewed spiritual life in the church, and as much as I believe that God is going to pour out His spirit on all flesh in the days we are living, it simply will not bring unity.

Although the word revival is a fairly new invention in the historical perspective of the church, the pattern of falling away and returning to God has occurred repeatedly throughout recorded humanity. Each “revival” brought as much division as it did restoration.

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Are Christians Free from Conviction?

conviction9115Some of today’s most popular preachers have declared that conviction does not operate in the lives of believers. Is this true? Does salvation free us from the convicting power of the Holy Spirit?

Some modern day teachers appear to be a little confused about what the Bible has to say about conviction. One of the favorite scriptures of the no-conviction-for-believers crowd is Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (NKJV)

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The Art of Infighting

fightingDid you know that there is large group of people who actually believe they are called by God to tear down other Christians and Christian Ministers?

I was shocked to learn that there is a whole classification of web sites whose sole purpose for existing is to call out ministers and ministries. They are called “Online Discernment Ministries” or “ODMs” for short.

In another blog, I have already addressed the need – and God’s desire – for unity among believers so I will assume we are good on that. That being said, I am more than a little confused that people are dedicating their lives to often-times minor doctrinal disputes or differences of opinions when their time could be used for something far more effective and fruitful.

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