HERE’S HOW IT WORKS
“And you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest parts of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
College students—but they got it. They invited—they brought—they found seekers—and the seekers had their lives changed.
Mary Jo was an English major. She had classes with a guy named Steve. Mary Jo had the Lord in her life. Steve did not. She brought him to our church and Christian small group. And Steve came to know Christ.
Two years later, Steve brought his brother to “fun things” because Mark really was not into Christian things—like Bible studies and worship. But eventually, through meeting other believers at the fun stuff, and through the invitations from his brother, Mark came and accepted Christ.
Mark, a couple of years later, had a new roommate. Mark invited Shane to our group, because Shane seemed lonely and in need of friends. Shane learned a lot about Jesus, and one day I got to lead him to Christ.
Notice the four generations of Christians—from Mary Jo to Steve to Mark to Shane. Sounds a bit like 2 Timothy 2:2 in action. “And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.”
The chain kept extending and three new believers came out of this all. The angels in heaven rejoiced (Luke 15)
But that was not the end of the story.
Mark, who was president of our Christian group, had a poster on his door, inviting people to Baptist Student Union. One day Mark was in the hall, and an international from Thailand stopped Mark and asked him, “Are you one of them? Are you one of those who read the Bible?”
Mark said, “Well yes, I am.”
And Tanitje, a Buddhist, said to him, “I would like to study the words of Jesus.”
So Mark found time to meet with Tanitje and read and explain, as best he could, the words of Jesus. But summer came, and Mark was going home. Tanitje (nicknamed To) wanted to continue, so Mark found a female student who would be there in the summer. And she met and explained the words of Jesus to him.
When both Mark and Jenny were leaving campus, they asked me if I would meet with him, and of course, I did. We studied in the gospel of Mark.
In chapter 1 of that gospel, Jesus called Simon and Andrew, fisherman to follow Him. Simon and Andrew had to leave their family and their family business to follow Jesus. And it said, “At once they left their nets and followed him.” (Mk 1:18 NIV)
Now to be Thai is to be Buddhist. For a person to accept Jesus would be turning your back on family and culture and nation. But the very second week I met with To, that was the challenge in the words of Jesus that we read. And I thought, “God, you are not making it easy.” It would be a very big challenge to someone to leave family, culture, and nation behind if he came to follow Jesus.
When I was called away to a ministry in another part of our state, I turned over the “studying the words of Jesus” to a professor friend of mine, Larry, who met with To until he left to go back home.
Through all of that time with Mark and Jenny and me and Larry, To still did not, to my knowledge, follow Jesus, though he had the interest to “study the words of Jesus.” I emailed him a few times when he got back home, and even had some friends of mine look him up when they were in Thailand to teach English. But, as far as I know, he was exposed to the teachings of Jesus, but didn’t accept.
But this is how it works and how it should work. We pass along the message from one person to another person to another person. It reminds me of a wonderful chorus that was popular when I was a teenager. “It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in its glowing. That’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experienced it. You spread His love to everyone; you want to pass it on.”
One by one by one. For some, that leads to changed life and a path to heaven. For others, it leads to, at least, hearing the words of Jesus. We all must decide for ourselves. The college students “got it”—the how of sharing and bringing and being with others. Do we?
Monday, August 15, 2011
Blog closing
Since I will be leaving the church as pastor, effective September 1st, I am closing this blog down. To continue reading posts from me, go to samspews.blogspot.com
I will continue to write and share on that blog. Hope you will find it, join in, enjoy it and be challenged.
Sam
LEAVE, TRUST, BLESS
LEAVE, TRUST, BLESS
When has God told you something illogical or scary? What did you do when it happened? (Genesis 12:1-4)
Abram—son of Terah. (End of chapter 11) Had left home, Ur of Chaldees with father and wife and nephew, Lot. Settled for a while in Haran—Terah died. Were on their way to Canaan before.
Now God comes to Abram. Leave your country, people and father’s household. Where? Didn’t say yet. Leave—all that is familiar—all comforts you have—even family members behind.
1) At times, God tells us to leave our comforts behind to follow Him. What most gives you security? What do you cherish most? What do you count on more than anything else—even God? Leave it all behind!
The challenge for the believer is to follow God above everything else—to cherish God above all else—to trust God above everything.
“But where God?”
2) Go to the land I will show you—For Abraham, they went in the direction that they had been going before—with his father—toward Canaan.
Henry Blackaby says in Experiencing God, “when you are not sure where the next step of God’s will is, you follow the last thing God told you, until God closes that door.” You pursue God in the same directions until God changes the plan.
Now, you have to be sure that is God’s plan and not just that you are getting comfortable—the easies—the path with the least problems. But you also have to note that sometimes, God uses the problems to move you into another path—a path with more challenges, but also more rewards.
We often do not have the whole plan at the time—but God wants us to trust Him on the journey—trust Him above knowing the plan—knowing where—knowing the next step. We have to trust God—not ourselves. We have to trust God—not our comfort. We have to trust God for the next step and the next breath in life. “Go to the land I will show you.” As you move along, God will show you when He wants you to “stop and sit a spell.”
Blackaby says “to know God’s will, you have to seek to know God. We need to know God more than to know His will.”
In Jeremiah, we find this: Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me,” (Jeremiah 9:23-24, NIV)
Would you say that you know God? Have to keep seeking God—keep reading His Word and praying and obeying to come to know God personally.
3) Trusting God will bring blessing.
a. Some of that blessing will be for you—“I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great.”
b. But part of that blessing is for the benefit of others—“You will be a blessing –on peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Certainly for Abram, this meant the Jewish race and Jesus the Messiah, who would come to bless the world.
i. Notice the blessing is not just for you—you are to be a blessing to others. Song, “Blessed to Be a Blessing.”
ii. If you being blessed but not being a blessing to others, that is sin—that is wrong—that is not God’s intention. Song—“Is Your Life a Channel of Blessing?”
c. The blessing comes as we trust God and obey Him. The blessings come as we leave and go where God tells us.
d. The blessing does not come when we are disobedient—for us or for others. Who should be blessed because of your life?
God told Abram to leave comfort and security and home behind. God told Abram to trust Him for the next step—trust Him along the way—Trust Him above everything else. And God told Abram for doing that—he would be blessed AND be a blessing to others also.
4) So Abram left, as the LORD had told him.
Could we say that of you? Did you leave it behind for God? Did you trust God above all comfort and security? As God has blessed you, have you been a blessing to others?
Could be a new task within the church God wants you to do. Could be a new way of doing something that God has not shown you yet. Could be tithing or making a new friend to cultivate for Christ. Could be to invite neighbors to your home to make friends. Could be to make time to get acquainted with some of the Hispanics in our community. Could be—you fill in the blank.
That is discipleship—that is following Jesus—that is making disciples of all nations—that is passing along what you have learned to faithful people who will pass it along to other faithful people.
What is God saying to you today?
When has God told you something illogical or scary? What did you do when it happened? (Genesis 12:1-4)
Abram—son of Terah. (End of chapter 11) Had left home, Ur of Chaldees with father and wife and nephew, Lot. Settled for a while in Haran—Terah died. Were on their way to Canaan before.
Now God comes to Abram. Leave your country, people and father’s household. Where? Didn’t say yet. Leave—all that is familiar—all comforts you have—even family members behind.
1) At times, God tells us to leave our comforts behind to follow Him. What most gives you security? What do you cherish most? What do you count on more than anything else—even God? Leave it all behind!
The challenge for the believer is to follow God above everything else—to cherish God above all else—to trust God above everything.
“But where God?”
2) Go to the land I will show you—For Abraham, they went in the direction that they had been going before—with his father—toward Canaan.
Henry Blackaby says in Experiencing God, “when you are not sure where the next step of God’s will is, you follow the last thing God told you, until God closes that door.” You pursue God in the same directions until God changes the plan.
Now, you have to be sure that is God’s plan and not just that you are getting comfortable—the easies—the path with the least problems. But you also have to note that sometimes, God uses the problems to move you into another path—a path with more challenges, but also more rewards.
We often do not have the whole plan at the time—but God wants us to trust Him on the journey—trust Him above knowing the plan—knowing where—knowing the next step. We have to trust God—not ourselves. We have to trust God—not our comfort. We have to trust God for the next step and the next breath in life. “Go to the land I will show you.” As you move along, God will show you when He wants you to “stop and sit a spell.”
Blackaby says “to know God’s will, you have to seek to know God. We need to know God more than to know His will.”
In Jeremiah, we find this: Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; 24 but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me,” (Jeremiah 9:23-24, NIV)
Would you say that you know God? Have to keep seeking God—keep reading His Word and praying and obeying to come to know God personally.
3) Trusting God will bring blessing.
a. Some of that blessing will be for you—“I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great.”
b. But part of that blessing is for the benefit of others—“You will be a blessing –on peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Certainly for Abram, this meant the Jewish race and Jesus the Messiah, who would come to bless the world.
i. Notice the blessing is not just for you—you are to be a blessing to others. Song, “Blessed to Be a Blessing.”
ii. If you being blessed but not being a blessing to others, that is sin—that is wrong—that is not God’s intention. Song—“Is Your Life a Channel of Blessing?”
c. The blessing comes as we trust God and obey Him. The blessings come as we leave and go where God tells us.
d. The blessing does not come when we are disobedient—for us or for others. Who should be blessed because of your life?
God told Abram to leave comfort and security and home behind. God told Abram to trust Him for the next step—trust Him along the way—Trust Him above everything else. And God told Abram for doing that—he would be blessed AND be a blessing to others also.
4) So Abram left, as the LORD had told him.
Could we say that of you? Did you leave it behind for God? Did you trust God above all comfort and security? As God has blessed you, have you been a blessing to others?
Could be a new task within the church God wants you to do. Could be a new way of doing something that God has not shown you yet. Could be tithing or making a new friend to cultivate for Christ. Could be to invite neighbors to your home to make friends. Could be to make time to get acquainted with some of the Hispanics in our community. Could be—you fill in the blank.
That is discipleship—that is following Jesus—that is making disciples of all nations—that is passing along what you have learned to faithful people who will pass it along to other faithful people.
What is God saying to you today?
Friday, August 12, 2011
Because of You
You are God's gift to me, and I'm His gift to you.
Together we can be more than we could see
Because He first loved us.
Because of you, submission feels like freedom.
Alongside you, serving gives me joy.
Because of you, life's journey is a pleasure.
You point me to the Lord.
Yes, you point me to the Lord.
All love is meant to grow, and your love's overflow
Has brought my heart great cheer with children we hold dear,
Because He first loved us.
Because of you, I love the Lord more dearly.
Alongside you, I feed upon His word.
Because of you, I see the Way more clearly.
You point me to the Lord.
Yes, you point me to the Lord.
The years have come and gone. Life's storms have made us strong.
The two we used to be, God molded into "we,"
Because He first loved us!
Because of you, submission feels like freedom.
Alongside you, serving gives me joy.
Because of you, life's journey is a pleasure.
You point me to the Lord.
I'm so glad you point me to the Lord!
HAPPY 34th ANNIVERSARY TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!
Together we can be more than we could see
Because He first loved us.
Because of you, submission feels like freedom.
Alongside you, serving gives me joy.
Because of you, life's journey is a pleasure.
You point me to the Lord.
Yes, you point me to the Lord.
All love is meant to grow, and your love's overflow
Has brought my heart great cheer with children we hold dear,
Because He first loved us.
Because of you, I love the Lord more dearly.
Alongside you, I feed upon His word.
Because of you, I see the Way more clearly.
You point me to the Lord.
Yes, you point me to the Lord.
The years have come and gone. Life's storms have made us strong.
The two we used to be, God molded into "we,"
Because He first loved us!
Because of you, submission feels like freedom.
Alongside you, serving gives me joy.
Because of you, life's journey is a pleasure.
You point me to the Lord.
I'm so glad you point me to the Lord!
HAPPY 34th ANNIVERSARY TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
To Faithful Ones
Today a longer post--my sermon from last Sunday (Aug. 7, 2011). Some is sketchy--sermon notes:
In marriage, we are to be faithful to our spouse and faithful to our vows. In contracts and commitments to others, we are to stick with what we said--be faithful to them. And with our God we are to be faithful in our commitment as well. Paul talks about that in 2 Timothy 2:1-7.
Paul--writing to Timothy, a young pastor--close relationship between the two. A discipling relationship. Paul getting ready to die and no longer be available to Timothy, so he leaves behind his last words of advice.
Be strong in the grace of Christ Jesus--Is easy to get sidetracked from grace to works--from grace to law. We are though, saved by grace--not anything we do--not anything we earn or deserve. And Timothy, as well as any other follower, is to continue to live by grace--not law, not works--but all by the grace provided for us through Jesus Christ.
Paul is reminding a pastor of this--Timothy. No one is immune to living life the wrong way for God--even pastors and church leaders.
v. 2 A verse about discipleship--following faithfully--being true to God and His kingdom purposes.
Paul said, "You've heard me say these things when many had gathered, but not everyone has heard or heeded. Even believers sometimes don't hear and heed." "So what does Paul tell Timothy to do, if this is true? "Entrust what is important--entrust the teachings to those who will be faithful." Reliable men--trustworthy people--people who will hear and heed.
Several times in life I have heard that what a disciplemaker is to look for in a disciple consists of three things--summarized by the letters "FAT."
1) Faithful--reliable--people you can count on--people who listen and heed--people who obey God.
2) Available--Many people are too busy. Many are not interested because they are involved in other things and they will not make time--not give time to God and His purposes. Those who are not available to the disciplemaker will only waste his or her time in a relationship that is designed to help the person grow. Genuine followers don't HAVE time; they MAKE time! It is that important to them.
3) Teachable--Some people, even believers at times, have their minds made up. They are not teachable by someone attempting to help them grow in the Lord, nor are they teachable when God speaks directly or indirectly to them. Many of these will give up reading God's Word or attending Bible study or worship. Many of them will give a discipler their time but then won't attempt to make any changes, even when God shows them what and how to do it. Teachable.
Timothy is told to look for those who are faithful--available--teachable. Those who are really serious about their faith and growing in their relationship with the Lord. But there is another part of verse 2 also. Paul said look for those who are faithful to teach others--concerned with the lives of others who need the Lord and need to grow in faith.
Just knowing should not be enough for a believer--and it WILL not be enough for a disciple. The disciple--the real follower of Christ--will want to pass on what he/she has learned to someone else. Hymn--"Because I Have Been Given Much, I Too Must Give." I must share--I must teach others and pass along the goodness of God to others who need the goodness of God."
Paul says to Timothy, "spend time sharing with those who will be faithful to bear fruit--who will be faithful to pass the message--pass Jesus--pass the kingdom of God along to others."
Then Paul gives three examples of commitment like this:
1) A good soldier--wants to please the commanding officer--so he does not get sidetracked by things that aren't important. Endure hardship, sharing Jesus like a good soldier.
2) A winning athlete--It takes dedication to be that. It takes listening to the coach--and working hard--and faithfully doing what is necessary--refraining from many things that hinder or do not help. It also takes living by the rules. God sets the rules--He is the player/coach. If you don't play by God's rules you don't win the race God wants for you.
3) A hardworking farmer--He gets his work done--he gets his crop to produce. He bears fruit. If he is a tenant farmer--working for someone else--he works hard to benefit not only himself and his family but also his employer as well. When the owner succeeds, the tenant succeeds. The Owner is God.
This is faithfulness--this is working to bear fruit--this is focus on others not just self. This is being faithful, available and teachable. And Paul especially is talking about bearing fruit for our Lord.
When a person is really involved in growing and maturing in God's work, he/she doesn't have time to cause disunity and problems. They are seeking to unite with others to see God's tasks accomplished.
Verse 7 is the invitation for Timothy and us. "Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight in all this." Listen to what Paul says and see whether it rings true from God, or is it just the babbling of a man--a preacher? What will you do with this?
Are YOU a faithful one--passing it along to others who will pass it and Him along?
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
MY PASSION
As I seek the Lord, here is the vision He is sharing with me. It comes out of whose I am and who I am.
I am sixty years old. At this point in my ministry, I am not about numbers but about life change. I am about not attenders but disciples. I am not about sitters but about actors for God.
Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” I am not just about one church or one city; I am about the peoples of the entire world that Jesus died for, out of God’s love for them. (John 3:16) The church in America is in desperate need—the people in America are in desperate need—but they also need to embrace a worldwide, a global vision, as the task they are called to by Christ.
I am also about not how many people are in one church, but how many believers are in one Christian. I am about not how many walnuts are on one tree but how many trees are in one walnut and on one walnut tree.
I have to be about discipling. (2 Timothy 2:2) I am at the same point as Paul was—nearing the end of ministry, possibly. But I am passing along what I have learned to everyone, but especially to the faithful who will be faithful to pass it along to other faithful ones who are able (and willing and empowered) to teach others.
I “pray the Lord of the harvest to thrust out more workers into His harvest field.” (Luke 10:2) Many of those workers are not yet reached. They are not yet saved. They need to be discipled to become followers of Jesus. They then need to be discipled to spiritual infants and spiritual children and spiritual adults who will then get on board to disciple others. Many within the church have been believers for many years, but have not progressed beyond spiritual infancy and spiritual children.
What I am about is life change—transformation. What I am about is quality not quantity—not just baptisms and new believers, but believers that are equipped to be workers and disciplemakers of others. What I am about is not just the church or town or state or nation that we live in, but the world—it is all God’s kingdom—it is all His purpose. He told Abram, “I will bless the nations through you.”
This is the kind of ministry or church I am seeking to be involved in. This is my vision and my purpose, given by God. As I look at myself, this is God’s gifting to me and God’s passion for me.
I am seeking now where God can use me best within His passion and purpose and vision and harvest.
I am sixty years old. At this point in my ministry, I am not about numbers but about life change. I am about not attenders but disciples. I am not about sitters but about actors for God.
Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” I am not just about one church or one city; I am about the peoples of the entire world that Jesus died for, out of God’s love for them. (John 3:16) The church in America is in desperate need—the people in America are in desperate need—but they also need to embrace a worldwide, a global vision, as the task they are called to by Christ.
I am also about not how many people are in one church, but how many believers are in one Christian. I am about not how many walnuts are on one tree but how many trees are in one walnut and on one walnut tree.
I have to be about discipling. (2 Timothy 2:2) I am at the same point as Paul was—nearing the end of ministry, possibly. But I am passing along what I have learned to everyone, but especially to the faithful who will be faithful to pass it along to other faithful ones who are able (and willing and empowered) to teach others.
I “pray the Lord of the harvest to thrust out more workers into His harvest field.” (Luke 10:2) Many of those workers are not yet reached. They are not yet saved. They need to be discipled to become followers of Jesus. They then need to be discipled to spiritual infants and spiritual children and spiritual adults who will then get on board to disciple others. Many within the church have been believers for many years, but have not progressed beyond spiritual infancy and spiritual children.
What I am about is life change—transformation. What I am about is quality not quantity—not just baptisms and new believers, but believers that are equipped to be workers and disciplemakers of others. What I am about is not just the church or town or state or nation that we live in, but the world—it is all God’s kingdom—it is all His purpose. He told Abram, “I will bless the nations through you.”
This is the kind of ministry or church I am seeking to be involved in. This is my vision and my purpose, given by God. As I look at myself, this is God’s gifting to me and God’s passion for me.
I am seeking now where God can use me best within His passion and purpose and vision and harvest.
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