Holy Discontentment

OK, this may sound a bit like a rant, and in some ways it is, but God has placed in me a heart that wants to see change in His members of His Church.  My prayer is that some may make a change in their worldview while others may mentor someone into a healthy relationship with God and one-another.

During this Christmas season, and in many of the past Christmas seasons that I can remember, I am becoming very discontent – something Bill Hybels might call a Holy Discontentment.  Many of the people in relationships I have, as well as many other “Christians” I know, don’t really reflect the character and nature of the God I follow.  The commercialism of the “Holiday Season” has not only taken over the worldly culture, it has infiltrated the local congregations.  The negativity of spending money, busyness, annoying family members, and the occasional tone of the “Merry Christmas” that is being used more to separate and condemn than to spread love and joy of this miraculous season just breaks my heart. 

This time of year is meant to be there to celebrate Jesus’ birth and spread the kind of love and joy that He brought into our lives.  It was never meant to spread dissension, busyness and negativity, much of which comes right from the very ones that claim to follow Him!  Jesus is The Reason for the Season!

Bottom line is that when we think this season has anything at all to do with us, we miss the point.  When we think this season is about spending money, getting gifts, focusing on our happiness and the happiness stuff gives those around us, we lose out.  We, The Church, are called to spread His love and joy to the world around us.  We must realize that this life, once we gave our lives to Christ as our Savior AND our Lord, is not about us…it’s only about Jesus.  And this time of year is the best time of year to spread His message of love and joy to a sin-sick, fallen world.  Hearts are more open to the message of Christ this time of year than any other.

So this Christmas week, get out and purposely show His love to those you come in contact with on a daily basis.  Hold a conversation with the clerk at the gas station, the coffee shop, restaurant or grocery store.  Truly get to know them.  Ask them how you can pray for them…and if at all possible, do so with them right there.  If you are able, give anonymous gifts to those in need, in Jesus name (not your own).  There are so many in need in our very communities – homeless, prisoners, nursing home residents, etc.  Give a gift to someone you know has very little during this time of their life.  The opportunities are endless and God shows us these opportunities on a daily basis - we need only to open our eyes to the things He cares about!  Jesus said we are to be His witnesses…that means we are to show His love and mercy all year long, so why not start during the season where we are supposed to celebrate His coming as a baby to save the world!

Acts 1:8 - English Standard Version (ESV)

^“ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Merry Christmas to all and most importantly, Thank You God for sending your Son to this earth giving us the only reason to celebrate…Jesus Christ!  I pray we spend some time on our knees in holy communion with You during this time of celebration!

The Obedience of the GO

In some of the most pivotal moments in Biblical history, God gave a command to GO, without explaining the details of what He was calling His servant to accomplish.

In Genesis 12, God gives Abram his call:

1 Now the Lord said to Abram, "GO from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

4 So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

Even at the age of 75, Abram was obedient to God’s call and answered Him by GOING regardless of what he was to do once he got there!  Though advanced in years, He trusted God that He would find a way to make a great nation from his offspring…and as the story goes, God did just that by providing a son to this couple in their ripe old age – close to 100 years of age!

Romans 4 tells us of his faith:

20 No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 21 fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. 22 That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness." 

Faith in what he had not seen, the promise fulfilled by God, is the kind of faith that transforms a man such as Abram into a righteous father of nations…and to mark that transformation in Abrams life, God changed his name to Abraham, which means “father of nations”.

Fast-forward to the New Testament where an extremely “religious” person (in the very worst sense) receives his call from God to make a radical change in his life, resulting in a massive growth of God’s Kingdom. 

Saul was a religious zealot (the English word zealous comes from this term – which would describe Saul in many ways) who was killing people who followed this man named Jesus.  Because in his interpretation of the Scriptures, he felt Jesus was blaspheming the Word of God by referring to Himself as God’s son.  He was taught by the best religious leaders and became famous for his lynchings of Christians.

Then on one miraculous day, his true call came, as recorded in Acts 9:

1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and GO into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Jesus blinds Saul and commands him to GO into the city and if he obeys, he will be told what to do.  He could have run with fear of the unknown, however, he had just witnessed the power of God and to do anything other than obey would have been mindless!

10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

11 The Lord told him, “GO to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying.12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem.14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.

Then Jesus tells Ananias to GO face his fears of this killer of men like him, and give Saul the message from God.  Saul is told to GO to Damascus, Ananias is told to GO to Saul, and with both men answering their individual calls from God to trust Him, the man Saul, who later became Paul, writes most of the New Testament and travels on many missionary journeys proclaiming the Gospel of Christ to the known world!  God then changed Saul’s name to Paul declaring his great transformation, one that can only be accomplished by God!

And then there are the rest of us…what is our GO?  God will call each and every one of us to a specific GO moment where we need to make a decision to follow God no matter what we think the consequences may be…and in that obedient moment God will reveal Himself to each of us in a very real and amazing way as He then gives us the next step or the rest of the call He has for us.

However, we cannot just sit back and wait for His specific call on our lives.  In fact, He has already given an overall call to every person who claims to follow Jesus as Savior and Lord.  In Matthew 28:19-20, He is very clear of that call:

19 Therefore 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 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

We are to GO make disciples by first building intentional relationships with everyone we come in contact with.  You see, when Jesus is at our very core, defining who we are from the inside-out, everything we do will be to glorify Him and seek to share His Good News with everyone. 

Often times God tells us to Go before He defines what He will want us to accomplish.  I believe He does so because if we were to know what He truly wants to accomplish through each of us we would simply brush it off as something we can never accomplish.  However, if He simply opens the door to the first step, commanding us to go through that first door, and we obey, we begin developing a passion for His work and His call in our lives and the next step doesn’t seem like such a huge leap!

So don’t wait, answer His first call for each of us – GO into the world, the area where you are every day, and build relationships with everyone you have contact with, keeping Jesus at the center of everything.  Keeping Jesus in the center of all you do is what is called Biblical Worldview – viewing the world through the eyes of Jesus. If we keep our Biblical Worldview lenses on, it is impossible to look at the world and not hurt for the lost that Jesus wants us to build relationship with in order to introduce them to Him!

If you already have a GO pending in your life…what are you waiting for?  Take the first step and see what He has in store for you!  I guarantee that whatever He leads you to, it will be the most exciting, life fulfilling step you will ever take!

Follow Him and respond to the GO He is calling you to obey!

Invite Jesus to His Birthday Party

My hope and prayer in writing these posts is NOT to provide a little devotional to read and check off the list.  My desire is that you will be challenged to make a difference!  I hope at times you are convicted, challenged and maybe even a little defensive.  I say that not to condemn anyone, but to challenge those who are lukewarm to move to the side of on-fire for God!  Maybe to move a few from being stuck to thriving in their faith, and in turn walking along side someone else, helping them become fully devoted followers of Christ.  Or to encourage those on fire for God to share their lives with others as they walk closely with Him.  Our Monday through Saturday lives must reflect Jesus as Lord to those around us as well as in our own hearts.  We cannot just show up Sunday, put on a good show, and then live as though He doesn't exist as the sole reason we are here!  After all, we represent Him to a lost and dying world!

Matthew 5:16 - Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.  That means every day of the week, in everything we do and in every conversation in which we engage...people see Jesus in and through us!  The goal is never to glorify yourself or try to gain any favor with God...we have His favor!  Remember, He died for you and me and loves us more than we can ever imagine!  Our goal is to respond to His love by loving Him and loving others so that they will see beyond us and get a glimpse of a God Who loves them and wants to call them His child!

During this Christmas season as we celebrate our incredible Lord and Savior’s birth, let’s not forget to invite Him to every party, gathering and even the shopping adventures we embark upon.  Many times a simple smile or brief conversation with that person at the checkout counter can make all the difference in the world for them to open up to Jesus during His birthday celebration season!  Don’t be afraid the say Merry Christmas and be honored to call yourself His child! 

As the year winds down and we have the honor of celebrating our Lord and Savior’s arrival as a baby, I will leave you with one of my favorite lines of the many Christmas movies I love to watch with my family...a little revelatory moment as quoted in The Grinch, “He puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. Maybe Christmas, he thought... doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps... means a little bit more!

Merry Christmas and may Christmas this year mean a little bit more! 

Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples - New Book from Francis Chan

This is an excerpt from the new book out by Francis Chan.  A very timely book on a subject near and dear to my heart!

By Francis Chan & Mark Beuving

Two thousand years ago, Jesus walked up to a handful of men and said, "Follow me."
Imagine being one of those original disciples. They were ordinary people like you and me. They had jobs, families, hobbies, and social lives. As they went about their business on the day Jesus called them, none of them would have expected their lives to change so quickly and completely. The disciples could not have fully understood what they were getting into when they responded to Jesus's call. Whatever expectations or doubts, whatever curiosity, excitement, or uncertainty they felt, nothing could have prepared them for what lay ahead. Everything about Jesus-His teaching, compassion, and wisdom; His life, death, and resurrection; His power, authority, and calling-would shape every aspect of the rest of their lives.

In only a few years, these simple men stood before some of the most powerful rulers on earth and being accused of "turn[ing] the world upside down" (Acts 17:6). What began as simple obedience to the call of Jesus ended up changing their lives, and ultimately, the world.

What Is a Disciple?

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? The answer is fairly simple, but it changes your life completely.

The word disciple refers to a student or apprentice. Disciples in Jesus' day would follow their rabbi (which means teacher) wherever he went, learning from the rabbi's teaching and training to do as the rabbi did. Basically, a disciple is a follower, but only if we take the term follower literally. Becoming a disciple of Jesus is as simple as obeying His call to follow.

When Jesus called His first disciples, they may not have understood where Jesus would take them or the impact it would have on their lives, but they knew what it meant to follow. They took Jesus's call literally and began going everywhere He went and doing everything He did.

Its impossible to be a disciple or a follower of someone and not end up like that person. Jesus said, "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher" (Luke 6:40). That's the whole point of being a disciple of Jesus: we imitate Him, carry on His ministry, and become like Him in the process.

Yet somehow many have come to believe that a person can be a "Christian" without being like Christ. A "follower" who doesn't follow. How does that make any sense?

Many people in the church have decided to take on the name of Christ and nothing else. This would be like Jesus walking up to those first disciples and saying, "Hey, would you guys mind identifying yourselves with me in some way? Don't worry, I don't actually care if you do anything I do or change your lifestyle at all. Im just looking for people who are willing to say they believe in me and call themselves Christians."

Seriously?

No one can really believe that this is all it means to be a Christian. But then why do so many people live this way? It appears that we've lost sight of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. The concept of being a disciple isn't difficult to understand, but once you understand what it means, it changes everything.

Love God, Love Others and Make Disciples!

When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was (by a “religious” person—someone knowing a lot about God), His response was to love God and love one-another:

Matthew 22:36-40—"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"  Jesus replied: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. `This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.  `All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Then, before He ascends into heaven, He leaves the disciples His purpose for The Church (those of us who claim Jesus Christ as both our Savior AND our Lord)—to go make disciples:

Matthew 28:18-20—Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Followers of Christ are to love God (with every fiber of their being) and love others (as Jesus loves them) by building relationships with Him first and then with those around us.  This is mentoring Jesus style!  Then, we are to make disciples...how?  By continuing to love God and others and helping them take one step at a time closer to the God Who loves us deeply!  Discipleship is not simply knowing more about God, it is about knowing the God we love and read about!  The key to everything is relationship!

Do you want to transform your congregation, community and world?  If so, you must develop a biblical worldview mindset (by placing Him in the center of everything) and then simply do what He says...love Him, love others and make disciples!  As His True followers, none of these are optional!

Hearers and Doers of His Word

NIV Matthew 7:24-27 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

               This passage of scripture is so very clear, but it seems that the main point Jesus was making has been missed by so many people who would say they are followers of His.  Some of us have been part of local congregations for many years, and others are relatively new participants in the local church.  However, the message is the same—we are not only to become Hearers of His Word, we are to become Doers of His Word!  Simply put, as followers of Jesus Christ, we must read the Bible, and do what it says!  A simple message for us as well as those we mentor!

              

               I’ve often heard people say to me that we cannot do anything to gain more acceptance or love from Christ.  That is exactly true!  The thing is that when we are truly followers of His, and we read His Word, we are transformed into His image, becoming more like Him, and our lives are different.  We don’t do anything to gain favor with God...we do everything out of love for and worship to the very one Who has taken up residence in our lives and is the very reason we live!  If there is no change in our lives after we are “saved”, we might want to revisit our salvation and make sure our heart is right with God.  A transformed spirit will always result in a transformed life that lives and serves Him and His Church!  Once we are saved, we cannot help but be changed

               So, how are you doing?  Are you a believer and follower of Christ?  Does your life show His love, character and integrity...at work, home, church, etc?  These are huge questions that we all must take to God for an honest response from the One Whom we base our entire existence! 

               No matter where you are now, God wants to show you His abundant plan for your life.  Times may be hard, you will go through storms, but His promise is that He will go through them with us...as we become Hearers and Doers of His Word!

Relational Discipleship - Mentor the Lost, Disciple the Found

Biblical Worldview is a subject in which God has been teaching me so much.  Developing a Biblical Worldview is crucial if we desire to shift the culture of complacency within The Church to a culture of generosity - and by generosity I mean with our lives, not just our finances!

 

A lack of Biblical Worldview is a huge problem in The Church of today!

 

Coming to church is not about us, it's about Jesus.  

 

Developing a Biblical Worldview aligns our thinking with God's so that when we gather we are together to worship Him, not focus on what we are getting out of the church, or whether or not the music is to our liking, or if someone is in our seat, or if we don't like what the person speaking has to say from the Word of God, or if we just don't like someone on the leadership team - whether that be a pastor, elder or deacon.  These are not just generalities, these are all issues that have and are happening all around us at all our congregations, so this isn't just a "them" problem.  Each of us must look within ourselves to discern if our thoughts, behaviors and actions are truly focused on God, or if they are simply self-seeking, making ourselves primary over God.  Jesus must become more in our lives than only Savior...He must become Lord of our lives.  When He is Lord, which means He owns us, Biblical Worldview makes total sense because everything is truly about Him, not us!

 

Our first goal as The Church must be to develop a biblical worldview where we discover it is all about Jesus not us.  We see the results of a secular worldview in most people who call themselves Christians.  They are negative and dissension follows them around and spreads to those who they come in contact with.  Everything is about what they don't like or what someone else is doing wrong.  When sin takes someone over, God will give them over to that sin which gets ugly way before it gets better.  (Romans 1:18 - 2:1)  God has a better way...(Romans 12:1-2)  When He is our focus, we then listen to Him and love God and others.  We worship Him, not ourselves.   We go directly to a brother in sin, and confront and mentor them in love...we don't talk to everyone else about it, gossiping instead of loving. (Mt 18:15) 

 

With a Biblical Worldview, relationships become key.  

 

The reason relationships are key is because Jesus left a mission for The Church and that is to make disciples.  (Mt 28:18-20)  We cannot do so without building relationships.  This may step on toes, but that may mean staying after church service and getting to know some of the people in our congregation instead of rushing out at a certain time to go to lunch.  That may mean talking to that obnoxious neighbor kid to get to know him and be a healthy person for him to talk to or even call a mentor.  When we stop focusing on ourselves (a selfish secular worldview), we can begin to focus on Jesus first (selfless Biblical Worldview), then God will develop you into the disciple He wants to use to build His kingdom.  

 

Let me again define Mentoring and Discipleship:  

 

Mentoring is building relationships with everyone in our realm of influence.  Getting to know many people and keeping Christ at the center of all your conversations and in all you do - that is mentoring.

 

Discipleship begins once someone accepts Christ and is hungry to know Who He is and how they fit into His plan.  This is when they are ready for the teachings of Biblical Worldview.  This is also where they will begin understanding that followers of Christ continue the process - disciples making disciples.  

 

The combination of these is what we refer to as Relational Discipleship.

 

And finally, this is not an option for the believer. 

 

Biblical action trumps Biblical knowledge every time! Faith without action is meaningless - or as James puts it - Faith without action is dead!  (James 2:14-17)  When we develop a Romans 12:2 Biblical Worldview, we look to see what Jesus is asking of us - after all we are His, not our own!  We then take Jesus' words seriously when He tells us in Mt 28:18-20 to Go make disciples.  And we do this out of our love for Him, not to gain anything more from Him.  We do what He says out of a response for our transforming life - because that is who we are! 

 

A Simple, Yet Telling Question:

 

Are you willing to mentor 5 people in the coming year? 

How about 2 people?

How about 1?

 

And remember, mentoring is building relationships with a Christ-centered focus, always pointing to Him.

 

Now those who have said no or worse didn't even respond in your heart, I challenge you to pray all this week about why you attend church, if you are coming for yourself or for Him.  Then, your next step may be to seek out a mentor to walk along side you in developing a Biblical Worldview.  This is not about condemning anyone, this is about assessing our own hearts to grow us all up in Christ!  My passion for The Church is to develop communities where the lost are found (mentored), and the found are grown up (discipled)!  

 

Next Steps:

 

- Check out the posts on this blog, measure them up with scripture, and apply what God reveals to you in your life. 

- Begin to develop a Biblical Worldview - renewing your minds on God's word, absorbing the teaching on Biblical Worldview from the pulpit, and growing in the most important relationship you will ever have - with Jesus Christ!

- Seek out someone to mentor you - to walk along side of you as you seek God's purpose for your life. 

- Then mentor others!

 

The Church was created by Christ and we must begin making disciples now!  How...start Mentoring the lost (to be found), and Disciple the found (to be grown up)!  If we are truly followers of Christ, this is not an option, this is who we are because of Who saved us!

In Christ's Service,

Rob Boyland

 

MentoringANDDiscipleship.blogspot.com

Email - RBoyland01@Gmail.com

Connect via Twitter: @rboyland

Investing in People

             I received this devotion from Family Life and thought I’d share it as it hits the heart of mentoring:

Admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak,

be patient with everyone.  1 Thessalonians 5:14

             Who are the people that have meant the most to you in your life? Who has had the most influence in your life? Your parents? A coach, a teacher or a Sunday School teacher? Undoubtedly they challenged you to rise above the status quo. I remember people who cared about my character and who inspired me to a solid standard of holiness, devotion and diligence.

The bottom line? They all called me to noble, pure virtues.

Others have also stepped out of the herd and stepped up. Consider the famed scientist and inventor George Washington Carver who once wrote down what he called the “eight cardinal virtues”:

1. Be clean both inside and outside.

2. Neither look up to the rich nor down on the poor.

3. Lose, if need be, without squealing.

4. Win without bragging.

5. Always be considerate of women, children and old people.

6. Be too brave to lie.

7. Be too generous to cheat.

8. Take your share of the world and let others take theirs.

Virtuous words. Yet even from a distance of nearly 100 years, they touch us at a deep level of our souls and call us higher than the selfish parts of our natures typically want to go.

I encourage you today to be careful where you look for inspiration—be sure that the people who influence you are those who can be counted on to lead you in the paths of purity and righteousness. And I encourage you to become an influencer, one who has the thick-skinned courage to step out and up and motivate others to be Christ followers. For Christ is the One who truly embodies noble virtue.

Discuss
Talk about your greatest role models and influencers. What did they do that called you to something greater?

Pray
Pray that your head will only be turned by those who both preach and practice godliness.