Character of God – Knowing His Character (meeting 1a)
In growing in knowing the Lord we come to his character attributes and one by one understand who he is and as we interact with him we get to experience him in prayer as well as life’s dealings. Again like two wings of a bird it takes both knowing about God and relational experience with God to truly know him.
If the disciple knows that God is merciful, but has not experienced that mercy then the knowing is merely head knowledge about God, similar to knowing a persons resume but not really knowing them personally.
God’s character does not change and we can always trust that he will act consistent with his character.
Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” NASB
Malachi 3:6 “"For I, the LORD, do not change..” NASB
It is possible for the young disciple to have wrong concepts about God’s character. For example:
Job 42:7 “ It came about after the LORD had spoken these words to Job, that the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends, because you have not spoken of Me what is right as My servant Job has.” NASB
The Lord wants us truly know His character attributes and to know that he acts according to his character and is always consistent in that thus we can always trust in Him.
Jeremiah 9:24 “but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.”
As we grow there will be times when we question things and that is the time where we can experience God’s character in action. For example take the Psalmist in Psalm 73 who struggled with the prosperity of the wicked;
“2But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; ” I had nearly lost my foothold. 3 For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. 5 They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. 6 Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. 7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.8 They scoff, and speak with malice; in their arrogance they threaten oppression. 9 Their mouths lay claim to heaven,and their tongues take possession of the earth. 10 Therefore their people turn to them and drink up waters in abundance. 11 They say, "How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?" 12 This is what the wicked are like—always carefree, they increase in wealth.13 Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.14 All day long I have been plagued; I have been punished every morning.15 If I had said, "I will speak thus," I would have betrayed your children. 16 When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me 17 till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny. 18 Surely you place them on slippery ground; you cast them down to ruin. 19 How suddenly are they destroyed, completely swept away by terrors! 20 As a dream when one awakes, so when you arise, O Lord, you will despise them as fantasies. 21 When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, 22I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. 23 Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. 24 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.” NIV
We help the disciple grow in knowing the Lord by teaching them the Lord’s character attributes and encouraging them to apply this in their life. How have they seen the Lord act according to his character? What will the Lord do in situation x that is consistent with his character? What do you think?
Jesus would ask that question to his disciples:
Matthew 18:12 “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?
Matthew 17:25 “He said, "Yes." And when he came into the house, Jesus spoke to him first, saying, "What do you think, Simon? From whom do the kings of the earth collect customs or poll-tax, from their sons or from strangers?"
Matthew 21:28 “ "But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.'
The Apostles used that phrase as well to encourage disciples to know the Lord.
Hebrews 10:29 “How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?”
James 4:5 “Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: " He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"?
Romans 2:4 “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
So we ask the young disciple “what do you think God is like?” and “what do you think God would do?” and “do you think God would…?
Another way to help the disciple know and experience the Lord’s character attributes is to use “Biblical history” applied to the current situation, keeping in mind the actions of the Lord are consistent with his character.. Jesus and the apostles did this:
Luke 4:25 "But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; 26and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27"And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." NASB
Romans 11:21 “for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either.” NASB
James 5:16-18 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. 17Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18Then he prayed again, and the sky poured rain and the earth produced its fruit.”
God the Father loves us just as he loved Jesus and will do for us just what he is willing to do for Jesus, this is the character of God we should establish in the young disciple first.
John 17:23 “.. so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”
Jeremiah 9:24 “but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.”
May the Lord anoint you to make disciples who know the Lord’s love.
Disciple Maker
P.S. At the next meeting on this subject we will start to examine the character attributes of the Lord one by one begining with the Lord is "patient, slow to anger" and help the disciple grow in knowing the Lord.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Review 2
Review 2.
The second module:
We spend one month on each topic thus three months per module - building the disciple up in each area over the course of one month per topic.
6. Ministry – Lesson 2 of 12 meeting 1a - Offerings and caring for the Poor.
5. Christian Character Lesson 2 of 12 meeting 1a – Peace with God and man
4. Knowing God Lesson 2 of 12 meeting 1 a – Knowing Him through His Names
The first module - again spending one month on each.
3. Ministry - Lesson 1 of 12 meeting 1a – Thanksgiving and Justice
2. Christian Character Lesson 1 of 12 - meeting 1a - Humility and Pride
1. Knowing God Lesson 1 of 12 - meeting 1a - Knowing the God of our Salvation
Why are we making disciples?
Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples. (Mt 28:19)
The Apostle Paul was an expert at making disciples of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 3:10a "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder ............." NIV
How did he do it? A study of what Paul focused on reveals he was an expert at building others in three areas; Knowing God, Christian Character and Ministry.
May the Lord Jesus make you into His Disciple today,
Disciple Maker .
The second module:
We spend one month on each topic thus three months per module - building the disciple up in each area over the course of one month per topic.
6. Ministry – Lesson 2 of 12 meeting 1a - Offerings and caring for the Poor.
5. Christian Character Lesson 2 of 12 meeting 1a – Peace with God and man
4. Knowing God Lesson 2 of 12 meeting 1 a – Knowing Him through His Names
The first module - again spending one month on each.
3. Ministry - Lesson 1 of 12 meeting 1a – Thanksgiving and Justice
2. Christian Character Lesson 1 of 12 - meeting 1a - Humility and Pride
1. Knowing God Lesson 1 of 12 - meeting 1a - Knowing the God of our Salvation
Why are we making disciples?
Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples. (Mt 28:19)
The Apostle Paul was an expert at making disciples of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 3:10a "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder ............." NIV
How did he do it? A study of what Paul focused on reveals he was an expert at building others in three areas; Knowing God, Christian Character and Ministry.
May the Lord Jesus make you into His Disciple today,
Disciple Maker .
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Ministry Lesson 2 of 12 meeting 1a - Giving
Ministry – Offerings and caring for the Poor.
Having sojourned along the ministry path of Thanksgiving and Justice we now begin building the Ministry of Offerings to the Lord and Caring for the Poor and Needy in the disciple.
We’re growing the disciple in two ways here, expressing love to the Lord and love towards one another. Like two wings on a plane, both must work or we fly in circles rather than grow in Ministry.
The goal is to love the Lord and others just like Jesus and the Apostles did. The plan is as follows.
* Note - each new posting builds upon the prior ones so to understand this posting FULLY you'll need to start from the first posting in March 2009 and read and study each one in chronological order.
“Ministry to the Lord” must come from a heart filled with love for God and the outward manifestation of that love includes our giving or offerings to the Lord. Jesus made this very clear:
Matthew 6:21 “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Luke 16:13 “" No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other You cannot serve God and wealth."
The choice for the disciple is not between the Devil and God but rather between Wealth and God. It is understanding which one has gripped our heart, which one is our treasured possession - Money or God, earthly things or heavenly things, to please ourselves or to please God.
Colossians 1:10 “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
It is true that the more earthly wealth and possessions we have the more our heart is attracted to and anchored to this earth, to the things of the world such as our degrees, careers, titles, positions, fashions, fads, cars, homes. gadgets, sports etc. As all these earthly things become more and more important to us, our love for the Lord grows lukewarm and then cold.
Hebrews 13:5 “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, " I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,"
1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Revelation 3:16 “'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,”
Luke 8:14 “"The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
How does the disciple know if he/she has some measure of love for money and thus lukewarm-ness to the Lord? Most of the time they don’t know so we must help them see it.
One sign is a lack of satisfaction and contentment which leads to a pursuit of worldly wealth:
Ecclesiastes 5:10 “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.”
1 Timothy 6:9 “But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.”
Luke 12:15 “Then He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."
The opposite is like two sides of a piece of paper where on one side is a short list of ones earthly possessions, not poverty mind you but not overly abundant accumulations either. On the other side is a long list of reported giving to the Lord, sharing with others and an abundant generosity. Jesus and the Apostles denied themselves, lived having only their needs met and were not consumed with money and possessions and gave all they had to others, sharing all things. To be a disciple means follow them as an example and that takes time to grow in.
Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”
1 Corinthians 7:31 “those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.”
Luke 9:25 “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?
We are helping the young disciple to recognize his/her own condition of having some measure of the love of money in his/her heart, repenting of it and then growing in loving God.
How many possessions of this world did Jesus and the Apostles have?
Did they have a luxury car – the latest greatest luxury chariot of the day?
Did they have an inexpensive cart they rode in?
Or did they walk like the common non-wealthy people did at that time?
How would they have lived in the modern world of today knowing the principles they lived by?
Did they have the latest gadget, largest house of the day?
Did they have the fashionable jewelry, clothes, hair styles, tattoos as the world did?
Did they have a closest full of clothes and sandals like the wealthy or did they have what the common people had?
Did they take vacations at the luxury resorts of the day or like the common people did?
Did they eat the finest of food as the wealthy did or was their diet the common man’s diet?
Did they have a house and garage and storage shed full of stuff they didn’t need or use?
Did they have the most expensive rugs, finest beds and furniture etc?
Were they poor and needy, or rich, or neither?
Were they always concerned about making more money or giving more money?
Did they seek & find opportunities to help themselves or to help others?
There are many ways to examine the lives of Jesus and the Apostles regarding these things and from them find our example to follow in this matter.
1 John 2:6 “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
1 Thessalonians 4:1 “ Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.” NIV
Colossians 1:10 “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
We should be growing in having more treasure in heaven and less possessions on earth.
Other forms of loving money are selfishness, buying more and more things for oneself, being rich towards oneself, stinginess toward God and others, a reluctant giver, giving to impress others instead of because one loves God, stealing, taking advantage of others etc..
For example some verses:
2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Acts 5:3 “But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4"While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."
Matthew 6:3 “"But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
Luke 12:18 “"Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' 20"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' 21"So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
We also must avoid a common practice in our day of giving to God from a greedy heart instead of from a loving heart. This is often seen when people give expecting God to give them more money back as if it were an investment in the stock market rather than a love offering to the Lord. Giving to get is not love, its selfish greed. The greedy will find a verse like Malachi 3:10 to comfort themselves and their greedy hearts.
All ministry, including giving to God and the poor, must be from love. Jesus connected the two – service and love -- as did the Apostles:
John 21:16 “He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, " Shepherd My sheep."
1 Corinthians 13:3 “And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing"
1 John 3:17 “But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”
Hebrews 10:24 “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
1 John 2:15 “ Do not love the world nor the things in the world If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
Luke 16:13 “" No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other You cannot serve God and wealth."
Pray with the young disciple asking the Lord to increase his/her love for God and increase their treasure in heaven and radically part with loving money and the world.
Encourage the disciple to judge himself and see if He/She is manifesting love for God and growing in becoming more generous and more joyful in giving.
Help the disciple develop a plan to grow in giving.
2 Corinthians 8:7 “But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us —see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” NIV
The disciple should settle the starting % amount giving/offering between him/her and the Lord rather than follow a starting point of 10% tithe and the reason is that the Lord is more concerned about the heart of the giver than the gift and the giver must give JOYFULLY, not grudgingly, FREELY, not under compulsion either by a LAW of Tithe or by an appeal such as a picture of a poor child somewhere.
2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Whatever % the Lord and the disciple agree on, start there and every year add more %. For example year one give 5% of total earnings to the Lord, year two give 7%, year three give 12%, year four give 15% etc. This simple plan will help the disciple maintain a growth in loving the Lord and denying self. At some point they will reach giving 51% to the Lord and living a sacrificial and blessed life on the remaining 49% of total earnings.
Acts 20:35 “"In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
May the Lord anoint you to make disciples who love the Lord with all their heart!
Disciple Maker
P.S. Subsequent meetings on this Ministry topic will cover growing in self denial and compassion, growing in living on less and needing less, growing in giving to the poor and needy. Sharing all things with the brethren. Discernment and Wisdom in giving. Overcoming Cathedral building and the spirit of Babylon in our hearts. Being led by the Spirit in deciding where to Give. Overcoming insecurities, confiscations, robberies, losses of earthly things. Overcoming wrong motives in giving, Overcoming neglecting the kingdom and missions in giving, etc.
Having sojourned along the ministry path of Thanksgiving and Justice we now begin building the Ministry of Offerings to the Lord and Caring for the Poor and Needy in the disciple.
We’re growing the disciple in two ways here, expressing love to the Lord and love towards one another. Like two wings on a plane, both must work or we fly in circles rather than grow in Ministry.
The goal is to love the Lord and others just like Jesus and the Apostles did. The plan is as follows.
* Note - each new posting builds upon the prior ones so to understand this posting FULLY you'll need to start from the first posting in March 2009 and read and study each one in chronological order.
“Ministry to the Lord” must come from a heart filled with love for God and the outward manifestation of that love includes our giving or offerings to the Lord. Jesus made this very clear:
Matthew 6:21 “for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Luke 16:13 “" No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other You cannot serve God and wealth."
The choice for the disciple is not between the Devil and God but rather between Wealth and God. It is understanding which one has gripped our heart, which one is our treasured possession - Money or God, earthly things or heavenly things, to please ourselves or to please God.
Colossians 1:10 “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
It is true that the more earthly wealth and possessions we have the more our heart is attracted to and anchored to this earth, to the things of the world such as our degrees, careers, titles, positions, fashions, fads, cars, homes. gadgets, sports etc. As all these earthly things become more and more important to us, our love for the Lord grows lukewarm and then cold.
Hebrews 13:5 “Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, " I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,"
1 Timothy 6:10 “For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Revelation 3:16 “'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 17'Because you say, "I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing," and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked,”
Luke 8:14 “"The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
How does the disciple know if he/she has some measure of love for money and thus lukewarm-ness to the Lord? Most of the time they don’t know so we must help them see it.
One sign is a lack of satisfaction and contentment which leads to a pursuit of worldly wealth:
Ecclesiastes 5:10 “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity.”
1 Timothy 6:9 “But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.”
Luke 12:15 “Then He said to them, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."
The opposite is like two sides of a piece of paper where on one side is a short list of ones earthly possessions, not poverty mind you but not overly abundant accumulations either. On the other side is a long list of reported giving to the Lord, sharing with others and an abundant generosity. Jesus and the Apostles denied themselves, lived having only their needs met and were not consumed with money and possessions and gave all they had to others, sharing all things. To be a disciple means follow them as an example and that takes time to grow in.
Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”
1 Corinthians 7:31 “those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.”
Luke 9:25 “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?
We are helping the young disciple to recognize his/her own condition of having some measure of the love of money in his/her heart, repenting of it and then growing in loving God.
How many possessions of this world did Jesus and the Apostles have?
Did they have a luxury car – the latest greatest luxury chariot of the day?
Did they have an inexpensive cart they rode in?
Or did they walk like the common non-wealthy people did at that time?
How would they have lived in the modern world of today knowing the principles they lived by?
Did they have the latest gadget, largest house of the day?
Did they have the fashionable jewelry, clothes, hair styles, tattoos as the world did?
Did they have a closest full of clothes and sandals like the wealthy or did they have what the common people had?
Did they take vacations at the luxury resorts of the day or like the common people did?
Did they eat the finest of food as the wealthy did or was their diet the common man’s diet?
Did they have a house and garage and storage shed full of stuff they didn’t need or use?
Did they have the most expensive rugs, finest beds and furniture etc?
Were they poor and needy, or rich, or neither?
Were they always concerned about making more money or giving more money?
Did they seek & find opportunities to help themselves or to help others?
There are many ways to examine the lives of Jesus and the Apostles regarding these things and from them find our example to follow in this matter.
1 John 2:6 “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”
1 Thessalonians 4:1 “ Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.” NIV
Colossians 1:10 “so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
We should be growing in having more treasure in heaven and less possessions on earth.
Other forms of loving money are selfishness, buying more and more things for oneself, being rich towards oneself, stinginess toward God and others, a reluctant giver, giving to impress others instead of because one loves God, stealing, taking advantage of others etc..
For example some verses:
2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Acts 5:3 “But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4"While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."
Matthew 6:3 “"But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
Luke 12:18 “"Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19'And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry."' 20"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?' 21"So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
We also must avoid a common practice in our day of giving to God from a greedy heart instead of from a loving heart. This is often seen when people give expecting God to give them more money back as if it were an investment in the stock market rather than a love offering to the Lord. Giving to get is not love, its selfish greed. The greedy will find a verse like Malachi 3:10 to comfort themselves and their greedy hearts.
All ministry, including giving to God and the poor, must be from love. Jesus connected the two – service and love -- as did the Apostles:
John 21:16 “He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, " Shepherd My sheep."
1 Corinthians 13:3 “And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing"
1 John 3:17 “But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.”
Hebrews 10:24 “and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
1 John 2:15 “ Do not love the world nor the things in the world If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.”
Luke 16:13 “" No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other You cannot serve God and wealth."
Pray with the young disciple asking the Lord to increase his/her love for God and increase their treasure in heaven and radically part with loving money and the world.
Encourage the disciple to judge himself and see if He/She is manifesting love for God and growing in becoming more generous and more joyful in giving.
Help the disciple develop a plan to grow in giving.
2 Corinthians 8:7 “But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us —see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” NIV
The disciple should settle the starting % amount giving/offering between him/her and the Lord rather than follow a starting point of 10% tithe and the reason is that the Lord is more concerned about the heart of the giver than the gift and the giver must give JOYFULLY, not grudgingly, FREELY, not under compulsion either by a LAW of Tithe or by an appeal such as a picture of a poor child somewhere.
2 Corinthians 9:7 “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Whatever % the Lord and the disciple agree on, start there and every year add more %. For example year one give 5% of total earnings to the Lord, year two give 7%, year three give 12%, year four give 15% etc. This simple plan will help the disciple maintain a growth in loving the Lord and denying self. At some point they will reach giving 51% to the Lord and living a sacrificial and blessed life on the remaining 49% of total earnings.
Acts 20:35 “"In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
May the Lord anoint you to make disciples who love the Lord with all their heart!
Disciple Maker
P.S. Subsequent meetings on this Ministry topic will cover growing in self denial and compassion, growing in living on less and needing less, growing in giving to the poor and needy. Sharing all things with the brethren. Discernment and Wisdom in giving. Overcoming Cathedral building and the spirit of Babylon in our hearts. Being led by the Spirit in deciding where to Give. Overcoming insecurities, confiscations, robberies, losses of earthly things. Overcoming wrong motives in giving, Overcoming neglecting the kingdom and missions in giving, etc.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Christian Character Lesson 2 of 12- the Fruit of Peace
Christian Character Lesson 2 of 12 meeting 1a – Peace with God.
Having sojourned along the path of humility we now address the character fruit of “peace”.
We are doing two things here, getting rid of things that hinder this peace and growing in the spiritual fruit of peace. Like two wings on a plane both must work or we fly in circles.
* Note - each new posting builds upon the prior ones so to understand this posting FULLY you'll need to start from the first posting in March 2009 and read and study each one in chronological order.
Jesus’ first teaching included a teaching on peace as did his last teaching – two book ends holding together the books which are within them.
----- Matthew 6:26-31 “26"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27"And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28"And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' 32"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” NASB
---- John 14:27 " Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” NASB
Peace is tranquility, quietness, harmony, rest, being set at one or whole again and is the freedom from and absence of; war, conflict, worry, anxiety, torment, fear, etc.
Jesus as the Prince of Peace came to give his disciples peace from God.
---- John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." NASB
The 3 General areas of Peace that we build up in the young disciple are:
(1) Peace with God.
(2) Peace with self and life or peace of mind.
(3) Peace with others.
These three are progressive, meaning that if we fail at #1 then we cannot succeed at #2 and if we fail at #2 we cannot succeed at #3.
Meeting 1a is designed to build a growing peace with God.
Having been reconciled through Christ we have a foundation “Peace with God” already.
---- “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace” Eph 2:14,15
---- “and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Col 1:20
Now we maintain the peace that we already have & ALSO grow in it.
---- 2 Peter 3:14 “Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless” NASB
How do we maintain that peace & rest?
Any known sins that have not been confessed in detail to the Lord nor repented of cause us to lack a clear conscience and peace with the Lord.
---- “This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength”.. Isaiah 30:15 NIV
----- Psalm 85:10 “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.” NIV
----- “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 NIV
How do we grow in peace with God?
Confess in detail – not a broad stroke confession of “I sinned forgive me”, rather a detailed report to the Lord.
---- 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
The Lord wants us to confess our sins in detail to him. Confessing our sins to the Lord in detail helps us to know the truth about ourselves and about God’s forgiveness.
---- Psalm 51:6 “Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Notice the Lord desired Adam and Eve to make a full confession report and explain themselves to God.
----- “8They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" 10He said, "I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself." 11And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" 12The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate." 13Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." Genesis 3:8-13 NASB
God knew the condition of Adam and Eve and was helping them to know the truth by encouraging them to make a full confession. Notice Eve did not give all the details of her heart as she should have and the Holy Spirit made sure we knew as it is recorded for our learning.
---- “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.” Genesis 3:6
Thus Eve could have made a more detailed confession.
Likewise Jesus gave significant details to the woman by the well regarding her sins and explained the Truth regarding her condition. Jesus knew in advance her condition and was helping her see the truth of it.
---- John 4:18 “15The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw." 16He said to her, "Go, call your husband and come here." 17The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have correctly said, 'I have no husband'; 18for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly." 19The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet."
The Lord is looking for a full accounting not because He does not know but because we don’t know the depths of our own sin - examine these verses:
---- Matthew 12:36 “"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.
---- Romans 14:12 “So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
---- Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
By giving a detailed confession to God our eyes our opened to our true condition and need.
---- John 8:32 “31So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
----- 1 John 3:19 “We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him 20in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God”.
---- Hebrews 9:14 ‘how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
----- Romans 8:1 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” NASB
We need to develop a good, clear conscience before God and that demands a detailed confession to the Lord. Examine these verses:
--- 1 Timothy 1:5 “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
---- 2 Timothy 1:3” thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience
---- 2 Corinthians 1:12 “ For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.”
Its possible for a disciple to lack this “knowing” of both the true condition and true peace with God.
--- 2 Timothy 3:7 “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
--- 1 Timothy 1:19 “keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.
Having a pure heart and a clear conscience requires a constant self examination, detailed knowledge and confession and repentance of sins - THEN WE HAVE PEACE!
--- Luke 7:47 "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." 48Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."
---- Ephesians 3:19 “17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 20Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
Help the disciple understand how to make a detailed confession to the Lord, how to know the truth and be set free, how to grow in being sensitive to the depths of sin and overcome it entirely – not just the fruit but the roots - and how to be confident in HIS forgiveness by hearing the voice of the Lord reassure them of His love and peace.
Confess in detail the sin and its roots and motive:
---- James 1:15 “14But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
---- Romans 8:5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- 13for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. NASB
---- Hebrews 12:15 “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;
--- James 4:3 “1What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. NASB
Below is a confession example for the disciple regarding the sin resulting from anger:
---- Genesis 4:6 “Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
Often anger is a result of not getting our way. Confess the lust for self will and a mind not controlled by the Spirit but rather led by the flesh. Anger can be a result of stress. Confess the worry, lack of contentment, lack of trust in God, doubts. Confess any, bitterness, jealousy, greed etc. that may be packaged in the anger. Inside anger may also be a lack of grace and mercy toward others, confess that as well if it is true. Is there any vengeance involved? Etc. As we go through the entire package we confess to the Lord the truth of our condition and sin and our eyes are opened.
Then we repent and change our ways regarding this anger and the contents of that package asking the Lord to forgive us and proclaiming His Words of TRUTH regarding his faithfulness to forgive and proclaim His words of TRUTH that we are in Christ and there is no longer any condemnation against us and proclaim His great love for us.
---- Ephesians 4:26 “BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,” 27and do not give the devil an opportunity.”
Then ask the Lord to confirm His forgiveness and love for us personally by the Holy Spirit speaking to our conscience, soul and spirit, that we are indeed set at one with God and have this rest knowing that nothing is hidden and the accounting is accurate and the forgiveness is entire.
Growing in peace with God is increasingly growing in knowing our true condition and his forgiveness and love.
The Apostle Paul knew his true condition and had a clear conscience that the Lord had forgiven all.
---- 1 Timothy 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”
---- 2 Corinthians 4:16 “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
----- Ephesians 3:16 “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
---- 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
May the Lord bless you,
Disciple Maker
Having sojourned along the path of humility we now address the character fruit of “peace”.
We are doing two things here, getting rid of things that hinder this peace and growing in the spiritual fruit of peace. Like two wings on a plane both must work or we fly in circles.
* Note - each new posting builds upon the prior ones so to understand this posting FULLY you'll need to start from the first posting in March 2009 and read and study each one in chronological order.
Jesus’ first teaching included a teaching on peace as did his last teaching – two book ends holding together the books which are within them.
----- Matthew 6:26-31 “26"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27"And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28"And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30"But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31"Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' 32"For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34"So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” NASB
---- John 14:27 " Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” NASB
Peace is tranquility, quietness, harmony, rest, being set at one or whole again and is the freedom from and absence of; war, conflict, worry, anxiety, torment, fear, etc.
Jesus as the Prince of Peace came to give his disciples peace from God.
---- John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world." NASB
The 3 General areas of Peace that we build up in the young disciple are:
(1) Peace with God.
(2) Peace with self and life or peace of mind.
(3) Peace with others.
These three are progressive, meaning that if we fail at #1 then we cannot succeed at #2 and if we fail at #2 we cannot succeed at #3.
Meeting 1a is designed to build a growing peace with God.
Having been reconciled through Christ we have a foundation “Peace with God” already.
---- “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace” Eph 2:14,15
---- “and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Col 1:20
Now we maintain the peace that we already have & ALSO grow in it.
---- 2 Peter 3:14 “Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless” NASB
How do we maintain that peace & rest?
Any known sins that have not been confessed in detail to the Lord nor repented of cause us to lack a clear conscience and peace with the Lord.
---- “This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength”.. Isaiah 30:15 NIV
----- Psalm 85:10 “Love and faithfulness meet together; righteousness and peace kiss each other.” NIV
----- “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11 NIV
How do we grow in peace with God?
Confess in detail – not a broad stroke confession of “I sinned forgive me”, rather a detailed report to the Lord.
---- 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
The Lord wants us to confess our sins in detail to him. Confessing our sins to the Lord in detail helps us to know the truth about ourselves and about God’s forgiveness.
---- Psalm 51:6 “Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom.
Notice the Lord desired Adam and Eve to make a full confession report and explain themselves to God.
----- “8They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" 10He said, "I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself." 11And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" 12The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate." 13Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate." Genesis 3:8-13 NASB
God knew the condition of Adam and Eve and was helping them to know the truth by encouraging them to make a full confession. Notice Eve did not give all the details of her heart as she should have and the Holy Spirit made sure we knew as it is recorded for our learning.
---- “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it.” Genesis 3:6
Thus Eve could have made a more detailed confession.
Likewise Jesus gave significant details to the woman by the well regarding her sins and explained the Truth regarding her condition. Jesus knew in advance her condition and was helping her see the truth of it.
---- John 4:18 “15The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw." 16He said to her, "Go, call your husband and come here." 17The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have correctly said, 'I have no husband'; 18for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly." 19The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet."
The Lord is looking for a full accounting not because He does not know but because we don’t know the depths of our own sin - examine these verses:
---- Matthew 12:36 “"But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment.
---- Romans 14:12 “So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.
---- Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
By giving a detailed confession to God our eyes our opened to our true condition and need.
---- John 8:32 “31So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
----- 1 John 3:19 “We will know by this that we are of the truth, and will assure our heart before Him 20in whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things. 21Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God”.
---- Hebrews 9:14 ‘how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
----- Romans 8:1 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” NASB
We need to develop a good, clear conscience before God and that demands a detailed confession to the Lord. Examine these verses:
--- 1 Timothy 1:5 “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
---- 2 Timothy 1:3” thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience
---- 2 Corinthians 1:12 “ For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you.”
Its possible for a disciple to lack this “knowing” of both the true condition and true peace with God.
--- 2 Timothy 3:7 “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
--- 1 Timothy 1:19 “keeping faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith.
Having a pure heart and a clear conscience requires a constant self examination, detailed knowledge and confession and repentance of sins - THEN WE HAVE PEACE!
--- Luke 7:47 "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." 48Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven."
---- Ephesians 3:19 “17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 20Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
Help the disciple understand how to make a detailed confession to the Lord, how to know the truth and be set free, how to grow in being sensitive to the depths of sin and overcome it entirely – not just the fruit but the roots - and how to be confident in HIS forgiveness by hearing the voice of the Lord reassure them of His love and peace.
Confess in detail the sin and its roots and motive:
---- James 1:15 “14But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. 16Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
---- Romans 8:5 For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. 11But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. 12So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- 13for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. NASB
---- Hebrews 12:15 “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;
--- James 4:3 “1What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. NASB
Below is a confession example for the disciple regarding the sin resulting from anger:
---- Genesis 4:6 “Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
Often anger is a result of not getting our way. Confess the lust for self will and a mind not controlled by the Spirit but rather led by the flesh. Anger can be a result of stress. Confess the worry, lack of contentment, lack of trust in God, doubts. Confess any, bitterness, jealousy, greed etc. that may be packaged in the anger. Inside anger may also be a lack of grace and mercy toward others, confess that as well if it is true. Is there any vengeance involved? Etc. As we go through the entire package we confess to the Lord the truth of our condition and sin and our eyes are opened.
Then we repent and change our ways regarding this anger and the contents of that package asking the Lord to forgive us and proclaiming His Words of TRUTH regarding his faithfulness to forgive and proclaim His words of TRUTH that we are in Christ and there is no longer any condemnation against us and proclaim His great love for us.
---- Ephesians 4:26 “BE ANGRY, AND yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger,” 27and do not give the devil an opportunity.”
Then ask the Lord to confirm His forgiveness and love for us personally by the Holy Spirit speaking to our conscience, soul and spirit, that we are indeed set at one with God and have this rest knowing that nothing is hidden and the accounting is accurate and the forgiveness is entire.
Growing in peace with God is increasingly growing in knowing our true condition and his forgiveness and love.
The Apostle Paul knew his true condition and had a clear conscience that the Lord had forgiven all.
---- 1 Timothy 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.”
---- 2 Corinthians 4:16 “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.
----- Ephesians 3:16 “that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
---- 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
May the Lord bless you,
Disciple Maker
Friday, July 3, 2009
Knowing God Lesson 2 of 12 – Knowing Him through His Names
Knowing God Lesson 2 of 12 – Knowing Him through His Names (meeting 1a)
When we get to know a person, the name of that person is important and it takes some time to remember. Sometimes a name represents a character trait that the person has and if we understand the meaning of the name we understand who the person is.
The Bible reveals numerous names and titles of God, each with a distinct meaning.
What is the name of God that Jesus wanted his disciples to know the most and remember the most and really understand?
....."O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." John 17:25,26 NASB
“FATHER”. We must lay this “Father” foundation first in Knowing God via His names.
Again this is a two fold endeavor of knowing about the Father and also experiencing God as our Father in a deep relationship.
To explain further, one of God’s names is “healer”. Jehovah Rapha –The LORD Who Heals You (Ex 15:26). A person can know about “God the Lord who heals you” yet not experience God as the Lord who heals you. It takes both to really Know God as Rapha.
How well do we know the Father?
Jesus wanted us to know God the Father.
........Matthew 6:9 “Pray, then, in this way:' Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.”
......Luke 10:22 “" All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."
......Luke 11:13 “" If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"
......Luke 12:30 “"For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.”
......John 14:7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." 8Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11"Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.”
It is possible for a young disciple to fixate on a single name of God revealed in the Bible and become stagnate in growth. Some fixate on “Jehovah” thinking that is all there is about God and His name. Others fixate on the Old Testament spelling and reverence for the name and spell it G_D or in ways that indicate they have not learned what Jesus came to teach them about God as Father.
To the extent that you know God the Father you can make the Father known to others.
......"O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." John 17:25,26 NASB
Knowing God as the Father means many things and as we help the young disciple know the Father we can share with them various things like the Father loves his rebellious children and looks for them to return like the prodigal son parable in Luke 15.
Jesus was always explaining the Father.
.......John 1:18 “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”
We too must know the Father and explain the Father in order to make disciples.
It is possible to misrepresent the Father as a hard and harsh person with strict rules and a big stick to beat us for every little error we make, but this is not the Father that Jesus came to explain. Jesus was the perfect representation of the Father to us.
.......Hebrews 1:3 “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high”
As the Apostles began to understand this they also began to explain the Father.
......1 John 3:1 ‘See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”
......Romans 8:16 “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”
......1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Fatherhood includes loving discipline:
.......Hebrews 12:6 “FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES. 7It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.”
Children often imitate their fathers - Knowing the Father includes imitating Him.
......Ephesians 5:1 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;
......1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see.”
There is a physical DNA that we share from our father and a spiritual DNA that we share from our Heavenly Father:
......Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”
......2 Peter 1:4 ‘For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”
.......1 John 3:10 “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.”
How did Jesus make disciples that knew the Father?
All the various attributes of the Fatherhood of God he explained both in His teachings and life. This is how we need to make disciples, become an example of a loving father, not just a teacher but a father as well, just as the expert disciple maker the Apostle Paul did.
.......1 Corinthians 4:15 “Even though you have ten thousand guardians {teachers, instructors, leaders} in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
In conclusion,
.....John 12:28 “" Father, glorify Your name " Then a voice came out of heaven: "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."
......John 16:27 "the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father".
.....John 17:23 "I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
May the Lord use you to build disciples who know the Father well and glorify the name of the Father!
Blessings,
Disciple Maker
(Meeting 1 b: Knowing God via the 100 names of God in the Bible)
When we get to know a person, the name of that person is important and it takes some time to remember. Sometimes a name represents a character trait that the person has and if we understand the meaning of the name we understand who the person is.
The Bible reveals numerous names and titles of God, each with a distinct meaning.
What is the name of God that Jesus wanted his disciples to know the most and remember the most and really understand?
....."O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." John 17:25,26 NASB
“FATHER”. We must lay this “Father” foundation first in Knowing God via His names.
Again this is a two fold endeavor of knowing about the Father and also experiencing God as our Father in a deep relationship.
To explain further, one of God’s names is “healer”. Jehovah Rapha –The LORD Who Heals You (Ex 15:26). A person can know about “God the Lord who heals you” yet not experience God as the Lord who heals you. It takes both to really Know God as Rapha.
How well do we know the Father?
Jesus wanted us to know God the Father.
........Matthew 6:9 “Pray, then, in this way:' Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.”
......Luke 10:22 “" All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him."
......Luke 11:13 “" If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?"
......Luke 12:30 “"For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you need these things.”
......John 14:7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." 8Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11"Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.”
It is possible for a young disciple to fixate on a single name of God revealed in the Bible and become stagnate in growth. Some fixate on “Jehovah” thinking that is all there is about God and His name. Others fixate on the Old Testament spelling and reverence for the name and spell it G_D or in ways that indicate they have not learned what Jesus came to teach them about God as Father.
To the extent that you know God the Father you can make the Father known to others.
......"O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." John 17:25,26 NASB
Knowing God as the Father means many things and as we help the young disciple know the Father we can share with them various things like the Father loves his rebellious children and looks for them to return like the prodigal son parable in Luke 15.
Jesus was always explaining the Father.
.......John 1:18 “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”
We too must know the Father and explain the Father in order to make disciples.
It is possible to misrepresent the Father as a hard and harsh person with strict rules and a big stick to beat us for every little error we make, but this is not the Father that Jesus came to explain. Jesus was the perfect representation of the Father to us.
.......Hebrews 1:3 “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high”
As the Apostles began to understand this they also began to explain the Father.
......1 John 3:1 ‘See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.”
......Romans 8:16 “The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.”
......1 John 2:15 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Fatherhood includes loving discipline:
.......Hebrews 12:6 “FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,AND HE SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES. 7It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 10For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.”
Children often imitate their fathers - Knowing the Father includes imitating Him.
......Ephesians 5:1 “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children;
......1 John 3:2 “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see.”
There is a physical DNA that we share from our father and a spiritual DNA that we share from our Heavenly Father:
......Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.”
......2 Peter 1:4 ‘For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.”
.......1 John 3:10 “By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.”
How did Jesus make disciples that knew the Father?
All the various attributes of the Fatherhood of God he explained both in His teachings and life. This is how we need to make disciples, become an example of a loving father, not just a teacher but a father as well, just as the expert disciple maker the Apostle Paul did.
.......1 Corinthians 4:15 “Even though you have ten thousand guardians {teachers, instructors, leaders} in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.
In conclusion,
.....John 12:28 “" Father, glorify Your name " Then a voice came out of heaven: "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again."
......John 16:27 "the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father".
.....John 17:23 "I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
May the Lord use you to build disciples who know the Father well and glorify the name of the Father!
Blessings,
Disciple Maker
(Meeting 1 b: Knowing God via the 100 names of God in the Bible)
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Review 1. Why are we making disciples?
Why are we making disciples?
Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples. (Mt 28:19)
The Apostle Paul was an expert at making disciples of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 3:10a "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder ............." NIV
How did he do it? A study of what Paul focused on reveals he was an expert at building others in three areas; Knowing God, Christian Character and Ministry.
Other types of experts are mentioned in Scripture as well but they did not make quality disciples of Jesus.
Luke 11:46 "Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them." NIV
Luke 11:52 ""Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering." NIV
Matthew 23:15 ""Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are." NIV
We too can miss the mark and become an expert in things that do not make quality disciples of Jesus in our day - things such as an expert on End Times or an expert in the Old Covenant or an expert in the modern nation of Israel, or an expert in Church history or Prosperity, Faith, Prophecy, an expert in a particular issue of the day, so forth and so on.
The expertise that we desire to gain, discuss and share with each other is in Making Disciples of Jesus. This goal is reposted below in the first blog a few months ago. Please join in and add your comments to the blog.
The Goal of Disciple Making
The Goal of Disciple Making“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 NASB
Jesus desires that people of all nations will be made into his disciples. A disciple is not born as one but rather made into one and therefore Jesus commanded his servants to do the hard work necessary to make people into disciples of Jesus. When referring to a disciple of Jesus this word disciple simple means a learner, student and follower of Jesus and we know there is a goal and destiny for such a student and follower of Jesus. A good disciple maker will keep that goal in mind until it is reached.
The goal is found in Ephesians 4:11-13:“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” NASB
We can consolidate this into three main areas which will be our goal in making a disciple:
1. Knowing God – “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God;”
2. Christian Character - “to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ;”
3. Ministry – “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service.”
A disciple of Jesus is one who is learning to: Know God, be like Jesus in Character and Minister to others.
A disciple maker is teaching the disciple those three things and making sure the disciple grows and reaches the goal of maturity in those three things.“As a result, we are no longer to be children tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4:14-16
Why do we see so much corruption, lack of love and lack of maturity in the Christian Church of our day?
One reason is clear, we no longer make disciples as we ought even though we do make many believers, seminary students, pastors and even build many church buildings. We must keep in mind a believer in Jesus is not a disciple of Jesus by merely being a believer nor is a seminary graduate a disciple of Jesus by merely being a graduate of religion, nor is a pastor a disciple of Jesus by merely preaching every Sunday and finally the size and luxury of a church building has nothing whatsoever to do with being or making disciples of Jesus; all of which may shock those who are not disciples. A disciple is distinctly different for Jesus did not say “Go and make believers, seminary graduates, pastors and build wonderful church buildings” but rather he said “go and make disciples”.
May the Lord Jesus make you into His Disciple today,
Disciple Maker
Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples. (Mt 28:19)
The Apostle Paul was an expert at making disciples of Jesus.
1 Corinthians 3:10a "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder ............." NIV
How did he do it? A study of what Paul focused on reveals he was an expert at building others in three areas; Knowing God, Christian Character and Ministry.
Other types of experts are mentioned in Scripture as well but they did not make quality disciples of Jesus.
Luke 11:46 "Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them." NIV
Luke 11:52 ""Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering." NIV
Matthew 23:15 ""Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are." NIV
We too can miss the mark and become an expert in things that do not make quality disciples of Jesus in our day - things such as an expert on End Times or an expert in the Old Covenant or an expert in the modern nation of Israel, or an expert in Church history or Prosperity, Faith, Prophecy, an expert in a particular issue of the day, so forth and so on.
The expertise that we desire to gain, discuss and share with each other is in Making Disciples of Jesus. This goal is reposted below in the first blog a few months ago. Please join in and add your comments to the blog.
The Goal of Disciple Making
The Goal of Disciple Making“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 NASB
Jesus desires that people of all nations will be made into his disciples. A disciple is not born as one but rather made into one and therefore Jesus commanded his servants to do the hard work necessary to make people into disciples of Jesus. When referring to a disciple of Jesus this word disciple simple means a learner, student and follower of Jesus and we know there is a goal and destiny for such a student and follower of Jesus. A good disciple maker will keep that goal in mind until it is reached.
The goal is found in Ephesians 4:11-13:“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” NASB
We can consolidate this into three main areas which will be our goal in making a disciple:
1. Knowing God – “until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God;”
2. Christian Character - “to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ;”
3. Ministry – “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service.”
A disciple of Jesus is one who is learning to: Know God, be like Jesus in Character and Minister to others.
A disciple maker is teaching the disciple those three things and making sure the disciple grows and reaches the goal of maturity in those three things.“As a result, we are no longer to be children tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Ephesians 4:14-16
Why do we see so much corruption, lack of love and lack of maturity in the Christian Church of our day?
One reason is clear, we no longer make disciples as we ought even though we do make many believers, seminary students, pastors and even build many church buildings. We must keep in mind a believer in Jesus is not a disciple of Jesus by merely being a believer nor is a seminary graduate a disciple of Jesus by merely being a graduate of religion, nor is a pastor a disciple of Jesus by merely preaching every Sunday and finally the size and luxury of a church building has nothing whatsoever to do with being or making disciples of Jesus; all of which may shock those who are not disciples. A disciple is distinctly different for Jesus did not say “Go and make believers, seminary graduates, pastors and build wonderful church buildings” but rather he said “go and make disciples”.
May the Lord Jesus make you into His Disciple today,
Disciple Maker
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Ministry Lesson 1 of 12 meeting 1a
Ministry 1a – Thanksgiving and Justice.
Ministry means service, a minister is a servant. There are numerous types of services and servants.
Every disciple of Jesus is a minister.
1 Peter 2:5 “you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”
In the Ministry module we’re helping the young disciple grow in the ministry of loving God and loving others. Once again, two wings on a bird both have to be working well in order to fly otherwise its flying in circles.The goal in building “Ministry” is to reach the level of love that Jesus manifested in fulfilling the two great commandments - “Love the Lord your God…Love your neighbor” Matthew 22:37-39
Ministry is an outflow of sincere love that is flowing towards God and towards others as a result of the growth one makes in the other two modules. A formula may be of some help to picture and understand this - the formula is not perfect just a picture:
Knowing God (KG) x Christian Character (CC) = Ministry (M).
The Apostle Paul writes that CC is connected M:
2 Timothy 2:20 “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 21Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.”
The Apostle Peter writes that KG is connected to CC:
2 Peter 1:8 “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
To the extent that the young disciple Knows God and has worked out some of that in his/her own character, then loving God and neighbors is an automatic outflow of that growth.
What does the opposite of such a formula look like?
(a) A ministry of loving God without the sincere love is ritual and tradition, not ministry.
Mark 7:6 “And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:' THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
Mark 7:9 “He was also saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.
(b) A ministry of loving one’s neighbor without sincere love is activity and showmanship, not ministry.
1 Corinthians 13:3 “And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
Matthew 23:14 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.”
Luke 20:46 “"Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets”
I start this Module with the Ministry of Thanksgiving toward God and Justice toward man – a foundation of Ministry.
The Lord was focused on “thanksgiving” in Rom 1:21 & “justice” in Rom 13:8-10.
Loving God: The Ministry of THANKSGIVING
Romans 1:21 “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
Deuteronomy 6:5 “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
Psalm 9:1 “I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders.”
Psalm 95:2 “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
Psalm 100:4 “Enter His gates with thanksgiving. And His courts with praise Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
Helping the disciple grow in an attitude of perpetual gratitude is key here to develop a Ministry of Thanksgiving which is an outflow of love toward God. (more later)
Hebrews 12:28 “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;”
Colossians 2:7 “having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
For now help the disciple discover things to thank God for and thus begin the ministry. Have them start a weekly journal to record their ministry of thanksgiving and thank the Lord for every single thing that happened during the week.
Some broad topics we'll consider thanking the Lord about are:
Spiritual life – salvation, new life, knowing God etc.
Soul life – sound mind, the mind of Christ, joy, peace, etc.
Body life – health, strength, sound sleep.
Relationships – family, friends, coworkers, fellow Christians, etc.
Protection – from accidents, from thieves, from etc.
Provision – employment, education, transportaion etc
This is just a start to show how the Ministry of Thanksgiving can grow to incorporate thanking the Lord in all circumstances for all things.
(more on this Ministry in meeting 1b)
Loving Our Neighbors: The Ministry of JUSTICE
The ministry of loving our neighbors begins with The Ministry of Justice where we’re growing in treating others justly - rightly.
Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice…..”
Romans 13:8 “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.” For this, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
The words justice and righteous are interchangeable in Scripture, to do justice is to do right, to be righteous is to be just, acting justly towards others is acting righteously or rightly towards others. The opposite is unrighteous behavior aka unjust behavior or doing others wrong - ”love does no wrong to a neighbor”.
In this wing of the Ministry module we’re helping the disciple to know right from wrong behavior towards others and equipping them to choose the right. Obviously the disciple needs to know right from wrong first in order to love others justly.
Jeremiah 9:24 “but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.”
Isaiah 1:17 “Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.”
James 4:17 “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
Some broad topics we’ll consider are:
Preventing; repaying evil for evil, dishonor, disrespect.
Promoting ministry of ; respecting others, honoring others, thanking others, blessing those who curse you.
Preventing; neglect, unconcern, bitterness, grudges etc.
Promoting ministry of; helping others, encouraging others, being a blessing to all etc.
Preventing; injustice, favoritism, selfishness etc.
Promoting ministry of; defending the rights of others, equality, sharing with others etc.
Preventing; isolation and stinginess
Promoting ministry of; fellowship and generosity
(More on this Ministry in meeting 1b)
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you as you equip others to serve Him.
Disciple Maker
Ministry means service, a minister is a servant. There are numerous types of services and servants.
Every disciple of Jesus is a minister.
1 Peter 2:5 “you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
1 Peter 2:9 “But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”
In the Ministry module we’re helping the young disciple grow in the ministry of loving God and loving others. Once again, two wings on a bird both have to be working well in order to fly otherwise its flying in circles.The goal in building “Ministry” is to reach the level of love that Jesus manifested in fulfilling the two great commandments - “Love the Lord your God…Love your neighbor” Matthew 22:37-39
Ministry is an outflow of sincere love that is flowing towards God and towards others as a result of the growth one makes in the other two modules. A formula may be of some help to picture and understand this - the formula is not perfect just a picture:
Knowing God (KG) x Christian Character (CC) = Ministry (M).
The Apostle Paul writes that CC is connected M:
2 Timothy 2:20 “Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. 21Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.”
The Apostle Peter writes that KG is connected to CC:
2 Peter 1:8 “For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
To the extent that the young disciple Knows God and has worked out some of that in his/her own character, then loving God and neighbors is an automatic outflow of that growth.
What does the opposite of such a formula look like?
(a) A ministry of loving God without the sincere love is ritual and tradition, not ministry.
Mark 7:6 “And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:' THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
Mark 7:9 “He was also saying to them, "You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.
(b) A ministry of loving one’s neighbor without sincere love is activity and showmanship, not ministry.
1 Corinthians 13:3 “And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
Matthew 23:14 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you devour widows' houses, and for a pretense you make long prayers; therefore you will receive greater condemnation.”
Luke 20:46 “"Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets”
I start this Module with the Ministry of Thanksgiving toward God and Justice toward man – a foundation of Ministry.
The Lord was focused on “thanksgiving” in Rom 1:21 & “justice” in Rom 13:8-10.
Loving God: The Ministry of THANKSGIVING
Romans 1:21 “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
Deuteronomy 6:5 “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”
Psalm 9:1 “I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart; I will tell of all Your wonders.”
Psalm 95:2 “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving,Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
Psalm 100:4 “Enter His gates with thanksgiving. And His courts with praise Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
Helping the disciple grow in an attitude of perpetual gratitude is key here to develop a Ministry of Thanksgiving which is an outflow of love toward God. (more later)
Hebrews 12:28 “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;”
Colossians 2:7 “having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.
For now help the disciple discover things to thank God for and thus begin the ministry. Have them start a weekly journal to record their ministry of thanksgiving and thank the Lord for every single thing that happened during the week.
Some broad topics we'll consider thanking the Lord about are:
Spiritual life – salvation, new life, knowing God etc.
Soul life – sound mind, the mind of Christ, joy, peace, etc.
Body life – health, strength, sound sleep.
Relationships – family, friends, coworkers, fellow Christians, etc.
Protection – from accidents, from thieves, from etc.
Provision – employment, education, transportaion etc
This is just a start to show how the Ministry of Thanksgiving can grow to incorporate thanking the Lord in all circumstances for all things.
(more on this Ministry in meeting 1b)
Loving Our Neighbors: The Ministry of JUSTICE
The ministry of loving our neighbors begins with The Ministry of Justice where we’re growing in treating others justly - rightly.
Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice…..”
Romans 13:8 “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.” For this, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." 10Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
The words justice and righteous are interchangeable in Scripture, to do justice is to do right, to be righteous is to be just, acting justly towards others is acting righteously or rightly towards others. The opposite is unrighteous behavior aka unjust behavior or doing others wrong - ”love does no wrong to a neighbor”.
In this wing of the Ministry module we’re helping the disciple to know right from wrong behavior towards others and equipping them to choose the right. Obviously the disciple needs to know right from wrong first in order to love others justly.
Jeremiah 9:24 “but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.”
Isaiah 1:17 “Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.”
James 4:17 “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”
Some broad topics we’ll consider are:
Preventing; repaying evil for evil, dishonor, disrespect.
Promoting ministry of ; respecting others, honoring others, thanking others, blessing those who curse you.
Preventing; neglect, unconcern, bitterness, grudges etc.
Promoting ministry of; helping others, encouraging others, being a blessing to all etc.
Preventing; injustice, favoritism, selfishness etc.
Promoting ministry of; defending the rights of others, equality, sharing with others etc.
Preventing; isolation and stinginess
Promoting ministry of; fellowship and generosity
(More on this Ministry in meeting 1b)
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you as you equip others to serve Him.
Disciple Maker
Friday, June 12, 2009
Christian Character Lesson 1 of 12 - meeting 1a
Christian Character meeting 1a - Humility and Pride
In the Christian Character module we’re helping the young disciple get rid of sin on the one hand and grow in the character fruit of Jesus on the other. Once again, two wings on a bird both have to be working well in order to fly otherwise its flying in circles.
The goal in building Christian Character is to become as much like Jesus Christ in our character as we possibly can.
We have a partial list of the Character of Jesus in Galatians 5:22 “..the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23gentleness, self-control ..” NASB
The character trait of humility found in Christ is where I start in this module
Jesus himself encouraged us to be humble, Matthew 11:29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.” NASB
The Apostle Paul encouraged the same, Colossians 3:12 “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” NASB
There is an additional advantage for starting this module with humility - – the disciple needs much grace (God’s favor and help) in order to grow and God gives this grace to the humble.
James 4:5-7 “ 5Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? 6But He gives a greater grace Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE {favor and help}TO THE HUMBLE." 7Submit therefore to God Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” NASB
1 Peter 5:5 “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE {favor and help} TO THE HUMBLE. 6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time” NASB
What does humility mean?
Humility means lowering oneself or deflation. Pride is the opposite.
Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
Romans 12:3 “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”
Being humble, or having the Spiritual fruit of humility, is the end result of actively lowering oneself, it is not a natural humility but rather a Holy Spirit inspired active trait. Jesus as God, left heaven and came to earth, actively lowering himself to become a human being. He lowered himself further to become a servant of man. Etc.
Philippians 2:8 “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross..” NASB
Matthew 18:4 4"Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” NASB
In brief, the Bible describes two audiences of which we are to be humble towards:
(1) Being humble before God - actively lowering & deflating oneself before God. (Jas 4:5-7; Mic 6:8)
(2) Being humble before each other - actively lowering & deflating oneself before people or persons. (1 Pet 5:5)
It is possible for a person to be humble before God and not toward others and vice versa. You may have a disciple who is very humble toward people but proud when it comes to God or vice versa. (We’ll go through various types of pride later.)
In addition humility can be true or false. True humility is Bible based, Christ like and sincere - sincere meaning the action and heart are united in the deed.
A very tragic mistake in disciple making is when the disciple maker accepts, allows, teaches or promotes some form of false humility.
Therefore we need to really grasp this concept of false humility at the beginning and follow only the teachings and practices of Jesus and the Apostles regarding true humility.
False humility or deceitful humility can be many things – below are 3 ways:
(a) Insincere humility - whereby the deed and the heart/spirit are disconnected and not united:
Psalm 12:2 “They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak.” NASB
Isaiah 58:3 “'Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice? 'Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, And drive hard all your workers.”
Mark 7:6 “And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:' THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.” NASB
Luke 18:18 “ A ruler questioned Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 19And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.” NASB
Luke 6:46 “" Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” NASB
Anytime we fake humility it is not genuinely sincere as Jesus is in His humility.
For example:
An extreme case is those who mocked Jesus and bowed to him insincerely – “Mark 15:19 “They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him.”
A far less extreme case is when the Priest or Pastor instructs everyone to kneel and they all do so yet many are insincere and are just following orders as General Naaman did when he bowed to a foreign god for show and not in sincere humility. (2Kg 5:18). In contrast we have those who refused to fake humbleness (Dan 3).
Are we humbling ourselves before God and man because we are told to or because the culture we live in demands it or is it because we really mean it and thus are sincere in our humility whereby our heart/spirit and action are united in humility toward God and others?
For many the insincere humility will suffice but that is a mistake – we must not accept nor promote that sort of insincere practice in a young disciple.
Jesus was humble, truly sincerely humble, and never faked it.
(b) UnChristlike humility - humbling oneself in a way that Jesus did NOT teach nor practice.
Matthew 11:29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.” NASB
We learn from Jesus - ask yourself the question, did Jesus lower himself like that or teach us to do that?
For example a disciple that has an inferiority complex and thinks they are inferior to all others – “I’m ugly, I’m stupid, I’m uneducated, I’m fat, I’m divorced, I’m handicapped, etc.” This is not the humility fruit of the Spirit.
The Apostle Paul once said he was the worst of sinners. (1Tim 1:15). Why did he say that? (1 Tim 1:13). He was listing out his great sins which made him a great sinner – few had been a murderous killer of Christians like Paul had been so this was no inferiority complex but rather a truthful statement. Paul also called himself the least of the Apostles for the same reason (1 Cor 15:9), yet he was never inferior to them (2 Cor 11:15,23).
Speaking the truth about oneself is what Jesus did and taught. Jesus was not a door mat and did not let others treat him like one, that is all the way up to the point where he would take the sin of the world upon himself and become man’s scapegoat on the cross – before that point he did not let others treat him like a door mat in a perverted form of humility.
John 8:48,49 The Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?" “Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.”
John 18:23 “Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?" NASB
Door mat humility is not like Christ. Likewise the Apostle Paul was also unwilling to allow himself to be treated like a door mat.
2 Corinthians 12:11 “I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody.” NASB
Acts 25:11 “"If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar."
(c) non-Scriptural humility where one humbles themselves beyond any instructions in Scripture.
Such as humbling oneself before animals thus lifting animals up higher than the position the Lord created them in - treating animals like humans. Animal lovers can become extreme and end up exalting animals and lowering humans.
For example: In America many treat their pets as humans, even better than humans in some cases, and that is a not found in Scripture. In India many humble themselves before cows and rats, and monkeys.
There are cases where Christians have mistakenly felt that God wanted to humble them so they went around with dog collars on and crawled on all fours barking like a dog. Only the devil enjoys such humbling of Christians , God takes no pleasure in it.
Ask yourself, where in Scripture are we to lower ourselves like that?
Finally, help the young disciple enter into true humility and not false humility.
What is the proper and true fruit of humility we are building in the disciple?, is a question you must ask yourself as you examine the lives of Jesus and the Apostles and build that into the young disciple.
As homework ask the young disciple to take note of his/her false humility moments this coming week - humble towards God, family, friends, coworkers, peers, various people we come into contact with, animals etc. Was there any insincere or unChristlike or unBiblical humility practiced?
Then address it using the Word of God and the anointing of the Holy Spirit that He has given you to make disciples.
Disciple Maker
P.S. Meeting 1 b – the beginnings of getting rid of the sin of Pride and learning more about true humility.
In the Christian Character module we’re helping the young disciple get rid of sin on the one hand and grow in the character fruit of Jesus on the other. Once again, two wings on a bird both have to be working well in order to fly otherwise its flying in circles.
The goal in building Christian Character is to become as much like Jesus Christ in our character as we possibly can.
We have a partial list of the Character of Jesus in Galatians 5:22 “..the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,23gentleness, self-control ..” NASB
The character trait of humility found in Christ is where I start in this module
Jesus himself encouraged us to be humble, Matthew 11:29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.” NASB
The Apostle Paul encouraged the same, Colossians 3:12 “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” NASB
There is an additional advantage for starting this module with humility - – the disciple needs much grace (God’s favor and help) in order to grow and God gives this grace to the humble.
James 4:5-7 “ 5Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? 6But He gives a greater grace Therefore it says, "GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE {favor and help}TO THE HUMBLE." 7Submit therefore to God Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” NASB
1 Peter 5:5 “You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE {favor and help} TO THE HUMBLE. 6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time” NASB
What does humility mean?
Humility means lowering oneself or deflation. Pride is the opposite.
Philippians 2:3 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;
Romans 12:3 “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”
Being humble, or having the Spiritual fruit of humility, is the end result of actively lowering oneself, it is not a natural humility but rather a Holy Spirit inspired active trait. Jesus as God, left heaven and came to earth, actively lowering himself to become a human being. He lowered himself further to become a servant of man. Etc.
Philippians 2:8 “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross..” NASB
Matthew 18:4 4"Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” NASB
In brief, the Bible describes two audiences of which we are to be humble towards:
(1) Being humble before God - actively lowering & deflating oneself before God. (Jas 4:5-7; Mic 6:8)
(2) Being humble before each other - actively lowering & deflating oneself before people or persons. (1 Pet 5:5)
It is possible for a person to be humble before God and not toward others and vice versa. You may have a disciple who is very humble toward people but proud when it comes to God or vice versa. (We’ll go through various types of pride later.)
In addition humility can be true or false. True humility is Bible based, Christ like and sincere - sincere meaning the action and heart are united in the deed.
A very tragic mistake in disciple making is when the disciple maker accepts, allows, teaches or promotes some form of false humility.
Therefore we need to really grasp this concept of false humility at the beginning and follow only the teachings and practices of Jesus and the Apostles regarding true humility.
False humility or deceitful humility can be many things – below are 3 ways:
(a) Insincere humility - whereby the deed and the heart/spirit are disconnected and not united:
Psalm 12:2 “They speak falsehood to one another; With flattering lips and with a double heart they speak.” NASB
Isaiah 58:3 “'Why have we fasted and You do not see? Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice? 'Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, And drive hard all your workers.”
Mark 7:6 “And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:' THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.” NASB
Luke 18:18 “ A ruler questioned Him, saying, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" 19And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone.” NASB
Luke 6:46 “" Why do you call Me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?” NASB
Anytime we fake humility it is not genuinely sincere as Jesus is in His humility.
For example:
An extreme case is those who mocked Jesus and bowed to him insincerely – “Mark 15:19 “They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him.”
A far less extreme case is when the Priest or Pastor instructs everyone to kneel and they all do so yet many are insincere and are just following orders as General Naaman did when he bowed to a foreign god for show and not in sincere humility. (2Kg 5:18). In contrast we have those who refused to fake humbleness (Dan 3).
Are we humbling ourselves before God and man because we are told to or because the culture we live in demands it or is it because we really mean it and thus are sincere in our humility whereby our heart/spirit and action are united in humility toward God and others?
For many the insincere humility will suffice but that is a mistake – we must not accept nor promote that sort of insincere practice in a young disciple.
Jesus was humble, truly sincerely humble, and never faked it.
(b) UnChristlike humility - humbling oneself in a way that Jesus did NOT teach nor practice.
Matthew 11:29 “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.” NASB
We learn from Jesus - ask yourself the question, did Jesus lower himself like that or teach us to do that?
For example a disciple that has an inferiority complex and thinks they are inferior to all others – “I’m ugly, I’m stupid, I’m uneducated, I’m fat, I’m divorced, I’m handicapped, etc.” This is not the humility fruit of the Spirit.
The Apostle Paul once said he was the worst of sinners. (1Tim 1:15). Why did he say that? (1 Tim 1:13). He was listing out his great sins which made him a great sinner – few had been a murderous killer of Christians like Paul had been so this was no inferiority complex but rather a truthful statement. Paul also called himself the least of the Apostles for the same reason (1 Cor 15:9), yet he was never inferior to them (2 Cor 11:15,23).
Speaking the truth about oneself is what Jesus did and taught. Jesus was not a door mat and did not let others treat him like one, that is all the way up to the point where he would take the sin of the world upon himself and become man’s scapegoat on the cross – before that point he did not let others treat him like a door mat in a perverted form of humility.
John 8:48,49 The Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?" “Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.”
John 18:23 “Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?" NASB
Door mat humility is not like Christ. Likewise the Apostle Paul was also unwilling to allow himself to be treated like a door mat.
2 Corinthians 12:11 “I have become foolish; you yourselves compelled me. Actually I should have been commended by you, for in no respect was I inferior to the most eminent apostles, even though I am a nobody.” NASB
Acts 25:11 “"If, then, I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything worthy of death, I do not refuse to die; but if none of those things is true of which these men accuse me, no one can hand me over to them. I appeal to Caesar."
(c) non-Scriptural humility where one humbles themselves beyond any instructions in Scripture.
Such as humbling oneself before animals thus lifting animals up higher than the position the Lord created them in - treating animals like humans. Animal lovers can become extreme and end up exalting animals and lowering humans.
For example: In America many treat their pets as humans, even better than humans in some cases, and that is a not found in Scripture. In India many humble themselves before cows and rats, and monkeys.
There are cases where Christians have mistakenly felt that God wanted to humble them so they went around with dog collars on and crawled on all fours barking like a dog. Only the devil enjoys such humbling of Christians , God takes no pleasure in it.
Ask yourself, where in Scripture are we to lower ourselves like that?
Finally, help the young disciple enter into true humility and not false humility.
What is the proper and true fruit of humility we are building in the disciple?, is a question you must ask yourself as you examine the lives of Jesus and the Apostles and build that into the young disciple.
As homework ask the young disciple to take note of his/her false humility moments this coming week - humble towards God, family, friends, coworkers, peers, various people we come into contact with, animals etc. Was there any insincere or unChristlike or unBiblical humility practiced?
Then address it using the Word of God and the anointing of the Holy Spirit that He has given you to make disciples.
Disciple Maker
P.S. Meeting 1 b – the beginnings of getting rid of the sin of Pride and learning more about true humility.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Knowing God Lesson 1 of 12 - meeting 1a
Lesson 1: Knowing the God of our Salvation
"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 NASB
A few points as we get started making disciples – I use Scripture to make disciples, lots and lots of Scripture because it is God’s power to make disciples.
“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
“So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine” John 8:31
Also I believe a personal elder/younger brotherly or sisterly relationship between you and the young disciple needs to be nurtured as you go along. It’s a two way street type of journey where both are interacting, sharing the journey together as well as a teacher and student relationship. Jesus’ example to us was he did both, he shared his life with his disciples and taught them. In contrast were the Pharisees who just taught people and did not share their life.
Being an elder brother or sister to a young disciple includes a bit of correcting and discipline so the relationship needs to be strong enough for that.
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16
“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2 NASB
The impossible part of making disciples is the “experience it” part and we trust God to accomplish that for He and He alone can make the disciple experience “knowing HIM”. For example one can know about God the healer but if God never heals them they just know about Him but have not experienced Him in that area.
This first lesson of 12 in KNOWING GOD is "Knowing God as Savior" and I’ve broken down into four meetings, one per week none of which are exhaustive on the topic, instead the intention is to instill into the young disciple the “journey” aspect of knowing God and it begins by knowing Him as our salvation the very foundation of our faith without which no one can ever truly know God.
We’re on this “long” journey to know our salvation and our savior everyday that we live on earth. Every year we should know the God of our salvation more than we knew the year before, if not we must question our growth as a His disciple.
To know God our salvation means to both “know about Him as our savior” through reading and studying the Bible as it relates to this topic, as well as “experience Him as our Savior” in prayer and a deep relationship with Him.
How well does the young disciple want to know Jesus who saves us from our sins?
This is what you must discover in the first meeting and instill in them a hunger to know Jesus.
Unfortunately, some may have intellectual knowledge about God’s salvation yet not know Him personally as savior therefore the first discipleship meeting must address this issue.
(FYI - Meeting 1a – one+ hours of teaching, discussion, song and prayer). Topic: Sin, Repentance and Faith toward God. Then break.
(FYI - Meeting 1b – one+ additional hours of teaching, discussion, song and prayer) Topic: forgiveness, being born again, the new infant, baptized into Christ and into the Church.
MEETING 1a
* Note: let the young disciples look all these verses up for themselves in their own Bible as you go along so that they get familiar with the Bible.
Sin. What is sin?
Sin is falling short of the perfect will of God for our life.
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23 NASB
All sin is against God, some sins are against other people too and some are against oneself and not against other people. Sins are also categorized in the Bible as willful or intentional whereas other sins are unintentional. Sins are also viewed as sinful thoughts, words and/or deeds.
Its possible for a person to think they’re good and therefore never face the fact that they’re a great sinner. This must be addressed in the young disciple first to make sure he/she has a solid understanding of their own sin as well as benefit them in their evangelism ministry to others and their ministry of loving God. (2 Cor 5:10,11; Lk 7:47;1 Jn 4:19 – more later)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 NASB
"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28 NASB
Sin, any single sin, is to be punished by God as decreed in His Word and that punishment is an everlasting separation from God via death and being cast into eternal Hell and the Lake of Fire.
Its possible for a disciple to erroneously reject the Biblical truth regarding Hell and this will hinder their growth in knowing God our savior. Salvation, at its first understanding, means we are being saved, rescued, delivered from this punishment for our sins
As the young disciple grows they will become more sensitive to the pain of sin and grow in abstaining from sin and resisting temptation.
Repentance: What is Repentance?
Repentance is changing the direction of ones mind, heart and actions away from sinning. It is acknowledging sin, having godly sorrow for it and stopping it.
“For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, "In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15 NASB
“Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning;”1 Corinthians 15:34 NASB
“I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:9,10 NASB
A form of false repentance is when one regrets having done wrong but does not intend to change direction - the result of which means the person is not saved from their sin since the Bible never records the salvation of an unrepentant person.
Its possible for a person to be a false Christian either mistakenly thinking they are saved without repentance or intentionally denying the need for repentance from sin and dead works.
“Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, Hebrews 6:1 NASB
The Apostle Paul was often faced with false Christians, some of whom refused to repent of dead works.
“But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in..” Galatians 2:4 NASB
Jesus and the Apostles preached repent and believe therefore we must make sure that the disciple follows that pattern.
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:15 NASB
“solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:21 NASB
One of the marks of a modern day Pharisee is a religious person who has NOT repented and thus is not saved.
“John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Mark 1:4
"Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ' We have Abraham for our father,' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. Luke 3:8
“When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?" Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. "The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?" And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Then why did you not believe him?' Matthew 21:23-25 NASB
"unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3
The Old Testament required it:"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, " Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations. Ezekiel 14:6
As does the New:“For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God” 1 Thessalonians 1:9
The young disciple should be certain that they have repented from all known sins; sins against God, others and self. Normally a young disciple does not know all the various sins they have committed and/or cannot remember them. The Lord meets them where they are and receives their sincere repentance according to their knowledge, as they read Scripture and the Holy Spirit convicts their heart over certain sins they will continue to grow in repentance.
A way to help them at this early stage is to list out some Scriptures regarding specific sins so that they have knowledge as to what the Bible identifies as sins:
Sins against God: atheism, idolatry, false gods, false religions, hostility toward God, blasphemy, mocking God, cursing God etc.
Sins against God and others: sexual immorality, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, violence, anger, rage, fights, arguments, cursing, profanity, lying, cheating, stealing, dishonor, disrespect etc.
Sin against God and self: lust, love of money, love of the world, covetousness, greed, cursing, harming ones body, gluttony, drunkenness, drugs etc.
Faith: What is Faith toward God?
Faith toward God is believing God to the point of trusting Him. In this topic it means trusting HIM to save you from your sins.
“Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, Hebrews 6:1 NASB
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 NASB
“For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.” Galatians 5:5 NASB
"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 NASB
Its possible for a person to attempt to be saved by doing good works and/or self righteousness and such a person would be a false Christian meaning not saved even though they’re a member of some church.
“ For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; Ephesians 2:8 NASB
"I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly." Galatians 2:21 NASB
“and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, Philippians 3:9 NASB
“And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. Galatians 5:3,4 NASB
Its also possible to know about God and yet not believe. There are indeed many pastors that are atheists according to the Church of England’s internal research on this issue amongst their own pastors. I too have known church members in the USA in other denominations that do not believe that God exists, yet they are very active in the church. Some estimates are that up to 50% of all who claim to be Christian have not repented of their sins and do not believe Jesus rose from the dead. Since this is the case we should make sure that the young disciple we’re investing our life in is indeed born again.
Faith in Christ means we believe and trust Jesus that he is who he said he was and did what he said he did and will do what he has promised. This message is the gospel:
“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
Sin, Repentance and Faith toward God is where we have sojourned in the first half of this meeting and that journey will NOT end on this earth for we will always discover more about our own sin and will be living a life of deeper repentance and faith toward God as we grow up in Christ.
Can you report that the disciple has repented and has faith in God our savior?
"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 NASB
“For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God” 1 Thessalonians 1:9
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; Ephesians 2:8 NASB
Discover if the young disciple is truly saved, spend some time discussing sin, repentance and faith, sharing testimonies and then pray together.
Should it turn out that your young disciple has not repented and turned to God for salvation beforehand then start where they are - present the gospel message to them and give them an invitation to repent and believe Jesus for salvation. There are many ways to present the gospel and it’s my purpose to makes disciples so I won’t get into them here. Since we do “reach” the lost with the Gospel message and “teach” the disciple with the Word of God and our life’s example, we desire to make sure that we’re not laboring in vain “teaching” the Word of God to a person who does not believe in Jesus for salvation.
I recommend that the ones that you cannot report as being saved yet, be separated out and entered into a “seekers who are seeking to find God” meeting where one concentrates the teaching on evangelism rather than discipleship.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19,20
* Note these lessons are not an exhaustive all encompassing treaties on the topic – there will always be more that the Lord will show you.
(meeting 1b later)
May the Lord make you a maker of disciples!
Disciple Maker
"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 NASB
A few points as we get started making disciples – I use Scripture to make disciples, lots and lots of Scripture because it is God’s power to make disciples.
“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12
“So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine” John 8:31
Also I believe a personal elder/younger brotherly or sisterly relationship between you and the young disciple needs to be nurtured as you go along. It’s a two way street type of journey where both are interacting, sharing the journey together as well as a teacher and student relationship. Jesus’ example to us was he did both, he shared his life with his disciples and taught them. In contrast were the Pharisees who just taught people and did not share their life.
Being an elder brother or sister to a young disciple includes a bit of correcting and discipline so the relationship needs to be strong enough for that.
“All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness” 2 Timothy 3:16
“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2 NASB
The impossible part of making disciples is the “experience it” part and we trust God to accomplish that for He and He alone can make the disciple experience “knowing HIM”. For example one can know about God the healer but if God never heals them they just know about Him but have not experienced Him in that area.
This first lesson of 12 in KNOWING GOD is "Knowing God as Savior" and I’ve broken down into four meetings, one per week none of which are exhaustive on the topic, instead the intention is to instill into the young disciple the “journey” aspect of knowing God and it begins by knowing Him as our salvation the very foundation of our faith without which no one can ever truly know God.
We’re on this “long” journey to know our salvation and our savior everyday that we live on earth. Every year we should know the God of our salvation more than we knew the year before, if not we must question our growth as a His disciple.
To know God our salvation means to both “know about Him as our savior” through reading and studying the Bible as it relates to this topic, as well as “experience Him as our Savior” in prayer and a deep relationship with Him.
How well does the young disciple want to know Jesus who saves us from our sins?
This is what you must discover in the first meeting and instill in them a hunger to know Jesus.
Unfortunately, some may have intellectual knowledge about God’s salvation yet not know Him personally as savior therefore the first discipleship meeting must address this issue.
(FYI - Meeting 1a – one+ hours of teaching, discussion, song and prayer). Topic: Sin, Repentance and Faith toward God. Then break.
(FYI - Meeting 1b – one+ additional hours of teaching, discussion, song and prayer) Topic: forgiveness, being born again, the new infant, baptized into Christ and into the Church.
MEETING 1a
* Note: let the young disciples look all these verses up for themselves in their own Bible as you go along so that they get familiar with the Bible.
Sin. What is sin?
Sin is falling short of the perfect will of God for our life.
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23 NASB
All sin is against God, some sins are against other people too and some are against oneself and not against other people. Sins are also categorized in the Bible as willful or intentional whereas other sins are unintentional. Sins are also viewed as sinful thoughts, words and/or deeds.
Its possible for a person to think they’re good and therefore never face the fact that they’re a great sinner. This must be addressed in the young disciple first to make sure he/she has a solid understanding of their own sin as well as benefit them in their evangelism ministry to others and their ministry of loving God. (2 Cor 5:10,11; Lk 7:47;1 Jn 4:19 – more later)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 NASB
"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Matthew 10:28 NASB
Sin, any single sin, is to be punished by God as decreed in His Word and that punishment is an everlasting separation from God via death and being cast into eternal Hell and the Lake of Fire.
Its possible for a disciple to erroneously reject the Biblical truth regarding Hell and this will hinder their growth in knowing God our savior. Salvation, at its first understanding, means we are being saved, rescued, delivered from this punishment for our sins
As the young disciple grows they will become more sensitive to the pain of sin and grow in abstaining from sin and resisting temptation.
Repentance: What is Repentance?
Repentance is changing the direction of ones mind, heart and actions away from sinning. It is acknowledging sin, having godly sorrow for it and stopping it.
“For thus the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said, "In repentance and rest you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.” Isaiah 30:15 NASB
“Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning;”1 Corinthians 15:34 NASB
“I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us. For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:9,10 NASB
A form of false repentance is when one regrets having done wrong but does not intend to change direction - the result of which means the person is not saved from their sin since the Bible never records the salvation of an unrepentant person.
Its possible for a person to be a false Christian either mistakenly thinking they are saved without repentance or intentionally denying the need for repentance from sin and dead works.
“Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, Hebrews 6:1 NASB
The Apostle Paul was often faced with false Christians, some of whom refused to repent of dead works.
“But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in..” Galatians 2:4 NASB
Jesus and the Apostles preached repent and believe therefore we must make sure that the disciple follows that pattern.
“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." Mark 1:15 NASB
“solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:21 NASB
One of the marks of a modern day Pharisee is a religious person who has NOT repented and thus is not saved.
“John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Mark 1:4
"Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ' We have Abraham for our father,' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. Luke 3:8
“When He entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to Him while He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things, and who gave You this authority?" Jesus said to them, "I will also ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. "The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?" And they began reasoning among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Then why did you not believe him?' Matthew 21:23-25 NASB
"unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3
The Old Testament required it:"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord GOD, " Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations. Ezekiel 14:6
As does the New:“For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God” 1 Thessalonians 1:9
The young disciple should be certain that they have repented from all known sins; sins against God, others and self. Normally a young disciple does not know all the various sins they have committed and/or cannot remember them. The Lord meets them where they are and receives their sincere repentance according to their knowledge, as they read Scripture and the Holy Spirit convicts their heart over certain sins they will continue to grow in repentance.
A way to help them at this early stage is to list out some Scriptures regarding specific sins so that they have knowledge as to what the Bible identifies as sins:
Sins against God: atheism, idolatry, false gods, false religions, hostility toward God, blasphemy, mocking God, cursing God etc.
Sins against God and others: sexual immorality, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, violence, anger, rage, fights, arguments, cursing, profanity, lying, cheating, stealing, dishonor, disrespect etc.
Sin against God and self: lust, love of money, love of the world, covetousness, greed, cursing, harming ones body, gluttony, drunkenness, drugs etc.
Faith: What is Faith toward God?
Faith toward God is believing God to the point of trusting Him. In this topic it means trusting HIM to save you from your sins.
“Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, Hebrews 6:1 NASB
“And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 NASB
“For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness.” Galatians 5:5 NASB
"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 NASB
Its possible for a person to attempt to be saved by doing good works and/or self righteousness and such a person would be a false Christian meaning not saved even though they’re a member of some church.
“ For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; Ephesians 2:8 NASB
"I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly." Galatians 2:21 NASB
“and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, Philippians 3:9 NASB
“And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. Galatians 5:3,4 NASB
Its also possible to know about God and yet not believe. There are indeed many pastors that are atheists according to the Church of England’s internal research on this issue amongst their own pastors. I too have known church members in the USA in other denominations that do not believe that God exists, yet they are very active in the church. Some estimates are that up to 50% of all who claim to be Christian have not repented of their sins and do not believe Jesus rose from the dead. Since this is the case we should make sure that the young disciple we’re investing our life in is indeed born again.
Faith in Christ means we believe and trust Jesus that he is who he said he was and did what he said he did and will do what he has promised. This message is the gospel:
“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.” 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
Sin, Repentance and Faith toward God is where we have sojourned in the first half of this meeting and that journey will NOT end on this earth for we will always discover more about our own sin and will be living a life of deeper repentance and faith toward God as we grow up in Christ.
Can you report that the disciple has repented and has faith in God our savior?
"She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 NASB
“For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God” 1 Thessalonians 1:9
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; Ephesians 2:8 NASB
Discover if the young disciple is truly saved, spend some time discussing sin, repentance and faith, sharing testimonies and then pray together.
Should it turn out that your young disciple has not repented and turned to God for salvation beforehand then start where they are - present the gospel message to them and give them an invitation to repent and believe Jesus for salvation. There are many ways to present the gospel and it’s my purpose to makes disciples so I won’t get into them here. Since we do “reach” the lost with the Gospel message and “teach” the disciple with the Word of God and our life’s example, we desire to make sure that we’re not laboring in vain “teaching” the Word of God to a person who does not believe in Jesus for salvation.
I recommend that the ones that you cannot report as being saved yet, be separated out and entered into a “seekers who are seeking to find God” meeting where one concentrates the teaching on evangelism rather than discipleship.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19,20
* Note these lessons are not an exhaustive all encompassing treaties on the topic – there will always be more that the Lord will show you.
(meeting 1b later)
May the Lord make you a maker of disciples!
Disciple Maker
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