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Post Christmas: Stewardship

December 27th, 2009 Comments off



Matthew 6:19-24 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other You cannot serve God and wealth.”

We talk a lot about stuff at Christmas time. The church likes to say stuff is bad, but the church so often has a lot of stuff itself. The issue is not how much stuff you have, but what you do with it. Bonnie and I were talking with a friend on Thursday and we mentioned how it seems the people who are most generous in life are those with the least amount of stuff to give. The more we have, the harder it is to give stuff away. Stories abound of rich people passing by the poor and homeless, and the ones near poverty themselves are the ones who help one another. Jesus and His disciples watched a rich man put a whack of money in the offering plate, and how it counted little because he did it in such a way so everyone would know it was him. His stuff had made him proud. As they watched a poor widow put in a few cents, most of all she had, He commented that God was greatly pleased because she gave sacrificially. Today we still encourage tithing because it provides the facilities and a place from which to minister – this is a real privilege in freedom. We have to make sure, though, that we don’t get to the point where this building owns us, where our bottom line is what drives ministry. So how do you know when stuff is owning you? What are some indications that we are getting off focus of following Jesus with all we got? Let me suggest a few ways we need to check ourselves:

1) You stop praying. When I was in high school I was on the wrestling team for 4 years. One of the principles they taught you was to fake your true intentions. If you wanted to attack the other guy’s legs you first reached and touched him near his head. His attention is drawn to where your hand is, not where your body is beginning to move to. Ephesians 6 says that we are in a wrestling match today. We are wrestling “not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” When Satan tries to come against us he is going to reach into our stuff. Sometimes he distracts by letting us have a lot, sometimes by not enough. His purpose has nothing to do with our stuff for he knows it is so temporary, so superficial. It is that slight of hand he is pulling so we look away from what is really happening. And what is happening? In that passage in Ephesians 6 Paul goes on to talk about the armour of God and then these words: “With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints, and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.” Prayer is the environment that connects us to the spiritual. Prayer connects us to God and allows the Holy Spirit to work freely. Prayer moves things that don’t otherwise move. Prayer directly battles the forces of darkness. Prayer lets us see into the spiritual realm with eyes that would otherwise be blind. When we are distracted by stuff, then, we stop praying. Sometimes it creeps up on us gradually, sometimes all at once without realizing it, but we don’t seem to have time to spend with our Creator and Savior.

So I ask you not about your stuff, or even what you are doing with it; I ask you about your time spent before the throne. God longs to use you and I, but we need to be talking and listening to Him.

2) You stop watching your words. In the New Year we will be looking at 7 Points of Valour. There is an integrity in following Jesus that we pursue; a congruency between the things we believe and how we live. One of the things that seems to be slipping in those who profess a relationship with Jesus is words. We use careless words, we use careless language. I am shocked at how little respect there is for people and children in public. You go to a mall with little ones and a group of teenagers or twenty-somethings go by having a conversation and invariably it is salted with swear words. I have seen it on blogs by people who profess Jesus as Lord and I wonder what their sense of holiness is. God calls us to be like Jesus in thoughts words and deeds. So often deeds are emphasized, but what we say should agree with our behaviour, and behaviour with our words. Not only purity of language, but gentleness of words. When we get distracted we begin to forget how easily words fly off our tongue and can harm others. We forget how easily our life can turn astray by talking behind people’s backs, by not guarding what comes from within. James likens the tongue to the small rudder that has the ability to turn a large boat around. A person can spend years build a good character and depth of ministry only to throw it all away in a moment of anger and poor choice of words.

There is a discipline in life as followers of Jesus. We seek to be like Jesus in thoughts, words and deeds, as the Holy Spirit works within us. Freedom in Jesus is not licence to do anything or say anything we want. It is the freedom and ability to do the right thing because God is changing us. When a person starts a diet, they begin a discipline. They count calories. They start a regimen of exercise. And they go through the next several days or weeks on schedule. Then along comes something to distract them. Maybe it is a good book, a person, Monday Night football, a cream puff. Their discipline gets broken and one day turns into six, and soon they are back to where they started. When stuff distracts us we begin to lose guard of the little things like our words. But those little things begin to turn our life. How have your words been? Have they been encouraging and God focussed, or complaining and self-centered? Let God use you through your words. Focus on Him and not the stuff around you.

3) Your concern for others “tanks”. The passage we read earlier is found in the middle of the Sermon on the Mount. In the course of that talk by Jesus he touched on so many aspects of our life in relation to others. One of the basic premises of Jesus’ teachings is that you cannot be a follower of His and NOT love your neighbour. In parables and practise Jesus said the love of God will change you. From pastors and evangelists, church leadership and scholars you will hear the truth that justice and mercy go hand in hand with our faith. Tony Compolo was a guest on The Hour with George  Stroumboulopoulos and was quite articulate about our mission as followers of Jesus. He said you can’t separate the church from compassionate ministries. They go hand in hand. Jesus said we need to minister to those who are sick and homeless. And so Jesus calls possessions or wealth a “master”. I remember watching AFV on TV and watching as the little kid is dragged along by a huge dog, trailing from the leash. Where the boy thought he would be controlling the dog, reality had it the other way around. If stuff is getting control of you, it will become your master, and the commands to love God and love your neighbour will take second place to what you want.

4) You begin to live by comparison. One of the biggest problems people have in affluent societies is to live by comparison. They begin to think they should have as much or more than the next guy. Affluence becomes the gage of our faith; or at least our sense of entitlement. We fail to acknowledge that those stuck in cycles of poverty look to us with the same envy, that they wonder why they do not have what we have. Life is not about comparison. It is living as a steward – God’s steward. We are responsible to God for how we live our lives. What we deserve is based on God’s grace, not our worthiness. Let go of your concern for what others have, and look to God who has given all you need to accomplish His purpose in you.

We live with the understanding that all we have is a gift from God, and that it still belongs to God for we are His steward. He gives us these things with the expectation that we will use them not for ourselves, but for His glory, His kingdom. We get upset quite easily at exorbitant bonuses paid to people who think their position of leadership is worth so much more than the person who does the actual work. Part of the frustration is not the comparison, but the expectation that those to whom much is given will reciprocate in turn. Look around you today and issues of stewardship are all over the world. There are issues with the stewardship of our financial foundations and economies. There are issues with stewardship of our climate. There are issues with the stewardship of our environment, and the list goes on. We each have a challenge before us as this year draws to a close and a new one begins. What will we do with the stewardship of gifts and talents and resources like time, money and relationships that we have from God? This is our year. 2010 is the year God is calling all of us to put forth our best efforts and focus on what He is calling us to do and be. 2010 is the year God is calling Louise Street Community Church of the Nazarene to cast off the past and any comparisons of other churches. He calls us to consider what and who we have and to use all to His honour and glory.

Categories: following Jesus, Stewardship Tags:

Resolutions for a New Year

January 4th, 2009 2 comments

Hebrews 11:1-3, 39-40; 12:1-3 “1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the men of old gained approval. 3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. 39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. 12: 1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Usain Bolt (born 21 August 1986) is a Jamaican sprinter. Bolt holds the Olympic and world records for the 100 metres at 9.69 seconds, the 200 metres at 19.30 seconds and, along with his teammates, the 4×100 metres relay at 37.10 seconds, all set at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Bolt became the first man to win all three events at a single Olympics since Carl Lewis in 1984, and the first man in history to set world records in all three at a single Olympics. His name and achievements in sprinting have earned him the media nickname “‘Lightning’ Bolt”.
When you watch the Olympic s and you see these guys sprinting, they get settled down on the track, making little divots to push off from. They may be looking down, but as soon as that starter’s pistol fires they have one focus. It’s not the person on either side of them, it’s not their family or friends in the stand, it’s not the cameras that are following them; it is the finish line, the mark. Philippians 3:12-14 puts it this way: “12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
The analogy here is that the Christian “walk” is like the runner in a race. I’ve seen runners pull up short because of an injury. I’ve seen runners wipe out by a misstep or an obstruction. I have seen runners fall because other runners fell into their path. If you ever saw the movie Chariots of Fire that portrayed the life of Eric Liddell, you saw him fall at one point, then get up and end up not just finishing the race but winning it. For you and me, what is that mark that we are looking at on the finish line? What is that focus to which we are running? It is expressed in different ways. Matthew 22 talks about Loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind; and your neighbour as yourself! Matthew 28 talks about making disciples as you go into the world. Paul in Philippians talks about spending our time thinking about things of excellence. John said that we ought to walk and live as Jesus did! As you sit down and think about the year to come, though, I want to leave some practical challenges to help with your focus. Many of us will make New Years resolutions, personal challenges to lead us into a better life or in being a better person. Consider what I have to share.
In Luke 2:52 we read the following, “and Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.” As I read this verse, I am reminded that there are at least 4 areas of our life we can grow in: wisdom (mental), stature (physical), favour with God (spiritual), and favour with man (social). Let me leave you with 4 challenges for this year.
1) Wisdom – Find ways to expand your mind. One of the best and cheapest ways to do this is to read. Read a book a week, or 2 a month. Choose a variety of genres so you are exposed to different words. I got 2 anthologies of short stories for Bonnie at Christmas. One was a collection of Alice Munroe stories, and the other was Penguin’s collection of Canadian short stories. Find some good Christian fiction – browse through Parables and see what they have. Get a non-fiction that interests you. I had to pick up a birthday present for a friend of Ben’s and we got her a book. I saw one I was interested in so I got that as well. Mind you, it had a lot of big pictures and not so much writing, but it was interesting. Read a newspaper once a week from start to finish. Do a hard crossword once a week, or take up Sudoku. When I was young my paternal grandfather came to live with us. I was not old enough to know the why’s and all that, but my memory is of him sitting in his favourite chair by the front window watching the world go by while he sang or hummed songs to himself. He let his mind go slack, and he eventually lost the use of it. I realize that there are many medical issues involved in that process, but I always wondered if his outcome would have been different if he had exercised his mind even a bit.
2) Physical – Do something active. Start walking after supper every day. If it is too cold out, try an alternative like a walk at the mall. Just leave your wallet at home. Start something that involves discipline, something regular, and strive hard to make it a habit. If you are out doing shovelling, shovel an extra driveway. If you can’t get out much, try some isometrics – those are exercises where you put one muscle against another. Crunches, where you do a partial sit-up, is a kind of isometric exercise. When body builders are on stage and flexing all their muscles, they are doing isometric exercises to do it. If you have to sit for long periods, get one of those ab-trainers things or a flab busters doo-hickeys or sit on one of those exercise balls so you can take short breaks without leaving your seat, get a small workout, and improve your core. An alternative would be to take up a craft or hobby, where you work with fine motor control. There is a wood guild in the city that meets monthly and could be a source of encouragement. Just get your body moving somehow on a regular basis.
3) Spiritual – Spend quality time with God, getting to know Him better. Use a Bible reading program and read through the New Testament this year. In Acts we read about people who searched the Scriptures daily to see the veracity of what Paul was preaching. The Psalmist says, “Thy Word I have hid in my heart that I might not sin against Thee.” This Book is all about God. Spend some time in it and you will find God, you will grow, and He will do a wonderful work in your life. Read it with an expectation of God showing you something. Spend some time meditating on a verse, allowing questions to come along with answers. Learn to be quiet and hear the voice of God speaking to you. You could even try memorizing a verse a week. Just find some way to get into the Word, and let the Word get into you.
4) Social – Connect with people better this year. Write a thank-you to one person a day. The Bible says “in everything give thanks”. Does this mean we say the white little lie of “Thank-you Aunt Ruth for these pink bunny slippers. I really like them!” Not at all, but you should be thankful that Aunt Ruth thought to get you a gift; and for that you should be thankful. We work hard to teach Ben and Heather to use their manners, but I also want to make sure that the thanks is not for the stuff, but for the thought behind it. The best way to do this challenge is a hand written note. You may also do an Email, but it has to be written. Part of the idea is to give the person something substantial so they can remember your thanks – so a phone call is not enough. Our culture is losing the art of hand written notes, but there is something special when it happens. So, who do you thank? Well, you can thank me for giving you such a great idea. Thank the person who gave you a meal (even if it was at a restaurant – leave a little note for the waiter to pass on to the chef/cook). Take some time and think over your life – who haven’t you thanked that you should or could. One a day is 365, and you are already 2 days behind, so get on it.
So there is my challenge – write down 4 things and pursue them. Let someone else know what you are doing to help hold you accountable. Even better, would be to have someone do those things with you. Instead of just a book, do a book club once a month. Instead of just a walk, grab a neighbour and ask if they would like to join you. Instead of just reading through the New Testament by yourself, commit to phone someone once a week to see how they did and let them know how you did. Instead of just writing thank-you notes, keep a scrap book of them (photocopy them) and add replies from the people as you receive them. This place here is just a big meeting room; you and I live out there in the world, in the big outdoors. Take control of your faith and your life and live it fully!
Categories: following Jesus, New Year, priorities, Resolutions Tags:

Authenticity

September 17th, 2008 Comments off

I left a comment here:

http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/archives/2008/09/stiff_necks.html#more

The question is about being authentic and what that looks like. It is not treating everyone the same – mainly because everybody is different! Being authentic has more to do with living out my faith in life, not prescibing my actions as the same for everyone. You could use “love”, but love looks different to different people. The point is to be true to yourself, having the understanding that you are above all honest with yourself. Truth without honesty breeds fanaticism – not good. Truth with honesty breeds humility as we see our fallen condition and need for God.

Categories: authenticity, following Jesus, Honesty, Truth Tags:

The Church – Foundations

September 14th, 2008 Comments off

Psalm 111 “1 Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, in the company of the upright and in the assembly. 2 Great are the works of the LORD; they are studied by all who delight in them. 3 Splendid and majestic is His work, and His righteousness endures forever. 4 He has made His wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate. 5 He has given food to those who fear Him; He will remember His covenant forever. 6 He has made known to His people the power of His works, in giving them the heritage of the nations. 7 The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are sure. 8 They are upheld forever and ever; they are performed in truth and uprightness. 9 He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; holy and awesome is His name. 10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever.

Foundations – this word means different things to different people. For the builder it is about the bottom of the building, the bottom of the structure. I took a course in high school that I thoroughly enjoyed about building construction. We learned about frost lines, and piles and caissons. The French immersion school just past Market Mall put on a big addition this past year. One of the things I saw was the pile of what looked like telephone poles piled up. A few days later all you saw were these poles in the ground with about 3 feet sticking up. They go deep to provide a solid foundation for the building. We saw them last year as they built the Clarence Street Bridge over Circle Drive. They had the pile driver there pounding in the lone steel beams to provide the foundation of the bridge. For others it is more ethereal – like the foundations of this church that was built in 1930. Over the years many people have put time, money, sweat and other efforts into its existence. It is a foundation no less important than they use in construction.
Today we want to take a step back and look at the foundations of church – the church as a body of believers, as a covenant community. We could come just when we feel like it, when we have nothing better to do. God and Jesus have called us to something bigger, something beyond ourselves. Let’s look at this covenant community a bit closer.

The truths:
1. The Old Testament covenant community of Israel was based on the Exodus, God’s gracious act of delivery from slavery. Deuteronomy 5:2-3, 6 “2 The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. 3 The LORD did not make this covenant with our fathers, but with us, with all those of us alive here today… He said, 6 ‘I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.’” Now, the covenant itself was something expressed in the years before this, to Adam, to Abraham, and would be expressed after, to David. But here, with the official start of the nation of Israel, its coming of age party, the foundation was based on God’s grace, on His deliverance. Do you know the story? Joseph sold into slavery, ending up in Egypt, the nation thrives there; the nation becomes subject to slavery, they cry out to God, and He delivers them to freedom. The very foundation of the people of God was based on His power to deliver them. They didn’t serve a weak God, a powerless God. They served a God greater than any nation or idol or power of darkness. And they were set free.
· The New Testament Covenant community of the Church is based on the gracious acts of the atoning death of Jesus and His resurrection. In the same way, the church today, in the New Covenant, is based on the same grace of God, the same powerful God. We weren’t delivered from human bondage, though, but from spiritual bondage. And we were set free.

2. The Ten Commandments and the Old Testament were the expectations God had for the Old Testament covenant community. Deuteronomy 5:7-21 As foundations are built, there are building codes we use to insure the integrity of the structure. When you look at what happened with the earth quake in China in the spring where thousands of buildings collapsed, it came out that companies cheaped out on the concrete ingredients, using a substandard mix to maximize their profits. In so doing, though, they undermined the buildings with poor foundations. When the time came for testing and the earth shook, the buildings fell down. So too, the nation of Israel was given the Ten Commandments to guide and steer the people, to provide a strong foundation for the society, for the people of God. But they turned to idols and pursued money, and the nation crumbled when the testing came. And God has expectations of the church.
· The Great Commandments, the Great Commission, and the call to Christ-likeness are the expectations for life in the new covenant community. We have talked about these often. These are the norms for the disciple of Jesus. The one who calls themselves a Christian is on a pilgrimage, a journey. Whether you sit down there, or stand up here, we are all on the same journey. I hesitate to even stand here because I am no better than you. I am on the same journey of Christ-likeness. A part of me wants to speak to you from your level because the things God has for you are for me as well. The challenges I read and strive to keep in my life are your obligations as well.

3. The Old Testament had consequences for obeying and failing to obey the covenant obligations. Deuteronomy 5:32-33 The Law had penalties for disobedience that ranged from an offering to an “eye for an eye” to stoning and capital punishment. For the community it led to the destruction of the temple and exile.
· The New Testament covenant community of the Church has consequences for obeying and failing to obey the expectations Christ has for the Church. Sickness and death are sometimes a result of sin, but not always. The biggest thing we can lose is God’s presence in our life. We can grieve the Holy Spirit so the voice of Jesus, of God, is shut out in our life. Talk about lonely. Listen to Hebrews 6:1-8 1 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, 2 of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do, if God permits. 4 For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, it is impossible to renew them again to repentance, since they again crucify to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame. 7 For ground that drinks the rain which often falls on it and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whose sake it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; 8 but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.

Take it home:
Get right with God at the very foundation of your life. Surrender all of you, your life, your wife, your kids, your job, your bank account… and look at all those things through the eyes of God. Make the thing of God your biggest priority.

Know what God expects of you as a disciple. Where in life can we work and it matters not whether we show up or put any effort in. Does that work in the business world? Does it work in relationships? Does it work with the children in our care and responsibility? Get into the Word and listen to what God speaks to you as you read it. Understand that it is a cohesive thing, that you can’t pull a Scripture out of context and apply it in a way that is contrary to other passages. Know the Great Commission by heart. Know the Great Commandments by heart. Pursue Christ-likeness.

Keep short accounts with God. Don’t let anything come between you and Him. Understand that the focus here is on relationship, not on doing. Some people can only make it out to church twice a month. Great! I am glad we can fellowship with them every couple weeks. But those times they are not here I pray that their pursuit of God and His community is no less.
Categories: following Jesus, surrender, the Church Tags:

Jesus Words – Follow Me

February 16th, 2008 Comments off

John 1:37-42

If you read Return of the Jedi from the Star Wars series you find the hero Luke Skywalker being challenged by his father to follow him, to join him in his quest to rule the galaxy. His father claimed it was Luke’s destiny! As we look at the world around us we see a lot of people and companies asking us to follow them. Politicians want your support based on their social platforms. Companies want the loyalty of your business for your dollars. Organizations want your volunteer hours to help them with their cause.

We as a church do not want you to follow us. I don’t want you to follow me. I want you to follow the One whom I am following. Jesus has called us into community. He has gifted you and me, and in the context of this community He calls us all to follow Him. My role as pastor is not in isolation of the rest of you. I have the same challenge to reach the people in my life with the gospel as you do. I am to grow closer to Jesus just as your are—it’s our destiny! Let’s look a bit closer at this calling in our lives together.

Context – The buzz is out!

John recognizes who Jesus is and proclaims it. Look at the names of Jesus in this chapter: Word (1), Creator (3), Light (7), only begotten God (18), lamb of God (29, 36), Son of God (34, 49), Messiah (41), King of Israel (49), Son of Man (51)

Two of his disciples hear him, and then start following Jesus. They stayed with Him that day. One of these 2 was Andrew – Peter’s brother. Andrew goes and gets Peter.
Then Philip gets called. Philip goes to find Nathanael and tell him the news.

2 Timothy 2:2 “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”

Conversation – The Son of Man calls out to us, “Follow Me!”


Right at the beginning of His ministry, before anything else has gone on, Jesus is proclaimed the Messiah, the Christ (anointed One). This is all about fulfilling the Old Testament.
Jesus called people to follow Him. To spend time with Him, walk with Him, eat with Him. With Peter He affirms his name and then promptly renames him, foreshadowing his conversation with Peter in Matthew 16. With Nathanael He starts with a character trait “in whom there is no guile.” When Jesus meets these people He interacts with them on an individual level loaded with discernment.

Jesus calls us as individuals. He wants you to bring all that you are and aren’t, as you are. He didn’t come to save the found, but the lost. It is only those who come with authentic faith, with all their imperfections that receive His gifts of grace. In that calling is relationship, and in that relationship is life change.

1 John 2:6 “the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.”

Calling – Focus on what He has called us to, not what He hasn’t called us to.


Jesus calls you to the Good News. The message of salvation is that eternal life is found in Jesus. I met with a group of men on Friday. Three of them were district superintendents, and 2 were pastors, all representing different denominations. We met to talk about Saskatchewan, and how to help one another connect enough to share this mission. The fact is we are all trying to help people get to know Jesus, and to become more like Him in their life. The Pentecostals, the Baptists, the salvation army… we are all doing the same thing, we are all part of the same church. If I have a chance to lead somebody to Christ, I will do it whether they end up in our church or the one down the road. I am not here to build the kingdom of the Nazarenes, but the kingdom of God. He calls all of us to share the Good News.

Jesus calls you by name. We are called to follow Him, individually. He calls you as you are, knowing His Spirit in you will turn you into a revelation of Himself. He speaks to your life, your character. He calls you to a task that is fit for you. He equips you and uses you in your strengths, and where you are weak, His strength abounds. You have a place in this world, and Jesus is calling you today to it.

Jesus calls you in your relationships. Did you notice Andrew? He hears John talk of Jesus, and goes and finds his brother once he knows where Jesus lives. Philip went and got Nathanael. The reality of Jesus in your life should drive you to talk to those around you. If you don’t, you need to go see where Jesus lives yourself. You need to draw close to Him, to understand He is the Savior. When you really get a hold of that, you’ll want to share it. Don’t try to get better before you follow Him, just start following Him with all your heart, and soul, and mind, and He has promised that He will refine you into something priceless. As you step out and follow Him, who can you go and tell about your encounter with Jesus?
Categories: following Jesus, Jesus Words Tags: