Archive for ‘Discipleship’

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February 21st, 2012

He Hath Said

This morning I was reading a devotion written by Charles Spurgeon and it was exactly what I needed to hear. Instead of mucking it up with my own thoughts, I’ll share it with you directly.

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” -Hebrews 13:5

If we can only grasp these words by faith, we have an all-conquering weapon in our hand. What doubt will not be slain by this two-edged sword? What fear is there which shall not fall smitten with a deadly wound before this arrow from the bow of God’s covenant? Will not the distresses of life and the pangs of death; will not the corruptions within, and the snares without; will not the trials from above, and the temptations from beneath, all seem but light afflictions, when we can hide ourselves beneath the bulwark of “He hath said”? Yes; whether for delight in our quietude, or for strength in our conflict, “He hath said” must be our daily resort. And this may teach us the extreme value of searching the Scriptures. There may be a promise in the Word which would exactly fit your case, but you may not know of it, and therefore you miss its comfort. You are like prisoners in a dungeon, and there may be one key in the bunch which would unlock the door, and you might be free; but if you will not look for it, you may remain a prisoner still, though liberty is so near at hand. There may be a potent medicine in the great pharmacopoeia of Scripture, and you may yet continue sick unless you will examine and search the Scriptures to discover what “He hath said.” Should you not, besides reading the Bible, store your memories richly with the promises of God? You can recollect the sayings of great men; you treasure up the verses of renowned poets; ought you not to be profound in your knowledge of the words of God, so that you may be able to quote them readily when you would solve a difficulty, or overthrow a doubt? Since “He hath said” is the source of all wisdom, and the fountain of all comfort, let it dwell in you richly, as “A well of water, springing up unto everlasting life.” So shall you grow healthy, strong, and happy in the divine life. – C.H. Spurgeon

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February 10th, 2012

The Lord He Will Provide

You know how when you’re thinking about buying a car, you see that car everywhere? I think that when God is in the process of speaking something to us, a similar thing occors. In Dark Night of the Soul I shared about being in seasons of waiting as believers. This morning I was reading Genesis 22:14 (NLT) which said this:

Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the LORD will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”

This verse comes out of the context of a man who longed to have his own son. He went to great lengths to make it happen. The verse comes out of a promise; a God-given promise that his longings would be quenched.

Many of us feel as if we have been waiting 100 years for that answer to our prayers (That’s how old Abraham was at Isaac’s birth, in Genesis 21:5). We’ve searched our hearts for selfishness, growth areas, sin and any other hindrance to God moving. We may even come to a place that laughs in disbelief when the promise does finally come.

Abraham was given a promise, that he would have a son — and God gave him a son! I tend to either forget God’s promises or be too busy trying to solve the problem myself that I don’t hear them in the first place. But this is a reminder that God sees the longings of our hearts, cares about them, promises to us that He has plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11) and is faithful to follow through.

"Abraham embraces Isaac" by O.A. StemlerBut sometimes God takes a longer path than we’d prefer. Sometimes He asks us to give up the very thing that we have longed for. In Abraham’s case, the Lord was probing this man’s heart to know which was stronger: Abraham’s love for his son or for his God.

This next question is one of the harder questions anyone can come face to face to. If this is an easy answer, it probably means you’re not being honest, or you’re in a season of plenty. When God holds out one hand with the thing you desire and the other hand inviting your embrace, and asks, “Which do you choose?”, it comes as a moment of truth.

What are you holding onto? What is it that you desire more than anything else? What tempts you to choose it over the Lord?

When I’m in a really healthy place, I can stare at something I enjoy and ask, “Do I love this more than my Christ? More than the presence of His Spirit? More than His Father?” My honest answer reveals my idols and my true allegiance.

One thing to cling to in the midst of navigating the seas of our heart, which has desires that are tossed to and fro like waves in the wind (Ephesians 4:14), is the Lord’s promises.*

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.”
—Psalm 84:11

“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? ”
—Romans 8:32

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
—Philippians 4:6–7

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
—Philippians 4:19

My final thought, and what prompted this post, is this: God gave Abraham a new name. When something changed in Abram, his previous name is no longer fitting (thanks to Jon Peacock for pointing this out). Likewise, when we observe God’s ever-present faithfulness, it is appropriate to call Him by a new name – for His glory and for our remembrance. Yahweh-Yireh. The LORD will provide. Cling to it.

*Thanks to The Great Recovery and Dave Ramsey for sharing these verses.

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February 8th, 2012

Who Knows You?

A terrifying question that my wife will ask me from time to time is this: “Who really knows you right now?”

It’s terrifying because the answer is often “Well, no one, really.” Why do we run from and avoid intimacy and vulnerability? As children, we put up defensive walls to protect ourselves from that which scares us or has the potential to harm us. But as adults, we tend to keep those walls up — especially in the Church, as there remains the stigma that “we must keep it together”.

Over the last years, it seems to me that there is an awakening, where people are beginning to acknowledge their limits and humanity, and step into a realistic and humble view of themselves. It’s not prevalent in all circles, but it seems to be growing in acceptance — it’s okay to be known. And we all want to be known and real, right? For most of us, we’ve spent too many years faking it and endured too many surface-level conversations. It’s time for a change.

So what’s the change in your life? If you were asked that question, “Who really knows you?”, what would your answer be?

Two men biking side by side.

Don't Go It Alone

If you’re walking through life alone, ask God to provide you a confidant. A Nathan (2 Samuel). “A friend who sticks closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).

Then take a risk and share something personal. A fear. A joy. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge what is really going on. I pray you will be pleasantly surprised on this new journey of knowing and being known.

PS- Those of you who are married may count your spouse as your only necessary confidant, and I encourage you to be authentic and communicate well with him/her, but there is something about rubbing shoulders and sharing with someone who is the same gender as you… guys just understand guys better, and likewise, ladies understand ladies (clearly, men don’t ;) ).

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February 6th, 2012

Dark Night of the Soul

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero

I’m currently reading Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero and he is describing the season that (I feel) my wife and I have been going through. It’s something I’ve heard of, but not known much about, and it’s called “the dark night of the soul”. He describes that there are times when we must go through pain and challenge, especially that which comes from a prolonged season of purposelessness and not hearing from God. In the end, the dark night of the soul is a refining period. But it’s really hard to see that in the midst of the pain, grief and loss.

He referred to Gerald Sittser from the book A Grace Disquised, reflecting on the loss of his mother, wife and young daughter in a horrific car accident like this:

The quickest way to reach the sun and the light of day is not to run west chasing after it, but to head east into the darkness until you finally reach the sunrise.

The idea that it is healthier (I daresay not easier) to confront our troubles, challenges, pain and loss head-on is unnatural, but this quote gives me hope and the fact that I’m not the only one to have experienced this season of the dark night, is oddly comforting.

Travel onward into darkness, my fellow pilgrim, and may the light of dawn meet you soon enough.

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November 20th, 2011

Advice for young men

When I lived in Mexico, an older gentlemen from the U.S. came to visit us. During an afternoon in “el desierto” (a deserted place up in the forrest and mountains nearby that we went to get away with God) I perceived that he was very wise and asked him for the best advice he’d give a young man. This is what he said:

  1. Don’t think with your crotch.
  2. Find out where God is actively moving and be there.
  3. Never stop learning.

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November 20th, 2011

Are we there yet?

The LORD directs our steps, so why try to understand everything along the way? -Proverbs 20:24 NLT

My wife and I have been in a season of life where we are asking God regularly, “What are you doing with our lives? Where do you want us to go? Lead us!”

It’s been a long and challenging journey, often feeling alone and bewildered. Some things that God has revealed through this challenging process is our need to maintain an attitude of dependence on Him. We don’t get to know where He is taking us, but if we say we trust Him, then we get the joy of sitting back and not fearing. The fact that we are anxious about it shows that we don’t trust Him or we don’t believe that He is fully good. Sometimes I catch myself thinking that my plans will have a better outcome than His; which really makes me out to be a stubborn teenager all over again, believing that I know more than my parents.

Do you know more than God? Can you rest in the faith that the Creator of the universe has more in store for you than you could ever prepare for yourself with your tiny mind and little hands?

Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. -CS Lewis, Weight of Glory

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November 18th, 2011

Discipline towards goals leads to life change and success

I’ve been on a journey over the last years, learning about discipline; spiritual discipline, physical discipline, emotional discipline and mental discipline. In no way have I come to fully understand or even utter the word “master” regarding these disciplines, although I have learned much and am still learning much.

Regular, even gentle, steady pressure, exerted over time will result in dramatic, powerful and lasting change that could not be accomplished with even extreme force otherwise.

Spiritual Discipline
Through regular times of meditation and prayer, not trying to move mountains or discover some unearthed truth, I have encountered God in ways that are precious and dear to me; ways that no super-stadium worship service or Martin Luther King style speech could. Small, simple times of hiding away with the Lord are one of the many ways to know Him, but a very effective way indeed.

Physical Discipline
I’m no Sylvester Stallone or Tony Horton in the gym, but I have found that regular, short periods of physical exertion produce satisfying results. Two or three easy runs a week and several pushups and sit-ups a night have restored my body to feeling strong and healthy.

Relational Discipline
Life is full of events, meetings and responsibilities to uphold, so I’m well aware of how key relationships
in my life can fall by the wayside as other urgent priorities strip away my time from truly important priorities. A weekly breakfast with my wife draws us back to intimacy and keeps us on the same page. Scheduling one short hang-out time per week with a close friend or relative does something for my soul that nourishes like nothing else can. And when I die (which is eminent, though I’d like to think myself invincible) I won’t be wondering on my death-bed whether my business plans succeeded, but instead whether my siblings, parents, wife and friends know that they are loved.

Mental Discipline
Learning is a joy to me, though I am often condemned by the fact that I have not completed my bachelor’s degree. So scheduling short 45-minute study breaks in my day to learn something new or finish one more class towards my degree is both rewarding and inspiring. With the pressures of work and providing, learning can take the back seat, but if I intend to grow and succeed, I cannot neglect mental discipline. I welcome any who read this to hold me accountable in this area, and will celebrate with you when that degree is completed.

The reason these things are so key in my life is because I am no hero, no great leader and no prodigy. I’m a simple man with blatant weaknesses and areas of necessary growth. So only by regular and small effort can I have any hope of seeing great life-change and success in my life.

In closing, may I urge you to take a step towards increased discipline in one area of your life? Where can you add a gentle but steady goal-oriented pressure in your life? How have you seen this already play out in your story?

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October 14th, 2011

Discipline leads to life

I was reading Proverbs this morning and came across this verse:

“People who accept disciple are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray.”

This verse stands out to me because I’ve begun to see the truth of it. For a long time, scripture reading, devotionals, “quiet-times” and other similar cutesy forms were a drag to me. I’d encounter seasons of energetic bursts where reading was enjoyable, but those would quickly die off and I’d slump back into my normal excuses for why I “didn’t have time”. The bottom line was that I wasn’t meeting with God and so all these attempts were futile.

This pattern could probably summarize most of my adult spiritual life.

Somewhere over the last year, I really became fed up with my relationship with God. I began asking some hard questions; things like, “Should I be telling people about God, when the truth is that I don’t really have a relationship worth sharing about? Would I really want people to have the same faith story that I have? Do I know God? Does He know me? Do I know me?”

Master Yoda

Master Yoda

These questions culminated with a lot of frustration. I felt as if God wasn’t speaking, but if I was honest, I also knew that I wasn’t seeking Him very hard. So I came to the conclusion that I was done “trying”. Instead, I was going to resolutely seek God (no “try” – I heard a Yoda quote this week, “Do or do not. There is no try.”). In a bout of defiance and desperation, I told myself and the Lord, “There is a chair downstairs that is going to become my ‘holy chair’. I’m going to be in it every morning. I’m going to read the Bible, some books that stir my heart and mind, and wait for You to speak. You may not talk to me for a very long time. I haven’t talked with you that much, so it’s easy to understand. But I’m going to be there. And if you need me, that’s where I’ll be. Waiting and available.”

I stuck with that defiance for some time. In fact, I’m in that chair right now. After some time though, things began to change. I began to change. My heart softened. My spiritual ears opened. And not all at once, but little by little, I have begun to hear the Lord and sense the Holy Spirit in my life. There are doubts and failures; I’ve fallen asleep more times than I’d like to admit (I call that “deep meditation”). But I’m still here. And if God wants me, He has full access.

I don’t deserve anything from the Lord. He has blessed me more than I deserve and rescued me from disobedience that leads to death. So my defiance is a little out of place. But it took that discipline and resolution to put me in a pattern that leads to life.

If you are reading this, will you join me in this solidarity protest against the spiritual realm? Be a squatter and camp out somewhere that you can be alone. Be resolute and firm. Tell God that you want Him and you are not leaving. And when you feel nothing for the first month or two, hold out longer. I promise that God will speak and the Spirit will move. It’s just that sometimes, our hearts have been much more disciplined in the ways of laziness and selfishness than they have been in the way of the cross.

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August 12th, 2011

Silence

Silence your body to listen to the words
Silence your tongue to listen to your thoughts
Silence your thoughts to listen to your heart beating
Silence your heart to listen to your spirit
Silence your spirit to listen to His Spirit

In silence you leave many to be with The One

-Mama Maggie Gobran, WCA Leadership Summit 2011

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August 9th, 2011

A Generous Kind of People

YouVersion has an excellent selection of scripture reading plans. I’ve used a few of them in my time with the Lord and it has been really good for me. Currently, I’m reading through a selection of verses on the topic of biblical generosity.

My first observation when I began reading was that the verses didn’t seem to be directly about generosity, or at least how I was expecting them. Instead, they catalogued references to God’s generosity towards us. As I thought about this, I realized how important that is; if we first grasp the generous love that God has towards us, then responding in generous love comes about more naturally, and not as an obligation. We serve a God who is stunningly benevolent towards us. Take a moment to be reflect on what God has blessed your life with and let Him move you.

The body of believers I gather with regularly has been talking about how God is a reaching, restoring and reproducing God. Recent conversations have revolved around the restoring aspect as it relates to local and global injustice. This caught my attention this morning as I read about generosity and the scripture repeatedly referred to ways that God is just and how He thinks about our behavior towards those in need. It became very obvious that this is important to God and that our stance on injustice has something to do with our understanding of generosity.

A discussion last night uncovered a definition of injustice that makes sense to me: Injustice is what makes you say to yourself, “That is not right.” For me, some of those things are single-moms struggling to make ends meet and no one to fight for them; children in verbally, physically or emotionally abusive homes; an elderly man spending the last 20 years of his life alone, while he lives in a suburban home on a street where Christ-followers live; a woman feeling as if her only way to be noticed is to wear low-cut shirts and hang out at the bars, or come dangerously close to death by overdosing, cutting or eating. These things make me cringe and cry out inside, “That is not right!”

Originally, I thought that injustice was only starving babies on distant continents or dictators exerting harsh and oppressive control — that is injustice and it must end. Yet, I’m discovering that not all injustice is out of our reach. Most of it is next door or across the street.

A generous kind of people is one that has encountered the restoring love of God and invites others to be swept away in God’s redemptive stream of life. I long for the label of “Christian” or “Christ-follower” be one that stirs pictures of people who are actively involved in writing a story marked by making right the things that are “just not right” and seeing the Kingdom of God come in fullness.

Parting thought: If you were to take a step toward removing the barriers that keep you from a just lifestyle, what would that barrier be? If you were to make one decision that advances the Kingdom in relation to injustice or invites others to join with you, what would that decision be?

In short: What is holding you back? How are you moving forward?

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