The greatest mistake a Christian can make is to substitute his own will for the will of God.H.A. Ironside
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,” – Ephesians 1:3
He has blessed us.
Already.
Not He will someday.
HAS.
We live like spiritual supplicants, beggars, just trying to make it another day. Yet God has already given us every spiritual blessing.
EVERY!
Spiritually speaking, we’re beyond trillionaires.
“If a banker takes you into the vault, unlocks it, and says ‘have your fill’ and you walk out with one penny, who’s fault is it that you’re poor?” – Maclaren
“It’s one thing to have blessings. It’s another thing to make them yours.” – Ironside
“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,” – Ephesians 3:17
Give Christ the master key to your heart. Let Him settle in and make every part of you His home.
That He may dwell. Dwell!
Not visit or hang out for a little while.
Not that Christ may just kick it with you sometime.
That He would take off His hat and stay. Permanent and unbroken. Governing and directing.
Dwelling!
Jesus shut within a Book
Is hardly worth a passing look;
Jesus shut within a creed
Is a fruitless Lord indeed.
But Jesus in the hearts of men
Shows His tenderness again.
- Gordon Grooms
I read this on my new favorite website: gospelcentereddiscipleship.com
The Problem of Discipleship in the Western Church
I believe one of the core reasons why discipleship is seen as weak in the modern Western church is that the vital reproductive impulse of discipleship has been in large part neutralized. In a culture fascinated with numbers, church growth, big buildings, celebrity pastors, and microwave maturity, there is simply no time for authentic discipleship to take place. Pastors and elders are too busy to model it. The people are too consumeristic to desire it.
“Pastors and elders are too busy to model it. The people are too consumeristic to desire it.”
Holy crap.
Stop Casting Vision.
Because vision sells.
If I’ve caught your vision, it’s because you’ve pitched it to me.
Like a Mormon knocking on my door. Soliciting.
You pitched it. I caught it.
The origins of vision (starting with you, then to me) make me skeptical. I’m not thinking about what you’re selling. I’m thinking about why you’re selling.
I don’t want to catch your vision.
But I do want to smell it.
If I smell your vision, it’s because you wreak of it. It’s because it’s pouring from you without effort.
At that point, I can verify that your vision is legit.
I pick up on it. I smell it. I’m interested.
To me, your vision is much more believable and bankable when I stumble upon it.
Stop selling.
For me, nothing is more sobering than studying the crucifixion.
The scene is quite dark.
The innocent Jesus is being executed along with two guilty robbers. Soldiers are gambling for His stuff. The mob is spiting and barking. The religious rulers are sarcastically demanding for the Messiah to “save Himself.” Most of His disciples have left Him.
The most vocal disciple, who said he would follow Jesus to death (Luke 22:33) is no where to be found.
Even the crucified criminals are mocking Him.
Literally, the scene is dark.
Then something beautiful happens.
One of the criminals leans forward, and speaking across the body of Jesus, tells the other criminal to shut up.
What? Why the change?
Just before that moment, Jesus prayed to the Father and asked for the forgiveness of everyone there.
In that prayer, the thief on the cross saw love on the cross. Filled with humility, confession, and mourning, the robber saw himself for who he really was. And Jesus for who He really was.
Realizing that Jesus is about to enter into His kingdom, the criminal, no longer seeking to steal something, asks for something.
And of course, Jesus looks to the outer cross and saves him.
There were three crosses that day when it ended. But only one man had died.
The other two were alive.
