Discipleship: The Image of Christ

'Single-minded discipleship means looking solely at your Master and adopting this 'pattern' of thinking, acting and feeling..."walk even as he walked" (1 John 2v6), and "Do as he has done" (John 13v15), "love as he has loved" (Ephesians 5v2, John 13v34, 15v12), "forgive as he forgave" (Col. 3v13), "have this mind, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil 2v5), and therefore we are able to follow the example he has left us (1 Peter 2v21), lay down our lives for the brethren as he did (1 John 3v16). It is only because He became like us that we can become like him...it is not an ideal one can conform himself to, but Christ himself living in the person...therefore we should not speak of the Christian life: we should speak rather of Christ living in us. "I live, and yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me" ...and where Christ is there is the Father and the Spirit also.'

Ephesians 5v1

Discipleship: Remembrance

As I was praying over this offering of discipleship time the Spirit brought me back to a time in my early Life. The young man who came over to share dinner with Robin and I and ended up sharing with us the Gospel of God, wow! How life has changed since then. So many battles won, so much born up by Him. I remember after that initial call, he came to our house every Monday night to meet with Robin and I. He opened the Word of God to us and guess where he started...the sermon on the mount! I had honestly not even thought about that until yesterday. I remember him bringing concordances, bible dictionaries (I thought he was crazy at the time with all that studying and taking the words of Jesus so seriously!), but most of all he brought the Holy Spirit...and despite all of mine and Robin's stumbling about (in our lives as well as the study time) and the questions and the confusion...he stuck it out...every Monday he was there for us. I thank my Father in heaven and my Lord Jesus, the King...who deserves such grace? So, as I am engaging in this season of sharing, I just pray God give me the strength, patience and love I saw exhibited and experienced in my first mentor in the faith.

Have a blessed day!

Discipleship: The Good News According to Jesus

When, by grace, Jesus calls you to discipleship he does not require more of you than you can bear with Him. I have been told so many times that Jesus teaches his disciples really hard teachings just to show us how much we need Him...then this giant leap of human doctrinal wisdom comes flying in like Superfly Jimmy Snuka...big,sweaty, and fake...assuming that once you see that you need His help, you can just kinda forget about all that stuff he told you and help walking that stuff out...you just need this romantic idea of Him, not His help...not His grace working in you to truly recover what was lost in you, the image of God. So discipleship...which is the relationship...is changed into something all together of our own imaginations. Instead of the bread from heaven, we settle for frosted flakes. Instead of the Lion of Judah, the Lamb of God...we get buddy jesus...a lifeless idol.

The Kingdom of God has come near you, repent and receive forgiveness. We urge you be reconciled to God.

It is no trouble to tell you the truth again...and it is good for you...

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the hillside, and sat down. His disciples came to him. He took a deep breath and began teaching his teaching:

Wonderful news for the poor in spirit! The kingdom of heaven is yours.
Wonderful news for the mourners! You’re going to be comforted.
Wonderful news for the meek! You’re going to inherit the earth.
Wonderful news for the people who hunger and thirst for God’s justice!
You’re going to be satisfied.
Wonderful news for the merciful! You’ll receive mercy yourselves.
Wonderful news for the pure in heart! You will see God.
Wonderful news for the peacemakers! You’ll be called God’s children.
Wonderful news for the people who are persecuted for God’s way!
The kingdom of heaven belongs to you.

‘Wonderful news for you, when people slander you and persecute you, and say all kinds of wicked things about you falsely because of me! Celebrate and rejoice: there’s a great reward for you in heaven. That’s how they persecuted the prophets who went before you.’

You’re the salt of the earth! But if the salt becomes tasteless, how is it going to get salty again? It’s no good for anything. You might as well throw it out and walk all over it.

You’re the light of the world! A city can’t be hidden if it’s on the top of a hill. People don’t light a lamp and put it under a bucket; they put it on a lampstand. Then it gives light to everybody in the house. That’s how you must shine your light in front of people! Then they will see what wonderful things you do, and they’ll give glory to your father in heaven.

Don’t suppose that I came to destroy the law and the prophets. I didn’t come to destroy them; I came to fulfill them!

I’m telling you the truth: until heaven and earth disappear, not one stroke, not one dot, is going to disappear from the law, until it’s all come true. So anyone who relaxes a single one of these commandments, even the little ones, and teaches that to people, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven. But anyone who does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

‘You heard it said to the ancient people, “You shall not murder”; and anyone who commits murder shall be liable to judgment. But I say to you anyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; anyone who uses foul and abusive language will be liable to the lawcourt; and anyone who says, “You fool”, will be liable to the fires of Gehenna.

So, if you are coming to the altar with your gift, and there you remember that your brother has a grievance against you, leave your gift right there in front of the altar, and go first and be reconciled to your brother. Then come back and offer your gift. Make friends with your opponent quickly, while you are with him on the street, in case your opponent hands you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you find yourself being thrown into jail. I’m telling you the truth: you won’t get out until you’ve paid the last penny.’

‘You heard’, Jesus continued, ‘that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you: everyone who gazes at a woman in order to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye trips you up, tear it out and throw it away. Yes: it’s better for you to have one part of your body destroyed than for your whole body to go into Gehenna.

‘It was also said, “If someone divorces his wife, he should give her a legal document to prove it.” But I say to you: everyone who divorces his wife, unless it’s in connection with immorality, makes her commit adultery; and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

‘Again, you heard that it was said to the people long ago: “You shall not swear falsely, but you shall give to the Lord what you promised under oath.” But I say to you: don’t swear at all! Don’t swear by heaven (it’s God’s throne!); don’t swear by the earth (it’s God’s footstool!); don’t swear by Jerusalem (it’s the city of the great king!); don’t swear by your head (you can’t make one hair of it turn white or black!). When you’re talking, say “Yes” when you mean Yes, and “No” when you mean No. Anything more than that comes from the evil one.’

‘You heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you: don’t use violence to resist evil! Instead, when someone hits you on the right cheek, turn the other one towards him. When someone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your cloak, too. And when someone forces you to go one mile, go a second one with him. Give to anyone who asks you, and don’t refuse someone who wants to borrow from you.

‘You heard that it was said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I tell you: Love your enemies! Pray for people who persecute you! That way, you’ll be children of your father in heaven! After all, he makes his sun rise on the bad and good alike and sends rain both on the upright and on the unjust. Look at it like this: if you love those who love you, do you expect a special reward? Even tax-collectors do that, don’t they? And if you only greet your own family , what’s so special about that? Even Gentiles do that, don’t they? Well then: you must be perfect, just as your heavenly father is perfect.’

Those with ears, hear.

Abortion? Not this Way

Being well aware of the controversy that dwells in this land concerning abortion and with that controversy the powerful emotions that are vested in the hearts and minds of all involved, I do not approach the issue without due care and prayer. It seems a complex and irreconcilable issue, yet for the Christian it should be clear. The Christian must be for life and for choice. The Word of God demands this be our position.

The Christian, who is called to unswerving obedience to Messiah, hears their Lord say, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” and St. Paul makes clear that “To live is Messiah”. So the Christian understands and so it is spoken clearly by the elder, ‘No more shall you kill a child by abortion, nor shall you kill it once it is born.’ Anyone doing such a thing and teaching others to do the same should be turned over to Satan for the destruction of their flesh that they may be saved when the End comes, forever blessed and holy is He.

As for those who are in the world, the sons and daughters of disobedience. Those blind, ignorant and dead. As we once walked! It is written, let the ‘wicked continue in their wickedness and the righteous in their righteousness’. This is to say, Christian, you must leave room for the judgment of God. The Teacher says “God will bring into judgment both the righteous and the wicked, for there will be a time for every activity, a time to judge every deed.” and again, “As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.” When faced with this truth, one can chose to walk in the way of Light, receiving in themselves Eternal Life, the Salvation that comes from God in Christ or to remain in darkness and death because they are afraid, because they know that their deeds are evil and are they are ignorant to the loving kindness of the King. The wicked flee though no one pursues! There is nothing new under the sun; however, in the Son all things become new! So, Christian, preach the Kingdom, forgiveness of sins in Christ, death, resurrection, eternal life and judgment, the setting of all things to rights! The gospel of God. Not just in word, but in deed. Let your walking be your preaching as well.

If you want to destroy the works of the devil, Christian, be prepared to suffer, to bear the weight of their sin as our Lord taught us, to love them, to take them in, to bring them healing, to listen carefully and to speak with grace and humility, to bring them to Messiah making disciples, fully immersing them in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to walk according to His Word. Certainly you are not to make whores of our mothers, daughters, sisters and wives by turning them over to rape! Remember always that we do not war against flesh and blood, but the evil that corrupts and destroys: idolatry, the god of convenience, the god of money, or whatever…these are not gods! They are the children of Desolation that seek to set themselves up as gods in the temple of the Holy One!

What temple? There is no temple? There is! In the place where He himself undertakes to make and finish it! For it is written and it is coming to pass, as the Day is accomplished, the temple of God shall be built gloriously in the name of the Lord. We find then that there is a temple. How then shall it be built in the name of the Lord? Understand this. Before we believed on God through his Messiah, the dwelling of our heart was corrupt and weak, a temple truly built by hands; it was full of idolatry and was a house of demons, because we did whatsoever was contrary to God. But now, it is being built in the name of the Lord. Pay attention then so that the temple of the Lord may be built gloriously. How? Understand this. By receiving the remission of our sins and hoping on the Name we became new, created afresh from the beginning as the Lord is doing throughout the whole of Creation in and through Messiah, who is seated at His right hand. God dwells truly in our habitation within us! How? The word of his faith, the calling of his promise, the Spirit of the ordinances, the Words of the teaching, He Himself prophesying in us, He Himself dwelling in us, opening for us who had been in bondage to death the door of the temple, which is the mouth, and giving us repentance leading us to the incorruptible temple, the New Heaven and New Earth where righteousness dwells, that God may be all and in all!

Some may say ‘in the New Heaven and New Earth there will be no temple as the prophet says.’ This is true! What dwelling can hold Almighty God? So open the door! Speak His Word, the Gospel of God! Walk in the good works He has prepared for you that you may no longer walk as though you possess God, but that God possesses you! The Lord of Hosts! Let your whole body be Light! It is no trouble for me to remind you that flesh and blood cannot enter the Kingdom, so be changed and walk in the Spirit! I urge you all be reconciled to God in Christ, be of the same mind, the same Spirit…That of Messiah Jesus.

Grace and peace,
JNG