Walking Points: Reflection Questions and Next Steps
Coming Home: Receiving Jesus John 1:9-13 Our pastor is preaching an Advent series through December entitled, “Coming Home.” He writes, “We often look at this season through the lens of nostalgia. The tug of our memories is almost irresistible. We long to go back “home” to the holidays of our past. "But the message of the Scriptures is not that “we” journey back to some favored place in our memory. Rather, it is the startling news that God is making his home among us. We are left with some questions, “Will we receive him? How do we receive him?” Below are some “Walking Points,” which are questions for reflection and next steps for you to consider taking during this Advent season and beyond. You can use them for your personal devotional time or with others in a small group. John 1:9–13 (ESV) 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 1. In verse 9, the Apostle John refers to Jesus as the “true light” (see also John 8:12). · What does John mean by that? · What does light do? · What do you think it means that the “true light gives light to everyone.” · In what ways do we get light from Jesus? · Share some examples of how Jesus lights your life (Ephesians 5:8; 1 John 2:8-10). 2. Not only did Jesus, as the Son of God, come to the world, but he came to world he made (v. 10). · What are two or three things we learn about Jesus from those two truths in verse 10? · To think that the Creator of heaven and earth took human flesh and walked among us is astonishing. What emotions do you experience as you reflect on that? Why? 3. The last part of verse 10 says the world did not know Jesus when he came. Verse 11 goes further by declaring Jesus came to his own people and they did not receive him. · What are some reasons people do not recognize and receive Jesus today? · What are some reasons you have recognized who Jesus is and have received him into your life as Lord and Savior? · How would you share God’s story of good news with a friend who has not yet “received Jesus?” · How would you incorporate your story into that larger story? (If you are doing these questions in a small group, share with the others how you came to know Christ as Lord and Savior.) 4. What does John say it means to “receive” Jesus, according to verse 12? · Does he mean only intellectual ascent? If not, what are the biblical components of faith in Jesus? · What are the benefits of receiving Jesus (v. 12)? 5. Being a child of God, biblically speaking, isn’t something you are simply by being alive. It’s not a condition that is the result of a natural process. Instead, it’s the result of a supernatural work (John 3:1-15; Eph. 2:8-9). · Compare and contrast what it means for a person to have their identity formed and shaped by who world says they are versus who God says they are as his child. · What does it mean for you to know you are a child of God? What difference does that make in how you think, speak, and live your life? · How would you share that with a friend or family member who seems to be seeking their identity in all the wrong places? 6. Write down the name of one person you would like to share your thoughts and experiences with, based on what you discussed in these questions. Begin to pray for that person now and for God to provide you with an opportunity to talk about Christ, and the difference he’s made in your life, with them.
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2 Timothy 2:2; 1 Timothy 1:2; Acts 13
One-On-One Discipleship In my reading over the years I’ve been often reminded of how important one-to-one ministry really is. As a man invests his life into the life of another man, real growth can occur in remarkable ways. This is one of the key ways our faith has been passed down through the centuries. And I can certainly attest to the power and influence such a ministry has played in my own life. A helpful way of thinking about one-on-one ministry is to think about three names: Paul, Barnabas, and Timothy. Below is a description of what each name represents as we think in terms of ministering to other men. Paul 1.) Paul represents that person in your life who mentors, leads, and directs you. This is the man who comes along side you to disciple you along the road of faith and life. This is someone who has traveled further down the road of faith and life than you. This man doesn’t have to be a great deal older than you, but it probably ought to be someone who has walked faithfully with God long enough and far enough for you to profit from his wisdom – his reflected-upon experience, study of God’s Word, etc. And it usually is the case that, though not exclusively so, this man will be older than you as well. But, as I said, sometimes this simply means, “older in the faith.” I hasten to add that you must beware of someone who says he has been a Christian for 25 years when in reality, he has been a Christian for only one year, 25 years in a row. In other words, there has been no growth and maturation over that 25 years. My own observation as a pastor is that this sort of person abounds in the church. There are many people who, by their own admission, haven’t learned much more about God’s Word and walking along the road with him, than when they were children in Vacation Bible School. And so brothers, you must be careful about this. Pray for discernment. Also, just because a man is at the top of his game in his profession, does not mean he is likewise mature and advanced in his faith. Success in one field of endeavor doesn’t necessarily mean success in another area of life. As I heard one person describe it, a man may have a Ph.D. in psychology, but have a second grade Sunday school degree in Bible. This is not the sort of man you want to have as your Paul. Barnabas 2.) Barnabas is someone who encourages you and holds you accountable in your faith and life. This is more or less a mutual friendship, or what’s called in the world of spiritual formation, a “spiritual friendship.” In the book of Acts, Paul and Barnabas traveled together side by side. Barnabas was a key person in Paul’s life, especially at the beginning of his walk with Christ as he introduced Paul to the Christian community. Their relationship then became one of mutual encouragement, ministry, and accountability. There are men I have discipled for years who have gone from being a Timothy in my life to becoming a Barnabas to me. And while I can still disciple them, they also minister to me in many ways. Timothy 3.) Timothy is that man you help guide along the road of faith and life. This is generally someone who has not traveled as far as you have in your walk with Christ. Such a man is marked (or should be) by an eagerness to grow in his relationship with Christ and is humble and teachable enough to receive what you have to share and to interact with you on the things of faith and life. This “mark of a Timothy” should not be ignored just for the sake of having a Timothy. There are many smart guys out there who don’t have teachable spirits. They feel they have nothing to learn from another man. So too, some are indifferent to the things of God. Timothy, Paul’s “son in the faith,” as Paul called him, was humble, teachable, and eager to know, love, and follow God through Jesus Christ. So too, a “Timothy” shouldn’t expect to only receive guidance and wisdom from his “Paul,” but should plan on becoming a Paul himself one day so he can begin the whole process over again with another man. This is a process in a man’s life that ought to last a lifetime and be produced, reproduced, and multiplied over and over again throughout the course of the man’s lifetime, as well as in the lives of the men he invests in. We are Christians today, humanly speaking, because those who went before us were faithful to this process. In sum, we need to be a Paul, Barnabas, and Timothy and we need to have a Paul, Barnabas, and Timothy. Such men in our lives are gifts from God. And we have the blessed opportunity to be such a gift to other men. Walking Points · Who is your Paul? To whom are you a Paul? Describe those relationships. · Who is your Barnabas? To whom are you a Barnabas? Describe those relationships. · Who is your Timothy? To whom are you a Timothy? Describe those relationships. · If you drew a blank on any of those questions, begin praying for God to bring men into your life who will invest in you or who will be open to you investing in them. Flee from the Wrath to Come
Do you desire to flee from the wrath to come and be saved from your sins? Answering yes to that question was the only condition required for those who wanted to be admitted into the societies of a new movement of God in the 18th century, called, “Methodism.” Romans 8:1 reminds us of this good news, Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Wrath. Condemnation. That’s some pretty serious stuff. How to Flee So, how can we flee from the wrath to come and be saved from our sins? And how can we make Paul’s declaration our own and say, “There is now no condemnation for us for we are in Christ Jesus”? James helps us here. Listen to this paraphrase of James 5:13-16a from Eugene Peterson’s, The Message, Are you hurting? Pray. Do you feel great? Sing. Are you sick? Call the church leaders together to pray and anoint you with oil in the name of the Master. Believing-prayer will heal you, and Jesus will put you on your feet. And if you’ve sinned, you’ll be forgiven--healed inside and out. Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. It was James 5:16a, that was the governing verse and slogan for those early Methodist societies. Again, James wrote, Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. There was a direct connection for Wesley between spiritual healing and physical healing – or any other kind of healing. Meeting Together We can flee from the wrath of God, be saved from our sins, and be delivered from condemnation because our Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins on the cross. That’s what we remember and experience when we celebrate Holy Communion. That’s what we remind one another of when we meet together to build one another up in our faith. John Wesley wanted Methodist Christians to live whole and holy lives in response to the grace of God, by the grace of God – out of thanksgiving and obedience to God. And part of doing that was by meeting together regularly to confess sins, share temptations and other struggles with one another. Then they would encourage one another, pray for one another, and remind one another of God’s healing power, grace, and the truth of 1 John 1:9, which says, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. This is similar to what United Methodists do when we confess our sins together in our Holy Communion liturgy. Once we confess our sins, the pastor then reads these words, “Hear the good news: Christ died for us while we were yet sinners; that proves God’s love toward us. In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.” Then the congregation responds, “In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.” Here’s the key: We’re not forgiving one another. Instead, we’re affirming and declaring the truth of the Gospel of 1 John 1:9 – that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Forgiven and Forgiving Now, of course, if we sin against another person, we do need to go to that person and seek their forgiveness. That’s why Jesus, in Matthew 5, tells us if we’re going to the altar to give an offering and remember someone who has something against us, we should first go to them and be reconciled. We should be people whose lives are marked by being forgiven and forgiving. Think of the words we say when we pray the Lord’s Prayer: “And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Jesus expects his followers to be people who forgive much because they have been forgiven much. I encourage you to take a close and hard look at your life. If you have any areas of your life that need that sort of reconciliation, then this very day, go to that person and either ask for forgiveness or offer it. That’s a healing act. That can bring about wonderful healing and wholeness in your life and in the lives of others. Wholistic Healing You see, Christianity is a wholistic faith. To be whole and holy means we seek to live wholistic lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Our spiritual lives, physical lives, relationships, mental lives, emotional lives and more are all interconnected. And therefore, we need healing, which of course includes spiritual healing. You see, sin is a sickness of the soul. It has devastating power in our lives. It can have an incredibly alienating impact in our lives. It can… · Alienate us from God · Alienate us from Others, and · Alienate us even from Ourselves. James recognized that in our text by connecting our spiritual need for forgiveness with our physical needs for healing and the many other ways we experience troubles in this world. Meeting together with other brothers in Christ is a way to watch over one another in love, to confess our sins and struggles to one another, to be reminded that when we confess our sins God will forgive us, and to receive help and reconciliation when needed. In a word, we experience God’s grace in these times of deep, biblical fellowship. Brothers, isn’t that good news? And because of it we can declare with the Apostle Paul, Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Thanks be to God. Walking Points · Reread Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of James 5:13-16, mentioned in this chapter. Meditate upon it and write down key ideas you gain from it. · In what ways does your small group help bring healing to the men in your group? · What are some ways your group could improve at reminding one another of the wholistic healing offered in and through Christ Jesus, our Lord? · At its best and most biblical, what do you think should take place when men meet together in a small group setting? · How can you help and encourage your group to start moving in that direction? Start praying for that today. God will move mountains when men pray. In Search of Just One Good Example
My wife and I have recently been making our way through a period drama on TV. We have enjoyed much of it, especially the first couple of seasons. I noticed in the third season the program started introducing Christians into the story, Methodists in particular. One ought to expect to see Christians in 18th century England. The program rightly shows that the England of the Wesleys and Whitefield was a mess when their Methodist movement got going. In fact, some historians have pointed out that England was moving in the same direction as the bloody revolution in France when these men, and those who followed them, began to faithfully proclaim the Gospel. Sadly, but not unexpectedly, this series has not had a great deal of positive things to say about the Christian faith. I have no gripes against showing the dark side (fallen, sinful side) of Christians. Christians have never officially taught they were morally perfect people, even if some over two millennia have hypocritically pretended otherwise. However, Christianity is the largest religion in the world, with well over two billion people who claim a commitment to Jesus Christ. Therefore, it does not seem unreasonable to think that with so many people claiming to follow Christ, there would be at least one or two positive stories worth telling, or at least including in an episode or two. Scholars have written extensively on the positive difference Christianity has made in this world, whether it relates to education, freedom, equality, mercy, etc. My goal here is not to list them all, though if you are interested, I encourage you to take look at the recommended reading list at the bottom and dive in. (Don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or would like a suggestion for your first read.) Consider the Consequences Instead, my question is this: Do cynical unbelievers really want a world without Christians? I qualify “unbelievers” because I realize most of them do not want such a world. And yet, the more cynical among them may say, "absolutely." To them I would say, just consider the consequences of such a thought-experiment. If Christians disappeared, there would still be organizations, and even governments, that would continue to provide care to those in need, to stand for the rights of the oppressed, etc. But for how long? For even those right tendencies find their roots in the Christian worldview. Many of the common, everyday virtues people appreciate, and even teach, come from the Christian faith. Our country might continue to practice many of those good and right things if Christians all disappeared. But again, I ask: for how long? Our culture, despite its move toward secularism, still enjoys the borrowed capital of the Christian worldview, however much it protests to the contrary. Unbelievers can say it doesn't because they don't presently have to test their thesis. Yet everyday there are signs that point toward a dwindling of that borrowed capital. Every passing day seems to produce evidence that a consensus of Christian belief and virtue is not appreciated, much less believed and practiced in our culture. A foreboding sign of the times to be sure. Only Christ In no way, shape, or form am I suggesting Christians have no blemishes on their side of the ledger. We do. Way too many. But that fact is why we need a Savior. The only answer to our private and public sins and shortcomings is Christ - his perfect righteousness, substitutionary atonement, indwelling and sanctifying Spirit, and continuing Lordship in our lives. Only Christ and his grace can redeem us and then set us on the right path. He's the only solution for everyone else too. To those cynics out there I would say this: Don’t be too hasty in wanting to get rid of Christians and any vestiges of their worldview and its influence. To do so may seem like a victory, but it will be a fleeting one. And then may God help those left in a comprehensively post-Christian culture, because there will be no Christians left to do so. Walking Points · With two or three other people, think of and talk about all the ways Christianity has influenced our culture and your daily life. · What are those areas that are so much a part of our culture that they’re no longer attributed to the influence of Christians and their worldview? · What are some ways you can be the salt and light influence of Christ in your home, workplace, neighborhood, community, city, and beyond? Write your ideas down so you can reflect upon and pray over them. Get as practical and realistic as possible and begin to pray for the Lord to lead you toward faithfully exercising that influence in the various spheres of your life. · Select a book in the bibliography below and read and discuss it with two or three brothers in Christ. Recommended Reading · The Micah Mandate by George Grant · What If Jesus Had Never Been Born? by James Kennedy and Jerry Newcombe · How Christianity Changed the World by Alvin Schmidt · The Book That Made Your World by Vishal Mangalwadi · How Now Shall We Live? by Charles Colson and Nancy Pearcey · Being the Body by Charles Colson and Ellen Vaughn · Total Truth by Nancy Pearcey · Why You Think the Way You Do by Glenn Sunshine · Kingdom Agenda by Tony Evans · The Kingdom Turn by T.M. Moore · The Kingdom Economy by T.M. Moore · The Victory of Reason by Rodney Stark · How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer · Turning Point: A Christian Worldview Declaration by Herbert Schlossberg and Marvin Olasky · Renaissance by Os Guinness · The Lordship of Christ by Vern Poythress · Culture Making by Andy Crouch · Joy for the World by Greg Forster · Onward by Russell Moore Hebrews 13:7-8 - Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. [8] Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
No Expiration Date Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is unchangeable. What blessed consolation there is in these words. What challenge there is in these words. If our Lord is the same today as he was yesterday, then that means what he said 2,000 years ago about himself and his work remains true to this very day. He has overcome the world. His yoke is easy. His burden is light. He is living water. He is the bread of life. He is the way, the truth and the life. He is the door. He is the gate. He came to bring life. He came to save sinners. He came to bear witness to the truth. His words of exhortation to believe and receive all these truths about himself (and more) are just as true, binding, and life-transforming for us today as when they were first spoken. And they will continue to be so 2,000 years from now, should our Lord wait that long to return. His promises are trustworthy because he is the same yesterday, today, and forever. A Larger Perspective Needed When I consider the saints who have gone before us and read their words about our Lord, I am moved by the fact that, regardless of the century in which their words were written, there is a vital and familiar thread that runs throughout. It’s not simply because those who wrote were merely using the same vocabulary to describe Christ. It’s much more intimate than that. Instead, they were describing someone they knew – someone who does not change with the tides of time and place. Span the centuries and you will find the Lord Jesus being written about, adored, and worshipped with striking continuity and intimacy. We would do well to imitate those faithful saints who traveled the way of Christ before us. Our vision of our Lord, when confined to our time and place alone, can become myopic and limited. It’s easy for us to grow accustomed to his face. Instead, we need to step outside our surroundings and see a bigger, more beautiful Jesus. We need to cross the generations to discover what others have said about our Lord and learn how their thoughts and lives were transformed and renewed because of him. I love to read the works of the saints who lived, served, and died over the last 500 years (though, admittedly, that too can be limiting). I want to learn from those giants of the faith, whose lives, ministries, and teachings have stood the test of time. They have much to teach me today in my narrow little place in history. I encourage you to do the same. Aside from time in God’s Word, there are few better ways to occupy your life of study and mediation than to read Christian biography. The lives of those who traveled with our Lord in the past can serve you as you travel with him in the future. Walking Points
Prayer Eternal God, you are the one, true God of the past, present and future. Your Son is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. I give you praise and thanks that the promises you made in the past are just as true today and will be tomorrow as well. I bless you that what was true about you in the days of the Apostle Paul were just as true when you spoke to Abraham. And praise God, they are just as true today. You and you alone, are worthy of trust because you are the one, true God, and you do not change. Please fill me with your eternal Spirit and keep me close to you today, tomorrow, and forever. In Christ I pray. Amen. This Week’s Prayer Guide [You can use this prayer guide in your own personal prayer time. However, I encourage you to use it with a group of Christian men. Each week you should spend time praising God for who he is, confessing your sin to him (be specific) as well as expressing gratitude to him for his gracious forgiveness. Also, don’t forget to thank God for the many ways he has poured out his goodness in your life. Then, focus on the following areas of supplication, which will change from week to week.] Petitions – prayers for yourself · Lord, help me to faithfully participate in the life of my congregation and for the sake of my community… Ø By my prayers Ø By my presence Ø By my gifts Ø By my service Ø By my witness · Today’s events and interactions with others, planned and unplanned · Other needs Intercession – prayers for others · My family · For those who serve in government, at the national, state, and local levels · For those who serve in law-enforcement · For those who serve in fire and rescue · For those who serve in our nation’s military · Other needs Jeremiah 9:23-26 – This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, [24] but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord. [25] “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh– [26] Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the desert in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”
Harmony It’s great fun and a tremendous blessing to see the harmony of God’s Word in both the Old and New Testaments. Today’s text is a perfect example. We often think discussion of God’s desire for a circumcised heart is the exclusive domain of the New Testament (and St. Paul in particular). However, this truth can be found in the Old Testament as well. Jeremiah 9 reveals that God’s desire for this was not exclusively a New Testament phenomenon. Israel’s Confusion Israel regularly confused its position before God as a token of only the external. “It’s because our flesh has been circumcised that we are in good stead with God,” they seemed to say. But it was never that. Instead, their physical circumcision was to be an outward expression of the inward disposition of their heart toward God. Our sacraments of baptism and communion function in a similar way. The external acts are not magical. They are outward and visible signs of God’s inward and spiritual grace in our lives. Going through the motions is not what counts. Our response of faith to God’s grace is. Jeremiah prophesied God would one day punish those who relied solely on outward (even ethnic) expressions of religiosity. Jesus never had much good to say about mere external expressions of one’s faith. He likened such conduct to whitewashed tombs that were full of dead men’s bones. They looked pretty on the outside, but inside they were grotesque. God’s Desire for You This has been God’s desire for us from the very beginning. Abel gave to God from the best of his first fruits. He inwardly wanted to please God we are led to believe. There was no “going through the motions” for Abel. How is with it with you? Has your heart been consecrated to the Lord God Almighty? Is he your exclusive Master? Do you give him the first fruits of your time, talent, and treasure? Or, is God sharing the throne with you, receiving only what is left over in your life? The truth is, God will have none of that. He wants all of you, in every sphere of your life. Why not lay all of your life on the altar before God as a living sacrifice of praise. I don’t know about you, but I believe God can do a lot more with my life than I can. Why not let him have it – all of it – for his glory and your good. Walking Points
Prayer Almighty God, too often I go through the motions of my religion but seemingly forget about the deep intimacy you desire for our relationship. Please forgive me. Remind me, and then enable me, to give myself fully to you each day, body, mind, and soul. May I offer myself to you as a living sacrifice for your glory. Please renew my mind with your Word and Spirit and transform my life into the likeness of your Son, Jesus Christ. Help me to live such a life that when people see it, they will give you praise in heaven. In Christ I pray. Amen. This Week’s Prayer Guide [You can use this prayer guide in your own personal prayer time. However, I encourage you to use it with a group of Christian men. Each week you should spend time praising God for who he is, confessing your sin to him (be specific) as well as expressing gratitude to him for his gracious forgiveness. Also, don’t forget to thank God for the many ways he has poured out his goodness in your life. Then, focus on the following areas of supplication, which will change from week to week.] Petitions – prayers for yourself · Give me greater love for those who are hard to love. · Help me to be compassionate and kind to those in need, even when it’s inconvenient. · Pour out upon me your courage and boldness to love those who do not know you and to share with them your Gospel, in word and deed. · Today’s events and interactions with others, planned and unplanned · Other needs Intercession – prayers for others · My family · My family and friends who do not have a saving relationship with Christ · For those in my other spheres of influence who do not know Christ · For evangelists around our city, country, and world who risk much in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with those who are lost · Other needs Luke 10:41-42 – “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, [42] but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
My Prayer One way to pray Scripture back to God is by turning a verse or two into a first-person statement. I’ve done that with today’s Scripture. May I not be worried and troubled about many things; only one thing is needed. Like Mary, may I choose the good part, which will not be taken away from me. I have no difficulty seeing the relevance of this truth in my life. It’s living out this truth that’s the hard part. Get Busy Doing Martha was busy… busy cooking, cleaning, organizing, preparing, just plain busy. Her work was important. She was entertaining guests and someone, after all, had to act responsibly. She was busy “doing.” Mary didn’t seem quite so busy. What was she doing? Chatting, listening, and seemingly lounging about. What distinguished Martha’s activity from Mary’s apparent laziness was who Mary was with – the Lord Jesus Christ. She wasn’t necessarily busy “doing.” Instead, she was being, being in relationship. She was basking in the presence of the Lord Jesus. He was an invited guest who would not always be with them. What else should she have done? Mary chose the one thing needed and was told it would not be taken from her. In our world, many people look down on Mary’s kind. “Why, nothing would ever get done if Mary and her ilk had their way,” we might hear. But that’s not exactly true. It’s not like Mary was a habitually lazy person who lay around the house in her pajamas until noon on a regular basis. This was different. Much different. She was enjoying a relationship with her invited Guest. Our Invited Guest We need to take a closer look at the text. Jesus does not admonish Mary for spending time with him; he admonished Martha. Like the poor, so too our jobs, chores, errands, and all the rest, will always be with us. But what of Christ? Well, he promised to always be with us, but in a practical sense he must be our invited Guest each day. He must be the One with whom we can just “be” each day. Jesus said that is the one thing needed and it will not be taken from us when we pursue it. Not only that, but “being” must precede “doing” or else “doing” will turn into drudgery, bitterness, and even pointlessness. This is the point of Jesus’ words in John 15 about the branches needing to be connected to the vine. Apart from Christ, we can do nothing. Without time to “just be” with our Lord, we will run out of gas. We’ll burn out. It will hinder us in persevering until the end. Our “doing” may shine brightly for a season, but it won’t last for the long haul because it will not have the fuel of Christ’s Spirit to sustain it. And that fuel comes only through the one thing necessary – pursuing and enjoying our ongoing relationship with the living God through his Son. We must not forget that knowing him in this way is eternal life (John 17:3). Are you pursuing the one thing in life truly needful? There are many competitors vying for your time, energy, and attention. Some of those things are even good. But don’t let the good become the enemy of the best. Choose the best. Choose consecrated (set apart) time each day to spend with your Lord. He promises you it is the one thing needed and it will not be taken away from you. Walking Points Read the following quote by James Houston. “This past century is possibly the first one in which action has been emphasized and valued more than contemplation. Today we think contemplation wastes time, produces nothing, and bumps awkwardly into our schedules. A devotional life is a questionable priority for most successful people today. But are we “successful” Christians if we are so busy organizing and propagating the Christian faith that we really do not know God personally and intimately?”
Prayer Heavenly Father, ours is a busy world, filled with noise and distractions. There are many things, even good things, that compete with our loyalty to you each and every day. Help me to be like Mary and choose the one thing that will not be taken from me, time spent with you. Protect me from my own weaknesses. Left to myself, I would choose things that would not draw me closer to you, let alone help me become more like you. By your grace, please keep me on the straight and narrow path that leads to abundant and eternal life. In Christ I pray. Amen. This Week’s Prayer Guide [You can use this prayer guide in your own personal prayer time. However, I encourage you to use it with a group of Christian men. Each week you should spend time praising God for who he is, confessing your sin to him (be specific) as well as expressing gratitude to him for his gracious forgiveness. Also, don’t forget to thank God for the many ways he has poured out his goodness in your life. Then, focus on the following areas of supplication, which will change from week to week.] Petitions – prayers for yourself · Give me greater knowledge, depth of insight, and understanding of God’s Word. · Remind me daily of who I am in Christ. Let me be defined by who God says I am, not the world around me. · Guide me into greater understanding and faithfulness of God’s call in my life. · This week’s events and interactions with others, planned and unplanned · Other needs Intercession – prayers for others · My family · My pastor(s), church staff, and missionaries · Those struggling with anger, anxiety, or the overwhelming desire to please people at all costs · Other needs |
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