I Am a Disciple

I first ran across this reading about twenty years ago. It continues to challenge and inspire me on a number of levels. When I think about our calling to be in the world as an extension of Jesus Christ, I find myself going back to these words time and again. I pray they minister to you as they have ministered to me on countless occasions.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power.
The die has been cast. I've stepped over the line.

The love of God controls me. The decision has been made. I'm a disciple
of His. I won't look back, let up, slow down, or back away.

My past is redeemed. My present makes sense. My future is secure.

I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning,
smooth and ease, colorless dreams, mundane talking, cheap giving, and
dwarfed roles.

I no longer need prosperity, position, promotion, preeminence, or
popularity.

I don't have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or
rewarded.

I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk in patience, live by
prayer, and labor with power.

My face is set. My gait is fast. My goal is the Kingdom of God. My road
is narrow. My way is rough. My companions few. My guide reliable. My
mission clear.

I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back,
deluded or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of
adversaries, negotiate at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of
mediocrity.

I won't give up, shut up, let up until I've stayed up, stored up, prayed
up, paid up, spoken up, for the cause of Christ.

I must go until He comes, give until I drop, teach until all know, run
until He stops me.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ

("I am a Disciple" by Ed Cole)

Gracious Father, sharpen our minds with such thinking that we may indeed be in the world as extensions of the living Christ. Strengthen our resolve, focus our hearts and make us instruments for your use in a world that needs to know the gospel. Equip us with what we need, reduce in us what needs to be reduced and, awaken us to the vision of life that you offer until you send your Son for us. Amen.

Randy Daugherty - Stephenville, Texas

Draw Near with Confidence

…let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water… (Hebrews 10:22)

During the first few months of life our hearts hum a simple tune. When we’re comfortable we coo, when we’re uncomfortable we cry, and when we don’t know what we are – just feel out of sorts -- we fret while we make up our minds.

One sign of maturity is learning how to bring harmony to a cacophony of conflicting emotions. For example, we love our spouse, we love banana pudding, we love it when driver and golf ball meet at the “sweet spot,” and we love it when a plan comes together.

We sometimes look and sound angry when we actually feel vulnerable, frustrated, sad, embarrassed, afraid… In the heat of the moment it’s easier to pitch an angry fit than to figure out what’s really going on with us.

Different feelings call for different choices. What’s this got to do with feeling guilty? Our conscience (Greek noun suneidesis) is what discerns good from evil so we can do what’s good and avoid evil.

What do you feel guilty about? I feel guilty when I relax….when I say no….when I eat sweets…let my children struggle…spend money on myself…missing church when I’m sick…

We beat ourselves up feeling guilty. We pray for wisdom to make choices that please God, then thank him by “feeling guilty” when we don’t meet human expectations. I feel very frustrated about that!

Wisdom finally said, “Sandra, what does God’s word say about feeling guilty?”
I delved into my trusty Vine’s Dictionary of Biblical Words, [Vine’s and Mounce’s] Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Westminster Dictionary of Theological Terms, and NIV Study Bible to see exactly what I should and should not feel guilty about.

I’m not a Greek student but I can snoop out sufficiently enough to be dangerous. Feeling guilty wasn’t in there!

Let’s call it what it is. We can feel uncomfortable or unsettled about earthly matters, but where eternal matters are concerned “feeling guilty” has no place in the life of a Christian. That’s very good news (Romans 5:6; 6:8; I Peter 3:18; I Corinthians 6:11).

Father God, thank you for your gift of grace that gives us peace, comfort and joy in the chaos of life. Through Jesus whose sacrifice ensured it, amen.

Sandra Milholland
Abilene, Texas

WWJD?

We live in a world that is always changing.    Our world is seductive and crazy – it’s tough to stay grounded in our anchor points.  Everywhere you look – possible temptations exist.  1 Peter 5:8 says that Satan is on the prowl.  We can’t possibly withstand the advances of evil on our own.  We need Jesus.

But, what would Jesus do…about temptation?  Matthew 4:1-11 shows us.

1.  At some time in our lives, every one of us has been tempted to do something which we have reservations about, something which doesn’t seem quite right, and every one of us has found it very hard to

 resist doing it.  Believe me, Jesus knew that situation very well – we only have to look at what happened in the desert to see that Jesus can sympathize with us:  no sooner was Jesus baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River than he was led by the Spirit into the desert, where he was tempted by the Devil.  His experience will help us to know what to do when we are tempted.  Jesus knew he would face temptation and was prepared for it.

When the Devil visits Jesus, he is not surprised.  In fact, he answers the Devil without hesitation.  This suggests he was prepared – he knew he would be tempted!  It’s not wrong to be tempted – even Jesus was tempted.  It’s wrong to give in to the temptation.  So, be ready to be tempted, and be ready to resist!

How should we prepare for it?  How can we be ready to resist temptation when it comes?  When the Devil begins to tempt Jesus, He immediately answers with a verse from Scripture.  Jesus knows God’s word – it gives him help to resist temptation.  So, read your Bible, and even memorize important verses.  If we know without a doubt what God says about something, then we will find it easier to resist temptation when we face it.  The Bible has a lot to say about all sorts of 21st Century issues, if we will just read it.  But it’s more than merely reading the Bible, it’s about enjoying a close relationship with God.  Christians also feel better able to resist temptation when they pray.  So let us draw close to God, just as Jesus was.  Jesus would not let himself be pressured into giving into temptation.

  

2.  The Devil said to Jesus, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread”; and “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down.”  The Devil dares Jesus to do something, in order to prove that He is truly the Son of God.  Sometimes we can find ourselves being dared by others to do things which we know are wrong:  “Prove you’re not scared by stealing something from the store”; “If you really want to be my friend, you’ll come to the bar with me.”  Jesus didn’t let the Devil bully or blackmail him into doing things that he knew to be wrong.  He knew He didn’t have to prove anything to the Devil, but He did know He should do what God wanted.  It’s the same for us.  We have nothing to prove to those who tempt us to do wrong. Our responsibility is to do the right thing for God.  Jesus refused to take the easy way out.

3.  Jesus had been sent on a mission by His Father.  It would mean that every human being would have the opportunity to be restored to God, but it would also mean that He would have to die on a wooden cross. The Devil offered Him an easy way out:  worship him, instead of God, and be given authority over all nations of the world.  What a temptation that must have been – no ridicule and rejection by his fellow human beings. Also, no suffering and death on the cross.  It could have all been avoided by simply saying “yes” to the Devil in the desert.  But it would have meant that His mission to save us had failed.  God’s way is not always the easiest way, but it is always the right way.

So, next time you’re really tempted to do something you think is probably wrong, remember what Jesus would do:
1) Jesus would think about what the Bible said about it, and then act accordingly
2) Jesus would do what God wanted, not what anyone else dared him to do
3) Jesus would do the right thing, even if it was not the easiest thing

Father, thank you for the example of Jesus.  Help us to remember Him when we are faced with temptation.  Deliver us from the Evil One.  In Jesus we pray, Amen.

Casey Dacus
Graham, Texas