Showing posts with label following christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label following christ. Show all posts

Monday 9 March 2020

Church indeed critical in faith development

Some two thousand years ago, Jesus approached twelve seemingly unsuspecting Galileans and bid them:
 “Come, follow me.”
For the next three years, they walked alongside him as he discipled them. Toward the end of his earthly ministry, Jesus commissioned his disciples to go and do the same — to take the Gospel message to the world and make disciples in all the nations.

The Great Commission is an audacious undertaking, all the more so given the fast and sweeping changes taking place in the broader culture. People in this day and age have become the new slaves? The slaves of the international companies. But they also have become slaves of their own materialism and want for more.
Their aspirations to come somewhere in life, to reach the top or to get this or that, makes that they are often under a lot of stress. Each person has his or her own stresses: Mountains of laundry wait, errands beckon, and another pressing meeting extends the workday. Prayer life, if it still exist by certain people, reduces to the minimal communication of mealtime grace and thank-you-Lord-for-this-day bedtime amens.

By the majority of Christians there are no moments any more of contemplation, or of being together in the household taking time, to read the Bible and to say prayers.  No listening ear for God’s voice. Little thought of discerning His plans for the day.

Those who still find time to go to church love to find the pastor or priest doing all the talking and doing all the work. They settle into a church home, then rely on pastors and small group leaders to guide them into maturity. They might know that Church is indeed critical in their faith development.

But something is not working if most of the Christians report little spiritual growth over the course of a year.

The “spiritual journey” language is most preferred among non-practicing Christians. We can wonder how they build up such a spiritual journey. While spiritual growth is very important to tens of millions, the language and terminology surrounding discipleship seems to be undergoing a change, with other phrases coming to be used more frequently than the term “discipleship” itself.

Today the word "discipleship" also seems to have a negative co-notation, giving the impression that one is weak when one wants to become a disciple. Not many do want to be a disciple and having to let others know that one still has to learn.

Engagement with the practices associated with discipleship leave much to be desired.  When in  certain regions there still could be 20 percent of Christian adults involved in some sort of discipleship activity, it would not be bad to come to see that more than 6% would come to be active in church planning, attending Sunday school or fellowship group, meeting with a spiritual mentor, studying the Bible with a group, or reading and discussing a Christian book with a group.

For sure Church needs a new fertilizer and new seed. It needs also people who can ignite the fire in  others. Church leaders must be diligent in finding tools that help people examine the reality of their spiritual growth, not merely how they perceive it.

It is high time that churches start to rethink what is working in connecting with today’s younger Christians and non-believers, particularly when it comes to relational and mentoring forms of spiritual development.

Monday 18 June 2018

To sacrifice our being for Christ

The Nazarene Jew Jeshua (Jesus Christ) put his own will aside and offered himself as a lamb for God, as a ransom for us all.

Now time has come that we should also let him and his heavenly Father see Who we want to follow and Who we want to have as our God. Jesus showed his love for his God, Who is the Only One God of Israel, the God of Abraham. He asked his followers to become one with his God like he is one with Jehovah God. Coming closer to the time of Great Tribulation it is time to show the world to who you want to belong. It is high time to show the world for what you care and what or whom you love.

Did you ever ask yourself for whom you would risk everything?

Today we still face this materialistic world. But we should know that time for this world is limited. Today there are still many people, kings, presidents, ministers, as leaders demanding people to follow them and who reign their country as if it belongs to them. But everything on earth belongs to the Divine Creator. When he created this world He had a purpose for it and it shall become a reality whatever man may try to do.

In the New Testament we do find Jesus telling many stories in the form of parables which should open our eyes and should let us think about the reign to come and to look for. He talks about a realm of heaven and calls us to put our hands to work and help get the ground prepared to receive the love of God.He gives many examples how faith without works is dead and how we should be careful not to loose the entrance to the Kingdom of God by not living up to God's Wishes or not fulfilling God's commandments.

When looking at the Scriptures we can see how we are challenged to train our eyes to look beyond the problems and to see the promises of the world around us. And we have been told, repeatedly, that the “reign of heaven” is small, even hidden, but it is always at work. We are called to look for the hidden treasure and to go for Biblical truth and not to be of this world, loving all those materialist and perischable treasures.

Look around us we should see what is good and what is bad and learn from it. Though there are many who think by the death of Christ everybody is saved and does not have to do anything any-more, we should know that we for sure still have to do a lot of work. Every day we should work at ourself. Every hour of the day we should try to build up our Christlike character. that shall not so easy as so many think. It demands an effort. 

Jesus asks us to come together and to meet each-other regularly to study the Word of God and to praise the Most High. Together we should form a unit, giving ourself as inhabitant of the realm of Christ. As partakers of his spiritual Body, we should feel united and work to keep everything around us pure and 'sanctified'.
Every one of the partakers of the Body of Christ should be wiling to give himself or herself to Christ Jesus, putting the own selfish I away. 


Each person on this earth should be looking for the hidden treasures of God and should know that the “reign of heaven” is like a discovery that disrupts all other priorities, and those who make the discoveries have their entire lives shaped by them. 

Those who love Jesus and want to have a good relationship with him and his heavenly Father should be prepared to put the earthly wishes aside and go for heavenly treasures. They should not be afraid for those of the world who do not want to know about God and who would laugh at those who want to give their life to God. But those who know better shall be happy to give their life to the One God and to present themselves as sons of the realm. For it is in the believe in Jesus that we want to go as partakers of the Body of Christ, willing to unite in his Church, which is the Church of God.

With the knowledge that there is the Unseen God Who has prepared the unseen realm and shall present the earthly realm to mankind, to those who are ready for it, we may have the assurance in the hope that one day the world shall have to face that reality of the Great Kingdom, which shall go above all kingdoms of the world.

Giving ourselves to Christ shall make our union sealed and secure.

Wednesday 27 July 2016

What Does it Really Mean to Be a Radical Follower of Jesus?

In Faithlife today is being discussed what it rally means to be "a Radical Follower of Jesus".

Do you feel that your life is pleasing to God—almost? When you hear about pastors, missionaries, and popular speakers, do you feel just a bit second-class, as if your life appears lukewarm and not as radical as theirs?

You’re not alone. A vague sense of guilt is common in the church. We know God’s grace is the key to eternal life, but it’s so much more than that—it’s the key to a joy-filled walk with Him every moment. Josh Kelley shows why you don’t have to give away everything you own to be a fully committed follower of Jesus Christ.


What is Jesus worth to you? It’s easy for American Christians to forget how Jesus said his followers would actually live, what their new lifestyle would actually look like. They would, he said, leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. They would abandon everything for the gospel. They would take up their crosses daily . . . but who do you know who lives like that? Do you?

In Radical, David Platt challenges you to consider with an open heart how we have manipulated the gospel to fit our cultural preferences. He shows what Jesus actually said about being his disciple—then invites you to believe and obey what you have heard. And he tells the dramatic story of what is happening as a “successful” suburban church decides to get serious about the gospel according to Jesus.

Finally, he urges you to join in The Radical Experiment—a one-year journey in authentic discipleship that will transform how you live in a world that desperately needs the Good News Jesus came to bring.

Start appreciating life’s small moments

Our obsession with bigger and faster is spinning us out of control. We move through the week breathless and bustling, just trying to keep up while longing to slow down. But real life happens in the small moments, the kind we find on Tuesday, the most ordinary day of the week. Tuesday carries moments we want to hold onto—as well as ones we’d rather leave behind. It hold secrets we can’t see in a hurry–secrets not just for our schedules but for our souls. It offers us a simple bench on which to sit, observe, and share our stories.

For those being pulled under by the strong current of expectation, comparison, and hurry, relief is found more in our small moments than in our fast movements. In Simply Tuesday, Emily P. Freeman helps readers

· stop dreading small beginnings and embrace today’s work
· find contentment in the now–even when the now is frustrating or discouraging
· replace competition with compassion
· learn to breathe in a breathless world

Jesus lived small moments well, slow moments fully, and all moments free. He lives with us still, on all our ordinary days, creating and redeeming the world both in us and through us, one small moment at a time. It’s time to take back Tuesday, to release our obsession with building a life, and believe in the life Christ is building in us—every day.



Thursday 7 January 2016

Do you purpose that your mouth will not transgress

When we believe in God and have our heart in the right place we can count on Cod.

Though it is not always clear for us that God might be with us or has abandoned us. Even for Christ Jesus in the hour of his death it was not clear for him that God would still be with him. Naturally if Jesus was God, like so many Christians think, than God would always have been with Him because he himself was God and never had to be afraid of man because they could do God nothing and death also can do nothing to God. But as a real man of flesh and blood Jesus had enough reasons to fear man as well as death.

Coming from the root of King David Jesus also could think of the agony and fear David had gone through his life as well.
Today, reading his 17th psalm we perceive that the more troublesome the circumstances that surrounded him, the closer he came to God. With many other men it is the same. I must agree, also for me, it took two near death experiences before I got such an intimate relationship with God. Before the last terrible accident I was already a believer for years, but at moments had doubts about my faith and about others their belief, like the Trinity, if they would not be right and I be wrong. But in the end God gave me enough answers and got me to belief the non-trinitarian way is the right way.

In today’s Psalm 17 we read King David his prayer,
“13 Arise, O Jehovah, Confront him, cast him down: Deliver my soul from the wicked by thy sword; 14 From men by thy hand, O Jehovah, From men of the world, whose portion is in [this] life, And whose belly thou fillest with thy treasure: They are satisfied with children, And leave the rest of their substance to their babes.” (Psalms 17:13-14 ASV)
At that time also David was able to say that Jehovah, God, had tried his heart. He at that stage knew that God had visited him more than once and had given him more than once signs. There were moments in his life that he ignored those signs. We too sometimes forget God or ignore His directions.

The man of God, David, knows that God has tested him and thinks God will find nothing, but god knows the heart very well and knows our bad and good doings. As any man, David was also fallible and also did some faults, which perhaps seem horrible in our eyes, but god was able to forgive him when David repented. Also when we repent God shall be willing to be close to us and be forgiving.

We have to question ourselves who we want to follow, man and his traditions or God and His ordinances!

Are we willing to do like Jesus and King David, so that we can say like him
I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress … by the word of your lips … My steps have held fast to your paths …” (verses 3-5).
 “The word of your lips” is of course, God’s word; God’s words gave David the strength to hold fast to godly ways: but do we use his word today as earnestly as David did then?
David wrote,
“I have called upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God: Incline thine ear unto me, [and] hear my speech.” (Psalms 17:6 ASV)
Are we willing to call onto God? Are we willing and looking forward to such an intimate relationship as David and Jesus had with their heavenly Father?

David established an intimacy in his relationship with his God. What an example this is for us – and we have the wondrous further blessing of a mediator and Saviour!

David next prays,
 “8  Keep me as the apple of the eye; Hide me under the shadow of thy wings, 9 From the wicked that oppress me, My deadly enemies, that compass me about.” (Psalms 17:8-9 ASV)
Our we willing that Jehovah is with us even at the moments that we might be found in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness (Deuteronomy 32:10) When we prefer to follow Jesus, his teachings and believing his words instead of the doctrines of man, we may be sure that by this son of God we may be blessed and God shall be willing to be merciful and guiding us.
“Jehovah recompense thy work,“How precious is thy lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge under the shadow of thy wings.” (Psalms 36:7 ASV)

 “«For the Chief Musician; [set to] Al-tashheth. [A Psalm] of David. Michtam; when he fled from Saul, in the cave.» Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me; For my soul taketh refuge in thee: Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I take refuge, Until [these] calamities be overpast.” (Psalms 57:1 ASV)

 “I will dwell in thy tabernacle for ever: I will take refuge in the covert of thy wings. [[Selah” (Psalms 61:4 ASV)

 “For thou hast been my help, And in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.” (Psalms 63:7 ASV)

 “1  He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in whom I trust. 3 For he will deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, And from the deadly pestilence. 4 He will cover thee with his pinions, And under his wings shalt thou take refuge: His truth is a shield and a buckler.” (Psalms 91:1-4 ASV)

 and a full reward be given thee of Jehovah, the God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to take refuge.” (Ruth 2:12 ASV)
In God we may trust. Every day of the year god is wiling to hear our call and to be with us. When we are willing to give our heart to Him he shall be there too for us. Doubtless kindness and mercy shall follow.
“Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of Jehovah for ever.” (Psalms 23:6 ASV)
 “One thing have I asked of Jehovah, that will I seek after; That I may dwell in the house of Jehovah all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of Jehovah, And to inquire in his temple.” (Psalms 27:4 ASV)

Dare we come close to God, like David and Jesus did? Are we willing to put our will aside, like Jesus did not his own will (which he would have done when he was God) but fulfilled God's Will? Would we love it to be kept as  "the apple of God's eye"?


May our steps hold fast to God’s paths that we may be “willing” as God’s judgements falls on our world, as they fell on Jerusalem long ago. May we, especially at that time, say to our Saviour as David said to God in this Psalm,
 “Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who do me violence …” (verses 8,9).

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Preceding article: A heart in the right place and brightly burning faith

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Wednesday 12 February 2014

Disciple of Christ counting lives and friends dear to them

In the early days after Christ had died several of his pupils found it necessary to continue the work of their master. Like their rabbi they wanted to get to know their Father in heaven and worship Him. They, as their teacher, were students of the Word, “proving all things”, that they may be able to comprehend with all those who were set apart, like them, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passed knowledge, that they might be filled with the fullness of God; and so understanding what is the will of the Most High.

English: Jesus Christ, polychromed and gilded ...
Jesus Christ, polychromed and gilded woodcarved relief by Martin Vinazer (* 1674 in St. Ulrich in Gröden; † 1744) signed MVF (MV Fecit) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

They came together in their houses to be together as brothers and sisters in Christ. In him, they found that they were united and one in spirit. For them, Jeshua (Jesus Christ) was the former of their faith. In him, they trusted and were assured he would come back again one day. For them, it was not necessary to have any other leader than Christ Jesus. They all considered themselves equal in the family they wanted to see growing.

For them, it was important that they helped each other to stand strong, to face the heathen or those who did believe other things than what their master had taught them. Having the desire to receive the love of Christ they all wanted to share that love of Christ and help each other to grow closer to their master and the Great Master of the master. they not only wanted to be a disciple of rabbi Jesus they wanted to be a disciple of the Word of God.

Coming together in each-others houses, forming housechurches as a church of disciples they also were an assembly of learners. We too so many years later should be like them a church of Christian disciples and an assembly of persons who believe the things of the Kingdom of God, and of the name of the lord Jesus, and, thus believing, have been immersed into Christ and patiently continue in the faith and well-doing of their vocation, reading, marking, learning and inwardly digesting all things revealed in the scriptures of truth.

Brother John Thomas wrote about those ‘Christian Disciples’:

“Such were the disciples first called Christian at Antioch. These Christian disciples shone as lights in the world, holding forth the Word of Life. They counted not their lives dear unto them: but hazarded everything, reputation, liberty, wealth and friends, for the Word’s sake. Their treasure was in heaven; therefore their anchor was within the veil. The icy coldness of their old nature was thawed into the genial sympathies of the new man by the benevolence of God. Heart clung to heart, and hand joined in hand, the expressive symbol of unity and love. We want to behold a Church of Christian Disciples such as these; we fear that such an one is yet a stranger in our world. When such a community of churches is restored, we shall glory in it as a Reformation in verity and deed.”(The Faith in the Last Days, p. 237.)

The love of Jesus for God, and his willingness to do whatever God asked him to do, whatever the cost, was the inspiration of the first followers of Jeshua.Those who want to call themselves Follower of Jesus or Christian should be aware that Jesus did not want to do his own will but always did all efforts to do the will of his Father. (Luke 22:42) We too, should give ourselves to the Most High and should try to do the Will of God and not ours, but also should not be bounded to do the will of certain men or women who want to control everything in this world. It is not by human persons that we do want to be directed and moulded to their liking.

By the mercies of God, we should not present our bodies to one person in power of an organisation, but should present our bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Those avoiding or taking care that the willing can not meet with each other, are more concerned about worldly goods, material gain and power. Power belongs to God and not to man. Therefore we should know under whom we would like to stand. We should choose if we want to have a worldly leader or a spiritual leader from heaven.

Cover of
Cover via Amazon

When we choose to become brothers and sisters in Christ we should choose not to be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind, thanks to the offer of Christ and the Grace of the Most High. Willing to be under the Law of Christ we shall have to be willing to act accordingly. Jesus asked his pupils to come together regularly and to go out into the world, showing that they are one in spirit. Jesus his followers had to take on the right attitude proving what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Those who are under Christ and in Christ should not consider themselves more or better than any other in the community.  We are all equal under the Grace and should all be happy that the grace is granted to us. Being aware of that we should, like the apostle Paul, know that every man among our community has his or her value in the Body of Christ and that none may think more highly of himself than he or she ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgement, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. (Romans 12:3)

In early Christianity the few people tried to get members of their family and friends into the faith.  They were not afraid to invite others to come and listen to each other and to listen together to the Word of God. Those who were baptised were invited to share the symbols with each-other. wherever they might have gone to, they could find houses where they were welcome to join the gathering of believers in Christ.

The apostles did not want that the individuals became personal followers of themselves. they were not interested to have more followers than another apostle or other brother. In the Acts of the apostles, it is shown to us that they like us also were just human beings with their own peculiarities and that some of them could feel happier with one or the other. It is human to feel more for one person than the other, and nobody would object to that, but in the community of followers of Christ every body should try to accept each other for what they are and for what they feel, as long as it does not go against the Will and commandments of God.

Their concern was to spread the faith in the Gospel of the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God. They were aware of the different personalities and allowed their members to go with one or the other to take up the task given by Christ. They were always there to help and defend each other who wanted to be part of that Body of Christ. As they knew we also should know that we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (Romans 12:5)

We should be pleased when we received such gifts from God, but should not boast about them as if they are our own. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:5-8)

Avoiding that people can come together and meet with like-minded is not an act of love. The love God demands from us is one without hypocrisy. It should and may not be a love for personal gain, but should be a submission to the Law of God in the submission of the welfare for all. It should be putting the self away for the better of all. Everybody of us in the community should try to make the best of the community. Everyone in the community should try to build it up and should take care no evil shall be able to destroy the goodness of the community, where everybody shall try to cling to what is good and to devote to one another in brotherly love; giving preference to one another in honour; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Most High Elohim Jehovah. (Romans 12:11)

The beginning nor the end of the ecclesia should be one or the other person. God is the beginning, because all created things began with Him, including fundamental attributes of existence, such as space and time. We are now living in this world bounded by the facts of this world and by the time of this world, but it should not mean we should be of this world.  We should be of the world of God and not of the world of man.

Those following Christ Jesus (Jeshua from Nazareth) should be honoured that they may walk in the footsteps of those men and women who have seen Jesus or heard from first witnesses what he had done. We only do have the books which can tell us what had happened in the last centuries. together we should listen to those stories from the old days and learn from them.

God communicated His purpose through the prophets and His beloved Son and wanted to be “all in all” (1 Corinthians 15:28). As God’s Son, the lord Jesus shares God’s eternity, and so he also says,

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end” (Revelation 22:13).

In him we should put our hope, and not in any other human being. He should be our high-priest and mediator by God, not any other human person who wants to be The leader. Jesus should be our leader, because he is the cornerstone of the Church of God.

Having found Jesus we should share our love for him and his Father with others, with whom we can rejoice in hope, persevering in tribulation, and be devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the ones who are set-apart of this world. All those who claim to be Christian, and as such to be a follower of Christ should share the same love and hospitality. (Romans 12:12-13)

Our thoughts should not so much be concerned about ourselves but about all who are willing to form the community of followers of Christ, Christians, and would like to live in the city of Christ (Christadelphia) as brothers in Christ or Christadelphians. Sharing each other’s life we should bless those around us, but also those who persecute us; bless and curse not.  (Romans 12:14) we should come together in peace to rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15) And what is most important is that we show our love for God together in the same spirit of love. The gathering should be considered one of the important elements of our community, showing to the world how much we love to be with each other and how much we love to concentrate on the Word of God and remember the actions Jesus undertook for us all.

For us, it is important that we be of the same mind toward one another. Having the love of Christ we also have the love of sharing with each other everything which can bring the other also closer to God and create easier ways to enter the Kingdom of God. Therefore any attitude against making it possible to share time with each other is unaccepted. Those who are haughty in mind are not the right persons to be in an ecclesia and certainly not to become leaders of the ecclesia. All those wanting to be a Christadelphian or Brother in Christ should share the love of Christ and be willing to share with everybody and associate with the lowly. None of us may think higher than the other or may be wise in their own estimation. (Romans 12:15-16)

Trying to make more than one community in a region we should take the Bible as our source of  our inspiration and working on it that as many as possible can come under the spirit of God His Son. (Galatians 4:6; Romans 8:15). Remembering that the Kingdom of God should be within us (Luke 7:20-21) and that Jesus gave us only two commandments, namely to Love God and our neighbour (Matthew 22:36-40). We should be fully aware that God’s Kingdom equates “to Love”.  And love is an act of “giving” more than of ‘receiving’.

Those loving God should remember that Jehovah God Himself is Love (1 John 4:16). Being followers of Christ, taking heed of his wishes, we should create places of love. We should create places where all men and women would be loving each other as Christ first loved us. All would be willing to lay down their life daily a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God for each other.  They would sacrifice desires and wants to edify and give into the happiness of their fellow man. All would pray for those who spitefully used them and never say a cross word about anyone.  We would give all we had to the poor and never worry about our own needs. (1 Corinthians Chapter 13 and Matthew 6:33)

Those who want to be honoured as the leader, are not the right ones for the Church of God. when a man prefers him to be the focus he forgets that Jesus should be the focus of all and that all should have a love that does not manifest itself in the world because if it did, we would have heaven here on earth, and we would have no teacher.

All have to work on it to show each other equality and love. We can show God’s love from within and teach others what Jesus has taught us. Though it is not to judge, we should be careful who we allow speaking and guiding members in the ecclesia. Though we should not condemn, and to be not condemned, we should be careful to not allow false teachers or people who want to harm the community of followers of Christ. We always should believe in the people, but as soon as they have given enough proof that they are not worthy to be edifiers of the community, we should protect the community of believers. We always should pardon when something went wrong and the person shows remorse so that we also will be pardoned. But when the wrongdoer does not show to the community he regrets what he or she has done and still does not want to do the best for the community, we should distantiate from that person and leave him or her to go his or her way.
But we may not leave him to go on his/her own. We always should keep an open hand to receive him/her again in the community, as soon as he/she showed to repent and proves he/she has changed his/her life. But we always should stand ready to receive the person back in the community and show him or her our love.

We always, also in bad circumstances should be ready to give and to be of good measure. Even when pressed down, shaken together, run over, we should allow them to pour into our lap. For by our standard of measure it will be measured to us in return. (Luke 6:37-38)

Those who want to have a leading function should also remember that they themselves may not be blinded by the desires of this world.

“he also told them a parable: “can one blind man lead another blind man? won’t they both fall into a pit?” (Luke 6:39 CJB)

Let us therefore make sure that we measure the right way and that we try to create heaven here on earth by being Jesus’ ambassador and acting on His behalf. Acting as he would act. We all know the saying “What would Jesus do” (WWJD). Let us always keep that in mind.

When we become older and more considerate we know we can take the lowly place and allow others to sit in the place of honour. We know then it is not important so much who is in front as long as he is telling what has to be told in accordance with the Will of God. As we mature in Christ, we see his teaching manifesting itself in our daily lives.  We grow and consider others, looking to please God and His son Jesus and emulate their actions and teachings.

We do know not all Christians can have the same knowledge. Not all of them can have the same competence. One can be capable of being a good administrator but awful in social actions. One can be very able to see everything is in place and ready for service. Another might be gifted to welcome everybody whilst another is efficient to let everybody feel at home. We should recognise the skills of everybody and give them duties accordingly, but also may not forget to praise them for their work, so that they to can fele that whata they are doing is good for the ecclesia and is appmreciated by the members of the community.

I do agree that is one of the weaknesses we all have, that we sometimes need a tap on our back, to know we are doing good. Everything we do we should do in honour of God, but everything others do we should respect and give honour to them and to their leader Christ, because of their Christ like actions.  All people on this earth are in some form of growth. This earth is our school and we are learning how to be sons of God.  Some people are in the first grade and some are in college, never the less, we are all learning from adversity and overcoming through obedience to the Word of God.

Through Grace, we are saved… Through adversity, we are learning how to be like Christ.

Rev. Sawyer presently assisting Pastor Emmett Gagnard with Brother’s Keeper aftercare program for men returning to society from prison in Marshall Texas, Teaches Understanding Prayer and Intercessory Prayer At Bradshaw State Prison in Henderson TX wrote:

act of kindnessImagine if we would carry this attitude of love all the time and with all people whether they deserved it or not.  If we act as Christ ask us to act then the rewards of His Glory will rest on us and no man or action on this earth would move us.  I know many great Saints that are not much to look at, do not have great stature or wealth, but are treated with much honor and love because of their Christ like attributes. They do not want for much and have many church members looking to serve them simply because they are attracted by the Godliness within.  True wealth is not personal appearance or riches, rather the kingdom of our Lord dwelling inside.

Putting away our own self, applying God’s laws to our lives, we will be considering others before ourselves, looking for a way to be a blessing to others and not worrying about our own desires.
Randy Sawyer continues:

This concept of living has been advocated by great men for from the very beginning because it was commanded by God in Leviticus 19:18. The kingdom of God does not come to us by observation but by action. Once we start practicing these laws and principals then the kingdom principals become a habit and produce a personality in Christ.  God’s laws and principals were place here on the earth to guide us and show us the way to the Kingdom. They cannot fail, just like gravity, when you turn loose of an object, it will hit the floor, works every time. As God made gravity, He also made other laws to govern our existence and lead us into His kingdom. They work everytime.

We know that the world and its laws are contrary to God’s kingdom and are an enemy of the Lord (1 John 2:15).

We war within ourselves with the lust of our flesh (Galatians 5:16-17).

Those who preclude the possibility that those who want to follow Christ could come together are the adversaries of God.

“Satan is the anti-Christ and is set against mankind (1 John 3:7-10).” writes Sawyer.

The writer of the article “Matthew 6:10 “Thy kingdom come and thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”” tells us that:

If we can do one simple thing, we can beat Satan in the spiritual world, Paul told us this very simple task in (2 Corinthians 10:5)” casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ”.   Bring every thought into subjection to the Word of God, then we can enter into the Kingdom of God right here, right now.  We can have this kingdom if we are willing to sacrifice ourselves daily, holy and acceptable to the Lord. This sacrifice comes from giving up what we want to do and focusing on what God wants us to do and serving our fellow man within His love.

argueThere is no way you can control the world and the people in it. Think about it, you can’t even control your neighbor’s dog. How are you going to affect the problems of this world without the Lord?  You can affect your arena and the people therein.  You can influence those who God has put into your sphere of influence and share His Love, Light, Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding with them. You can bring the Kingdom of the Lord into their lives through your actions.

We should believe in the words of Christ or on account of the works by Christ themselves. Jesus did not do anything by his own. (John 5:19) How dare we than to think we could do something out of ourself? We should be happy that we may offer ourselves as an instrument of God and that He wants to use us. We should be grateful for that but also subservient and humble.

We should be pleased that we may be ambassadors for Christ and for God, being receivers of the Grace of God, accepted as His Sons.

If we are going to be a son of God in the Kingdom of God, then we want to be one now right here on earth.

It will take some time before we are there.  Our desire should be not to please man but to please Him, who is the Most High Elohim. We should all be willing to help each other to reach the goal and to finish the race together. this can only be done by the preparedness and willingness to show each other the necessary love to work together as one unit in union with Christ.
together we should all work together towards all He has for us.

Sawyer puts it this way:

Never-the-Less Lord, I don’t want the less, I want the most you have for me.  Mold me Lord, teach me and show me how to become as Jesus is, now.

We are all working towards perfection in Christ. So let us all band together and try our best to be His children by obeying the Lords commands to us.



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