In his book The Calvary Road Roy Hession quotes this on page 35
“If I want my own way rather than God’s, it is quite obvious that I shall want my own way rather than the other man’s. A man does not assert his independence of God to surrender it to a fellow man, if he can help it.”
So if we reject God that means we aren’t looking out for our fellow neighbour. We aren’t being other person centred. I thought about that for a while today. I also had to look up who this Roy Hession was as I didn’t have a clue it turns out he was quite a remarkable Godly man.
He accepted Jesus into his life in 1926 mainly through the witness of this cousin. He worked in a Merchant bank for 10 years and then became a full time preacher and became one of the most effective Christian evangelists in post World War 2 especially among young people. He ministered to many churches around the world, doing conferences in Europe, Brazil, Indonesia, North America and Africa.
He died in 1992 but he is remembered for his infectious enthusiasm and his humour, but above all for his unwavering stand on the principles of repentance and grace that had become so precious to him.
When I die I want to be someone known and remembered for their love for God. Their reliance on grace and their generousity in all things that God has blessed me with. A hard task but a worthy response.
I seem to be reading more and more Piper and this is a little snippet of why we should be reading and wanting more of God through the Bible.
If you want to know God better, it will be costly, and it will be worth it.
For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow. (Ecclesiastes 1:18)
That is true. It’s true because the more we know…
- …the more we know that we don’t know.
- …the more we know that suffering abounds.
- …the more we are accountable to live up to.
- …the more dementia will take away.
But it is worth it.
There is gold and abundance of costly stones; but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel. (Proverbs 20:15)
You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)
On Friday the 13th John Piper posted this on his site.
In case this or any other superstition frightens you or, worse, controls you, take the sword of the Spirit and kill it.
Here’s a few sword thrusts that I use.
There is no enchantment against Jacob,
no divination against Israel;
now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,
“What has God wrought!” (Numbers 23:23)
Does this apply to us Christians? Yes. Because “It is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham” (Galatians 3:7). That’s us. We are Jacob. We are Israel.
And because we are, “all the promises of God find their Yes in him” (2 Corinthians 1:20).
So in Christ we cannot be cursed. There is no jinx or hex that can stick against those who are in Christ Jesus.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. (Galatians 3:13)
Christ took on himself every curse that is against me. God is for me and no one can successfully be against me.
He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. (1John 4:4)
Remember more of your Bible!
Can’t remember where you put your keys? Do you keep forgetting people’s names?
This isn’t a sign that you’re getting old.
Zaldy S. Tan, MD, director of the Memory Disorders Clinic at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, says it’s a sign of how busy we are.
“When we’re not paying good attention, the memories we form aren’t very robust, and we have a problem retrieving the information later.”
If you struggle with the simple things of life, then memorizing John 3:16 probably seems intimidating. And putting away Romans 8 sounds down right impossible.
In truth, it’s not as hard as you think. Yes, it takes effort and time. But there are some simple strategies to help you.
Why Even Memorise Scripture?
But one of the most compelling reasons for memorizing Scripture I found in John Piper’s sermon If My Words Abide in You: memorizing Scripture shapes the way I view the world by conforming to God’s viewpoint.
So, whether you want to memorize one verse or an entire book, try these strategies to help you remember more.
1. Read it repeatedly. Did you know you can memorize Scripture during your morning devotion? Instead of zipping through your reading for the day, pause and camp on one verse for a long time. You won’t regret it.
2. Pay attention. Sounds obvious, but often ignored. Simply forcing yourself to be aware of what you are reading can help you internalise the words. Repetition will make the mind wander. What you have to do is bring it back.
3. Visualise what you are reading. Take Psalm 1:1 for example. “Blessed is the man who does not walk with the wicked nor stand in the way of the sinner nor sit in the seat of the mocker.” Your first tasks is to see the three actions here: walking, standing and sitting. If you can see the three main actions, then you can start to memorize the surrounding words.
4. Create anchor words. In the above example, your anchor words are “walking,” “standing” and “seating.” In Colossians 1:15, my anchor words are image, invisible and firstborn. Whenever I get lost while reciting a passage I look for my anchor words to orient myself.
5. Recognise patterns. In Psalm 1:1, after the first line, the next three sentences follow this pattern: a verb, a noun and a modifier. Think of each of these as a bucket you drop the appropriate word into.
6. Start with the easy. Now, some passages are easier to remember than others. Psalm 1, easy. A page from Romans, hard. On your first effort at memorising large chunks of Scriptures, don’t tackle Romans. Build some confidence first by memorizing Psalm 1 or the Sermon on the Mount.
7. Stagger. Sorry, not like you were drunk. What I mean is memorise an easy passage then a hard passage then an easy. Give your brain a break. This way you’ll avoid burnout.
8. Build memorable associations. If you want to remember difficult section of scripture like Romans 1:18-20, it helps to imagine God hovering like a brooding mountain over the world to represent all three verses. This is a robust picture hard to forget.
9. Anchor memorable associations in chapters. These rich word pictures can also help you when you’re trying to memorize entire chapters of the Bible. They orient you on a larger scale.
10. Cheat a little. Once you’ve absorbed a hunk of Scripture, don’t be afraid to keep a sheet of paper nearby with keywords or section headings to help you out when you need a reminder.
11. Narrate. Sometimes it helps to describe in your own words what you are trying to memorise. This will also help you build memorable associations, spot keywords and develop anchor words.
12. Stick to a ritual. I find it easier to memorize Scripture in my car–I have a long commute–and before I sleep. Especially early on in the process of memorizing, I can’t remember my passage as easily anywhere else except these places. So, until I gain more confidence, I stick to this ritual.
13. Sing it. Try opera. Or a musical. The point is to be dramatic. As if you were in a play. [This is my favorite trick, by the way.]
14. Try mnemonic devices. Many of us learned ROY G BIV to remember the colors of the rainbow. Make up your own device to memorize anchor words or more. In Psalm 1:1, your device would be WSS, or walk, stand and sit.
15. Enlist your body. If mnemonic devices aren’t your cup of tea, use body parts. Classic example of this is Ephesians 6:10-18, the armor of God. Waist, chest, feet, forearm and head complete the armor and can help you navigate through this lengthy passage.
16. Repeat the alphabet. Say you just can’t remember that big word in 1 John 2:2. Run through your ABCs. When you get to P, it should trigger the word escaping you: propitiation.
17. Type it. One way to memorize something like John 1:1-3 is to type it into your computer. Not once. Not twice. But ten times. Maybe more. Your call.
18. Hear it. After you’ve typed it, next, read it aloud and record it. Then listen to the recording several times.
Does God “Lead Us Into Temptation”?
March 30, 2009 | By: John Piper
“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:13).
James 1:13 says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:13).
That’s true. But the Bible also says, “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4:1).
So God does not do the tempting—he does not put evil desires in our hearts (for he can have no evil desires in his heart)—but he does bring us into the presence of many tests and temptations. “A man’s steps are from the Lord” (Proverbs 20:24).
In fact, every step we take is a step into the presence of temptation. There is no moment of your life that is not a moment of temptation—a moment when unbelief and disobedience is not a possibility.
The Lord’s prayer does not teach us to pray against that kind of sovereign guidance.
What it teaches us to pray is that the temptation does not take us in. Don’t lead me into temptation. Deliver me from this evil that is set before me.
Today I will stand before innumerable temptations. That’s what life is: endless choices between belief and unbelief, obedience and disobedience. But, O mighty God, forbid that I would yield. Hold me back from stepping inside the temptation.
Filed under: Some food for today
Another cool article from the breifing this time on who we should look to as Christian examples
Factotum #10: Christian modelling
Colin Marshall / Briefing #179 / May 1996 /
One of the graduates of MTS was a male model before training for the ministry. As far as I know, this experience has not contributed greatly to his training. But modelling is an important feature of Christian ministry in the New Testament.
In the last edition of ‘Factotum’, we raised the subject of ministry apprentices, and glanced at some of the contemporary concepts of mentoring and training. In this article, we continue our look at a biblical understanding of apprenticing, this time focusing on the theme of modelling or being an example.
Who are our models?
Who should Christians be looking to as models or examples of the Christian way of life? The following section provides a Bible search on the subject of modelling and imitation. You might like to work through it in a study group.
1. God
God himself—especially in the love and forgiveness shown to us through his Son—is the model for our relationships. We are told directly to be imitators of God:
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Eph 5:1-2)
2. Christ:
As Jesus announced the Kingdom of God, he called disciples to follow him. Jesus’ call is fundamentally an unattractive one, since he demands a denial of oneself to take up the cross of suffering. Even the closest of family loyalties must not precede the loyalty to Christ (Matt 10:37-39); possessions can be a threat to following Christ, and therefore a threat to one’s very soul (Matt 16:24-28).
Christ’s disciples follow his word as a sheep responds to the voice of the shepherd (In 10:27). The disciple also follows the example of the Master, especially in service of each other:
Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. (John 13:14-15)
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. (John 13:34-35)
Jesus expressed to his disciples something of his philosophy of teaching. He recognised that the teacher’s role includes the training of another to be like the teacher. This role is inescapable; it is to some degree inevitable that where the teacher goes, the student will follow:
He also told them this parable: “Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.” Luke 6:39-40
The parable highlights the fact that a teacher is not just an informer, but a life-shaper, leading the student into success or failure, even life or death.
Christ provided the ultimate example of this sort of leadership. Peter finally came to understand the importance of Christ’s example to the church (see 1 Peter 2:21)
The verses which follow spell out the details of Christ’s example: sinless, without deceit, not returning insults, making no threats, entrusting himself to God, dying in our place, wounded for our healing. Not only is the Cross an atonement for sins, it is also our supreme motivation for faith and endurance in the face of oppressive powers.
In summary, Christ is our example of suffering and service.
3. Paul
Jesus anticipated that others would follow the disciples as they followed him and learned to fish for men (Matt 4: 19). It is not surprising, therefore, that Paul called upon the churches to follow him as he followed the example of Christ. Christ is the ultimate example of forfeiting one’s own good for the salvation of others—an example which Paul put into practice:
For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Cor 10:33-11:1)
The chain of imitation continued through Paul’s ‘apprentices’. The implication of the following passages is that Timothy was so like Paul that, in having Timothy present, the Corinthians were reminded of Paul’s approach to Christian living:
Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. (1 Cor 4:16-17)
You [Timothy], however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings-what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. (2 Tim 3:10-11)
Indeed, Paul’s life and teaching were transparent, he could urge his example upon the Thessalonians (see 2 Thess 3:6-10) and the Philippians (see Phil 3: 17; 4:9).
4. Leaders
Paul’s ‘apprentices’ are commanded to be models of what they teach. Timothy is instructed to
Command and teach these things. Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech; in life, in love, in faith and in purity…
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely… (1 Tim 4:11-16)
Similarly, for Titus, his teaching is to be shown by example in order to confound opponents:
In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned. (Titus 2:7-8)
Here is a marvellous profile of the Christian leader. The leader demonstrates by persevering in the faith the proper response to the word he speaks. Christian leaders demonstrate faith in action (see Heb 13:7).
5. All Christians
It is not only leaders but all believers who are to be examples to others. The Thessalonians demonstrated the ‘chain of modelling’ which is to occur among Christians:
You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. (1 Thess 1:6-7; see also 2:14)
Those who are in danger of falling away are called to imitate the faith and patience of others (Heb 6: 12).
Discussion questions
- Relate some specific incidents where you have grown as a Christian through both the teaching and life of a leader.
- What implications of this article do you need to think through for training leaders in your church?
- Can you ask others to imitate your way of life? Why or why not?
- Do your teachers call upon you to follow their way of life? Why or why not?
- Should you offer yourself as an apprentice to your leaders?
- Should you invite someone to be your ministry apprentice for their training?
Conclusions for gospel ministry
1. As ministers of the gospel, it is right to call others to follow our example
At first, we cringe at this idea—either from a pious humility or a realistic assessment of the poverty of our example. Paul felt no such embarrassment for himself or his co-workers. He appealed to the churches to imitate their way of life.
2. Our example has to be worth following
We are always an example to our followers—either a godly one or an ungodly one. We cannot stop being an example. One of the key tasks of Christian servants is to ensure their lives demonstrate a godly pattern for others. We will never arrive at a state of sinlessness in this life, but those we are serving must see our progress and faithfulness in following the way of the cross.
3. The goal of ministry is to create disciples of Christ, not of ourselves
This is the counter-balance to our first conclusion. We are to call upon others to imitate us inasmuch as we imitate Christ. The result must not be division but unity—not loyalties owed to men, but to Christ (see 1 Cor 3:3-4).
4. Teaching is by Word and life
The Christian teacher calls for the learner to adopt his way of life, which should embody what he teaches. He must, then, watch his life and doctrine closely. The integrity of the teacher is thus at stake; he cannot teach what he does not live.
At this point, Christian leadership is radically countercultural. Our community promotes a separation of the public and private lives of our leaders. We are told that the morality of our leaders is irrelevant to their job performance. This attitude is unthinkable in Christian leadership.
5. The teacher models the way of the cross
The consistent theme in the passages above is a modelling of faith and perseverance in the face of trials. The disciple shares in the sufferings and service of the Master. And, like Christ, he exhibits love, patience and holiness.
Implications for training gospel workers
1. The trainer is more important than the curriculum.
Theological information, even if true, does not train ministers of the gospel. The trainer must do two things: impart the true knowledge of God and demonstrate, in his own life, how to apply it. Anything less than this is not Christian training. The loss of integrity in a faithless teacher is fatal to Christian training.
2. Create contexts for integrating Word and life
There is truth in the old chestnut that ‘ministry is caught not taught’. Both Jesus and Paul drew around them a handful of disciples into close association. In this context, they imparted the content of the message and the way to live it.
This is at the heart of the apprenticing model. The fledgling minister learns by instruction, but also by association and example.
To illustrate, a lecture on divorce and remarriage might give a young minister some counselling procedures and accurate biblical teaching, and even reveal something of the subtlety of this pastoral issue. But involving the apprentice in a real pastoral situation, including interviews and prayer, will unveil the heart of the pastor. The apprentice will witness his compassion, his faithfulness to the word of God, the agony involved in saving others and the pain of rejection.
3. Avoid the guru syndrome
No minister of the gospel should be the ‘creation’ of one person. Paul was not the only model for his delegates and churches; there were many apostles and teachers, and the churches were to imitate each other.
A collegiate approach avoids the excesses of dependancy, manipulation, oppression and legalism which develops in some ‘discipling’ ministries. The minister-in-training needs to learn from many ‘mentors’ while drawing close enough to a few who can impart both Word and life.
I think praying with fellow Christians and reading the Bible is at the core of what we believe. It creates a great foundation for your walk with God and it just works. This is a great article I found in the briefing.
The following is a true story. Last Friday, two friends met to read the Bible, pray and drink coffee, like they do every week for about an hour. They go to the same church, and decided they needed some accountability in their lives as Christians. Last week, they were up to Philippians chapter 2 in their reading programme. They read the chapter out loud, then talked about its implications for their thinking and prayers. They are doing detailed Bible study in small groups, so the focus of their time was on application and encouragement. From Philippians 2, they talked for a while about Jesus’ priority of service over status and their struggles to help others when there is no recognition involved. They confessed their tendency to complain and argue, and the conversation moved to wider issues of status seeking in the church. This gave them plenty to pray about, and they concluded their prayers by remembering two missionary families. Next week they will read chapter 3.
So what?
This doesn’t exactly grab you as one of the great stand-out events of last Friday. Even within the Christian world, on a scale of 1 to 100, it doesn’t rank more than a 0.01 in importance.
But think about the long-term effects of meeting like this. The two friends will know the Bible better, pray regularly and deepen their friendship. They will encourage each other to deal with God and his word with integrity. As they open their lives to each other before God’s word, they will “spur one another on towards love and good deeds” (Heb 10:24-25). They will strengthen each other to resist sin and remain faithful to Christ.
Why do it?
At the core of all Christian ministry is Bible reading and prayer. We are united with Christ by hearing his word and responding in faith, and that is how we remain in Christ. We can never progress beyond these basics—teaching each other the word of God; calling upon each other to believe and repent; bringing our lives, our churches and the world before God in prayer.
But we can do all this in three broad contexts: large groups, small groups and one-to-one. We choose different contexts on totally pragmatic grounds. There is a certain efficiency of gathering people together, and there are various educational advantages in each context. However, all ministry is ultimately to individuals, even when we are dealing with groups. Our concern is for the salvation and growth of each one.
So what are the benefits of reading the Bible and praying one-to-one? It is:
- convenient: arranging to meet one Christian for one hour weekly is realistic, even in the busiest lives. It’s easy to get started, with minimal organization required.
- personal: the discussion and prayers can address particular individual concerns. In groups, it is impossible to deal with everyone’s issues and questions.
- accountable: meeting one-to-one is an ideal way of holding each other accountable to read and obey the Bible. It is hard to meet each week and pretend to be serious about submitting to Christ while playing around with secret sin. In our perversity, this is not impossible, but it’s hard to sustain the performance.
- strategic: this is a basic ministry to master, and will be useful in many contexts. Wherever we go in church life, we can find a Christian with whom we can read and pray. Sometimes at work we will find a Christian who would love to meet with us. In some ministry contexts, such as the military and educational institutions, it is almost impossible to gather Christians into groups, and personal ministry is the only option. For some Christians, the only opportunity for fellowship is with individuals due to family restrictions and persecution.
Why we don’t
If I had to hazard a guess as to how many Christians engage in one-to-one Bible reading and prayer, I would say less than 1%. I have no data on this; it’s just a hunch. This seems strange if it is such a simple and convenient way of spurring each other on in the faith. Why don’t we do it?
We are too busy in Christian service
The old cliché is true: “the good is the enemy of the best”. One reason we don’t read and pray with each other is our devotion to other Christian activities.
There are limitless opportunities to serve Christ and his people, and Christ has given a diversity of gifts to edify his church. However, certain ministries, such as prophecy, have priority over others because they are more useful for edifying the church. Whatever else Paul means by prophecy, fundamentally it is speaking the word of God, and we are to “excel in gifts that build up the church” (1 Cor 14:12). Speaking the word of God to each other is the way we are strengthened, encouraged and comforted, and the way the church is built. One-to-one Bible reading and prayer is, therefore, a very high ministry priority.
Most of us have little discretionary time where we are free to choose how we use it. We have fixed priorities that absorb most of the 168 hours in the week. Sleeping, eating, travelling, working, family responsibilities, chores and ‘personal things’ take around 140 hours, if you have anything like a ‘normal’ life. The 28 hours remaining is your discretionary time—time that you can divide between leisure, study, socializing, hobbies, and so on. Christians will devote some of these 28 hours to specifically Christian activity. This will include private Bible reading, prayer and study of Christian literature, as well as service to others. When we look at it realistically, there are only around 5-10 hours per week available for Christian activity with others, and most of this time is taken up with church meetings, a Bible study group or committees. And, as the years roll on, there is even less time at our discretion, with increased family and work responsibilities.
Maybe we need to rethink our ministry responsibilities and withdraw from some tasks in church life in order to read and pray with others.
We put structures before people
If we are asked about the ministries of our church, we usually answer in terms of structures and programmes: men’s fellowship, Sunday School, Youth Club, women’s Bible study, and so on. If our pastors ask us to be involved in ministry, they usually mean taking on a particular task to keep the programme running. These kinds of programmes are often good—some may be essential—but our thinking is back to front. The reason we run ministry activities is for people—their salvation and maturity in Christ. After a while, the programme attains a validity in itself; the means becomes the end. For example, ee run a drop-in centre because we have always run a drop-in centre.
If, instead, we start with people and ask how we can win them for Christ and establish them in the faith, we might end up spending our ministry time differently. We might cancel some programmes, and start meeting with individuals for Bible reading and prayer. Or we might build this one-to-one ministry into our existing programmes.
We seek recognition for our ministry
There is no kudos or notoriety in private meetings with individuals reading the Bible and praying. There is a type of career path in churches—from pew sitter to welcomer to assistant Bible study leader to Bible study leader to board of elders to chair of the board. Just adjust the titles for your particular church. One-to-one ministry doesn’t advance our career at all.
We don’t feel qualified
This is one of the advantages of one-to-one Bible reading and prayer: it is simple; everyone can do it. We are not taking over the minister’s job to teach the Bible, and we don’t have to have all the answers. Together, we can wrestle with understanding God’s word and changing our lives. We are not setting ourselves up as the fount of all knowledge and virtue. All we need is the heart to know God better and to encourage one another.
We never thought of it
Now you have!
How to do it
Here are some tips to get you started. You will develop your own patterns along the way.
- Decide to meet for a specified period of time—say, six months—so it is easy to stop if you need to.
- Give priority to reading the Bible rather than Christian books.
- Try a variety of methods for Bible reading:
- Verse by Verse: read the text verse by verse, and work out what it is saying. Using a Bible with marginal notes and cross references will deepen the discussion.
- QUIT: look for QUestions that need to be resolved, Implications for life and major Themes in the passage.
- Interactive Bible Studies: prepared studies, such as those published by Matthias Media. You can do some preparation before meeting, or just work through the material together.
- Leave plenty of time for prayer. Pray about the implications of your Bible reading and the current concerns in your lives. But also pray beyond your own horizons for unbelievers, your church and gospel ministries around the world. If you can’t work out who to pray for, ask your pastor or get some newsletters from evangelists and church planters in Australia and overseas.
Who to meet with
The possibilities are only limited by your imagination.
- Christian friends for mutual encouragement at church, work, school, college, university or in the neighbourhood—anyone who is ‘spiritually hungry’.
- Young Christians to build foundations in the faith.
- Potential leaders who need nurturing and training in Bible reading and prayer.
- Christians who want to do some deeper Bible study.
- Your pastor who would love to read and pray with someone.
- A friend going through a crisis.
- Christians who are struggling with faith.
- Non-Christians who want to work out systematically what the Bible is saying.
- Christians who are restricted in some way from attending church or groups.
Some warnings
The priority of God’s word, not our problems
Have you ever noticed how people with problems absorb your time and energy? You feel the energy drain out of you as they enter the room. In groups, they dominate the discussion. We all have problems, but some people become problem-centred because of the severity of their needs. One mistake in personal ministry is to be dominated by such people. They are so needy that, in our compassion, we feel guilty if we don’t give them all the energy they demand. We end up visiting them again and again, or meeting them regularly at the expense of others.
It sounds harsh at first, but there is a better way. Firstly, if you do meet with such a person, set a different agenda. Instead of starting with his or her problems, start with Bible reading and prayer. He or she will then start to see how God views their life and problems, and thus they will make some progress in dealing with life under God’s word. Secondly, give priority to training others in ministry. Meet with a spiritually hungry, ‘problem-free’ person who will mature and begin to serve others. Then you can give better care to those with problems because there will be more carers. Investing time in training others in service multiplies the workforce in the church.
The spiritual guru syndrome
We don’t want to become spiritual guides for people and make them dependent on us, rather than God. Meeting regularly with someone and drawing them into close relationship can be highly manipulative. Some have never had such close attention from anyone, and they will agree to anything to protect the relationship. You can reduce such dependency by deciding to meet for a specified time period and by ensuring they relate to other Christians in church and small groups.
The cults have deliberately exploited the power of personal discipleship to control their members and movements. We need to ensure our personal ministries are characterized by freedom and flexibility. Some people should never be invited to regular personal meetings because of their insecurities.
Gender issues
One-to-one ministry tends to suit women better than men. Women enjoy the intimacy and are more articulate, which is a boon to conversation.
In general, men find it difficult to start these one-to-one meetings. They are more comfortable doing something together, like sport, fixing things or watching TV. Men don’t just sit down and bare their souls to each other. Some men will find it easier to meet in threes or fours to reduce the intensity and so they feel less threatened and exposed. Meeting in a familiar context, like a club or McDonald’s, may work better. For many men, they will learn more by having a healthy argument over the Scriptures, and they will let down their guard once they get drawn into the fight! You may not like these cultural stereotypes, but men do need to work out their way of meeting one-to-one.
Pepper the earth
If you meet with a Christian for Bible reading and prayer for the next 12 months, what will happen? You don’t know exactly, but you can have certain hopes and prayers. Both of you will grow in the knowledge and love of the Lord. Perhaps you will encourage others to start meeting one-to-one. Perhaps you will both continue to meet with different Christians for the next 40 years. Just imagine what could happen if it was commonplace for Christians to meet for one-to-one Bible reading and prayer! What would happen if our society was peppered with thousands of such meetings? What growth in godliness might we see?
Questions
Use these questions as starters for group discussion or personal reflection:
- What are the unique advantages of one-to-one ministry?
- Is there anything which makes you hesitant about doing it?
- What changes might you have to make to your Christian programme to do one-to-one Bible reading and prayer?
John Piper has written a article titled
What Should We Pray For?
One way to answer this question is to look at what the early church prayed for. Here is a list gathered from the New Testament. It can guide you in how you pray. I suggest that periodically you pray through this list just to test whether your prayers are leaving out anything the New Testament included. We don’t have to pray all of these each time we pray. But over time it would be good if our prayers had the breadth and depth of the New Testament prayers.
They called on God to exalt his name in the world.
Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name (Matthew 6:9).
They called on God to extend his kingdom in the world.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10 ).
They called on God that the gospel would run and triumph.
Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed on and triumph, as it did among you (2 Thessalonians 3:1).
They called on God for the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13; cf. Ephesians 3:19).
They called on God to vindicate his people in their cause.
And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? (Luke 18:7).
They called on God to save unbelievers.
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved (Romans 10:1).
They called on God to direct the use of the sword.
“Take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying through all prayer and supplication on every occasion . . .” (Ephesians 6:17-18)
They called on God for boldness in proclamation.
Pray at all times in the Spirit . . . and also for me, that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel (Ephesians 6:18-19)
And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness (Acts 4:29).
They called on God for signs and wonders.
And now Lord . . . grant your servants to speak thy word with boldness . . . while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus (Acts 4:30).
Elijah was a man of like nature with ourselves and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. Then he prayed again and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth its fruit (James 5:17 -18).
They called on God for the healing of wounded comrades.
Let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, and the prayer of faith will save the sick man and the Lord will raise him up (James 5:14-15).
They called on God for the healing of unbelievers.
It happened that the father of Publius lay sick with fever and dysentery; and Paul visited him and prayed, and putting his hands on him healed him (Acts 28:8).
They called on God for the casting out of demons.
And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer” (Mark 9:29)
They called on God for miraculous deliverances.
So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church . . . When he realized [he had been freed], he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying (Acts 12:5,12).
But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake (Acts 16:25-26).
They called on God for the raising of the dead.
But Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed; then turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, rise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up (Acts 9:40).
They called on God to supply his troops with necessities.
Give us this day our daily bread (Matthew 6:11).
They called on God for strategic wisdom.
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given him (James 1:5).
They called on God to establish leadership in the outposts.
And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they believed (Acts 14:23).
They called on God to send out reinforcements.
Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest (Matthew 9:38).
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off (Acts 13:2-3).
They called on God for the success of other missionaries.
I appeal to you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, (Romans 15:30-31).
They called on God for unity and harmony in the ranks.
I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me (John 17:20-21).
They called on God for the encouragement of togetherness.
[We are] praying earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith? (1 Thessalonians 3:10).
They called on God for a mind of discernment.
And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more in with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ (Philippians 1:9-10).
They called on God for a knowledge of his will.
And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding (Colossians 1:9).
They called on God to know him better.
[We have not ceased to pray for you to be] increasing in the knowledge of God (Colossians 1:10 ; cf. Ephesians 1:17 ).
They called on God for power to comprehend the love of Christ.
I bow my knees before the Father . . . that you may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge (Ephesians 3:14,18).
They called on God for a deeper sense of assured hope.
I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers . . . that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints (Ephesians 1:16,18).
They called on God for strength and endurance.
[We have not ceased to pray for you to be] strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy (Colossians 1:11 ; cf. Ephesians 3:16).
They called on God for deeper sense of his power within them.
I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers . . . that you may know . . . what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe (Ephesians 1:16, 19).
They called on God that their faith not be destroyed.
I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren (Luke 22:32).
Watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man (Luke 21:36).
They called on God for greater faith.
Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24 ; cf. Ephesians 3:17).
They called on God that they might not fall into temptation.
Lead us not into temptation (Matthew 6:13).
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak (Matthew 26:41).
They called on God that he would complete their resolves.
To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his call, and may fulfil every good resolve and work of faith by his power (2 Thessalonians 1:11).
They called on God that they would do good works.
[We have not ceased to pray for you that you] lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work (Colossians 1:10).
They called on God or forgiveness for their sins.
Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors (Matthew 6:12).
They called on God for protection from the evil one.
Deliver us from evil (Matthew 6:13).
Filed under: Some food for today | Tags: JC Ryle, The Resurgence, thoughts, Young men
The title should read 5 dangers young men should know because I think all guys no matter what age can benefit from this article below
J.C. Ryle’s writing will punch you right in the face. He was an Anglican Bishop to the working class of Liverpool during the industrial revolution. He had tough words for tough people, and we could all use a bit of a challenge. I first learned about Ryle by listening to a Sunday school message he delivered. Ryle wanted the kids to know that they were accountable for their actions, so he told them the story of Elisha calling calling 2 bears out of the woods to kill some kids who mocked him. Could you imagine a little kid’s response to that? You can be sure Ryle will bring the truth, no matter how difficult.
5 Dangers from Thoughts for Young Men by J.C. Ryle
1. Pride
“Young men, take to heart the Scriptures just quoted. Do not be too confident in your own judgment. Stop being so sure that you are always right, and others wrong. Don’t trust your own opinion, when you find it contrary to that of older men, and especially to that of your own parents. Age gives experience, and therefore deserves respect. ”
2. Love of Pleasure
“Youth is the time when our passions are strongest—and like unruly children, cry most loudly for indulgence. Youth is the time when we have generally our most health and strength: death seems far away, and to enjoy ourselves in this life seems to be everything… “I serve lusts and pleasures:” that is the true answer many a young man should give, if asked, “Whose Servant are you?” ”
3. Thoughtlessness
“Not thinking is one simple reason why thousands of souls are thrown away forever into the Lake of Fire. Men will not consider, will not look ahead, will not look around them, will not reflect on the end of their present course, and the sure consequences of their present days, and wake up to find they are damned for a lack of thinking.
Young men, none are in more danger of this than yourselves. You know little of the perils around you, and so you are careless how you walk. You hate the trouble of serious, quiet thinking, and so you make wrong decisions and bring upon yourselves much sorrow.””
4. Contempt of Religion
“This also is one of your special dangers. I always observe that none pay so little outward respect to Christianity as young men. None take so little part in our services, when they are present at them—use Bibles so little—sing so little—listen to preaching so little. None are so generally absent at prayer meetings, Bible Studies, and all other weekday helps to the soul. Young men seem to think they do not need these things—they may be good for women and old men, but not for them. They appear ashamed of seeming to care about their souls: one would almost fancy they considered it a disgrace to go to heaven at all. ”
5. Fear of Man’s opinion
“”The fear of man” will indeed “prove to be a snare” (Proverbs 29:25). It is terrible to observe the power which it has over most minds, and especially over the minds of the young. Few seem to have any opinions of their own, or to think for themselves. Like dead fish, they go with the stream and tide: what others think is right, they think is right; and what others call wrong, they call wrong too. There are not many original thinkers in the world. Most men are like sheep, they follow a leader. If it was the fashion of the day to be Roman Catholics, they would be Roman Catholics, if it was to be Islamic, they would be Islamic. They dread the idea of going against the current of the times. In a word, the opinion of the day becomes their religion, their creed, their Bible, and their God.”
Thoughts
Most young single guys spend their time playing video games, watching porn, drinking tons of cheap beer, and going to the Taco Bell drive-thru after midnight. Pastors—quit being wusses, and tell your young men that it’s time to grow up, quit living for themselves, and follow Christ.
Mike Anderson
Filed under: Some food for today | Tags: Christianity, CJ Mahaney, organising, unplanned
How do we identify our roles, create goals, and block out our schedule to make sure our time is focused on what is most important.
But no matter how hard we try, it is impossible to plan every detail of our week. Interruptions arise, an unanticipated phone call requires an immediate decision and possible time investment, a new email means more thought, etc…The list of possible surprises in our carefully planned weeks is seemingly endless.
So what do we do with the requests we didn’t see coming?
First, it is important to understand our roles, goals, and schedules before we discuss responding to unanticipated requests. Often the procrastinator fails to work from biblical roles to establish his schedule, and is therefore vulnerable to the urgent. So he defaults to the most recent—or easiest—request. He neglects the important tasks and is governed by the urgent and the easy. He is busy, busy, busy, but he is not diligent, faithful, or fruitful.
On the other hand, the one who has been diligent, understands his roles, and has created goals can respond to unanticipated requests with discernment, aware of the time he has available. He can make appropriate scheduling decisions. He has planned for the upcoming week, informed by biblical roles, and can now evaluate requests and everyday surprises wisely.
Each day, both requests and opportunities to serve exceed our capacity and our time. Saying “no” is really a humble response acknowledging our limitations. But if we have not determined in advance who we are to serve, and how we are to serve, we will not be able to say “no” when appropriate.
If you cannot say “no,” you will be governed by the urgent requests of others and distracted from what is most important. Eventually you will become overextended and frustrated.
Evaluating Requests
So how do we evaluate the many requests and opportunities we encounter each day? This is not science, but I personally work from a rough framework when evaluating requests as they arrive. I approach the requests through a workflow that can be divided into three primary questions.
(1) Does the request fit my roles?
First, does this particular request reflect my God-ordained roles? Does it reflect my role as a Christian, or my roles as a friend, son, Bible study leader, or my commitment to the church? If so, it automatically moves on to the second question that we will get to in one minute.
But if the request is not consistent with my roles, I ask a further question: Can I complete this in less than two minutes? Sometimes small opportunities to bless others arise but do not fit into our specific roles. If that’s the case, go for it.” If not—if this is a large request that would require a block of time in my schedule and does not fit into my roles—I must decide to delegate, decline, or delete the request.
(2) Does the request fit my goals?
So the request is consistent with your roles. Good. And in previous posts we have begun considering our goals, which are really sub-priorities within each role.
So does the specific request meet my personal goals? Perhaps not. Or at least not at this time. These requests must go into a folder where they can be prayed about, submitted to the counsel of others, and possibly postponed for later consideration.
If the request is consistent with my roles and goals, then it needs to be done. Time to proceed to the third question.
(3) Can I accomplish the request in under two minutes?
This is a simple question that can help as you put requests on your schedule.
Can the request be accomplished in two minutes or less? If you can complete the request that quickly then it’s really a no-brainer—complete it immediately. There is no reason to wait, no need to schedule a block of time.
But if the request requires more than two minutes of your time, it will require a place in the schedule.
So that is my process for evaluating requests. If we put this entire process together, it may look something like this flow chart:
Conclusion
It’s not possible to schedule all of our lives (nor should we try). And so there is no misunderstanding: I’m not dependent upon my schedule. My dependence rests upon God himself.
The unexpected will arise each day, needs will emerge that we did not anticipate, and situations that we could not foresee will require our attention.
We should not be surprised by apparent interruptions to our schedule. These are part of God’s purpose and plan for our lives. Go back and read the CS Lewis quote!
Found this... 