I read an article by Stephen Ingram last week that challenged youth ministries to look at whether they were equipping their students to be disciples or simply trying to convert them to Christianity. Good question, right? While he quoted Luke 14:25-33, I was curious about the Bible's distinction between being a believer and being a disciple, so I did a little more research. I ended up taking a handful of Scriptures with me to Sunday school this morning and we spent some time looking at them and talking about what it actually means to be a disciple versus someone who believes in God.
If I could share five things I hope my girls remember about being a disciple of Jesus, it would be these:
1) Belief is in your head. Discipleship is in your hands and feet. Believing in God is great, but it's what you do with that belief that counts. Being a disciple requires you to move, to act, to follow wherever Christ leads. (Matthew 7:21)
2) Discipleship begins with a choice. In some denominations, that choice is made when a person professes their faith and chooses to be baptized. In others, the choice is made at the time of confirmation. For people like me (who never truly had a choice about baptism as an infant or confirmation as a teenager), the choice might be made later in life. But no matter when the choice is made, becoming a disciple means making a conscious decision at a specific point in time to follow Jesus no matter the cost. (Matthew 28:19-20)
3) Discipleship will cost you something. It's impossible to follow Jesus and continue living your old life at the same time. Maybe He'll ask you to re-prioritize your time or relationships, or perhaps say goodbye to habits, pride, or possessions. Regardless of what the cost is for you, it will require you to turn from your old ways and embrace a new life. (Matthew 4:18-22, Luke 14:26-27)
4) Discipleship produces fruit. While it's possible to believe in God and keep your former lifestyle, people will start to notice a change when you decide to really, truly follow Him. The fruits of the Spirit will flourish, love will guide your actions, and God will be glorified. (Matthew 7:15-23, John 13:35)
5) Discipleship isn't easy, but it's worth it. Leaving your comfort zone is scary. Sacrificing your plans and sense of identity can be painful. It's often hard and isolating and uncomfortable, but if you're willing to let go of the life you have, you'll find a life greater than any you could have imagined. (Mark 8:34-35, John 8:31-32)
Although the requirements to be a disciple are fairly simple and straightforward (follow Christ and obey His commands), living them out and doing it well is something very few of us master. The important thing is to keep trying. Make the choice every single day to follow Him. Live in a state of humility and repentance. Place loving God and loving others above all else. If you do that, you'll find that as you grow in your relationship with Him, you'll also grow as a disciple. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
Showing posts with label 5 Things. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 5 Things. Show all posts
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Five things I want my teenagers to know about prayer
Aside from Scripture reading, prayer is one of the most fundamental spiritual disciplines. Without it, a true relationship with Christ is all but impossible, yet an active prayer life is something many Christians struggle with, myself included. What is it exactly that makes us struggle with something so simple? Is it the feeling that we have nothing to say, or no time with which to say it? Is it the feeling that it doesn't matter if we do or don't say anything? Is it a fear of doing it wrong? Each of these excuses are just that- excuses- and the sooner we realize that, the sooner we can begin to tap into the abundant life God has for us.
If I could share five things I wish my girls knew about prayer, it would be these:
1) Prayer is nothing more than a conversation. We've all heard this before, but what does it tell us about how and when we pray? Think about your best friend and all the ways and reasons you talk to her. There are quick texts sent when you don't have a lot of time. There are gab sessions over coffee when you need to vent or get advice. There are late night, how-would-I-ever-survive-without-you, heart to hearts. And just as there are lots of ways to communicate with your best friend, there are lots of ways to communicate with your Savior. You don't always have to talk to Him on your knees at the altar, but you also can't maintain a relationship with one-liners. Balance is key.
2) There's no such thing as a bad prayer. I think this is where many of us get stuck because we listen to the "professionals" on Sunday and know that our eloquence will never measure up. One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone asks for a volunteer to pray out loud at a gathering, and after the prayer is said, someone says "Good job" or "That was great." This implies that there are less-than-great prayers and nothing scares us away from something more than a fear of failure.
3) God's big enough to handle your honesty. Sometimes we avoid praying because we think we've got to be in a good place spiritually- full of faith and joy and ready to praise. And while God enjoys our good moods, He can hang with the bad ones, too. If we're hurt, angry, confused, or worried, He already knows, which means we might as well talk to Him in the midst of our frustration. Any relationship worth having is grounded in honesty, so don't try to hide from Him when you're feeling less than your best. Lay it all out there and know He'll handle it with grace.
4) Prayer isn't a selfish act, but we gain more than we think when we do it. Praying to thank God for all He's given you? You'll start to notice how very blessed you are. Praying to praise God for who He is? He'll reveal even more of Himself to you. Praying to ask for help? You'll begin to see His hand in so many ways, regardless of how things turn out. Praying on someone else's behalf? You'll find it easier to trust them into His care, and strengthen the bond between you to boot. Prayer opens you up to the work of the Holy Spirit, and changes you from the inside out.
5) Just because you don't hear a response doesn't mean you haven't been heard. I'm pretty sure all bloggers everywhere have the same secret. We love getting comments on our posts. Even though we aren't doing this for fame, we do like knowing that people are reading our words. And when we write and write and write with nary a comment, it can get a little discouraging. Prayer can be the same way. If we feel as if we're doing nothing more than talking to the ceiling, it's easy to ask ourselves why we bother doing it in the first place. Paul, however, writes in Ephesians 3:12 that because of Jesus, we can approach God with confidence. We don't have to wonder if He hears, or cares, or even wants to listen. He wouldn't have given us His Son if His plan was to ignore us. He did it to make a relationship possible.
Prayer isn't something that's meant only for the spiritually mature. There's no right or wrong way to do it, and you don't have to get up before dawn. Just say what's on your heart, and watch how He responds. Come confidently, and know that He's waiting with open arms.
If I could share five things I wish my girls knew about prayer, it would be these:
1) Prayer is nothing more than a conversation. We've all heard this before, but what does it tell us about how and when we pray? Think about your best friend and all the ways and reasons you talk to her. There are quick texts sent when you don't have a lot of time. There are gab sessions over coffee when you need to vent or get advice. There are late night, how-would-I-ever-survive-without-you, heart to hearts. And just as there are lots of ways to communicate with your best friend, there are lots of ways to communicate with your Savior. You don't always have to talk to Him on your knees at the altar, but you also can't maintain a relationship with one-liners. Balance is key.
2) There's no such thing as a bad prayer. I think this is where many of us get stuck because we listen to the "professionals" on Sunday and know that our eloquence will never measure up. One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone asks for a volunteer to pray out loud at a gathering, and after the prayer is said, someone says "Good job" or "That was great." This implies that there are less-than-great prayers and nothing scares us away from something more than a fear of failure.
3) God's big enough to handle your honesty. Sometimes we avoid praying because we think we've got to be in a good place spiritually- full of faith and joy and ready to praise. And while God enjoys our good moods, He can hang with the bad ones, too. If we're hurt, angry, confused, or worried, He already knows, which means we might as well talk to Him in the midst of our frustration. Any relationship worth having is grounded in honesty, so don't try to hide from Him when you're feeling less than your best. Lay it all out there and know He'll handle it with grace.
4) Prayer isn't a selfish act, but we gain more than we think when we do it. Praying to thank God for all He's given you? You'll start to notice how very blessed you are. Praying to praise God for who He is? He'll reveal even more of Himself to you. Praying to ask for help? You'll begin to see His hand in so many ways, regardless of how things turn out. Praying on someone else's behalf? You'll find it easier to trust them into His care, and strengthen the bond between you to boot. Prayer opens you up to the work of the Holy Spirit, and changes you from the inside out.
5) Just because you don't hear a response doesn't mean you haven't been heard. I'm pretty sure all bloggers everywhere have the same secret. We love getting comments on our posts. Even though we aren't doing this for fame, we do like knowing that people are reading our words. And when we write and write and write with nary a comment, it can get a little discouraging. Prayer can be the same way. If we feel as if we're doing nothing more than talking to the ceiling, it's easy to ask ourselves why we bother doing it in the first place. Paul, however, writes in Ephesians 3:12 that because of Jesus, we can approach God with confidence. We don't have to wonder if He hears, or cares, or even wants to listen. He wouldn't have given us His Son if His plan was to ignore us. He did it to make a relationship possible.
Prayer isn't something that's meant only for the spiritually mature. There's no right or wrong way to do it, and you don't have to get up before dawn. Just say what's on your heart, and watch how He responds. Come confidently, and know that He's waiting with open arms.
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Five things I want my teenagers to know about the Bible
My Sunday school class has spent the last two months competing in a Bible-reading challenge. By finding Scriptures that spoke to them throughout the week and sharing them with us on Sunday, they earned points and had an opportunity to win a handful of gift cards. But in the end, the point of our contest wasn't for them to take trip to Starbucks on me. It was about laying a foundation, and I hope they haven't missed the point.
If I could share five things I wish my girls knew about the Bible, it would be these:
If I could share five things I wish my girls knew about the Bible, it would be these:
1) It's okay if you don't always understand it. God is so much bigger than anything we can comprehend, and the same goes for His Word. It's deep. It's complicated. It's seemingly contradictory at times. But it's also revealing, enlightening, and incredibly beautiful. Don't let a fear of failure get in your way of experiencing it. Even if nothing makes sense at first glance, the time hasn't been wasted. And on that note...
2) The Bible is something to be experienced, not mastered. We can study the history, the geography, and the people to our heart's content, but if we're coming to it from a purely intellectual standpoint, we're going to miss out on all that it has to offer. Learn to just "be" with your Bible. Read without expectation. Soak it up. Enjoy it.
3) Luke 6:45 says that our heart brings forth our words, and it's the same with God. If you want to get to know His heart, who He is at His very core, get to know His words. You'll learn what His passions are, what hurts Him, what brings Him joy. Don't listen to who others say He is- read it for yourself!
4) The Bible might be an ancient book, but it's alive and relevant even today. No two people will read a passage the exact same way. We'll notice different things, have different questions, learn from different situations. That's because God meets us where we are, and no two people are in the same place. And no one person stays in the same place forever. What God spoke to you through a particular story last year or last month might be totally different than what He has for you today. You've grown since then, and there will always be something new for you to discover.
5) Context is everything. Some instructions in the Bible are meant for all people at all times; others aren't. Some visions are warnings, while others are true prophecies. Without knowing the time and place a particular passage was written, it's impossible to know the difference. So while there is a time to read for no other reason than to experience God's presence, there is also a time to study. Find a commentary or other book that will give you some insight to the context, or simply use Google. However you learn, looking at the whole picture versus just a single verse will open you you up to so much more than meets the eye.
The Bible can be incredibly intimidating when you first start to get into it. For people who don't like to read, it contains a whole lot o' words. But with only a few minutes and an open heart, those words can change your life. So be brave. Open it up, and go exploring. There's a good chance God has an adventure waiting for you!
5) Context is everything. Some instructions in the Bible are meant for all people at all times; others aren't. Some visions are warnings, while others are true prophecies. Without knowing the time and place a particular passage was written, it's impossible to know the difference. So while there is a time to read for no other reason than to experience God's presence, there is also a time to study. Find a commentary or other book that will give you some insight to the context, or simply use Google. However you learn, looking at the whole picture versus just a single verse will open you you up to so much more than meets the eye.
The Bible can be incredibly intimidating when you first start to get into it. For people who don't like to read, it contains a whole lot o' words. But with only a few minutes and an open heart, those words can change your life. So be brave. Open it up, and go exploring. There's a good chance God has an adventure waiting for you!
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