Perseverance - Sticking with something no matter what

Webster's defines Perseverance as "Persistence in any thing undertaken; continued pursuit or prosecution of any business or enterprise begun; applied alike to good or evil."



The more I go through life, and the longer I walk with Christ, the more I see we must persevere - persist, continue, stick at, keep with - the things God brings across our path. This is not to "be saved" so much as it is to earn a place of honour with Christ, but it is still essential to our walk.




I work in an industry where I have to stick at the job, particularly when it becomes unpleasant, because that's how it works in financial services. To quit would be the easy way out. In ancient Sparta, they had a proverb for warriors going into battle - come back WITH your shield or ON it. The first part of the saying, "with your shield" was a reference to those men who would discard their heavy brass shield to speed their flight from battle as they turned tail and ran away. The second part, "on it," was what happened if you failed to win, but were honourable enough not to run away - they carried you back ON your shield because you were either to injured to walk or you were dead - and both were held to be great marks of honour. The only alternative that brought dishonour was cowardice.




A great example of "sticking at it" was Joshua and Caleb, two of the twelve men who went into the promised land to spy it out ahead of time. Ten of the twelve gave reports that brought fear to the house of Israel. They reported giants in the land, and terrible death for anyone that should try to overcome them. Caleb and Joshua gave different reports. They told of the giants in the land and of the dangers, but they also said "we are well able to overcome them" to the story they told. Consequently, they were the only two of the twelve to enter into the promised land (Numbers 14:38). So what was different about them?




I believe it was their perspective - the persevered because they believed the promises of God. Brothers and sisters, God has promised every one of us that he will complete the good work he has begun in us (Phillipians 1:6). He will make us to be what the scriptures call "perfect," even as He is perfect. For those of you that believe in Him, He will do it. For those of you that do not believe it, the Lord Jesus graciously extends you this opportunity to believe Him for what He has promised - Life, and that more abundantly. (If you want to know more, please message me.)




Let us gain that required heavenly perspective that will allow us to persevere by walking with him. We do this by holding to the basic tenets that all of the very first group of Christians did - by continuing steadfastly in the apostles' teaching, in fellowship, in the breaking of bread (worship), and in prayer. For "faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass." (1 Thessalonians 5:24)




Gerry Brinkman
The Christian Disciple

Global Scope Ministries


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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

The Meaning and Purpose of Family

Psalm 78:5-7 "For He established a testimony in Jacob And appointed a law in Israel , Which He commanded our fathers That they should teach them to their children, That the generation to come might know , even the children yet to be born , That they may arise and tell them to their children, That they should put their confidence in God And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments." (NASB) Here are some observations from that passage: 1. The context of the Family is the created state of man, ordained by God for passing knowledge and wisdom to the next generation. In fact, God commanded the fathers to teach the children. 2. Teaching the next generation in the family required a conscious act, it didn't just happen. The subject material was also very specific - the works and commandments of God so that they may be kept. 3. The keeping of the commandments of God require a deliberate and positive act. Deuteronomy 4:10 talks more about a) assembling before God to learn about Him, and b) teaching the children. Again, a conscious and deliberate act. Recently, I read a commentary that talked about how the modern and historical methods of trying to deal with problems is to attack and disable or eliminate the bad so that what may be left is the good. Unfortunately, the treatise went on to correctly point out, it is a mistake to think that way. Something good needs to be consciously and deliberately created, and so it is with family. The command here deals specifically with fathers and their actions. Who will take responsibility for teaching your children the truth about the Lord and how to follow Christ? As a father of three, my response must be "I will!" If I don't there are plenty of other influences in society that my kids will turn to like gangs, drugs, sex, or whatever takes them away from the Lord. That is what will happen if I don't make that conscious and deliberately active choice. Brothers and sisters, let us take the command of God seriously to teach our children. If we do not, someone else will, and then God help them.

ALL things work together for good...

Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. (NASB)



Consider what this means to the disciple of Christ. ALL things. That means both the good and the bad things that happen to us. We all know that good things that happen fill us with a sense of joy and thankfulness, and that is wonderful. ... B...ut what about the bad things? Job, in his time, said it this way - the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. It is a hard thing to remember that during the bad times, but if we can remember that the purpose of the bad things is to show us our complete need for God and that the bad times also help us to become like our Lord Jesus, the main point of the Christian disciple, then we can give thanks at ALL times for ALL things, both good and bad.

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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Suffering and the Christian Life

I had to share this devotional from Chuck Swindoll with you all.

http://www.insight.org/library/insight-for-today/nothing-new.html

This is something that God has been teaching me through my recent circumstances. The Word of God never says that our quality of life will be better if we give our lives to God. Sometimes, as Job, and as Paul, and as John Bunyan, referenced in this article, things don't go better. If you think about Hebrews 11, beginning in v 32, the scriptures talk about all the faithful, and starts out with Gideon, and Barack, and a bunch of others that God moved through mightily. The in v36, the tone changes. To quote: "and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground."


Contrary to popular teaching, things do not always "go better with Jesus," to play on the old Coca Cola commercial. Our circumstances may be terrible. However, God knows, He is allowing it, and He is teaching things to us through it. To quote, time would fail if I spoke about Daniel (thrown into a den of lions), Shadrach, Meshach, and  Abednego (thrown into a fiery furnace), Job (lost his family, his property, and his living all in about 5 minutes and then lost his health), Paul (was stoned and left for dead and later beheaded for Christ), Peter (crucified upside down), and Jesus Himself (gave up being equal with God and was crucified for the sins of us all), who suffered and persevered to a better reward. God is good, even when our condition is not.
I thought you would all find that as encouraging as I do.
 
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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Jesus will return!

Revelation 19:11-13 "And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God." (NASB)

Someday God will come again to make all wrongs right and to release all captives from their prisons. It is a day that we can look forward to, not fear - he is coming for US! 
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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Jesus - OUR Valentine!

John 17:20-21 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me." (NASB)

Not only is Jesus one with the Father (His own words here), but He has asked that all of us that believe be one with them also. The apostle Paul says in Ephesians that we are (present tense) seated with Him in Heavenly places in Christ. It is God's intention that we be one with Him. Organized religion does not teach this - it can only be experienced in a direct, first-person relationship with Jesus Christ.

Don't ever think that God is a distant impersonal force.  Jesus prayed these words for our sakes to show His desire to be united with us even as He is united with the Father.  In every respect, Jesus wanted to be OUR valentine.


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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

We must walk with Christ together...

Psalm 116:12-14 "What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?  I shall lift up the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord.  I shall pay my vows to the Lord, oh may it be in the presence of all His people."  (NASB)

As we walk with our Lord Jesus, we can ask ourselves what we can give back to Him for all He has done for us.  The Psalmist declares that he will lift the cup of salvation - something we all must drink from or participate in - and call on His name.  In the very next sentence, the Psalmist equates this with paying his vows to the Lord - those things we have committed to Him - to walk in His ways according to His Word - in the presence of all His people.

Surely there is a corporate aspect to our following of Christ.  We walk with Him - with His people.  We do not "go to church."  We ARE the church!  Let us walk with Him together and worship before His throne!

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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Unbroken Fellowship with God

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (NASB)


This is critical to our fellowship with God. As we walk with Him, sin interrupts that fellowship. We must confess to Him that we have sinned, and we must be specific. Then He will forgive us, and cleanse us from the unrighteousness. As we walk with Him, He changes our character so that we no longer want our sinful nature to ruin our fellowship with God. This is God Himself transforming our mind. Thank the Lord of Heaven and Earth that He loves us so deeply!


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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Practical Renewing of the Mind

Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things." (NASB)

The scripture tells us (in Romans 12:2) that we need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This is one concrete way we can do that. Instead of focusing on the bad news on the TV or the radio, instead of what we watched at the movie theatre that may have been sad or depressing, or instead of the ugliness we can see in ourselves or others, let us make a different choice. Let us focus on things that really matter - Truth, Honor, Morality, Purity, Loveliness, Good report, Excellence, anything we can praise people around us for - let us choose to make that our moment-by-moment emphasis.


Prayer:  Heavenly Father, put it within us to choose to keep in mind these good things, and renew our minds as we exercise ourselves in the effort.  Make us into the image of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray.  Amen.


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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

The Cost of Discipleship

Phillippians 3:7 "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ." (NASB)




The German pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote a book called The Cost of Discipleship. In one of the most lucid treatments I have read on the topic, he essentially said that that cost of discipleship to Christ is our very lives. This is one of the verses that he used; the apostle Paul reflects on the cost to himself personally.



In verses 4-6 of this chapter, he describes his earthly qualifications and awards. He was the perfect religious man under Hebrew law, zealous in his own pursuit of God, even to the point of his pursuit of the perceived heretical "wayists," the followers of Christ. He was a student of Gameliel, one of the greatest Hebrew scholars of all time. He spoke at least 7 languages fluently. He had the equivalent today in two university doctorates, and a master's certificate in a trade (tent-making). (The master's certificate meant he could teach apprentices, and he did - Pricilla and Aquilla.) After all that acheivement, verse 7 says that he counted it all as a loss for the sake of following Christ. Verse 8 says that he in fact considered these things as common garbage, to be thrown away to do so, culminating in verse 10 that says, "that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."



Let us consider for a moment what Paul has said. First, it is "that I may know Him." This does not refer to mere salvation, but it says "and the power of His resurrection." John 3:16 says that "God SO loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish, but have eternal life." Not only is he talking about the concept of quanitiy, that is, of living forever, but of quality, in the sense of eternal vigour and vitality! And he even talks about how we get there; this is the part that is difficult. "...and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death." This is not something that our old nature wants to hear. And yet, it is the only way we can be trained to walk in His glorious new Life, our new and heavenly nature.



This culminates in verse 14, which says, "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." In verse 13, he talks about how we need to forget the past and reach toward our future, toward what we are becoming in Him. Many times, we think this can be done without suffering and pain, but this is not so, according to Paul, and according to Deitrich Bonhoeffer. The cost of our discipleship, or as I prefer to think of it, our on-the-job training, is our very own life. Steve Camp wrote a song that perfectly expresses this in the line: "To give all that we are / For all that He is / This is the Gospel according to Jesus."



Jesus came, it says in the gospel of John, that we might have LIFE, and that we might have it more abundantly. As we partake of His sufferings, that is as we choose to die to our own will and yield our will to Him, we gain entrance into that life. Brothers and sisters, let us be those who will count our lives as a loss, declaring it to be garbage compared to walking in the newness of Life Jesus brings.



Prayer: Heavenly Father, I yield my will to you. Lord, take this mess I call my life and exchange it moment by moment for His glorious and heavenly life. Let me be filled with heavenly vigour and vitality, here on Earth, according to your will, which is carried out in Heaven. Energize me to press on toward that upward call in Jesus Christ, in whose name I pray. Amen.
 
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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Follow The Leader

Philippians 2:5-11 "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (NASB)


In my life experience so far, I have met people that were thrust into positions of leadership that were ill-equipped, I have met people that have real leadership ability that don't want the position of being in charge, I have met people that want to be in charge that have next to no leadership ability, and I have met real leaders. In fact, at given periods, I have probably inhabited all of those spaces personally. Although I could speak in detail on what qualities of leadership make or break someone in command, it would be pointless, because everything the world thinks is successful is turned upside down by Jesus Christ.


Jesus took a completely different attitude. He did not put on airs of command, though He would have been the man that legitimately could. It says he "emptied" Himself. The sense I got from a survey of 14 different translations that included KJV, NASB, and others, is that emptying was a putting aside of His own nature as God (verse 6 says He existed in the form of God). The King James, Modern King James, and Webster translations all say "He made Himself of no reputation" in an attempt to express that. (Young's Literal Translation uses the word "empties", and the Greek word κενόω has the meaning of emptying or making void, like erasing a blackboard or emptying a pot of its contents. After that, it says he took upon Himself the form of a slave, the servant of all. In fact, it says that he bound Himself under God's laws, and obeyed them, even though it cost Him His own life in the most painful way I can imagine. But what did this mean practically? It means that Jesus took the lowest place and served everyone, not just by His death, but by His life as well.


John 13:2-5 "During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded." (NASB)


This act of washing the feet was, in the culture of the day, an act of hospitality, that equally represented both humilty and affection, particularly when performed by the host. It was a loving act, and true to form, the disciples did not recognize it as such, but my point here is that the one man that could have commanded us all took the lowest place and served us. One commentator (J. N. Darby) has said that now that He has returned to Heaven, He is still serving us. And He expects us to do likewise.


It is by serving others that we become more Christlike. The Scripture says that we should "have this attitude" in ourselves that also characterized our leader. The Greek literally says "let this mind be in you." What I think this indicates is that we need to yield ourselves to our new nature in Christ and LET this service flow from that new life, as opposed to struggling and straining to do this from our old (even religious) nature. (We have this perpetually driving need to DO something. I believe this can be a representation of our old nature trying to get back to God all on its own as opposed to simply believing what the Bible says in Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.")


Brothers and sisters, let us be those that let ourselves believe the Word of God, and believe that we have traded our old, pathetic, perhaps even religious life for His new and perfect, gloriously liberating life. Let us allow our minds to be transformed into the mindset of the servant, as Christ did when He walked among us - and let us then go and be the servant of all, as our own leader did, and learn from Him the path of true leadership.


Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to set us free from the penalty and power of sin in our lives. Thank you that we can now yield ourselves to His new nature in us, and let His mindset, the mindset of service, be in us. Father, we pray that you would transform our minds that we could also be your servants and follow our Leader, Your Son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Conduct Yourselves in a Worthy Manner...

Phillipians 1:27,28 "Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; in no way alarmed by your opponents--which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for you, and that too, from God." (NASB)

What does it mean to "conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ?" It means that our behaviour should be suitable for the gospel, agreeable to the gospel. For example, would a servant of the good news ever participate in a bank robbery? Most likely, they would not. How then should we behave? In Matthew 5, Jesus gives us a bunch of behaviours to emulate. (The really interesting thing is that as we perform those activities, we become more like Jesus in character.)

Further, the phrase "standing firm" in Greek gives the image of wrestlers who stand in the fight and do not let their feet be moved backwards. It is appropriate imagery for the Christian Disciple; we are in a spiritual wrestling match. Ephesians 6:12 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." The King James version translates that accurately as "We wrestle."

The apostle Paul finally encourages us not to be alarmed by those who stand against us. It can be alarming when someone does or says something that flies in the face of good and moral behaviour, especially when it is done intentionally to set us off. Weymouth says, "Never for a moment quail before your adversaries. Your fearlessness will be to them a sure token of impending destruction, but to you it will be a sure token of your salvation--a token coming from God." Remember how Nehemiah stood in the face of social, political, and even military opposition. He had the assurance that God would fight where He could not - and it is the same for us.

Brothers and sisters, let us be those who walk in appropriate behaviour and attitude for the furthering of the good news of Jesus Christ, striving for the truth as those who wrestle and who will not give ground. Let us not be disturbed by our Adversary or his minions, knowing that as we stand up to him, he will flee, because we stand in the grace and authority of Almighty God.

Heavenly Father, thank You for sending Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who died in our place, and rose from the dead to show the penaly for our wrongdoings was paid, and that the power of sin in our lives has been broken once for all. Help us, Lord, to stand in the grace of His life, and not be afraid of any kind of opposition, because you have not given us a spirit of fear, but instead, you have given us a spirit of love, of power, and of a sound mind. Thank you Father, for the love and gifts you bestow upon us. We pray in Jesus' might and precious name. Amen.
 
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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

What is a "Real Man" and how can I be one?

Check out this facebook article!

http://www.facebook.com/notes/the-holy-bible-brought-to-you-by-rev-mark-brown/a-call-to-fathers-everywhere-its-time-to-be-courageous-will-you-take-a-stand/10150607071537152

Now check out this YouTube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkM-gDcmJeM

Tell me, men - were you moved the same way I was?

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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Service without fear...

Haggai 2:4,5 "'But now take courage, Zerubbabel,' declares the LORD, 'take courage also, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and all you people of the land take courage,' declares the LORD, 'and work; for I am with you,' declares the LORD of hosts. 'As for the promise which I made you when you came out of Egypt, My Spirit is abiding in your midst; do not fear!'" (NASB)



Haggai 2:4,5 "Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts: According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not." (KJV)


Have you ever been afraid? These men were. They were engaged in the restoration of the Temple in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, and they faced social, political, and even military opposition to their service to God. However, God promised them that He was with them; they need not let fear prevent them from serving God. We can learn from their example. Jesus, in his final words in the Gospel of Matthew, said ""All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt. 28:18-20) Let us serve Him without hesitation and reservation.
 
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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Jesus Christ - our Definite Article

John 1:1-5 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." (NASB)


John 1:1-5 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (KJV)


A (poor and incorrect) translation I once read of this verse said that the Word was A God. They are only half right. There is an article in the Greek - but it is NOT the indefinite article, it is the definite article - the Word was THE God. Only Jesus Christ fills that claim and description. He alone could say in John 14:6 that He was THE way, THE truth, and THE life, and that NO ONE could come to the Father but by Him. Jesus Christ - our Definite Article.
 
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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Overcomers, Inc. - The WHY...

Revelation 3:19-22 "Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (NASB)



Revelation 3:20 is a popular verse when we share Christ with people. In fact, it is one of the verses that was shared with me at the time I became a new creation (it pushed me over the edge!). However, it was written to the church, His body, His followers. The context here is Jesus speaking to His church about their complacency and apathy. He promises that to those who will shake off dull sloth, that they will sit on His own throne! Let us be those that are not complacent in the face of a world that has grown cold toward God.


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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

New Year's Eve, 2011 - A Resolution?

As I sit here contemplating the beginning of another year, my mind turns to a tradition that I first learned of in Grade 1 called the "New Year's Resolution."  I had never heard of this before, it was totally new to me as a 6-year-old, and I wondered why my parents didn't tell me about it.  Everyone in my class seemed to know about it, why didn't I?


Well, it turns out there are two groups of people.  (Isn't there always two groups of people?  The category you want to talk about, and then everybody else.)  There are people that make resolutions, and there are people that don't.  However, which category has less stress?  The people that don't bother to worry about stuff like that or the people that have their conscience hounded by spoken or written words?


I actually figured it out.  I'm proud to say that every year since I was 6, I have made one resolution and have kept it every year since then.  So what is this great resolution you ask?


It's very simple.  I resolve that I will make no resolutions other than this one - not to make any New Years Resolutions.  And you know what?  I'm a lot happier... ;)

Happy New Year, everybody!  Keep smiling!
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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Discipleship 101 - Corporate Implications for the Disciple

We come to the point in our consideration of the practice of the original group of believers in the book of Acts. If you will recall, in the first article entitled "Discipleship 101 - What is discipleship anyway," I stated that the practices listed in Acts 2:42 could be best described with the phrase "they continued steadfastly." I would like to point out that this was not a solo effort. THEY continued steadfastly. It is without doubt that they practised these things as individuals as discussed in the other articles here. So why did they need to practice them together?



People make much out of how they don't "go to church," because of the problems they see in organized religion. I wholeheartedly agree with their analysis. However, I am not speaking of an organized religion, or a dead system of rules for behaviour. I am referring to an organic relationship with the "Ecclesia," the Greek word used in the New Testament for the Church, the Body of Christ.


The word Ecclesia has its beginnings about 1500 BC in Athens, and is a reference to their political gathering in the Acropolis. If you weren't aware, the Athenians practiced direct democracy, where everyone had a voice and everyone had a vote on the issues of the day that were of importance to their city-state. The English word "Church" does NOT originate from the word Ecclesia, but rather the Greek word Kuriakon, meaning "dedicated to the Lord." By either word in Greek, the concept of the Church as a building is glaringly absent. The Church is the collective gathering of those that Jesus has saved from the world, not the place they gather together. One has well said that the Church is not the building, but the people in it. The clear implication here is that the Church is a place of relationship, not rules.


The original group of about 3000 believers that were saved out of the world that first day the good news of Jesus was proclaimed abroad didn't have a building to go to, but a budding relationship with their risen Lord. It was a natural extension of their personal practice to come together and practice these things corporately as well. THEY continued steadfastly. Together. As the very BODY of the risen Christ. And like a body, the different members needed each other to grow.


I have spoken over many years to people that think they don't need to "go to church" to be a Christian. Although they are correct, they are missing out on the very mechanism that God has provided to bring us to maturity in Christ. I once heard a fellow say that "Going to Church makes you a Christian about as much as going to McDonalds makes you a hamburger." He is right! Faith in Jesus, God made flesh to die for our sins and set us free from sin's power makes us Christians. However, if we're talking about growth, the Ecclesia is the place that happens. It has been well said that "no one is an island."


In fact, I read posts and emails from and speak with Christians who struggle with sin in their lives, who are depressed all the time, and have no prayer life to speak of, don't read the word, don't worship, don't fellowship with God on a daily basis. When I ask them where they attend regular worship, they say "nowhere." It is no mystery to me that they have no real maturity as Christians, absent from others who could help them in their walks with Christ just by being there together with them. Why is that? Why do we need the corporate gathering of ourselves?


The very first reason (and I suspect this is what people are trying to escape naturally) is that it gives an accountability to your walk with Christ. It is very easy to claim Christianity as your banner if there is no one to tell you what that means. There is no context for your behaviour, and no one to challenge you if you are going astray. And it is our fallen nature to go astray...even the Apostle Paul, arguably the greatest disciple of the first century, siad that of himself.


The second reason (and people also run from this, they feel vulnerable) is that you actually have other people in relationship that are going in the same direction. It says in Ecclesiastes that where one falls, another will pick them up, and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. We need others to relate to, and we need them constantly. If we don't have them, we go astray (again, see the life of the Apostle Paul).


Individual practice is the basis for corporate exercise. We need to be in a strong place of fellowship where they practice the study of the Word, Fellowship with god and with each other, Worship of God collectively, and Corporate Prayer.


As always, if you have questions, please message me.


Gerry Brinkman
Administrator
The Christian Disciple

Original article here:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Christian-Disciple/241608885901471?sk=notes#!/notes/the-christian-disciple/discipleship-101-corporate-implications-for-the-disciple/267027620026264

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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Tribute to my Dad, Gord (1943-2011)

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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)

Discipleship 101 - Prayer

As we come to the final practice of the original church listed in our Key text of Acts 2:42, we should also bear in mind that this also has individual and corporate applications. It is a very big subject with varied opinions on what constitutes prayer. My attempt here is to show what the Word of God says about the practice.

At it's most basic level, Prayer is communication with God. It is not accomplished through some intermediary but is direct with God Himself personally. According to Easton's Bible Commentary, it "presupposes a belief in the personality of God, his ability and willingness to hold intercourse with us, his personal control of all things and of all his creatures and all their actions."

Prayer may be verbal and spoken (as Jesus did in John 17, for example), or it may be silent (as described by the Psalmist David in Psalm 5:1 when he says "consider my groanings" and like passages). It may express joy and worship, or it may express grief and sadness. Overall, it is the way we communicate with God.

The Lord Jesus gave us a great pattern prayer in Matthew 6:9-13 when asked by the discples how to pray. Jesus said, "Pray then in this way: Our Father who is in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done on Earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.] (The part in brackets does not occur in some manuscripts, and it is not my intention to discuss whether it was part of the original prayer, I include it for completeness.) What can we notice about this prayer?

First, our address is to our Heavenly Father, the source of everything. He is our creator, and He is our provider. Our address is to the King of the Universe. Second, it declares the holiness of God, which is a part of worshipping Him. We should always approach God in reverence. Third, it implores God to do His will on Earth as it is done in Heaven. Prayer should always be given in the context that God is God and he can do whatever He feels is best. Fourth, we ask for our daily provision. Fifth, we ask for forgiveness with the caveat that we are walking in His example of forgiveness. (Remember, Jesus forgave His crucifiers from the cross.) Sixth, we ask for protection from the enemy of our souls. Finally, we close with more worship. This is the Lord's great pattern prayer, not to be memorized and recited mindlessly, but instead a pattern to be followed as we communicate with God.

But why pray at all?

Matthew 21:22 says "And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." John 16:24 gives us another secret - "Until now, you have asked nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full." Jesus Himself says that as we pray in His name and authority, God will answer those requests. There are three answers I have encountered over the years - yes, no, and wait. A positive answer needs no explanation, for God has fulfilled the request. An answer of "not yet" is harder to take, but God is not restricted by our timetable or agenda, and so grants these things at the perfect time. The answer of "no" is the hardest to understand.


When God answers "no" to a request, it is for one of two reasons. The first of those is because it is not the best for us. "Oh God," one once prayed, "let me be a rich person so that I may serve you better." What the person did not understand is that great wealth would have harmed them more. The second reason God does not answer prayer is selfish sin. James 4:3 says "You ask and do not receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." 1 John 3:22 says "and whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight. [Emphasis added.] We need to give consideration to our motives in asking, and that we are walking with Christ.

This most cursory examinations on the practice of prayer in the Bible is by no means complete. I recommend books written by E. M Bounds around the end of the US Civil war or a more recent book by Paul E. Billheimer called Destined to Overcome for the serious seeker.

As always, contact me if you have questions!


The original article is posted here:  http://www.facebook.com/JesusChrist.Savior#!/notes/the-christian-disciple/discipleship-101-prayer/260241137371579


Gerry Brinkman
Administrator
The Christian Disciple

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"You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
-John 8:32 (NASB)