Discipleship
Do you ever get the feeling that this world is spinning out of control? Does it seem like earth’s clock is ticking and there’s something momentous around the corner? Are you grieved by the depravity that’s celebrated and settled into hearts? Do you feel the urge to get your house in order and your heart prepared while there’s still time?

Ephesians 2:10 reminds us to prepare and ready ourselves, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

1 Peter 1:13 states, “Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.”

Every day, we grow that much nearer to the day of Christ’s return. As believers we are redeemed and promised eternal life with our awesome Creator…forever! We know that whatever trials we endure here and now are just a mere mark in a brief moment of time. We are not yet home.

This knowledge should bring hope to our hearts and peace to our minds. We should wake up each day with joy-filled hearts knowing that one day, maybe very soon, we will see our Savior face to face.

One day we will have the awesome blessing of spending the rest of our lives with Him in the perfect place He’s fashioned and prepared for us. A place like nothing we’ve experienced before. A place where there will be no more shedding of tears, no more setbacks, disappointments, sickness, evil or injustice. A place void of all darkness and sin. A place filled with the light and love of the One who created both.

Revelation 21:3-4 reminds us of this incredible time to come, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’”

To that day we look forward with great anticipation.

While we rejoice in these truths, our hearts can’t turn a blind eye to those who are still in the darkness…whose eternities are a question mark…whose futures are not secure. There are so many who have not yet made the decision to trust in Christ. They are our friends, co-workers, strangers on the streets, and members within our own families. There are so many lost people in our world…people trying to fill the void with things that will never truly, never permanently satisfy.

There’s so much confusion, deception, and distraction vying for attention. So many idols sought…so many insignificant things filling hearts and minds. Yet nothing, absolutely nothing this world has to offer, can bring real peace. Nothing can truly change, satisfy, and complete the human heart apart from the One who created it. Only the One who formed it, breathed life into it, and keeps it beating, can save, mend, and complete it.

Sadly, most of us know too many people that have not made the decision to follow Christ. How do they cope with tragedy in their lives if they don’t have the Savior? How do they find forgiveness that settles the soul if they are void of the Only one that can forgive them of their sins? How do they make sense of a world that’s turned upside down? How do they cope with losing a loved one or calm themselves and keep a peaceful heart through all the storms of life?

Even the most moral of individuals, the most mature of believers, can find it hard to cope with all they see in the news and all the perversion and evil that’s invaded society. Now, just imagine if God wasn’t a part of the equation. Even for the believer, life can bear down hard. No one is immune to struggles this side of heaven.

Jesus himself said the following: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

We all will have struggles, but believers have a peace and assurance in knowing that Jesus has overcome it all and that a bright future awaits! The Bible also serves as a blueprint, giving believers a clearer glimpse into the future, helping us better understand what’s happening now in our world. But what does the unbeliever have for true peace? What does the unbeliever have other than what the world has to offer that will one day fade away?

The darkness in our world desperately needs the light of truth to shine brightly. The world needs to see believers be effective disciples. Hope needs to be shared, prayers need to be prayed, and love needs to be sown and invested into people’s lives.

1 Peter 3:15-16 says, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

We need to prepare ourselves so we can be effective disciples for Christ. We’re never to lose sight of the fact that eternity is FOREVER…everyone’s. Let that truth settle into your soul a bit.

Contemplate on the thought of “forever.’’ It’s actually mind boggling to think about! It’s hard to imagine that when we each breathe our last breath we will spend eternity with God or apart from him FOREVER. There is no decision that can be made after the fact. There is no more mercy given, no new day to start anew, no opportunity to accept Christ after that moment. No ability to turn things around and change…ever. When that last breath is taken on earth, it will be settled, once and for all. The decision will be eternal.

John 3:17 makes it clear that God wants all to be saved. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

Are you compelled in these dark days to be an effective disciple of the Savior? Are you ready to let God shine through you to a world in desperate need of His light, love and hope?

The need is great. The time is short. Are you ready to make an eternal difference today… tomorrow… as long as you have breath?

Is your heart driven to discipleship?

hspate@verizon.net

 

Christian Clutter

I have a secret…I’m a little bit of a clean freak. I love everything being clean. I also love everything being organized, spacious, and simplified. I love the idea of voluntary simplicity and living with less. To me, simplifying my life as much as I can is liberating and a fun challenge. It’s like a weight is lifted when I sort and clear out everything that’s unnecessary in my life. Yet, no matter how much I clean and clear, I‘ve noticed things continue to get dirty and stuff still comes in, and the endless cycle continues.

This continual cycle reminds me of our struggles in this imperfect life. As Christians, we struggle with our own inward and outward clutter. We have a tendency to complicate our own lives.

Perhaps we take on too much. Maybe we simply can’t bring ourselves to politely say “no” when we know we’re overbooked and overstressed. We may fall into the trap of allowing our focus and attention to be on things that don’t really matter… things that keep us busy, yet don’t make a dent or move us forward. We can quickly dirty and complicate our lives. We can make things very messy very fast.

Cluttering our lives with obligations and stuffing every corner with endless things should give us pause to say, “Is this beneficial…is this meaningful…does it matter?”

Although we can clutter with things and obligations, we can also clutter and make messy our lives because of what’s on the inside…what we’ve allowed into our hearts. Luke 6:45 reminds us of this truth:

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

For example, we may not always discipline ourselves to keep a tight rein on our tongues Maybe we’re prone to lash out or to speak without thinking first. Or, maybe we’re prone to gossip or to be just a very good “listener” of gossip.

We may let our minds wander and not take captive negative thoughts as the Bible teaches. Perhaps our motives for doing things are not exactly pure, but selfish. Maybe we struggle with letting insignificant things fill the space in our hearts, crowding out what truly matters most. We may allow ourselves to worry, when God calls us to give our concerns and cares to Him so we can have peace and rest.

We may secretly have our own “idols” or addictions we cling to instead of clinging to God alone. We may let things reach our hearts and vie for our attention and affection that have no place for attachment. We may open our eyes and minds to things we know we’re to turn from or gradually find ourselves becoming more desensitized by the world around us, making a once bright light go dim.

Our insides can get messy if we’re not on guard and daily keeping Christ as the primary focus of our attention. No matter what is cluttering our lives, we must continually take inventory and keep working to improve, change, and clean up the mess.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my own tangled-up messes, is the very real lesson that true and lasting change can’t come without God’s intervention. We try to change ourselves, yet forget that we can’t successfully make changes that last without the One who created us. All of us have to call on God for help…always, and in all things.

In John 15:5 Jesus himself stated, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

There are certain things you and I simply can’t do by ourselves or in our own strength.

Only God can truly clean a heart, change a life, and get each of us on the right course. Only God can miraculously transform us and clean us from the inside out. Only He can give us the strength to change, to break bad habits, and to start anew. We must be willing to cling to Him, place Him in the driver’s seat, die to self daily, and be participants in the cleaning-up process.

Thankfully, God doesn’t leave us helpless or hopeless. He’s our helper and source of strength. He’s our compass and our guide. He promises to refine us, mold us, and give us another chance to get things right…another chance to clean up and start fresh.

As you step into a new year, thank God for the opportunity to start fresh. Thank Him for a new day…another chance. Ask Him to open your eyes to see what needs to be refined and what needs to be removed in your life. And as you venture through your own process of coming clean, let these verses encourage you along the way.

Happy 2018!

Psalm 51:10 “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

Hebrews 10:22 “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

John 8:36 “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Psalm 51:7 “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

Lamentations 3:22-23 “Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Colossians 1:21-23 “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation — if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.”

Psalm 59:16 “But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.”

Luke 9:23 “Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

Psalm 51:1-2 “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according
to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.”

hspate@verizon.net