March 2009 – Page 2 – ToBeLikeJesus

A Book Review #2

The Training of the Twelve by A.B. Bruce

One of the most celebrated books on Jesus’ disciplemaking methods. Make no mistake, this classic is not for the faint of heart. Written in 1897 by a revered theologian it is a “full on” brain buster. Having read most of the books on discipleship, I knew I couldn’t leave the planet without reading this one. But I have to be honest; I only finished it by the sweat of my brow. Lots of diggin’ for those golden nuggets, but they’re in there. I recommend it to those who are serious readers and have already read Master Plan of Evangelism, by Robert Coleman, Personal Disciplemaking by Christopher Adsit, and Lost Art of Disciple Making by LeRoy Eims.

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On the road again heading towards Little Rock, AR

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My Faithbook Status: Chuck is changed forever in Christ

Value #3 – The transforming power of the Gospel.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

On December 23^rd, 1979 my life was forever changed when I embraced the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom. These changes were radical but somewhat transparent to the eyes of men. It was more than the external life-style changes that took place as I repented of my ways (although this is important). It was much more. I was transformed in three very distinct ways: My relational position with God, my daily practices, and my ultimate destiny of being in the presence of God. The gospel is the beginning and the end of a transformed life. It really is “good news.”

The Gospel powerfully transforms a person’s standing or position with God. The truth that all men are spiritually dead in sin may not be recognized by the natural man but it is true nonetheless (Rom 3.23, 6.23). When a person places trust in the Good News of God’s plan of reconciliation through His Son, Jesus Christ, they shed spiritual deadness and enter into eternal life. (Jn 3.16, 5.24, 2 Tim 1.10, Rom 1.16)

The Gospel powerfully transforms a person’s daily practices in God. Understanding God’s love for us and our new found security in Jesus compels us to live life differently. But transformation is a result of much more than earthly efforts; it is the work of God (Phil 2.12-13). We start a sanctification process from the moment we embrace the Gospel (Rom 16.25, 1 Cor 15.1-4, 2 Cor 9.13, Phil 1.5-6, Col 1.5-6).

The Gospel powerfully transforms our ultimate destiny with God. One day, as a result of receiving Jesus Christ, we will be glorified. It is our eternal end state. It is a state of perpetual blessing in the presence of Jesus Himself. Our relationship with God will be completely reconciled in position, practice, and presence (2 Thes 1.8-10, Rom 8.17, 30, Phil 1.23, Col 3.1-4).

The Gospel (Good News): Man can be given right relationship with God in His Kingdom through person and work of Jesus Christ.

What are your favorite verses of Scripture on the Transforming Power of the Gospel? Feel free to post them below.

(Gal 2.20)

(Mark 10:29)

(Rom 12.2)

(2 Corinthians 4:3-7)

(Ephesians 1:13-14)

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Bull or Bear – The Value of Truth in a Failing Economy

Value #2 – The truth and sufficiency of the Scriptures for the whole of life.

“Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. “
(John 17:17)

Even in an age of relativism the hunger for the truth is unmistakable. As people are robbed of their investments, watch precious tax dollars bail out the irresponsible, hear backpedaling politians, they crave the truth. But where would one turn to find it? There is only one sure place, the Author of truth, God and His Word.

The veracity of the Scriptures is anchored to the character of God (2 Tim 3.16). To doubt God is to doubt His Word. To doubt His Word is to doubt God. He sent His Son as a living testimony to His character and His Word (Jn 1.1-16, Heb 1.3). Jesus proclaimed He was the very essence of truth (Jn 14.6, 18.37) and that the Word in its entirety is truth (Jn 17.17, Mt 4.4, 5.18).

And the truth found in the Bible is enough for a person to live a life to wholly and completely glorify God, correctly relate to his fellow man, and gain wisdom for living in general (2 Tim 3.16-17). It speaks by principle to every area of life. And although it does not cover all the particulars of life, it does give the guiding principles to address the specifics (Mic 6.8).

Now if we believe this is the truth about the Truth, how should we respond? It would behoove us to saturate our lives with this life giving Word (Deut 6.6-9, Jn 8.31-32, Col 3.16). The Scriptures are our best hope of understanding God. The Bible is our best hope for grappling with who we are and what we were created to do. The Word is our best hope of glorifying our Creator through our thoughts, words, and deeds.

But the disciplines of hearing, reading, memorizing, studying , and meditating on the Word of God can never be treated as an end in itself. They are a means to an end. These disciplines are to help us accomplish what should be our highest objective; knowing, loving and becoming like Jesus Christ. To the degree in which we invest ourselves in the Word and its application will be a direct indicator of our true values (Ps 119.9,11, Jm 1.22, Mt 7.24-28).

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“The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing!”

Value #1 The passion to know, love, and become like Jesus Christ.

He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.
(Colossians 1:18)

To say that Jesus is our #1 value is a huge understatement. Making Jesus the center of our lives is not only the #1 value, but it is also the one value on which all other values hinge. Jesus must be our all-consuming passion in life. Here are a few reasons why:

· He deserves our passion (Rom 5.8, Eph 1.20-21)
· Nothing else is worthy of our passion (1 Cor 2.2, Phil 3.8)
· There is no passion without Him (Rom 11.36, 1 Cor 8.6, Col 1.17)

Our passion is expressed in knowing, loving, and becoming like Jesus. We aggressively seek knowledge about the King of kings by reading His Word (esp. the Gospels, Rom 10.17, Col 3.16), talking to others about Him (1 Jn 1.3), through the Holy Spirit (Jn 14.26, 1 Jn 2.27), and experiencing Him in our circumstances (Rom 8.28-29). We love Him by placing Him first in our lives through trust and obedience (Jn 6.29, 14.15). This is almost always tested by the way we treat people (1 Jn 4.20). To stop short of becoming like Him denies our real knowledge of and love for Him (1 Jn 2.6). We must become like Jesus by applying our information about Him and our adoration for Him into emulation of Him. This ultimately is what we were designed to do and glorifies God the Father.

Our passion must always be refocused on its intended target, Jesus Christ (Heb 12.2). As the Pastor said in his sermon yesterday,

“Jesus is not category A and the rest of life falls into the other categories. He is A to Z. He is my life and everything else is subservient to Him. Do not compare any of your other priorities with Him.”
Pastor Carlton Weathers, Grace Fellowship Community Church, Anniston, AL

It is a daily battle to remember this and to realign our lives so that He is our all. Passion must have an object and the only one worthy of our passion in the Lord Jesus Christ. He alone is Master, King, and Savior.

The main thing quote ~ Stephen R. Covey

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Principles and Values: Glenn Beck speaks the truth

“The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.” (Luke 6:45)

Last night (March 14, 2009) on Fox News Glenn Beck held a national town hall meeting to discuss principles and values. There was a sense a desperation and determination not to let our country slip into the abyss of lethargy and corruption. Many of the values Mr Beck is talking about have their roots in the Bible. I can’t think of a better place to go to get guidance for one’s life than the Bible.

It has become popular for organizations, industries, churches, and even individual family units to build their lives around a set of principles and values. I believe this is absolutely essential! If we intend to arrive at the right destination, we must first know what that destination is and secondly, know how to get there. The truth is we all live our lives based on a set of values whether we acknowledge them or not. The trick is to develop the right set of values that will ultimately glorify God and will be to our best interest in the end.

I’d like to start a new series on the 9 values that I have embraced over the past few years. They are:
1. The passion to know, love, and become like Jesus Christ.
2. The truth and sufficiency of the Scriptures for the whole of life.
3. The transforming power of the Gospel.
4. The leading and empowering of the Holy Spirit.
5. Expectant faith and persevering prayer rooted in the promises of God.
6. The dignity and value of every person.
7. Love and grace expressed among us in community.
8. Families and relational networks in discipling the nations.
9. Interdependent relationships in the Body of Christ in advancing the Gospel.

I hope to stimulate your thinking and help you discover biblical values. More importantly, I’d like us to go beyond just thinking and get into the very fibers of our daily lives and to apply these values as we walk through each day.

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Update – Thanks for Praying

Praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned;
(Colossians 4:3)

First I want to thank so many of you who have been praying and fasting for Deb and me as we are on convalescent leave due to my Multiple Sclerosis. I want you to know that God has been working powerfully in my life since we started this time. He has spoken clearly through my daily quiet times. I have experienced these times of hanging out by the fountain of life before and it is good to be back once again.

The Word has been like electricity. Promises for the future and His love for me are jumping off the pages. I am so excited (even with MS limitations). Just as the disciples only had 5 loaves and 2 fishes, I recognize my limitations. On the other hand Jesus has endless resources. MS is a physical limitation that God has no problem glorifying Himself through. Having said that, He has made it quite clear I’m being sifted by the enemy. This is more spiritual than physical. I have begun to pray along the lines of spiritual warfare versus a simple medical condition. And as many of you have expressed, God has impressed on me that this is temporary. I will experience His healing hand.

Although this time has been good, there have been some tough things to grapple with. I believe the Father is pruning me for greater fruitfulness. I’ve had to examine the darker side of my life. Some of what I’m experiencing is the loving discipline of the Father. Ingratitude, pride, restlessness, and the tongue are areas He has brought to mind. I gladly receive the rebuke and am repenting.

As far as my health is concerned, I have been feeling much better over the past 15 days. Fewer tremors and only one day where I hit the bottom of the fatigue scale (previously it was 2 days out of the week). My energy levels have been up and my general attitude is positive. This is certainly a direct result of your concerted prayers. Thank you!
We will continue on Convalescent Leave until the end of March and then travel to Colorado Springs for some meetings with Navigator Leadership. We should be home at Fort Benning around the 13-15th of April.

Please continue to pray:
· God will continue to clarify Deb and my future role in ministry
· This rest will have lasting effects in my life
· God would glorify Himself in my MS and deliver me from the Evil One
· The gang at Ft Benning would continue to thrive in Kingdom work
· Jesus would richly bless all those praying for me
· I would continue to have the opportunity to participate in ministry that reaches the Nations

I am a very blessed man to have friends like you!

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Testimony 20: Prayers for Korea

Chapter 20

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.
(1 John 5:14-15)

Before leaving for Korea, I also prayed three very specific prayers: 1. That God would help me find a missionary to fellowship with 2. To help me start a Bible study for soldiers 3. To give me a man to disciple. Within the first week I met a missionary named Ray Massey who was willing to meet once a week for accountability and fellowship. Within two weeks I started a small Bible study with about eight people. And within three weeks I was discipling a guy named Kevin. God had answered all three of my prayers and I started to see how God could use my life in building the Kingdom apart from the safety net of the Fort Campbell ministry. My vision for personal ministry was tested in Korea and it was the foundation for ministry in the future. I think one of the secrets to answered prayer is to pray the things that are most closely related to the matters on God’s heart. I was praying that He would use me in His Kingdom and the spreading of the gospel. Jesus is certainly excited about helping us accomplish His work!

Testimony 1: In the Beginning
Testimony 2: Jesus is Watching You
Testimony 3: Paratrooper Religion
Testimony 4: Afraid of being Left Behind
Testimony 5: The Geographical Solution
Testimony 6: The Geographical Solution Fails
Testimony 7: The Seed is Planted
Testimony 8: Spiritual Melee
Testimony 9: Seeing the Light
Testimony 10: Receiving God’s Plan for My Life
Testimony 11: A New Creature
Testimony 12: What about You?
Testimony 13: A Little Miracle
Testimony 14: An Apostle to the Soldier
Testimony 15: First Steps toward Growth
Testimony 16: Being Discipled
Testimony 17: Life Time Mentor
Testimony 18: Key Lessons from Cecil
Testimony 19: Out of the Nest
Testimony 20: Prayers for Korea

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A Summary of the Living and Discipling Among the Lost Series

· It takes persistence and courage to be an effective witness for Jesus Christ.
· God leads people to Himself. We simply participate in loving obedience.
· Evangelistic methods are important but ultimately conversion is a work of God.
· The lost are all around us. They are even sitting in the pew next to us in church.
· The far lost are those who will take much time and effort to inch toward Jesus.
· Jesus spent most of His efforts addressing the spiritually hungry.
· Be postured to identify the spiritually hungry and invite them to church or Bible study.
· The more people you invite, the more potential you have of winning someone to Christ.
· The insider is essential. His natural network of relationships allows for a visual authentication of the life transformed by Jesus.
· But, as warm as the insider’s contacts are, most converts tend to be people outside our immediate circles.
· We must reach out to strangers knowing that some are more likely to follow Jesus than the people in our natural circles.
· How I reach out to strangers is as important as initiating the contact.
· What a spiritual seeker is fed is as important as the loving way we approach them. Feed them the Scriptures, feed them Jesus!
· A spiritual leader’s priority is to equip others to do the work of evangelism. This multiplies the efforts for the sake of the Kingdom. Failure to maximize God’s gifts is irresponsible.
· One last time: God leads people to Himself. We simply participate in loving obedience.

It’s been 16 years since I wrote this. I Still agree with most of it both Biblically and experientially. But stay tuned for some small tweaks!

Here’s an interesting up to day take on evangelism in the a Western Context in 2025

A Love Hate Relationship with Evangelism
LOST – They are not on an Island!
Evangelism: Methods or Majesty
Reaching the Far Lost, How would Jesus do it?
The Near Lost – Low Hanging Fruit
A Strategy for the Near Lost
Inside Out Witnessing
The Shocking Reality – Cold Contacts
Do Not Feed the Lost?
Leaders: Do the Math
A Summary of the Living and Discipling Among the Lost

A Book Review (#1)

A Book Review – “Hearing God, Developing a Conversational Relationship with God” by Dallas Willard

I really like this book! But, you better fasten your seatbelts! It is no light read and it will challenge your conventional thoughts about what it means to “hear God.” Dr. Willard is a Philosophy professor at USC and that fact comes shining through in his writings. His case for God carrying an ongoing conversation with us in our circumstances, the Scriptures and most prevalent, our minds, is compelling. Although reading the book is like climbing a small mountain, the view from the summit is well worth the effort. I highly recommend it.

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