Follow God

What does it mean to follow God?  If you are like me you probably follow a ton of people on Facebook or Twitter.  And like me you probably see their updates and maybe even click on their page or pictures from time to time to keep in touch and see what they are up to.  What if God had a Facebook?  Would we treat Him the same way as everyone else we follow.  Would we "like" the pictures of the miracles that He posted or "block" Him if He posted too much annoying scripture?

How do we really follow God?  The crazy thing is, the Bible is very clear about this.  Jesus Himself said many things about what it really means to following Him.  Here are just a few .......


"Then Jesus said to his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me". Matt 16:24 

Jesus said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life". John 8:12

He went on to say "You are truly my disciples if you keep obeying my teachings". John 8:31

"Obey my teachings" He said.  There is a big difference between knowing what to do and actually doing it.  This is a dividing line for me.  So if we "obey" then Jesus himself would categorize us as His disciples, or followers.  I think Francis Chan said it best when he describes how our children obey us.  

What if you told you child, "go clean your room".  Then, what if you child came back a hour or two later and said, "Dad, I heard what you said and I studied room cleaning and I understand it now".  You would probably say, "yeah, but did you clean your room"?  Then you child says to you, "Dad, not only did I study room cleaning, but I even learned it in Greek and last week, several other kids got together and discussed it for an hour and half. At this point you would probably be a little confused if not a little angry at their answer.  Then to top it all off what if they added, "last weekend we heard a teacher cover the subject of room cleaning and a band even sang a few songs about it, it was awesome!  Get where I am going here?

To many times, this is we, as followers of Christ often respond to God.  As His children how do you think He feels when we understand, participate and are excited about His will but we don't actually live it out?  Many people check the box that says "Christian", but so few actually make the effort to learn and obey His holy commands.

He loves us all and he has a plan for us.  It is up to us to figure it out and with His help, abide in it.

blessings,

dave   

Do we assume that as a Christ follower that we are actively, passionately following God?  

Fear God

This past week at .NET we started a study by Francis Chan called “Basic”.  Right out of the gate the study asked an often overlooked question, why should we fear God?

It seems like the common answer, which would have been mine prior to this study, is that to fear God would mean, reverence, respect or honor towards God because of who He is. In other words we should honor His majesty.

So what does Jeremiah 5:22 mean? It says “Should you not fear me?" declares the Lord. "Should you not tremble in my presence?" Tremble??

The Old Testament was written in Hebrew. So it is important to understand the actual words that were used. For example the English word “fear” used in Jonah 1:16 and Psalms 90:11 was the Hebrew word yirah. Words like yare (used in Mal 3:16) and pachad (found in Job 3:25a, Ps 119:120) all meant terror, or dread, normally translated simply as fear.  There are other words in Hebrew text that meant respect, reverence, or honor, such as kabad Exodus 20:12. Understand that the original text used very appropriate words to express what was meant.  In Greek fear or terror is phobo as seen in Matt 28:4 and 1 Pet 2:17. Where reverence or honor is timao like in 1 Peter 2:17.  Even with this distinction in both Hebrew and Greek, some people still try to say that the word “fear” merely means reverence.

With all of the scriptures seeming to agree that we should indeed fear the Lord, why do so many Christ followers not accept it? Why do we try to "explain away" the fear of God? Because we fear so many other things in stead of the one thing that really matters.  God is the only thing in all of existence that we truly should fear.  Don’t get me wrong, most of us would agree that the world can be a scary place to live in and Satan is a pretty scary dude. In fact, Hollywood has made an entire industry out of him. I would go so far as to say that fear is one of his greatest weapons.  Horror movies, anxieties, worries, nightmares, phobias, panic attacks, demons, etc.  Satan wants us to fear him rather than properly fearing God. But the Bible says this “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Matt 10:28

So despite what many believe about honor, reverence and the fear of God, I am convinced that scripture is very clear about the actual fear of God.  Fear is fear.  And fear has its place. The Bible also says………..

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and they who live by it grow in understanding...  Psalms 111:10

The first step to wisdom is the fear of the Lord, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.  Proverbs 9:10

So if the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, then the end is love. Love is our hope, our goal, and our ultimate destiny as believers. If we are obedient to Him then we can get close to it in this life. But none of us are without sin or perfect in love.

The Bible says that “Love will come to its perfection in us when we can face the day of Judgment without fear; because even in this world we become as He is. In love there can be no fear, but fear is driven out by perfect love: because to fear is to expect punishment, and anyone who is afraid is still imperfect in love”. 1 John 4:17-18

So be encouraged, love will conquer all.  But in the mean time fear the Lord and love each other.

Blessings, dave

Published on: Sep 16, 2011

Accountability?

This topic literally came up today while I was reading Facebook this morning.  A very dear friend and trusted Christian writer that I know posted a comment about Christian Accountability and how the Holy Spirit is her primary source of accountability, a very true statement.

I simply could not resist the opportunity to jump in and hi jack her thread (a little acebook humor) with some thoughts of my own.  Accountability is absolutely essential for any group, organization or society to function.  And Christian accountability is no different. We are all held accountable in one way or another. After all, accountability is simply being responsible for your own actions.

There are even accountability groups that specialize in helping people overcome issues like addiction, or a destructive behavioral tendency.  There is little doubt that as human beings, we find support, comfort, and motivation from others who are struggling with similar circumstances.

But the need for Christian Accountability is great.  Christ followers need support and comfort and often find this through Christian Accountability. Christ alone is sufficient enough to comfort and support us by the power of His Holy Spirit but too often it sees like we don’t fully rely on Him.  When we say our strength comes from the Lord, do we really mean it? Too many times I would say no.  We want to believe and have the faith to “fully rely on God” but too often we turn to others for help. It is part of the human condition.  And knowing this, God’s word speaks directly to our need for human interaction.

Typically, we all have someone in our lives that we trust. That is the first element of Christian Accountability. Finding someone that you can trust can be difficult.  Developing trust is a slow process and it takes time to develop and grow.  As people meet together to share, they begin to establish a rapport with one another.  Trust is first.

Second is the ability to listen.  Accountability is a two way street.  Active listening is essential to developing trust.  James 1:19 says, "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry."  Sometimes being there to listen is enough to help your brother or sister through.

Third, we all need to have a non-judgmental attitude toward each other. That is not only essential to Christian Accountability but also to life in general.  Remember, we can be accepting of an individual while being discerning of the situation. Matthew 7:1-2 says, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Fourth, caring for each other is essential.  So whether you choose to pick up a phone, sit over a lunch table, take the time to reach out to your brothers and sisters in Christ.  1 John 4:21 says, "And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."

And finally, commit to being available for one another, it is so important.  The Bible says that God holds us accountable. Romans 14:12 says, "So then each of us shall give account of himself to God." This is personal accountability.  Christ followers are also accountable to one another.  1 Corinthians chapter 12, Christians are all part of the same body - the body of Christ - and each member needs or belongs to the other.  This Scripture suggests the importance of strong accountability between Believers. It is important for every Believer to have at least one other person in which to confide, pray with, listen to, and encourage.

So let me close with this, I posted this scripture on Facebook today.  Galatians 6:1-2 "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."

So Trust, Listen, Don’t Judge and Be Available.

Blessings, dave

Published on: Aug 10, 2011

Back From Mexico

Well, I am back in the office today. The trip was amazing in so many ways.  as good asit was I am ready to get back to my weekly grind.

Let me say thanks!  A heartfelt thanks to everyone who looked at the pics, posted on my posts, commented, encouraged prayed and supported our trip.  Rarely do Stacey and I get to do any kind of trip without the little ones.  So spending time with her and Zac was totally unforgettable!   All three of us agreed that the experience was life changing.  I want to encourage everyone to get involved in a trip like this.  If your church does not have a trip that they sponsor, contact me.  Student Ministries of Virginia (SMOV) has a great relationship with Yugo, the missionary team in Ensenada.  We also sponsor an adult trip in January.  Either way, we can help get you out there. So pray about it!

Now that we are home and settling in again, I plan on being more on purpose with this blog. Help me out by sharing it with your friends, family and church.

be blessed. dave

Published on: Jul 25, 2011

Mexico ~ Thursday

I write this final entry this morning sitting in the common area between room 2 & 3.  Yesterday was our reveal.  It was still a full work day for us.  The family also traditionally prepares lunch for us on Thursday. Even though we could all feel the excitement building in the air, there was a calmness, almost a peace about our whole day.  One of the more touching moments was when Nona explained that she was going to trim and style Eusebia's hair (the mom of our family) before the reveal. Stacey took my camera over and captured the moment.  I went over to learn from Stacey that Eusebia has never had her hair blown dry or curled with a curling iron.  A picture is truly worth a thousand words. Also, Stacey had noticed that Eusebia, like most women here, does not wear a wedding ring. When Stacey asked Nona if she gave her a ring, would she wear it.  Stacey, having a ring that she has worn on her right hand for 8 years or more offered it to Eusebia.  She was overcome with joy. Eusebia said that it looked too expensive for her to wear. I am so proud of Stacey and her love and affection towards this family and Community.

Zac was a pleasant surprise for me on this trip. He is usually very quiet, stubborn about the way he does things and he does not like to be touched.  He was one of the first ones to give piggy back rides and spin around the kids.  At night when we were all asked to share about our day with our group, he would speak out and had no problem finding the words to express how he feels.  Last night, Mike asked us to share anything since we are first timers on this trip.  Stacey was moved and shared how proud she was of Zac, to my surprise, afterwards, he came over and gave his mom a big hug. I have not seen my son embrace anyone that way since he was a little boy.  Seeing the hug and probably noticing my tearful response, Mike Johnson hugged Stacey, then turned around to me and said " I love you man, I'm glad you are here with us.  That meant a lot to me. More then you know!

If you have been reading this blog this week I thank you.  I am not usually consistent blogger but felt like I wanted to record my thoughts as quickly as genuinely as I could.

blessings, dave

Published on: Jul 22, 2011