Discipleship and Snakes

(8th post on Zoo thread)

“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Matthew 23:33

If the Lord Jesus encountered snakes there is no doubt that we will. What are snakes exactly? People who have been influenced by the largest snake of all, the serpent of old.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1

The plan of the enemy has not changed. It starts with temptation. The simple act of planting a seed of doubt that questions the Word, Person and Character of God and if that does not work he switches to deception – “you will be like God”.

And when that still does not work – he uses enticement to make us the see the fruit he offers to be much more than what it really is. He presents it in such a way that it appears to be good as food, pleasing to the eye and profitable for gaining wisdom. Something that is good, pleasing and profitable and yet is out of God’s will.

Finally, like the true snake that he is, when all else fails he uses condemnation and accusation. He shouts “you are unworthy of your God and besides he is the cause of all your problems”.

Often he uses people to do his bidding. So the next time you encounter his pattern of attack in your own life or in the lives of those you are I discipleship with it is time to see what’s behind the snakes in front of you.

How does one fight back? By simply exposing the truth behind the temptation, deception, enticement, condemnation and accusation, which is why it is so important to read, know, love confess and believe God’s Word everyday of our lives. This is basic to discipleship and we need to teach those whom we disciple to do the same.

Secondly keep your eyes opened for possible snakes. One way to do that is to be as shrewd as them. To be shrewd simply means to know their ploy by being prudent with your ways while remaining innocent and pure.

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matthew 10:16

Discipleship and African Elephants

(7th post on Discipleship and Zoo thread)

Some weeks ago I wrote about Discipleship and Indian Elephants. I am writing yet another post on elephants – this time from Africa.

The German theologian, church planting/growth researcher and conference speaker Christian Schwarz wrote in his book Natural Church Development a true story about African elephants.

He wrote about a time when a breed of elephants in Africa were threatened with extinction. They were either being hunted down or their grazing grounds were being over logged they had no food to eat.

To solve the problem zoological technocrats conceived of a plan to save them. They gathered the remaining elephants and placed them in a reserve full of trees and ensured that they would be protected.

After several years the elephants began to thrive and give birth. As the population of elephants grew they began to eat all the vegetation in the reserve. The result was all the vegetation was exhausted and the elephants had no food to eat.

Slowly the elephants started to die of starvation. Only this time there were no longer trees. The simple lesson of this story is you cannot solve problems using short-term programs. These solutions are not sustainable.

Here is where discipleship relationship connects to this story. Programs run by churches are not sustainable. We need to train people to build a lasting relationship with God and with the body of Christ and not rely on programs. Relationships are the only things that last and that are sustainable.

See Also: Prayer and Muscles

Discipleship and Eagles

I’m back from my 3 week break first to visit a church in California and then to celebrate my 25th Wedding Anniversary.

This post is the 6th in my thread on Discipleship and the Zoo.

In his book Confessions of a Reformission Rev - Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle writes about what eagles are:

“Eagles are skilled leaders who are being developed within the church with the express kingdom purpose of leaving the proverbial nest and leading a ministry elsewhere, such as mission work and church planting.”

As we go and make disciples we need to be on the look out for young eagles. Some of them will come in very young packages and can be very raw sinners. But within them could be eagles – future leaders in society and in the church even pastors and missionaries.

I’ve had the privilege of meeting eagles in various shapes and sizes. Some came in the form of businessmen, entrepreneurs, artists, youth and even plain old sinners. In time through discipleship some of these men have become successful business people, doctors, chefs, pastors and even missionaries.

Here’s a quick thought about discipleship and eagles: It is God who brings and/or sends eagles our way.

‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Exodus 19:4

Because young leaders have strong personalities it is easy to dismiss them as stubborn and tend to have an independent spirit. These characteristics may cause us to disdain them because they cannot be controlled. It is here that we need to realize that our job is not to control them. Rather it is to build a relationship with them.  

Relationships that may start with us but must ultimately end up with God. Raising eagles can be challenging. As such we need to connect them to others (Discipleship and Velcro) who can also give them input.  Raising leaders is best done in a team setting.  In time they will gravitate to other eagles who can take them to the next level of life as a disciple.

Long after these eagles have flown away to their God given destiny we can look from the distance as they soar and realize that we were in one form or another a part of helping them be who they are supposed to be.

See Also: Prayer and Endurance

25th Wedding Anniversary Break

I am taking a 3 week break from this blog to visit CFIC church in the Bay Area (California) and from there turn around and head for home to celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary.

In the meantime here are a few links that will hopefully continue to inspire and motivate you to go and make disciples and pray:

This first post is an audio link from our EN chuch in London. The message is all about discipleship. It was a bit of unique situation as I was asked to preach inside an authentic English Pub. Had to stumble through the idea of people sitting around holding glasses and smoke coming up from the lower floor, not mention jet lag, but in time I got my bearings. Talk about a church that inisists on being culturally relevant: Discipleship Demystified.

If you want some inspiration on prayer click on this message I preached at the Every Nation Church in Singapore: Enjoying Fasting

And if you just want to read about the latest things going on with my life including some of Marie's posts about our 25 years together click here: One Last Trip And Then Its Our 25th Anniversary

He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD. Proverbs 18:22

I will be back in 3 weeks. All the best to you all!

Discipleship and Wolves

(5th Post on Zoo Thread)

Part of our task in making disciples is outlined in the following verses in Acts, it warns us of the presence of wolves and how we must keep watch:

Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Acts 20:28-29

We are being admonished to “shepherd” Gods people, His Church. And what does it mean to shepherd God’s people? One of the ways we shepherd God's people is by guarding and protecting them from savage wolves. The scriptures are clear that they will come even from among us.

Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. Acts 20:30

How can you tell if someone is a wolf? Wolves distort the truth and secondly they draw people away from the flock and want them isolated to themselves.

One of our roles as disciple makers is to connect people to other disciples in meaningful relationships. It is always healthier to have multiple anchors and relationships than to remain isolated and alone. This we can do when we ourselves have meaningful relationships with proven Christians.

In Matthew 7:15, Jesus himself warns us that one of the ways these wolves will come is in the form of false prophets. People who can deliver good words, messages and even enthrall with their gifts.

Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

Regardless of how gifted one might be, the question remains is he or she distorting the truth and drawing the people away from their God given relationships.

In the meantime don’t let the presence of wolves detract and distract you from your mission of making disciples. Keep your eyes focused on the harvest despite the presence and reality of wolves in the field.

He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Luke 10:2-3

How does one protect himself and the flock from wolves? By trusting the Holy Spirit. He will reveal who the wolves are. In the mean time be innocent as doves but shrewd as snakes while keping watch for wolves dressed in sheep's clothing.

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Matthew 10:16

See Also: Prayer and the Swiss Ball

Discipleship and Foxes

(4th Post on Zoo Thread)

One of the books that I enjoyed as a child was Aesop’s Fables. I am sure you have heard of the “Tortoise and the Hare” and “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, these are but two among the many popular Aesop’s Fables.

Another favorite story was the “Fox and the Grapes”. It was a story about a fox that was trying to reach for some grapes hanging high above on a vine. Unable to reach it he declared: “the grapes are sour anyway.”

It is from this story that the proverbial term “sour grapes” comes from. In essence the lesson behind the story is it is easy to despise what you cannot get. A more Biblical term for these emotions is bitterness and resentment.

There are several “discipleship is relationship” lessons we can glean from this story:

1. Don’t be bitter when people don’t get the Gospel right away, when they do not agree with you or when they persecute you.

2. Some people get bitter and resentful when things don’t happen their way. They may get bitter with God and even with you. Do not allow their bitterness and resentment to defile you. Try your best to keep the relationship, in time by the conviction of the Holy Spirit people can still change.

3. Bitterness and resentment can easily destroy relationships and cast doubts about others. Avoid listening to negative words people say about others, it clouds your view of the other person and defiles you.

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:15

See also: Prayer and Swimming

Discipleship and Indian Elephants

(3rd Post on the Zoo Thread)

When speaking of elephants the blind men of Hindustan always comes to mind. It is an old tale about 6 blind men who went to see an elephant.

One touched his legs and thought he was holding a tree. The second held his side and concluded it was a wall. The third grasped its tail and was sure it was a rope, another laid hands on his ears and was certain it was a fan. Still another grabbed his tusks and thought he had a spear and finally the last man surmised his trunk was a snake.

This is true about people and their understanding and knowledge of God. All to often their view of God is grossly limited. Like the blind men and the elephant they draw conclusions about God from the limited perspective they have. In a very real sense they are like the blind men of Hindustan – only their blindness is not physical but spiritual.

Herein lies the need for discipleship relationships. God is far bigger than an elephant and has facets that the Scriptures gradually unfolds as people learn of Him. Discipleship is not simply building relationships rather it is about building relationships with the expressed intent of teaching people the Scriptures so that they too may have a complete understanding of God.

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16

God wants to lead the spiritually blind into ways they know nothing of, unfamiliar paths they are not accustomed to. He wants to turn their darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth.

And who will He use to reach and guide them? You and me, we must never tire of making disciples and bringing the blind into the light of God.

See Also: Prayer and Runner's High