Obey - III

Master or Employer?

MEMORY VERSE

“Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’?  Won’t he rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’?  Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” Luke 17:7-10

REFLECTION

Do you relate to Jesus as your master or as your employer? Here’s the test:  Are there limits to what you consider reasonable demands? Do you expect breaks, time off and ‘comp time’ when you work overtime? Do you consider some of your time “my time” and some “His time”?  If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, you just might need to take a closer look at Luke 17:7-10.

This passage talks of a servant who has worked all day in the field - hard back-breaking work in the heat and the dirt. When he's done with his day's work he is still expected to make dinner for his master and wait on him while he eats. Only then can the servant take care of his own needs. This is the life of a servant, constantly in the service of his master, not having rights or expectations for his own time.  The master commands, the servant obeys.

Also surprising is that servants should not expect thanks from the master.  There seems to be a sense of peace and contentment when after obeying every instruction, the servant says, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
Have you drawn a line separating 'your time' from ‘His time’? Where is the line?
How has this scripture changed your understanding of what it means to be a servant of Jesus?

In what areas is Jesus calling you to give up, open up and more fully obey?

ACTION STEPS FOR THE WEEK
Read this passage every day this week.

Enjoy the peace and contentment that comes when you do hard things in obedience to Christ.  

Obey - II

MEMORY VERSE

“. . . teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

REFLECTION

Jesus said “obey everything” that He commanded . . . Every single thing. Those are high expectations He has set for us.  So, why do we set such low expectations for ourselves?  Are you willing to make every effort to obey His commands and bring joy to God’s heart?  Or, are you comfortable choosing which to obey and which to pretend don’t exist?  What most of us need to do is to get back to the basics of spending time alone talking to Jesus and listening through His word every day.  Continually ask yourself these five questions: 

• Is His word showing you any sins to confess?  
•  Any promises to believe? 
•  Are there any actions you should avoid? 
•  What are the commands to obey?   
•  What are the examples to follow?

ACTION STEPS FOR THE WEEK

If you have not been consistently meeting with Jesus every day, decide right now on a time and place you will meet with Him every day this week.  As you spend this time with Christ, read His word slowly.  Meditate on each verse. Ask yourself the questions listed above. Write in your journal what God teaches you. Pray and tell God about the attitudes and behaviors that you need to change. Ask for His power to faithfully obey.  Watch how God changes you, makes you more like Jesus and fills you with the unbelievable  joy that comes from obedience.

Obey - I

Take the “Who Am I?” quiz

 

 MEMORY VERSE

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23)

REFLECTION

 Based on these brief descriptions, see how many of these amazing followers of Christ you can identify:

Answers: a. Dietrich Bonhoeffer    b. Blaise Pascal  c. Thomas à Kempis   d. Richard Foster   e. Elisabeth Elliot  f. Soren Kierkegaard

____ I was a French mathematician, physicist, inventor, writer and philosopher. When I was 18 I invented the mechanical calculator. I devoted much of my life to the study of theology.

____My spouse was killed in 1956 in Ecuador while trying to make missionary contact with the Waodani (Auca) Indians. I went back with my 3 year old daughter and spent two years as a missionary to the tribe members who killed my spouse. Over the years God has brought many of them to salvation.

____I was a German Lutheran pastor and theologian. I learned about God’s heart for justice from the African American church in Harlem, New York. My convictions led me to participate in plans to assassinate Adolf Hitler. I wrote the book The Cost of Discipleship.  I was arrested by the Gestapo and executed by hanging in 1945.

____I was a Danish philosopher, theologian and religious author. Some have called me the “most profound thinker of the 19^th century.”  The purpose of my writing was to encourage people to renew their faith in Christ and show that the Bible is relevant to all areas of life.

____I am the author of the book Celebration of Discipline which has been called one of the top 10 books of the 20^th century. The goal of my life is to call people to utter dependence upon Jesus Christ as everliving Savior, Teacher, Lord, and Friend.

____I was a monk in the 14^th century and hand copied the Bible at least four times.  I wrote a book called The Imitation of Christ which is a simple devotional on loving God and it became the most translated book in Christian literature.

What lessons on obedience speak to you from the words of these Christ followers?  

In the spiritual life only one thing produces genuine joy and that is obedience. --Richard Foster

Holiness has never been the driving force of the majority. It is, however, mandatory for anyone who wants to enter the kingdom. --Elisabeth Elliot

Let this be thy whole endeavor, this thy prayer, this thy desire,--that thou mayest be stripped of all selfishness, and with entire simplicity follow Jesus only. --Thomas à Kempis

The strength of a man's virtue should not be measured by his special exertions, but by his habitual acts.--Blaise Pascal

..Christ did not appoint professors, but followers. If Christianity ... is not reduplicated in the life of the person expounding it, then he does not expound Christianity, for Christianity is a message about living and can only be expounded by being realized in men's lives. --Soren Kierkegaard

Sometimes we don't need another chance to express how we feel or to ask someone to understand our situation. Sometimes we just need a firm kick in the pants. An unsmiling expectation that if we mean all these wonderful things we talk about and sing about, then let’s see something to prove it. --Dietrich Bonhoeffer

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Which is your favorite quote? Why do you think these Christ followers were able to struggle for the justice for the oppressed, take the gospel to dangerous places and create great inventions? John 14:23 says God will come and make His home with us.   How do you think your life will be different as you grow in your desire and commitment to obey all of Christ’s commands?

ACTION STEPS FOR THE WEEK

Try to summarize your thoughts on obedience in one or two sentences. If you’d like, post it on this blog so that others can be challenged and encouraged. Start a list of Jesus commands that you struggle to, yet desire to, obey.

Remain - III

A Wonderful Discovery

MEMORY VERSE

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

 

REFLECTION

Following Jesus should be exciting, joyful and full of adventure, but an incredible number of Christians feel lonely, bored and without clear direction. Why is that?  It could be because many hold to the philosophy, “I’ll do my best and let God do the rest.”  That idea is totally opposite of Jesus’ plan for us to remain or abide in Him.  Any attempt to “do my best” apart from God is weak and fruitless.   God’s plan is for every day of our lives to be an exciting adventure of being filled with the Holy Spirit and living constantly, moment by moment under His direction.

There is a fantastic teaching by Campus Crusade called Have you made the wonderful discovery of the Spirit-filled life?  You can find it here.  If you make this wonderful discovery, it will change your life into something better than you could ever imagine.

ACTION STEPS FOR THE WEEK

Carefully, slowly, study this teaching this week.  It is divided into eight sections.  Go through one section each day for the next eight days.  Find someone to discuss it with.  Don’t stop praying through this until you see evidence of this wonderful discovery in your life.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
In what specific ways are you like the natural? spiritual? and carnal person?
How can you tell when you are working in your own power vs. being directed and empowered with the Holy Spirit?

Remain - II

Evidence of Remaining

MEMORY VERSE

Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. (John 15:4)

REFLECTION

In John 15:1-17 Jesus used the word “remain” eleven times. Pretty important word!   What does it mean to Remain in Jesus? The Bible Exposition Commentary explains it like this: It means to keep in fellowship with Christ so that His life can work in and through us to produce fruit.  This involves knowing the Word of God. It involves the confession of sin so that nothing hinders our communion with Him. And it involves obeying Him because we love Him.   Are you remaining in Christ? If you're not sure, here are some evidences:

• You produce fruit (v.2)
• You experience the Father's pruning so that you produce more fruit (v.2)
• Your prayers will be answered (v.7)
• You experience a deepening love for Christ and for other believers (v.9,12,13)
• You experience joy (v.11)

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

Are there any of these five evidences listed above that you have not seen in your life this week? This month? What will you do about it?

ACTION STEPS FOR THE WEEK

If you don’t have one already, start a spiritual journal.  Identify each day something that has happened to you or in you or through you as a result of remaining in Christ and record it in your journal.

Remain - I

Remain so that the world may believe

 

MEMORY VERSE

" …May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."  (John 17:21)

REFLECTION

If you found out you would be arrested and executed in a mere 24 hours, how would you spend the time you have left? Saying goodbye to friends, family? Asking for forgiveness from those you have offended?  Prayer would likely be one of the many things you would do. When Jesus was faced with this situation He prayed, too. I'm guessing that His last prayers, like ours might be, were for things that were most important to Him. So what was it that he prayed? He prayed that His followers would remain in Him so that the world would know that God sent Him.  This shows us that there is more to our Christian walk then just the quality of our personal relationship with God. Our families and friends will know that Jesus is the son of God by how well we abide or remain in Him. 

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

In what ways can you live more Spirit led so that others will see Jesus is the way to God?

What are some of the other benefits and blessings of remaining in Him?

ACTION STEPS FOR THE WEEK

Begin thinking about how your abiding in Jesus might impact those around you.

Take  15 minutes and write down what steps you will take to remain in  Him this week.