Prayer Should Never Be A Last Resort

 

A hardened old sea captain who was very vocal about his atheism was suddenly washed overboard one night during a radical storm. Surprisingly, his men could hear him actually crying out to God for help. Upon rescuing the captain, his crew asked him, “Didn’t you say that you don’t believe in God?”

The captain replied, “Well, if there isn’t a God, there ought to be in times like this.”

We should never think of prayer as a last resort, but should instead make it our first one. Obviously, if you are ill, by all means, go to a doctor. If you find yourself facing an emergency, of course call 911. But we also need to pray – immediately. It may simply be matter of saying, “Lord, help!” Or, “Lord, intervene!” Or, “Lord, show me what to do!” Or, “Lord, give me wisdom!”

Yet sometimes people will do everything they can do fix their situation, and when nothing has worked out, they say, “Well, all we can do now is (gulp) … just pray.” All we can do now? We are calling on Almighty God, creator of the heavens and Earth.

As Thomas Watson said, “When God lays men on their backs, then they look up to heaven.”

Matthew’s gospel records the story of a woman who had spent all of her money on doctors, yet nothing had worked. So she reasoned that if she could just touch the hem of Jesus’ garment, she could be healed. Standing in the crowd as Jesus passed by, she reached out, and with as much faith as she could muster, she touched the hem of his garment. And miraculously, she was healed instantly (see Matthew 9:20–22).

Like this woman, we need to look to God, recognizing that through our hardships, he can accomplish great things. God knows all things – past, present and future. God is uniquely qualified to know when to ordain or to permit evil and suffering and when not to. Therefore, if God allows something in your life or even brings it into your life, he has a plan in mind for it.

We love the idea of following God when things are going the way we want them to go. But then, when we hit a rough patch, we say, “Wait … whoa! I don’t want to go through that.”

I was with my grandchildren the other day – all girls – and I said, “Let’s play this. …” They were so excited and were jumping up and down. We got out the toy and started playing, and then we moved from one toy to another to another. After a while, it looked like a whirlwind had ripped through the room.

So I told them, “Now it is time to clean up.” All of the sudden, they weren’t so happy anymore.

“I always have to clean up,” declared one.

“Yeah, I do too,” said the other.

“We took these out to play with them,” I said. “Let’s put them away.” And no one was happy.

The same can be true of us when we don’t like where God is leading.

Psalm 23, one of the greatest passages in the Bible, begins, “The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.”

But then it continues:

“Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. … (NLT)”

We love those green meadows and peaceful streams. But we are not that excited about a valley – especially when it is a really dark one. But he is with us in those as well. That is what it is to follow the Lord.

The disciples followed Jesus right into a traumatic situation. They got into a boat with him and started across the lake when a fierce storm arose. Meanwhile, Jesus had settled in for a nap after a long day of ministry and was fast asleep. So what did the disciples do? They “went and woke him up, shouting, ‘Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!’” (Matthew 8:25) So Jesus went up on deck and stopped the storm in its tracks.

When we call out to God, he is moved by that, and he is ready to intervene.

So don’t feel bad about calling on the Lord. Cry out to him. If you are sick, ask God for his healing touch. Regardless of what the doctors have said, regardless of the odds of survival, you are talking to God. And you can reach out to him.

So cry out to God. Call out to him. Trust in him. And remember this: Whatever your situation may be, God is still in the miracle business.

By Greg Laurie

 

How Did Jesus Make Disciples and Why Does It Matter?

“While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.”  (Matthew 4:18-22)

How did Jesus make disciples? What approach did He use in ministry? How much time was involved? What was His goal?

These are important questions for the church today as it considers ministry and how it should be making disciples.

Let’s begin by saying that the church is commanded to make disciples, “teaching them to observe all that I (Christ) commanded.” (Matthew 28:20) This is not negotiable. If a church is not doing that, if it is not training disciples (believers) to obey Christ, then it is disobeying the Lord and needs to repent. Christ gave the Great Commission to be heeded.

So, assuming that a church desires to obey our Lord on this important commandment, how is it to do it? Well, the answer, like all answers to questions like these, is found in the word of God alone. For the Scriptures alone contain all that we need to know in terms of how we should live lives pleasing to God, whether it be an individual or a church. (See 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

The answer is not that hard to find.  But imitating Christ’s approach is hard and that may be why so few choose to go this route.

Jesus began making disciples by selection. He chose the ones He was going to train. Now He obviously had an advantage, being the Lord, but He made His choices nevertheless. And He knew them all from the foundations of the world.

We don’t have that information available to us. But we do see something in the above passage which gives us clues as to who we should be looking for when selecting those we should disciple.

Notice, if you will that the ones chosen “immediately…left their nets and followed Him..,” (Matthew 4:20) indicating that this is something they desired to do. God was clearly working in their hearts that day. But it makes an important point.

If God wants us to make disciples, teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded, He will be working in the hearts of the ones we are discipling to desire the same thing. They will have the desire to learn Christ, both in doctrine and behavior.

Here’s the bottom line on this. If someone does not have a desire to be like Christ, to become more like Him, there is nothing we can do about it. The church needs to understand this, because in large part its current approach is to throw as much interesting stuff at people to draw them in as possible.

I wonder how many would show up if all a church said was, “We are going to preach Christ, teach Christ and train you to live like Christ?” No fluff. Just Christ from His word.

Here is a very basic principle: If the Spirit and word of God are not sufficient to draw people to Christ and to desire to learn to be more like Him, then God has not drawn them, plain and simple.

Many won’t want to hear this because they are relying upon something other than the word and Spirit of God to effect change in someone. And certainly, this standard will lower the numbers, but this is the way of God.

Jesus drew His disciples by His word and Spirit. And when they followed Him, what did He do? He spent His life teaching them sound doctrine and showing them how they ought to live. In short, he trained them to become like Himself. He took three years doing this with His disciples. And essentially they lived with Him.

If we want to know how to make disciples, we should not look at our culture, we should not look at our traditions, we should not look to see what the church up the street is doing. We should look one place, the word of God.

Christ taught the multitudes, but that’s not how he made disciples who obeyed His commandments. That takes more than sitting in large groups hearing lessons. He did it by focusing on a group of individuals who would spend a lot of time with Him.

He made disciples by relationship. He knew the 12 and they knew Him. They ate with Him, labored with Him, listened to Him, observed Him, imitated Him. He taught them sound doctrine and demonstrated holy behavior. When they erred He corrected them.

More than anything else, He loved them as individuals. He got to know them and was willing to give His life for them. He loved them enough to be with them. He loved them enough to show them the way they ought to be. He loved them enough to speak the truth to them.

And because He spent time with them, He knew them. He knew their weaknesses, their strengths. He knew the areas they needed to grow. Remember His words to Peter? “Tonight, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times.” He knew Peter intimately. 

Now He was omnipotent. We’re not. How are we to make disciples, teaching them to observe all that Christ commanded, if we do not spend time getting to know our disciples? How are we to show them how they ought to live, if we don’t care enough to know what is going on in their lives? How can we know what to teach them if we don’t know what they know and what they don’t know?

We can’t make disciples unless we love them enough to do what is needed, to do what we are called to do, to do what Jesus did.

How did Jesus make disciples? He did it one person at a time. It was personal, relational, time-intensive, loving, caring, denying of self, being interested in their well-being. If you want to know how He made disciples, begin with our verse above in Matthew 4. The rest of the gospel shows you how He made them.

If we think that we can circumvent this process, create some program or teach groups of people all at once and make disciples, we are sadly mistaken. After Jesus was done making His, He gave them the command to make them themselves. And the method seen in the book of Acts imitates what they saw in Christ. They had to spend time with the disciples in order to bring about maturity in their lives.

There is only one way to obey the Lord in making disciples – and that is the way of Christ. Until we start doing that, we are doing something in the Church, just not obeying our Lord.  May God show us this very basic truth and help us to apply it in obeying His command to us to make disciples, that He would be glorified in us. Amen.

Albert Rommal

Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitteShare to Facebook

Discipleship: Begin With the End in Mind

One of the quotes in Stephen Covey’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is to Begin with the End in Mind. I believe this principle holds true if we are to be successful in accomplishing the mission Jesus gave all believers. Matthew 28:18-20 says, Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. (NIV). In this passage Jesus tells us to make disciples by teaching them to obey.  Oswalt Chambers in My Utmost for His Highest makes a very good observation about the Mission Jesus gave us, and how it is to be accomplished.

“As Christian workers, worldliness is not our snare, sin is not our snare, but spiritual wantoning is, viz.: taking the pattern and print of the religious age we live in, making eyes at spiritual success. Never court anything other than the approval of God, go “without the camp, bearing His reproach.” Jesus told the disciples not to rejoice in successful service, and yet this seems to be the one thing in which most of us do rejoice. We have the commercial view – so many souls saved and sanctified, thank God, now it is all right. Our work begins where God’s grace has laid the foundation; we are not to save souls, but to disciple them. Salvation and sanctification are the work of God’s sovereign grace; our work as His disciples is to disciple lives until they are wholly yielded to God. One life wholly devoted to God is of more value to God than one hundred lives simply awakened by His Spirit. As workers for God we must reproduce our own kind spiritually, and that will be God’s witness to us as workers. God brings us to a standard of life by His grace, and we are responsible for reproducing that standard in others.”

Luke 14:33 tells us that  those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.  This process of sticking with a man through discipleship until they are wholly yielded to God takes a certain period of time, but it begins with a man who is “willing to forsake all” to follow Him. Look for men who meet this criteria, and then disciple them until they are wholly yielded to God.

Written by Ken Wheeler, Sr.

12 Spiritual Trends to Watch in 2012

But behind the troubling headlines, God is working in surprising ways.  The doom-and-gloom crowd always expects the negative.

Some people are terrified of 2012. Their fear is based on the fact that the Mayans of ancient Mexico mysteriously ended their 5,126-year-old calendar on Dec. 21, 2012—as if they expected the world to end that day.

This stupid hypothesis became the basis for several New Age books and a silly disaster movie, 2012, in which actor John Cusack avoids meteors and earthquakes just in time to get his family aboard the modern version of Noah’s ark (built in China!) before the rest of the world is destroyed by a tsunami.

I’m not worried about 12/21/12 because (1) Ancient Mayans never actually said the world would end in 2012—and even if they did, they didn’t have an inside track to God; (2) Doomsday predictions have never been accurate; and (3) Jesus Christ holds the future in His hands. As long as I’m in relationship with Him, it doesn’t matter what happens on earth. I’m secure.

Despite strange weather patterns, global terrorism and the spectre of an economic crash, I’m actually optimistic about where we’re headed in 2012. Through my research and travels, I’ve noticed these emerging trends—some negative, some positive—that will shape our future:

1. Record numbers of Christians will be martyrs. More than 400 Christians die for their faith every day around the world, and most of these believers suffer in Islamic countries—although the top hot spot for Christian persecution is the atheist regime of North Korea. Open Doors International says the most dangerous countries for Christians today are: (1) North Korea; (2) Iran; (3) Afghanistan; (4) Saudi Arabia; (5) Somalia; (6) Maldives; (7) Yemen; (8) Iraq; (9) Uzbekistan and (10) Laos (which has a communist government). Persecution will likely increase in African countries such as Nigeria, where a militant brand of Islam is clashing with indigenous Pentecostal Christianity. Let’s live in solidarity with our persecuted brothers and sisters by supporting them in prayer.

2. The Asian church will take the lead in missionary ventures. More than 60 percent of the world’s population is Asian. China and India alone, each with more than 1 billion people, are set to become the world’s powerhouses of evangelism in this decade—and the efforts of the church in those nations and in Singapore, South Korea and Indonesia will eventually overshadow the missionary legacy of the United States. Asian countries not only will fuel church growth in their own regions but also deploy huge numbers of missionaries (both full-timers and “undercover” marketplace missionaries) into difficult mission fields in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

3. The Arab Spring will thaw resistance to the gospel. Politicians can debate the pros and cons of democracy movements in Egypt, Syria and Libya. Meanwhile, there’s no question that the gospel is finding fertile ground in Middle Eastern nations. Many are hearing about Jesus through gospel programming (not the constant begging for money we hear on American TV). Consider that 90 percent of Saudi Arabians have access to Christian programs on cable! While persecution of Christians will continue, there is no stopping the tsunami of the Holy Spirit that is headed for the Muslim world.

4. North America increasingly will be viewed as a needy mission field. The United States now has the largest unchurched population in the English-speaking world. The trend is disturbing: 50 percent of Americans attended church in 1950 compared with 20 percent today. Add this to this mix: There are more internationals studying on American campuses than ever before—more than 690,000. Of the nations that send students to universities here, China, India and South Korea send the most, and Saudi Arabia is seventh. American churches involved in missions need only look in their own backyards for huge evangelism opportunities.

5. The debate over approving homosexuality will take center stage. The Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Presbyterian Church USA all have abandoned biblical standards of sexuality in the last few years, and the United Methodist Church is likely to step off the same cliff soon. Evangelical, and even Pentecostal, groups are also flirting with the idea that God approves of homosexual practice. Bible-believing Christians can’t continue ignoring this issue. We must discover how to effectively communicate Christ’s healing to people who want to overcome same-sex attraction. Note: We can’t do this until we first get our own sexual house in order.

6. America will experience a church-growth renaissance. Church-growth expert Ed Stetzer says the number of new churches being planted in the United States has now surpassed the number of church closures. While mainline churches are dying, as many as 5,000 new churches are being started every year in this country—mostly by newer, evangelical networks that offer a nontraditional style of ministry. Stetzer believes that if this movement continues unhindered we could see the same explosion of church growth that the U.S. experienced from 1795-1810, when Baptists and Methodists evangelized America for the first time.

7. The economic downturn in the U.S. will actually be good for the church. Minnesota pastor John Piper recently listed four reasons why he believes the Great Recession is a blessing in disguise: (1) People tend to be more dependent on God during tough times; (2) During an economic downturn, non-Christians are more likely to see your efforts to reach them as love rather than exploitation; (3) People who need Christ are more ready to hear about eternal life when they are less secure about earthly things; and (4) Christians are more likely to give to missions when they have been awakened to the fragility of material things. Instead of complaining about this economic squeeze, let’s welcome the way God can use it to stretch us.

8. Look for a radical reformation to occur in charismatic/Pentecostal churches. Younger leaders are rejecting old paradigms of event-driven, money-focused sensationalism that tainted our movement. Churches that insist on basing their ministry values on exotic manifestations, media showmanship and the prosperity gospel will become irrelevant to an audience starved for authenticity. Expect to see more embarrassing scandals in our movement in 2012, both moral and financial. The Holy Spirit is cleaning house and removing the cancer of immorality and greed that has been spreading behind closed doors among high-profile leaders. These scandals will rock the largest media ministries in the country and redefine the spiritual landscape. But in the end, the exposing of sin will produce a fear of God and a return to accountability, integrity and holiness.

9. Denominations will be redefined. Younger leaders today are uncomfortable with the rigidity and uniformity imposed by denominations. They place a high value on relationships and aren’t attracted to wasteful or needless structures. In order to keep younger ministers on board, some Pentecostal denominations will ditch old wineskins and change tired policies. The emphasis will shift from strict hierarchy to team-based leadership, and from impersonal organization to organic relationships. Denominations that don’t make this vital shift will shrink and become irrelevant.

10. Many megachurches will stop trying to grow bigger and will instead branch out. Wise pastors are realizing that bigger is not always better. Unless the people in large churches are equipped for ministry, they will simply warm seats without actually becoming mature disciples. In this next season, forward-thinking leaders will start building horizontally rather than vertically—by planting small churches out of their larger congregations. The shift will be from big to small, from impersonal to personal, and from a corporate business model to a relational family model. (A return to New Testament Christianity is possible!)

11. Disasters will continue, but Christians will often be the first responders. In the United States in 2011 we had wildfires, droughts, a record-breaking blizzard, a hurricane that tore through New England, killer tornadoes that wiped towns off the map and a weird earthquake that damaged the National Cathedral. President Obama declared more disasters in 2011 than any year on record, and the cost had already topped $35 billion by September. Some weather experts blame global warming while others insist these patterns are cyclical. Whatever the reason, our priority is helping victims. Organizations including Samaritan’s Purse, Convoy of Hope and Somebody Cares—along with thousands of local churches—will show the mercy of Christ when disaster hits.

12. Expect a supernatural surprise. Throughout the history of the church, God has often broken into our routines—and our negative circumstances—to bring spiritual revival. In response to the prayers of a remnant of believers, God invaded history during the Great Awakening, the Welsh Revival, the Azusa Street Revival and the Jesus Movement. This really is our only hope. Our generation has never witnessed a revival. We must cry out to the Lord for another divine visitation. If He surprises us with a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit in 2012, negative trends will be reversed in an instant and history will be forever altered. That’s what I’m living for.

J. Lee Grady was editor of Charisma for 11 years. Today he directs The Mordecai Project, an international outreach focused on confronting the abuse of women. He is the author of several books, including The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale.

http://www.charismamag.com/index.php/features/2012/january/32315-spirituai-trends-to-watch-in-2012

Four Ways I Believe We Can Lead Like Jesus

I believe Jesus was the best leader that has ever lived.  Seriously, look at what HE accomplished with just three years of a public ministry…it’s STILL impacting people all over the world.  In today’s post…I wanted to cover four things (and there ARE way more than four) that I believe Jesus did that made Him an effective leader.

#1 – Jesus Spent Time With His Inner Circle

The idea that the leader cannot be close with the people he works with simply isn’t Christ like.  Jesus did not isolate Himself from “his staff,” but rather He did life and ministry with them.  The leader who is afraid to be known by the people he has been called to serve with is in a dangerous place as he either thinks himself better than them or is quite possibly trying to hide something from them.  Jesus didn’t lead through fear…He led through relationships and these only become stronger as we spend time with one another.  In fact, He actually called them His friends (see John 15:15.)  If Jesus can be friends with His “staff”, then why can’t we do the same?

#2 – Jesus Was More About Who His Followers Were Becoming Than What They Were Doing

If a leader cares more about the work his staff produces rather than the fruit that the Lord is producing in them, then he will often put his team in a dangerous place because he will attempt to DRIVE them through his agenda rather than attempt to lead them through the Lord’s agenda.  He knew if they developed fully devoted hearts for Him that the quality of their work would show it!

#3 – Jesus Was Patient With Those Closest To Him

As we read the Gospels we never see Jesus going on a rant against His disciples.  Sure, there are places where He offers correction and/or rebuke…but this is the exception, NOT the rule…and He does not go on and on for chapter after chapter.  He addresses the issue and then moves on.  He approaches His “staff” with a patient attitude and does not assume that just because someone makes a mistake that they are either disloyal to Him or simply an idiot who is incapable of doing anything signifiant.  A leader that is always losing his/her temper with others because “they don’t get it” usually does not realize that the reason many people don’t “get it” isn’t because they are lacking intelligence but rather because they haven’t been led well.

(And…btw…when Peter “blew it” by denying Christ…Jesus did not write him off or “fire him,” he went from Jerusalem to Galilee to find him and restore him to the ministry!  See John 21!  Great leaders don’t look to fire people first…they look to walk them through the mistake and restore them!)

#4 – Jesus Was Not Paranoid.

One of the craziest things that takes place in Christian leadership circles is the incredibly insane idea that a leader always needs to be paranoid about which staff are and are not with him…and who might ultimately betray him.  Jesus KNEW He was going to be betrayed by Judas…and yet that did not distract Him from what God had called Him to do.  (In fact, I would argue that Judas’ betrayal ultimately led to Jesus moving into a greater place!!!)

If you are in leadership long enough someone WILL betray you…it will hurt; however, that does not give us an excuse to run around and constantly create an atmosphere of fear and doubt on our staff and call everything that we don’t like or perceive as an attack against an idea we might have as “disloyal.”

The better question for a leader to ask is NOT, “are these people for me,” but rather, “am I for these people?”  Because…if a staff knows that the leader loves them, that he wants the best for them and is willing to fight to lead them, love them and be patient with them, then betrayal is far less of a threat than the leader who is always freaking out about who might and might not be fully sold out to the vision.

http://bit.ly/poakDd

How Can I Be Sure I’m Going to Heaven

Question: “Going to Heaven – how can I guarantee my eternal destination?”

Answer: Face it. The day that each of us will step into eternity may come sooner than we think. In preparation for that moment, we need to know this truth—not everyone is going to heaven. How can we know for sure that we are one of those who will spend eternity in heaven? Some 2,000 years ago, the apostles Peter and John were preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to a large crowd in Jerusalem. It was then that Peter made a profound statement that resonates even in our post-modern world: “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Even as it was then, in today’s “all ways lead to heaven” climate, this is not a politically correct message. There are many who think they can have heaven without having Jesus. They want the good promises of glory, but they don’t want to be bothered by the cross, much less the One who hung and died there for the sins of all who would believe in Him. Many don’t want to accept Jesus as the only way and are determined to find another path. But Jesus Himself warns us that no other path exists and the consequences for not accepting this truth are an eternity in hell. He has told us plainly that “whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36).

Some will argue that it’s extremely narrow-minded of God to provide only one way to heaven. But, frankly, in light of mankind’s rebellious rejection of God, it’s extremely broad-minded for Him to provide us with any way to heaven. We deserve judgment, and instead He gives us the way of escape by sending His only begotten Son to die for our sins. Whether someone sees this as narrow or broad, it’s the truth, and Christians need to maintain the clear, untarnished message that the only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ.

Many people today have believed a watered-down gospel that does away with the message of repentance of their sins. They want to believe in a loving, nonjudgmental God who requires no repentance and no change in their lifestyle. They may say things like, “I believe in Jesus Christ, but my God is not judgmental. My God would never send a person to hell.” But we cannot have it both ways. If we profess to be Christians, we must recognize Christ for who He said He is—the one and only way to heaven. To deny that is to deny Jesus Himself, for it was He who declared, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

The question still remains: who will actually enter into God’s kingdom? How can I guarantee my eternal destination? The answer to these questions is seen in the clearly drawn distinction between those who have eternal life and those who do not. “He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12). Those who believe in Christ, who have accepted His sacrifice in payment of their sins, and who follow Him in obedience will spend eternity in heaven. Those who reject Him will not. “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18).

As awesome as heaven will be for those who choose Jesus Christ as Savior, hell will be that much more awful for those who reject Him. Our message to the lost would be delivered with more urgency if we understood what the holiness and righteousness of God will do to those who have rejected the full provision of forgiveness in His Son, Jesus Christ. One cannot read the Bible seriously without seeing it over and over again—the line is drawn. The Bible is very clear that there is one and only one way to heaven—through Jesus Christ. He has given us this warning: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

There is only one way to heaven and those who follow that way are guaranteed to get there. But not everyone is following that way. Are you?

© Copyright 2002-2012 Got Questions Ministries

http://gotquestions.org/going-to-heaven.html

 

What Does It Mean To Be A Born again Christian?

Question: “What does it mean to be a born again Christian?”

Answer: What does it mean to be a born again Christian? The classic passage from the Bible that answers this question is John 3:1-21. The Lord Jesus Christ is talking to Nicodemus, a prominent Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin (a ruler of the Jews). Nicodemus had come to Jesus at night. Nicodemus had questions to ask Jesus.

As Jesus talked with Nicodemus, He said, “’I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again’” (John 3:3-7).

The phrase “born again” literally means “born from above.” Nicodemus had a real need. He needed a change of his heart—a spiritual transformation. New birth, being born again, is an act of God whereby eternal life is imparted to the person who believes (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1-4, 18). John 1:12,13 indicates that “born again” also carries the idea “to become children of God” through trust in the name of Jesus Christ.

The question logically comes, “Why does a person need to be born again?” The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:1 says, “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins…” (NKJV). To the Romans in Romans 3:23, the Apostle wrote, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” So, a person needs to be born again in order to have their sins forgiven and have a relationship with God.

How does that come to be? Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.” When one is “saved,” he/she has been born again, spiritually renewed, and is now a child of God by right of new birth. Trusting in Jesus Christ, the One who paid the penalty of sin when He died on the cross, is what it means to be “born again” spiritually. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

If you have never trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, will you consider the prompting of the Holy Spirit as He speaks to your heart? You need to be born again. Will you pray the prayer of repentance and become a new creation in Christ today? “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God” (John 1:12-13).

If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and be born again, here is a sample prayer. Remember, saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you. It is only trusting in Christ that can save you from sin. This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your salvation. “God, I know that I have sinned against you and am deserving of punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness—the gift of eternal life! Amen!”

© Copyright 2002-2012 Got Questions Ministries

http://gotquestions.org/born-again.html

The Barnabas Conundrum

Who was Barnabas?  And what’s a Conundrum?

Let’s start with Barnabas.  Barnabas was a New testament figure that “assisted” Paul the Apostle.^[1]  It has also been suggested that he is the author of the Book of Hebrews.^[2] 

A conundrum, simply, is “anything that puzzles” according to Dictionary.com

Our conundrum is not whether Barnabas did write the book of Hebrews, but one that is much more prevalent and applicable to the church and a functioning ministry to the saints.  (2 Corinthians 9:1-15)

I have often heard people who should be in leadership say this:  ”Well, I’m more of a Barnabas than a Paul.” This phrase is used to self-describe one who wishes to be another’s “right-hand man,” or one who thinks that he is better suited to be in the role of an assistant to another who is more capable, better educated, more talented, etc.  From my experience, it is spoken from a feeling of inferiority or in a manner to minimize expectations.  The second in charge doesn’t bear the responsibility of the head guy and similar thinking propels this puzzle into future generations and propagates what just might be unbiblical thinking.

Here though, is the conundrum.  If a persons heart is genuine, and if indeed they want to serve an existing leader in such a way that he or she can serve others better, then shouldn’t a heart that expresses this kind of humility and dedication be a Paul instead of a Barnabas?  Shouldn’t this person be one who leads well? (Romans 12:8)

It seems that in far more cases than not, those who wish to be Paul’s should be Barnabas’ and those who should be Barnabas’ are the Paul’s.  Or perhaps the whole proposition is silly and unbiblical.

What’s your take?  Have you heard or used the phrase, “I’m more of a Barnabas than aPaul?  What issue or issues do you think are really at the heart of those who use this kind of phraseology?

http://www.pathwaysinternational.org/2012/01/the-barnabas-conundrum/#comments

Six Reasons Young Christians Leave Church

Many parents and church leaders wonder how to most effectively cultivate durable faith in the lives of young people. A five-year project headed by Barna Group president David Kinnaman explores the opportunities and challenges of faith development among teens and young adults within a rapidly shifting culture. The findings of the research are included in a new book by Kinnaman titled You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church and Rethinking Church.The research project was comprised of eight national studies, including interviews with teenagers, young adults, parents, youth pastors, and senior pastors. The study of young adults focused on those who were regular churchgoers Christian church during their teen years and explored their reasons for disconnection from church life after age 15.No single reason dominated the break-up between church and young adults. Instead, a variety of reasons emerged. Overall, the research uncovered six significant themes why nearly three out of every five young Christians (59%) disconnect either permanently or for an extended period of time from church life after age 15. Reason #1 – Churches seem overprotective. A few of the defining characteristics of today’s teens and young adults are their unprecedented access to ideas and worldviews as well as their prodigious consumption of popular culture. As Christians, they express the desire for their faith in Christ to connect to the world they live in. However, much of their experience of Christianity feels stifling, fear-based and risk-averse. One-quarter of 18- to 29-year-olds said “Christians demonize everything outside of the church” (23% indicated this “completely” or “mostly” describes their experience). Other perceptions in this category include “church ignoring the problems of the real world” (22%) and “my church is too concerned that movies, music, and video games are harmful” (18%). Reason #2 – Teens’ and twentysomethings’ experience of Christianity is shallow. A second reason that young people depart church as young adults is that something is lacking in their experience of church. One-third said “church is boring” (31%). One-quarter of these young adults said that “faith is not relevant to my career or interests” (24%) or that “the Bible is not taught clearly or often enough” (23%). Sadly, one-fifth of these young adults who attended a church as a teenager said that “God seems missing from my experience of church” (20%). Reason #3 – Churches come across as antagonistic to science. One of the reasons young adults feel disconnected from church or from faith is the tension they feel between Christianity and science. The most common of the perceptions in this arena is “Christians are too confident they know all the answers” (35%). Three out of ten young adults with a Christian background feel that “churches are out of step with the scientific world we live in” (29%). Another one-quarter embrace the perception that “Christianity is anti-science” (25%). And nearly the same proportion (23%) said they have “been turned off by the creation-versus-evolution debate.” Furthermore, the research shows that many science-minded young Christians are struggling to find ways of staying faithful to their beliefs and to their professional calling in science-related industries. Reason #4 – Young Christians’ church experiences related to sexuality are often simplistic, judgmental. With unfettered access to digital pornography and immersed in a culture that values hyper-sexuality over wholeness, teen and twentysometing Christians are struggling with how to live meaningful lives in terms of sex and sexuality. One of the significant tensions for many young believers is how to live up to the church’s expectations of chastity and sexual purity in this culture, especially as the age of first marriage is now commonly delayed to the late twenties. Research indicates that most young Christians are as sexually active as their non-Christian peers, even though they are more conservative in their attitudes about sexuality. One-sixth of young Christians (17%) said they “have made mistakes and feel judged in church because of them.” The issue of sexuality is particularly salient among 18- to 29-year-old Catholics, among whom two out of five (40%) said the church’s “teachings on sexuality and birth control are out of date.” Reason #5 – They wrestle with the exclusive nature of Christianity. Younger Americans have been shaped by a culture that esteems open-mindedness, tolerance and acceptance. Today’s youth and young adults also are the most eclectic generation in American history in terms of race, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, technological tools and sources of authority. Most young adults want to find areas of common ground with each other, sometimes even if that means glossing over real differences. Three out of ten young Christians (29%) said “churches are afraid of the beliefs of other faiths” and an identical proportion felt they are “forced to choose between my faith and my friends.” One-fifth of young adults with a Christian background said “church is like a country club, only for insiders” (22%). Reason #6 – The church feels unfriendly to those who doubt. Young adults with Christian experience say the church is not a place that allows them to express doubts. They do not feel safe admitting that sometimes Christianity does not make sense. In addition, many feel that the church’s response to doubt is trivial. Some of the perceptions in this regard include not being able “to ask my most pressing life questions in church” (36%) and having “significant intellectual doubts about my faith” (23%). In a related theme of how churches struggle to help young adults who feel marginalized, about one out of every six young adults with a Christian background said their faith “does not help with depression or other emotional problems” they experience (18%). Turning Toward Connection David Kinnaman, who is the coauthor of the book unChristian, explained that “the problem of young adults dropping out of church life is particularly urgent because most churches work best for ‘traditional’ young adults – those whose life journeys and life questions are normal and conventional. But most young adults no longer follow the typical path of leaving home, getting an education, finding a job, getting married and having kids—all before the age of 30. These life events are being delayed, reordered, and sometimes pushed completely off the radar among today’s young adults. “Consequently, churches are not prepared to handle the ‘new normal.’ Instead, church leaders are most comfortable working with young, married adults, especially those with children. However, the world for young adults is changing in significant ways, such as their remarkable access to the world and worldviews via technology, their alienation from various institutions, and their skepticism toward external sources of authority, including Christianity and the Bible.” The research points to two opposite, but equally dangerous responses by faith leaders and parents: either catering to or minimizing the concerns of the next generation. The study suggests some leaders ignore the concerns and issues of teens and twentysomethings because they feel that the disconnection will end when young adults are older and have their own children. Yet, this response misses the dramatic technological, social and spiritual changes that have occurred over the last 25 years and ignores the significant present-day challenges these young adults are facing. Other churches seem to be taking the opposite corrective action by using all means possible to make their congregation appeal to teens and young adults. However, putting the focus squarely on youth and young adults causes the church to exclude older believers and “builds the church on the preferences of young people and not on the pursuit of God,” Kinnaman said. Between these extremes, the just-released book You Lost Me points to ways in which the various concerns being raised by young Christians (including church dropouts) could lead to revitalized ministry and deeper connections in families. Kinnaman observed that many churches approach generations in a hierarchical, top-down manner, rather than deploying a true team of believers of all ages. “Cultivating intergenerational relationships is one of the most important ways in which effective faith communities are developing flourishing faith in both young and old. In many churches, this means changing the metaphor from simply passing the baton to the next generation to a more functional, biblical picture of a body – that is, the entire community of faith, across the entire lifespan, working together to fulfill God’s purposes.” © Barna Group, 2011 http://www.barna.org/teens-next-gen-articles/528-six-reasons-young-christians-leave-church