Showing posts with label discipling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label discipling. Show all posts

Thursday, July 21, 2016

Ten Things I Wished I'd Known When I Was 30 - J. LEE GRADY CHARISMA NEWS

What do you wish you knew when you were 30?
What do you wish you knew when you were 30? (© Istockphoto/Martin Dimitrov)

Ten Things I Wished I'd Known When I Was 30

When you get to be my age, birthdays can be a bummer. I don't really want to be reminded that I'm old. So I discovered a way to ease the pain: I surround myself with younger people. At my birthday party last week were several young guys I am mentoring. They are 30, 27, 24, 23, 22 and 20—most of them younger than my own kids.
One of my greatest passions in life is discipling the younger generation. I love it partly because the young men I mentor are so hungry for spiritual direction they literally pull it out of me; I also love discipleship because it is indescribably fulfilling. It really is more blessed to give than to receive.
Discipleship is not just leading a Bible study or helping a person understand a dry spiritual truth. It is imparting your life—sharing the wisdom you've gained from years of personal experiences. That's what a father or mother does with their children; that's what Paul did for the Romans. He told them: "For I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, that you may be strengthened" (Rom. 1:11).
I often tell the guys I mentor: "I wish I had known this when I was your age." And they recognize the blessing of getting some wise counsel they can put into practice now. I'll share a few of those nuggets here. Feel free to pass them along to other young (or old) disciples who are eager to grow spiritually.
1. Never let your failures or flaws stop you from chasing your God-given dreams. The biggest obstacle between you and your dream is not the devil, demons, your past sins, your family dysfunction or your lack of money or opportunity. Your biggest enemy is you and the way you see yourself. You must come to see that your heavenly Father loves you (1 John 3:1) and that He wants to know you, bless you and use you.
2. Never, ever neglect the Bible. Jesus said His words provide a strong, secure foundation for life (Matt. 7:24-27). But you cannot experience that security if you treat God's Word flippantly. You need to feed on it daily. The loudest voices in our culture today tell us that the Bible is irrelevant; don't listen to them. Let God's Word become the steel framework of your life.
3. Relax! God wants you to enjoy the journey. When I was young I often got anxious about God's plans and I fretted too much. I finally learned to stop striving. I quit trying to make things happen—and I surrendered to God's timing, knowing that only He can bring about His will. This is true whether you are praying about marriage plans, your career, your ministry or any other desire. Don't let anxious thoughts steal your joy.
4. Saturate your life in prayer, and never make a decision without seeking God's guidance. Life is really a journey, and God wants to steer us every step of the way. The closer you are to the shepherd, the clearer you will hear His voice telling you to turn to the left or the right.
5. Stay filled up with the Holy Spirit. The biggest mistake we could ever make is to try to live our lives with an empty tank. Don't ever try to follow Christ in your own strength. Let the Holy Spirit empower you. Who wants dead, lifeless, boring Christianity? Seek close fellowship with the Spirit, pray in the Spirit and pursue spiritual gifts so you can experience the supernatural realm.
6. Life is supposed to be an adventure. Never play it safe. Every true follower of Christ will come to the place that Peter did when Jesus called him out of the boat. Peter left his comfort zone and stepped onto the water. You must do the same. My biggest mistakes in life happened when I let fear of the unknown choke my faith.
7. Relationships are the key to success. The world tells us that life is about chasing fame, money, cars, houses, toys or sex. But I've learned that God wants us investing in people—and that is where you will find the greatest satisfaction. Material possessions can't give lasting fulfillment, and pleasure only lasts for a moment. If you want the abundant life that Jesus promised (John 10:10), pour your life into others.
8. It's really okay to admit your weaknesses. Most of us come to Christ in a state of bondage; we struggle with all kinds of hurts and addictions. I finally learned that God never intended for me to deal with these issues alone. Just as we learned in the story of the Good Samaritan, we need someone else to bandage our wounds (Luke 10:30-37). True healing is found through the close friends God gives us. Open your heart to them.
9. Be as generous as possible so you can become a channel of financial blessing.When I was young I never imagined I could bless others financially. Yet even with my tiny ministry salary I began to tithe and bless people—and God multiplied my resources. Don't wait until you have lots of money to start sowing. Sow even in your season of famine and watch God release miraculous abundance.
10. Don't take your parents for granted. Because my father recently fell and incurred a serious brain injury, I'm relocating to Georgia to care for him and my mother. I'm grateful that I can spend these last years with them, but I'm wishing I had made the most of every moment we shared. You won't have your parents forever. Cherish your time with them and do everything you can to honor them as you honor Christ. 
J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. You can follow him on Twitter at leegrady. He is the author of several books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, 10 Lies Men Believe, Fearless Daughters of the Bible and The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale. You can learn more about his ministry, The Mordecai Project, atthemordecaiproject.org.
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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

We Need a Revival of New Testament Love by Lee Grady

We Need a Revival of New Testament Love 

by Lee Grady

Identity Network
 
We who call ourselves Spirit-filled Christians are notorious for overusing the term "revival." If we get a standing-room-only crowd in a church for more than three nights in a row, and those people end up swooning on the floor after the altar call, we start hyping things up and comparing the meetings to the First Great Awakening.

 
But what exactly are the signs of a genuine move of God? Lately I've been buried in Paul's epistle to the Thessalonians to find the answer to that question. After all, one of the most explosive spiritual awakenings in history took place in the Greek city of Thessalonica. It was a headquarters of ancient paganism (and just three hours from Mount Olympus, the home of the Greek gods), yet when the gospel was preached there it triggered a chain reaction of miracles and mass conversions.

 
Spiritual Explosion

 
Paul said of the spiritual explosion in Thessalonica: "Our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction" (1 Thess. 1:5a). A riot erupted, Paul was run out of town, and the new Christians were persecuted. Yet the attacks couldn't stop them: The impact of this move of God was so forceful that within a short time the newly converted Thessalonians spread their faith throughout most of Greece (see v. 8).

 
So we could say that biblical revivals always include: (1) powerful preaching that brings heavy conviction of sin; (2) supernatural miracles that display God's power and confirm the message; (3) notable numbers of true converts who share their faith aggressively; and (4) persecution from those who resist the gospel. But after reading 1 Thessalonians a few more times I noticed one additional hallmark of genuine revival that we often ignore: (5) remarkable, sincere love that nurtures the growing Christian church.

 
We all want the miracles. We long to see mass conversions. But we forget that New Testament revival doesn't happen without New Testament love. I see this love manifested in some specific ways:

 
1. Servant-hearted Leadership.

 
The apostle Paul and the leaders on his team did not think of themselves as "all that." They weren't pulpit stars. They didn't ride in limousines or demand five-star hotel rooms. Paul was even willing to work a job so he wouldn't be a burden to the Thessalonians. He told them:"Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our very own lives, because you had become very dear to us" (1 Thess. 2:8).

 
In today's "Spirit-filled" churches, some pastors have morphed into hipster CEOs who appear only in the pulpit and on the video screen. They may bring a powerful message, but the idea of personal impartation has become a relic of a bygone era. In the era of the iChurch, we really can't get on the people's level. That's too bad, because sermons alone don't make disciples. People need a personal touch from leaders who feel deep affection for those they are discipling.

 
2. Selfless Investment.

 
When Paul was in prison, he didn't throw a pity party or feel bad for himself. He was thinking 24/7 about the people he had led to Christ in Thessalonica. He desperately wanted to see them again. They were in his heart. He prayed for them constantly "that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith" (3:10). That kind of selfless love, modeled by humble leaders, sets the bar high for the entire church.

 
3. Slobbering Affection.

 
The word "brethren" appears in 1 Thessalonians 17 times. Paul understood that when we join the community of the redeemed, we are bonded together by the Holy Spirit who lives in all of us. That precious spiritual bond should be treasured. That's why Paul wrote: "May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another" (1 Thess. 3:12). He knew the true measure of Christian maturity is fervent love.

 
Paul also told the Thessalonians: "Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss" (5:26). Today we explain this verse away by suggesting that kissing was a cultural tradition that doesn't apply to us. Really? I've been in churches where people keep their polite distance, and their lack of affection is an indicator of their icy spiritual condition. Some people criticize what they call "sloppy agapé," but I've learned that when Christians hug and kiss each other, they are also more prone to be passionate followers of Jesus.

 
Paul cared deeply about his followers and he told them: "We proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children" (2:7). There is a direct connection between extravagant love for each other and the spirit of New Testament revival. Let's rediscover it.

 
Lee Grady




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