21st Century Disciples of Christ.

[OneLight]

There have been people throughout my life (even now!) that I have been drawn to who had no clue. I have been blessed by others who have no clue of the impact they made in my life. These people go about their daily lives serving Christ - working for the kingdom. Sometimes they fall, but I watch them get back up and give the glory to Christ. I am humbled by those that the Lord uses in the forefront, especially when they are unaware. It is comforting and encouraging to see those that allow the Holy Spirit to shine through - those that have the strength to examine themselves with an honest eye.

Yes, they sure are a blessings! And, like you said, they probably have no clue, but are just living for Christ the best they can!

So what I'm saying is making relationships a priority and investing alot in them - I don't mean it to sound like it's all about "me"...not at all, far from it. It's ALL about Him and using us through everyday relationships to draw men to Him.

I believe what you are talking about is basically those Trav is talking about. We may never know who we touch as we allow Him to live in and through us, until the day we meet them in the next life.

[Guest HIS girl]

There have been people throughout my life (even now!) that I have been drawn to who had no clue. I have been blessed by others who have no clue of the impact they made in my life. These people go about their daily lives serving Christ - working for the kingdom. Sometimes they fall, but I watch them get back up and give the glory to Christ. I am humbled by those that the Lord uses in the forefront, especially when they are unaware. It is comforting and encouraging to see those that allow the Holy Spirit to shine through - those that have the strength to examine themselves with an honest eye.

Yes, they sure are a blessings! And, like you said, they probably have no clue, but are just living for Christ the best they can!

So what I'm saying is making relationships a priority and investing alot in them - I don't mean it to sound like it's all about "me"...not at all, far from it. It's ALL about Him and using us through everyday relationships to draw men to Him.

I believe what you are talking about is basically those Trav is talking about. We may never know who we touch as we allow Him to live in and through us, until the day we meet them in the next life.

That's right and it's NOT for us to know - that's not the issue...but putting TOP priority towards one another is essential in discipleship.

[stacey c]

Amen, I agree with everything said, what a beautiful topic

But I have a question about something, maybe you guys can clarify for me. Maybe I'm getting this wrong.

I believe in following the example Jesus set forth. He was a friend to the publican and sinner. He came for the sick and dying, to show everyone one He was the Way,Truth, and Life, and I believe that is what is needed to win the lost.

But Paul said, can't think of the scriptures off the top of my head, that the believer is not to even dine with the sinner. But Jesus did dine and eat with the sinner.

Am I taking it out of context? Or is it the other believers who are taking Pauls teaching to the extreme?

[OneLight]

Amen, I agree with everything said, what a beautiful topic

But I have a question about something, maybe you guys can clarify for me. Maybe I'm getting this wrong.

I believe in following the example Jesus set forth. He was a friend to the publican and sinner. He came for the sick and dying, to show everyone one He was the Way,Truth, and Life, and I believe that is what is needed to win the lost.

But Paul said, can't think of the scriptures off the top of my head, that the believer is not to even dine with the sinner. But Jesus did dine and eat with the sinner.

Am I taking it out of context? Or is it the other believers who are taking Pauls teaching to the extreme?

1 Corinthians 5:11

But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner

[stacey c]

Amen, I agree with everything said, what a beautiful topic

But I have a question about something, maybe you guys can clarify for me. Maybe I'm getting this wrong.

I believe in following the example Jesus set forth. He was a friend to the publican and sinner. He came for the sick and dying, to show everyone one He was the Way,Truth, and Life, and I believe that is what is needed to win the lost.

But Paul said, can't think of the scriptures off the top of my head, that the believer is not to even dine with the sinner. But Jesus did dine and eat with the sinner.

Am I taking it out of context? Or is it the other believers who are taking Pauls teaching to the extreme?

1 Corinthians 5:11

But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner

[Guest HIS girl]

Hi stacey c,

Your question made me think of Jesus dining and hanging out with sinners...if He was 100% Man, and we know He faced the temptations etc that we face as human beings, I thought how did He manage to hang out with sinful folk and NOT sin. Was is simply because He WAS God in flesh OR because He had an intimate relationship made strong through prayer, knowing Scripture etc.

We on the other hand need to AVOID certain situations because we are not STRONG enough to handle them BUT Jesus did face situations and DID handle them...I wonder what the difference was............hmmm

[OneLight]

Hi stacey c,

Your question made me think of Jesus dining and hanging out with sinners...if He was 100% Man, and we know He faced the temptations etc that we face as human beings, I thought how did He manage to hang out with sinful folk and NOT sin. Was is simply because He WAS God in flesh OR because He had an intimate relationship made strong through prayer, knowing Scripture etc.

We on the other hand need to AVOID certain situations because we are not STRONG enough to handle them BUT Jesus did face situations and DID handle them...I wonder what the difference was............hmmm

Hope you don't mind that I reply to a post pointed to Stacy.

Those who lived with Christ daily did not understand Him, but through faith, believed in Him. His chosen twelve had the chance to really study Jesus, but still, only scratched the surface as to the "how" behind the "why". All we know is what Jesus said ...

Matthew 9:10-13

Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples,

[Guest HIS girl]

Cheers Onelight - I see where you are coming from - but God does put us in situations where we are uncomfortable - this is either to grow us or some other specific reason.

See there is alot we can learn from Jesus and how He went about things - I think He had an enormous amount of self control - which is also available to us - we are constantly falling to our fleshly longings but we do have the strength through Christ - and this is one of the key factors to Jesus being able to handle many, many situations - that CLOSE absolute intimate relationship with the Father. That constant going away to spend quiet times with the Father drawing strength...

[OneLight]

I agree, HIS Girl. He will break our comfort zone as we grow in Him, yet He will never place us where He knows it will endanger us. This is what I meant when I said "He will not place us in an environment that we could not handle." We are all different and have different weaknesses. We are also all at a different stages in our growth in Him. As a younger Christian, just coming out of years of drug addiction, He would not put me in a situation where there were free drugs at a party. Today, if I found myself in such a situation, it would not bother me, for I have given my life over to Him and He has become more in me and I have become less.

You mentioned self-control, so I thought I would share this from a previous post of mine.

1 Peter 1:2-11

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Now, how I see and apply it to my life.

These are steps in which we are to grow, pointed out in this particular pattern for a reason. We can not skip any step, or it will not be complete. If we follow these steps, we are promised "you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. "

If we follow these steps, we are told "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

.................................................................Love

..........................................................Brotherly kindness

..................................................Godliness

..........................................Perseverance

...................................Self-control

...........................Knowledge

.....................Virtue

...............Faith

We should notice that each step is one more step upward, toward our calling and election, which is the entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Yes, we all should strive to become mature in Him, allowing Him to teach us through His Spirit!

God Bless!

[oak]

I was talking with another Christian woman the other day and we got onto the topic of what the Father wants from us and for us. She said more than anything He desires relationship - with us and us with others.

Within relationships, we can physically AND emotionally show others what a Disciple of Jesus looks like. Within relationships if we use honesty, love, compassion, Truth, transparency, etc - we will draw others to us - thus drawing others to Christ. Others will WANT to spend time with us and WANT to know us and WANT what we have - which is the Joy of Christ and the Salvation that comes through an intimate union with Jesus and the Father.

Jesus drew men to Himself - we are asked to Follow Him and in our relationships - what better way to do that?

Well first how can I overtake you in terms of posts, if you keep voicing your ideas (LOL)? Great questions and I think the answers you got are excellent. Some here, as the Bible says are as wise serpents....

But, at times (maybe rarely), we will have a truthful and transparent relationship with Christ and no one will care to approach us or show any interest in our salvation. To me this is the true test of discipleship. To still remain undisturbed, loyal, loving and on the straight and narrow road for our Lord is true faith and discipleship.

- Oak

PS Partially covered by you and Onelight in previous posts....

Edited January 14, 2009 by oak