Discipleship – Page 3 – 1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another…"

Have you lost your mind?

February 21, 2016February 21, 2016 Tim KingLeave a comment

Has anyone ever asked you “Have you lost your mind?” Perhaps at that moment they were convinced that whatever it was that you were doing or saying was completely crazy. Perhaps as believers we have lost our minds…and that would be a really good thing!

Throughout his letters Paul exhorts his readers to be of one mind, and one spirit. In Philippians 1:26-27 he encourages them to:

“…let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel”.

Over in Romans 15:5-6 Paul writes:

“Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

So what is this “one mind” thing that Paul is referring to? Does it mean we are to all think the exact same thing all the time? Is this brainwashing of the religious kind? Well, in a manner of speaking yes. When we are saved we become a new creation. There are several things that happen to us the moment we are saved. Two of the things that happen when we are saved: the first is that we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit and a second is that we are given the mind of Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 2:6-16 Paul writes to the church regarding their behavior and reminds them that as believers, filled with the Holy Spirit, they have the capacity to understand the deep things of God. In verse 16 Paul writes “For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” What an incredible truth about the redeemed believer…that we have the “mind of Christ”. So this of course begs the question…what is the “mind of Christ”?

First and foremost it is the heart of Christ for the Gospel. Christ came to seek and save the lost. But more than that it is also all that Christ taught, lived out, shared, modeled, everything he did demonstrated his mind. In John 15:15 Jesus speaking to the disciples said “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” The mind of Christ is so much more than we know now, but as we seek the wisdom of God through study and prayer, with the power of the Holy Spirit, we grow in our understanding of the mind of Christ. As we live our lives as believers we renew our minds, immersing ourselves in God’s word so that we might be sanctified in His truth, because His word is truth (John 17:17).

May we be losing our worldly minds, and growing in the wisdom and knowledge of the deep things of God and living in obedience to God with the mind of Christ!

Giving Thanks for Given Grace

January 23, 2016 Tim KingLeave a comment

“I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus…” 1 Corinthians 1:4

Before Paul started to address the issues of the early Corinthian church, he deliberately and lovingly reminded the church in Corinth of a truth that perhaps has once again slipped through the cracks of our basic Christian foundation.

One of Paul’s first priorities was to let the believers in Corinth know that he was always thankful for the grace of God in their lives given to them by Christ Jesus. Before he would address the issues that were present in the church, he wanted to remind them of the common ground that they shared found in the saving grace of God.

The common ground we have as true believers is that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. That grace is a gift given to us by God. It is that blessing of saving grace, that common ground, that true believers share and like Paul, it should be a touchstone in our mind as we live and serve our risen Savior together. As redeemed believers we share the truth of our salvation and we should thank God always for that truth.

Take time today to thank God for the joy, the blessing, and the truth of the grace of God given to us as believers in Christ Jesus. Then let other believers know that you are thankful for the grace of God that was given to them by Christ Jesus! Then go out and share the truth of the grace of God with someone else!

Compelled, Controlled & Consecrated

January 6, 2016January 6, 2016 Tim KingLeave a comment

What is it in your life that not only compels you to do things, but also controls how you do them? What is the ultimate “why” that is the reason for your doing things? What is it in your life that governs the intent and purpose of your innermost being, your soul?

We might eat or drink to satisfy a natural need of hunger or thirst. We might exercise to stay fit or lose weight. We might study or read to increase our human understanding or seek entertainment. But what is it that would drive you if all else was taken away, if those things were removed from your life.

Why do you “run the race”? Why are “in training” for? What is the “prize” you are seeking to win?

In his second letter to the church of God in Corinth, Paul writes in defense of his purpose, mission, calling, and passion. In chapter 5 verses 14-15 he responds with these simple yet deeply powerful words to declare the “thing” which compels him, that controls him in all that he does. He writes: “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.”

In the surrounding verses Paul explains what “the love of Christ” is. It is his salvation. It is all that Christ did for him. It is the dual truth of Christ’s justifying work on the cross to make payment for the immeasurable weight and cost of Paul’s sin, and at the same time the imputation of Christ’s righteousness in his life. It is the personal, real, immediate and eternal affect and effect of the Gospel in his life.

In the unmatched, undeserved light of the truth of the personal working of the Gospel in Paul’s life, he says that nothing else has preeminence in determining the code by which he will live, the prize to which he strives, and the standard of measure by which he is driven. It impacts the why, the what, and the how of his life.

In our lives we need to adopt a similar singularity in our hearts and minds. The love of Christ should compel, control, and consecrate all that we do, think, and say. With the love of Christ as our locus we are certain to stand before God and hear well done, good and faithful servant.

Are You Hungry for the Will of God?

January 6, 2015June 5, 2015 Tim KingLeave a comment

This time of year the subject of food seems to be the topic of many conversations. I don’t know about anyone else, but given all the amazing and delicious foods that I have eaten in the last month or so, I probably should not be hungry until late May!

In John 4:1-42 we find the wonderful gospel story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. As I was preparing to teach on this passage recently and as I went through and studied the various actions and reactions of the individuals in the story, perhaps none struck me as significantly as that of Jesus to his disciples.

When the disciples rejoin Christ from their trip into town, they say to him “Rabbi, eat something”. Jesus’ response could have focused on the physical need that he had as we are told that he is weary and thirsty from the journey. The situation could have played out where Jesus and the disciples share a meal and discuss the unheard of conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. But that is not what God wants us to see, that is not what was on Jesus’ heart. Jesus replies to the disciples in a manner that draws attention to his priorities in life and ministry, and that should set an example for our life as believers. Jesus plainly states “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.” Later in John, Jesus again stresses this point when he tells the disciples “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” His spiritual food, his sustenance, is found in doing the will of God the Father.

Christ was not sent to be idle while on earth. He was not sent to simply come and sit in the temple and reign from some lofty place of authority. He came and “he did”. Far too often our churches become a place of passivity. A place where people observe, receive, and are served, rather than a place where believers are doing the will of God…seeking, giving, and serving. Christ engaged, he gave, and he served with his entire being. And he did it all so that the will of his father would be done and would be finished.

If you have been called by God your heavenly Father to follow Christ, then you were called to do a mighty work for the God who called you. Be encouraged to seek and do the will of your heavenly Father, he longs to feed you with an abundance of grace, mercy, wisdom and love. Let us always hold foremost in our hearts and our minds the work of Christ…remember his willing, unconditional, and immediate obedience to the will of his father, and strive to pattern our lives after our Savior. Be fed in the will of God and let Christ satisfy your hunger and thirst.

“For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
John 6:33

Great is My Faithfulness?

September 27, 2014December 31, 2014 Tim King1 Comment

Why is it, that conflict, hate, slander, and anger seem to find their way into the church body? Why is it the smallest of things so often end up causing the biggest division and hurt? Sometimes those things, those events, are so ugly and hurtful. They tear your heart out and leave you wondering… What just happened? Why our church? Why our Pastor? Why my best friend? The hurt cuts deeply and the pain and questioning seem to linger for far too long. Why God…why?

It is so important during these times that we remember that through it all we are called to be obedient to God and make sure we do not lose sight of our priority of serving and worshiping Him alone. In Deuteronomy 6:5 God commanded Israel in saying: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Then, in Matthew 22, Christ responds to the Sadducees and Pharisees regarding the greatest command and once against reminds them of correct priorities regarding our relationships, especially to the Lord, and he says: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

But what does that have to do with the pain that we experience when turmoil and warring finds its way into our church family and tears the body apart? It seems that more often than not, people forget the truth of God’s word. We forget His character. We forget who it is that we serve. We forget that when we gave our lives to the Lord we became his slave. Our heart, mind, soul, strength…they are not ours anymore…they are His. As a new creation we are to worship God. We are not supposed to worship pastors, or people, things, programs, processes, budgets, or even ourselves. We are supposed to love and worship the Lord…and love our brothers and sisters.

In John 15:17 there is a commandment from Christ and it is not the least bit vague. Christ said “This I command you, that you love one another.” In all of our trials and disagreements, we need to continue to love the Lord and love each other. If our mindset was first and foremost consumed with that command, if we were modeling the love that Christ has for his Father, and the love he has for us, we would guard our hearts, our mouths, our minds, everything, and bring it into submission before the Lord.

Consider for a moment how Christ reacts when we disagree with Him…when we willingly disobey His commands…when we sin. How does he respond? Does he leave us in anger? Does he condemn us and hold that sin against us? Does he go before His Father and slander our name? Does he gossip about us to the Holy Spirit? Does he change His holy character and suddenly become unfaithful and unloving? Never. Never. Never. He is loving. He is gracious. He is merciful. He is forgiving. He is faithful.

God has called us to live righteous lives, to be holy, so we should look to Christ as our example and evaluate our holy or unholy responses to others. When we go through these times we should ask ourselves if we are acting with a character that models the Risen Savior that died on the cross and rose again, that is forever gracious, merciful, faithful and loving? He is forever faithful.

Lord, we are your new creation. Help us to demonstrate righteous behavior towards each other all of the time and teach us to do it with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Amen.

“Completely”

January 26, 2014December 31, 2014 Tim KingLeave a comment

”Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”” 1 Peter 1:13-16 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

When Peter wrote these words, the Holy Spirit put on Peter’s heart the need to encourage fellow believers in the early church to live holy lives, not as a means of salvation, but as a result of their salvation. In a time of tremendous persecution Peter wanted to call people to live a life that was seemingly impossible. The greatest encouragement in the passage above is the first word…therefore. Peter is referencing the first dozen verses in his letter in which he reminds fellow believers of the AMAZING gift of salvation, the Living Hope, found in the sacrificial work of Jesus Christ on the cross and his resurrection.

Sometimes in our lives as believers we can forget the blessing and the cost of our salvation. We sometimes forget that as a true disciple of the Lord we are called to fix our hope completely on the grace of God that will be ours when Christ is revealed. The word “completely” in the original Greek is teleiós which means “perfectly, completely, without wavering, to the end”. Our hope is to be fixed perfectly, completely, without wavering, until the day Christ returns. It is to be fixed teleiós because of the mercy and grace of God.

Living a life for Christ is not based on our happiness or comfort, on wealth or health. It is a life that is based on the gospel message and is reflects an attitude of the heart that is fixed completely on the living hope Christ Jesus. If you are truly a child of the Most High God your hope completely each day and for eternity is found in Christ alone. Find encouragement, confidence, and refuge in that truth and live a holy life for your Savior.

His humble servant…

January 15, 2014December 31, 2014 Tim KingLeave a comment

In recent months the Lord has put it on my heart to express some thoughts and insights around servant leadership, discipleship, and evangelism. While I am quite certain that my thoughts will at times ramble a bit, and my punctuation may miss the mark sometimes, you have to remember that that this is a blog and not a thesis! I am confident that in time the Lord will put topics on my heart through His holy word as well as through the events that happen while living and serving Him. It is my prayer that at the very least you might be encouraged or challenged in your own walk with the Lord as you seek to love and serve Him with all your heart, soul, and with all your might (Deuteronomy 6:5).

I am not usually very bold in taking a position or in “putting myself out there”, but as a believer I am called to be bold in my faith. I am not ashamed to proclaim my faith before men. Seriously, how could I possibly be ashamed of the Lord who, by His grace, through faith in Him alone, has fully paid the ransom for my sin, granted me salvation, and blessed me with eternal life? I pray that the Lord will give me the strength and courage to write in a manner that will shine the light of His truth and that will only bring glory and honor to Him, and Him alone. Please know that I am not writing that I might be seen or heard, rather I want to write that those who read will see the Lord at work and to share some of the incredible, and sometimes painful, trials and lessons that the Lord has sustained me though.

If you do not know the Jesus as your Lord and savior and you want to know more about who Jesus Christ is I would love to let you know about who he is…but know this for a fact…He loves you. No matter what, He loves you. John 3:16-17 says “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”

His humble servant.

Tim