discipleship

“BE STILL…” ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Dr. Mike Essays, Ministry , , , ,

           “Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.”

Palms 46:10 (NIV)

be still 10

             In today’s culture, where multiple activities, performance-orientation, and the push to achieve greater results are the showcase of a successful life, it is easy to get caught up living the same trap, being so busy that God is pushed out of the picture and the relationship becomes stranded. When we become the center of attention rather than God, and the self is more important in the equation than God, we have lost our greatest strength.  By always first applying Palms 46:10 in the equation, it allows us to focus our lives and participate with “God’s work through us” rather than jump into our work “hoping God will bless it.”  When we stop ourselves to focus on God first, God allows us to capture a better glimpse of his majesty and power.

Every relationship takes time to build and the more intimate relationship even takes greater time. In Luke 10:38-41, Mary sits still before Jesus listening to His teaching while her sister Martha is busy with the necessary activity to provide for the hospitality of their guests. Jesus even states that Mary has chosen the better of the two. In my early twenties when we were very performance-oriented and moved mountains before even asked to, we approached life from the perspective of starting first, then asking God’s blessing on it after starting, and wonder how come things wouldn’t work out as planned. It took awhile to learn how to determine whether a project was my ministry, the church’s or God’s.  It took time to reach the point where we wouldn’t even begin a project until we “first heard from God”.  Over time, we leaned the difference between seeing the hand of God on a project versus only our hand.  Many times God had to intervene to safe us from ourselves.

Of the various individuals who have impacted me, none other than George Mueller would qualify for the top ten list.  His faith to perform a work and wait on God to provide is a lesson for all to take heart.  His experience and confirmation of God’s involvement was constantly demonstrated by the miracles of assistance without asking anyone but God in prayer. He ministered to over 10,000 children without asking for assistance from anyone but God. Therefore, he knew God’s hand was involved through the entire process and it strengthen him during the low moments of his ministry.

Trust begins with baby steps and over time leads to the Mueller experience. Since we are all on a journey of transformation in Christ, why not stop kidding ourselves and begin to live the adventurous life of a saint. I assure you. If you started a written journal today, you would find by life-end a story worth publishing into a Hollywood movie.  It all starts with “Being Still…”

Dr. Mike

What will it take for you to be still for one day?

What Does It Take to Become Like Christ?

Dr. Mike Jesus Apprentice, Scriptures , , , , , , , , ,
 (A Scriptural Review)
Luke 9:23-26
Then He (Jesus) said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.
 *****cross 1
Luke 13:22-30
And He went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?”And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open for us,’ and He will answer and say to you,’ I do not know you, where you are from,’ then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.’ But He will say, ‘I tell you I do not know you, where you are from. Depart from Me, all you workers of iniquity.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out. They will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south, and sit down in the kingdom of God. And indeed there are last who will be first, and there are first who will be last.”
  *****
Luke 14:25-33
Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it —  lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.
  *****
Mark 10:17-22
Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but one, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.'”And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “one thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
  *****
Matt 10:32-39
“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’  He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
  *****
Matt 7:13-14
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

 *****


All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible unless noted otherwise.

What Transformation Begins To Happen When You Become a Disciple of His?

Dr. Mike Jesus Apprentice , , , , , , , ,

When You Become a Disciple of Jesus Christ, You Become a Partner With The Holy Spirit in Making the Good News of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom REAL in Your Life.

new life

Your life slowly becomes transformed, your worldview changes, and your heart, mind, and soul begins to serve Lord Jesus ministering to others.

You Begin to…

Live the Spirit-Empowered Life for God’s Glory as His Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Goodness, Kindness, Gentleness. Faithfulness, and Self-Control Resides in Your Inner Being.

Relate with Jesus Christ as Your Lord, Redeemer, Hero, Teacher, and Friend without the Trappings of Religion.

Walk with a Community of other Believers Sharing God’s Love and Friendship while Building Relationships for Eternity.

Grow in God’s Grace, Knowledge, and Spiritual Maturity while His Spirit Regenerates Your Heart, Mind, and Will into Christ’s Likeness.

Witness the Kingdom of God Come Alive in Your World as God’s Spirit Touches the Lives of People You Know.