by Rick Warren
Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him. 2 Corinthians 3:18b (Msg) "Every day God wants you to become a little more like him. " Discipleship is the process of conforming to Christ.
The Bible says, "We arrive at real maturity—that measure of development which is meant by 'the fullness of Christ.'" (Ephesians 4:13, Phillips) Christlikeness is your eventual destination, but your journey will last a lifetime.
This journey involves believing (through worship), belonging (through fellowship), and becoming (through discipleship). Every day God wants you to become a little more like him: "You have begun to live the new life, in which you are being made new and are becoming like the One who made you." (Colossians 3:10a, NCV)
Today we're obsessed with speed, but God is more interested in strength and stability than swiftness. We want the quick fix, the shortcut, the on-the-spot solution. We want a sermon, a seminar, or an experience that will instantly resolve all problems, remove all temptation, and release us from all growing pains. But real maturity is never the result of a single experience, no matter how powerful or moving.
Growth is gradual. The Bible says, "Our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him." (2 Corinthians 3:18b, Msg)
* WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2010
God Keeps His Word
"Dear friends, we are already God's children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure." — 1 John 3:2–3
As we look at end times events, I think we need to approach it not only with our minds, but also with our hearts.
We don't want to merely discuss these things in an academic way; it should move us as individuals. As God revealed to the prophet Daniel what was about to unfold in the future, he dropped to his knees. He was stunned. He was unable to say a word. His understanding of end times events moved him deeply. And the same should happen to us. In fact, if we really understand what the Bible is saying about the imminent return of Jesus, then it should cause us to want to live a more godly life.
As 1 John 3:2–3 reminds us, "Dear friends, we are already God's children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. And all who have this eager expectation will keep themselves pure, just as he is pure." (1 John 3:2–3).
We should want to be on our toes spiritually! When it comes to Bible prophecy, some people might think, I don't know what it means. I can't sort it out. I'll let someone else figure out those things. But we don't want to ignore these things, because the Bible has a lot to say about them.
God must have wanted us to learn Bible prophecy, because 30 percent of the Scriptures are dedicated to this topic. And God wants us to know that He keeps His Word.
* A Thousand Teachers -
#6108 Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Kids count the days. Teachers count the days. Principals count the days. Until everybody can shout those happiest of all words, "School's out!" Police cars sport bumper stickers that warn drivers to be extra careful. Same reason: "School's out." And graduations are real milestones because you don't ever have to go back to that school if you don't want to! I hate to rain on anybody's parade, but that "school's out" thing is actually a myth. Or at least it should be. I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "A Thousand Teachers."
Okay, it may be okay if you don't spend any more hours in a school building; if you don't have to take any more of those stressful midterms or finals. But there's a sense in which God doesn't ever want us to consider "school" as being "out," because He's got so much to teach us and so many teachers through whom He wants to send it.
Smart people are looking for teachers for the rest of their life. Listen to how God describes people that He considers wise in our word for today from the Word of God. In James 3, beginning with verse 13, God says, "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom - the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure: then peace-loving, considerate, submissive..."
Now, notice that God links wisdom with humility. And you can see that link when God describes what wisdom looks like in a person. One way it shows up is when a person is "submissive."
Humble people are wise people. Wise people are humble people, because they're teachable people. An arrogant person is closed - un-teachable. For a wise person, school is never really out because they realize how much they have to learn from almost every person they meet.
A person who realizes that virtually every person he meets has something to teach him is an emotional and spiritual millionaire. In fact, I believe God brings into our lives people through whom He wants to teach us things that He knows that we need to know.
Humility becomes more concrete when you think of it, at least in part, as teachability. Which leads us to the million-dollar question, "Are you a teachable person?" When you meet a new person, do you talk mostly about yourself or do you let them tell you about themselves? Do you approach new people, asking yourself, "What can I learn from this person?" Do you welcome the opportunity to meet people who are from a different background, who have a different kind of personality; someone from a different denominational perspective, a different racial background, another generation?
They have so much to give you because they've seen and experienced life from another perspective. And they've learned or they've become things that you may not know much about. And how about your response to the suggestions you get, the ideas, even the criticisms of the people close to you? Are you closed or are you open to what they see and what they say? In humility, do you gain insight from their input? Or are you all proud, rigid, and inflexible? Then by God's definition, you're just not one of those folks that He calls "wise" and that He calls "understanding."
Many of the most important teachers you'll ever have in your life are not the ones you'll necessarily meet in a classroom - as important as they are. It will be the people God brings into your everyday life with something.
He knows you need to know. And the more teachers you welcome into your life, the wiser you're going to be.
No comments:
Post a Comment