All in Discipleship

Snowflakes

Each snowflake that falls from the sky is a tiny, intricate marvel —no two exactly alike in their crystalline patterns. In the same way, God has created each of us as unique individuals, imparted with our own special combination of spiritual gifts.

An Aroma that Impacts

We believers are to be the fragrance of Christ in this world. As you and I are filled with the Spirit, His fragrance flows through our words and actions. Is the fragrance of Christ permeating the world through you? Are you so filled with the Spirit of Christ, that His fragrance can’t help but flow from you?  

Untangling the Knots

How easily we can slip into outright sin and its entanglements. Tie on your godly truths securely; or like your dangling shoelaces, the ways of the world will trip you up. Sir Walter Scott's quote may possibly encompass all the devil desires from us: “Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive." Deception could be the root of all evil. The serpent in the garden used that ploy, and look at the sin that entangled us all.

A Bit Prickly

My mind holds vivid memories of being dragged to go shopping as a child, often and with various members of my family. Clothes and malls weren’t my thing back then, but I did enjoy plant nurseries—perusing through aisles of God’s creations, seeing the variety in shapes and colors, brushing my fingers along the—ouch! Cacti.

Kingdom Living

In the understanding of many, we enter the Kingdom of God only when we enter Heaven.

However, the Bible teaches Christ followers that Jesus sent us out to proclaim the kingdom of God in the world NOW.

Called to Love

This is not the first time Jesus filled the nets of the fishermen. On the first occasion Simon Peter was so astounded he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me Lord; I am a sinful man!” (Luke 5:8). It had dawned on him who Jesus really was. Then he, Andrew, James, and John promptly left their nets to fish for men.

Run, Jonah. Run

Ah, January—I love Januarys. Januarys beckon me to step back and consider the old year. I transpose my Canadian memories of crisp snowfalls to cover the muddy paths I’ve been over. I cry to the Lord: wash me, and I will be whiter than snow (Psalm 51:7). But then Januarys urge me on to chase the new with vigor: Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:10).  

The Mind of Christ

The human brain fascinates me. I observed its development as my babies learned to talk, walk and eventually drive away. Oswald Chambers' quote recently challenged me to consider the brain from a new perspective:

God does not give us the mind of Christ. He gives us the Spirit of Christ, and we have to see that the Spirit of Christ in us works through our brains in contact with actual life and that we form His mind.” *

When the LORD Passes By

Yes, Elijah’s greatest fear may have been of being the only one of God’s prophets left, alone and without help. However, God had a much more penetrating question of His prophet. Not once but twice He asked: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (19:9,13). Incredible, isn’t it, that the LORD‘s charge to Elijah should occur on that very same mountain where He had spoken to Moses in the burning bush and given him the Law (Exodus 3:1-3;19:9,16)?

How Then Can We Live…imitate the faithful

Fixing our thoughts on Jesus (3:1), asking WWJD, seeing that HWLF (He would love first), we are moved forward in our thinking by the writer of Hebrews: keep on loving others as long as life lasts. Living a life of love till the end makes sense. It appears though that these Judean believers were losing hope because of all the false teaching and persecution of the time. We too could throw up our hands at the messy theology around us and lose hope of ever seeing our family and friends come to know Jesus.

How Then Can We Live…fix your thoughts on Jesus

Holy brothers—oh my goodness! Yet that is what we are. We, you and I and those Judean believers, are holy—sacred, pure, blameless by Christ’s atonement (2:17). We are set apart to live as holy, separated from sin, since we confess Jesus as our apostle and high priest. And we share in the heavenly calling: to confess Jesus as apostle and high priest to all who will listen, so they too may be holy.