Endtime Indications - 12/24/07
14 African nations face meningitis epidemic: Red Cross*
by Staff Writers
Geneva (AFP) Dec 21, 2007
Red Cross officials warned Thursday that 14 African countries could
face
one of the worst meningitis epidemics in recent memory and announced
prevention campaigns in the affected areas.
"The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
is
launching meningitis prevention activities in 14 countries across
Africa
to get ready for what could be one of the worst meningitis epidemics
in
a decade," a statement said.
"The first indications of an epidemic could appear as early as
February-March 2008," it said.
The affected countries stretch from the east to west coasts of
Africa,
taking in Burkina Faso, Benin, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo,
Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sudan,
Togo
and Uganda.
The Red Cross said it would spend nearly one million Swiss francs
(602,000 euros/867,000 dollars) in a four-month awareness drive,
which
would include training some 25,000 volunteers in community-based first
aid.
Meningitis is the inflammation of the protective membranes covering
the
central nervous system. While some forms are mild and resolve on
their
own, meningitis is a potentially serious condition owing to the
proximity of the inflammation to the brain and spinal cord and can
lead
to death, if untreated.
"Meningococcal meningitis is one of the most feared epidemic diseases
in
Africa because of its rapid onset, high fatality rates and long-term
impacts such as brain damage and deafness affecting many survivors,"
Jari Vainio, senior Red Cross public health officer said.
The Red Cross is part of an international coordination group trying
to
cope with the shortage of meningitis vaccines by sending stocks of
vaccine as soon as an epidemic is identified.
Globally, there are only about seven million doses of vaccine for a
potentially-affected population of 80 million.
VIII. Total Commitment
(Matthew 11:6)
"How happy are those who have no doubts about me!"
What kind of "prisons" tend to bring out doubts for you regarding
Jesus?
The moving words of Ruth to Naomi as she pledged her commitment, are
reflective of the commitment we must make "Whither thou goest I will
go; and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my
people, and thy God my God."
When you doubt, don't turn away from him, turn to him.
(Matthew 5:29-30)
"So if your right eye causes you to sin, take it out and throw it
away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to
have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you
to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is much better for you to
lose one of your limbs than to have your whole body go off to hell."
What is Jesus' point in using such exaggerated language?
I believe we have here a fairly strong statement of how important it
is to obey God. Obedience is worth more than readiness to perform the
outward obligations of religion as indicated in (1 Samuel 15:22-23).
Examine your life for anything that causes you to sin, and take every
necessary action to remove it.
(James 1:19-21)
"Remember this, my dear brothers! Everyone must be quick to listen,
but slow to speak and slow to become angry. Man's anger does not
achieve God's righteous conduct. Submit to God and accept the word
that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you."
What from God's Word here will you put into action this week?
Control of our will is vital to our progress. Turning from evil and
to God's control, is what is expected of us. If you truly wish to be
obedient to God, it means turning your life totally over to God. Just
as an athlete must turn control of his life to a coach, we must do the
same, plus.
How important is God to me?
In Psalm 119 we find a most eloquent statement about our need to be
committed to God, and our Father's Laws of Guidance. This is must
reading for anyone who has any doubts. Do you want peace? Keep your
thoughts on and trust your God. With God we can know perfect peace
even within the midst of turmoil.
This testimony exalted the Word of God - the complete and perfect
standard of truth, values, reality, and behavior. God's Word is
wholly sufficient for godly living. By grasping its powerful message,
God's children can be pure.
We need sound doctrine. The Spirit of holiness is also the Spirit of
truth. Truth and righteousness go together....
Why? Why is sound doctrine necessary for sanctification? For real
sanctification to occur in the Christian life at least three absolute
changes are necessary. There must be a change in our consciousness.
There must be a change in our convictions. There must be a change in
our conscience. Consciousness, conviction, and conscience - these
three are all vital to our sanctification.
Consciousness involves knowledge. Before we can willfully do what God
commands and what pleases Him, we must first understand what it is
that God requires. From the law comes a knowledge of sin. Also from
the law comes a knowledge of righteousness.
A person could "accidentally" obey the law without doing so
consciously. But such an action would have no moral virtue to it.
Suppose a man enjoys driving his car at fifty miles an hour in fifty-
five-mile-per-hour zones and in fifteen-mile-per-hour zones. When he
drives in the fifty-five-mile-per-hour zone, he is within the speed
limit. He is obeying the law. But when he goes fifty in a fifteen-
mile-per-hour zone, he is a menace to those around him.
Suppose our mythical driver systematically refuses to look at speed
limit signs. He averts his gaze from any sign that even appears to
mark a speed limit. He keeps himself purposely unconscious of speed
limits. At times he "happens" to obey the law, but purely by
coincidence. If the man wants to achieve moral virtue as a driver and
always drive within the speed limit, he must first become aware, he
must become conscious of the law.
But consciousness is not enough. We all have seen people who are
quite conscious of the speed limits while they are violating them. We
don't have to look beyond ourselves to discover the culprits. For our
behavior to change we must move beyond consciousness to conviction.
Conviction is a matter of depth and intensity. It is one thing to be
aware that a certain action is right. It is another to have a
conviction about it. It is a lot easier for us to compromise our
knowledge than to act against convictions. A conviction is knowledge
that is settled. It has a firm hold on us. It goes beyond our brains
and penetrates the conscience.
Our conscience acts as a kind of governor upon our behavior. It is
the inner voice that either accuses or excuses us. It monitors our
behavior by way of approval or disapproval. The problem is that our
conscience doesn't always tell us the truth. We are adept at training
it in the direction of self-approval....
For the conscience to function in a godly convictions. To gain godly
consciences, our consciousness of what is right and what is wrong must
be sharpened. This involves the mind. It is a matter of doctrine.
(From Pleasing God by R. C. Sproul)
God's Word teaches us sound doctrine. When was the last time you
memorized a verse? Memorize Psalm 119:105. Consider memorizing one
verse a week.
(Isaiah 26:3)
"You, Lord, give perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm."
What makes the Lord worthy of trust?
We see in this statement that we must stay with the program and then
we will gain peace. This also means trusting him to control our lives
for us and provide for us; therefore it means truly becoming his
child. When we are devoted to him, our whole attitude is steady and
stable.
"It is the will of God that we surrender our wills. Even though St.
Paul talked much with our Lord and our Lord with him, these
conversations remained fruitless until St. Paul surrendered his will
and said: 'Lord, what wilt thou have me do?"... The only true and
perfect will is the one that has been merged with the will of God, so
that the man has no will of his own. Indeed one step taken in
surrender to God is better than a journey across the ocean without
it... Perfectly to will what God wills, to want what he wants, is to
have joy; but if one's will is not quite in unison with God's there is
no joy" (Meister Eckhart - The Talks of Instruction).
What is my plan of commitment?
The twenty-eight chapter of Deuteronomy is a powerful statement of the
basic order of the universe. It does not claim that the individual
who observes the laws of God will always receive prosperity, but it
does state that there are certain laws according to which the world is
run and that these are basic required rules. Any people group which
runs contrary to these rules comes to grief, and conversely the
individuals that observes them is assured of a future relationship
with God. Justice, charity/love and integrity - rear their own reward
because that is the way the world is meant to be run. Behind the
chances and changes of life there is a pattern which the Creator has
laid down for the smooth running of the world he has made. We have a
choice either to share our relationship with others in accordance with
these guidelines or we should not expect a rewarding future after we
pass over to our permanent home. The real test of value is how well
something holds up under the wear, tear, and abuse of everyday life.
(Matthew 10:28-31)
"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
rather be afraid of God, who can destroy both body and soul in hell.
For only a penny you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls
to the ground without your Father's consent. As for you, even the
hairs of your head have all been counted. So do not be afraid; you
are worth more than many sparrows."
In times of challenge, what can you expect from God?
We are very important to God. How important is God to us? Just as a
young child or infant is totally dependent on his guardians or
parents; a Child of God is totally dependent upon Him. Christ calls
us to a higher mission than to find comfort and tranquility in this
life.
(Matthew 10:37-39)
"Whoever loves his father or mother more than me is not fit to be my
disciple; whoever loves his son or daughter more than me is not fit to
be my disciple. Whoever does not take up his cross and follow in my
steps is not fit to be my disciple. Whoever tries to gain his own
life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for my sake will gain
it."
What kind of commitment does Jesus call for?
Turning your life over to God; may initially cause a individual to
think that he/she is turning their freedom in and exchanging it for
slavery. This cannot be farther from the truth. By turning "over
your life" to God, you are releasing yourself from the slavery of evil
(e.g. worries, fear, etc.) to the freedom of God's children (e.g.
peace, trust, etc.).
How can I avoid dropping this commitment?
Does not a child "turn over" control of his life to his parents in
exchange for, care, protection, etc. Does not top professionals:
sport, movie, music stars turn over control of part of their lives to
agents, in order to be freed from work not directed to their goals of
being successful. Do we not, as citizens of a government, turn over
control of part of our lives, in order to be freeded from fear and to
achieve peace in our lives. Our whole external earthly life is
turning over par of the control of our life to gain something on
earth.
What improvement will I make to my Father's world?
And yet we cannot or will not turn over control of our lives to our
God who created us, and the world. Our God who controls us and the
world, whether we want to admit to this control or not. Our God who,
for the exchange of just recognizing that control and stopping our
feeble attempts to interfere with his control, will give us a future
greater than any human can conceive of or acquire. And if we fail to
"turnover" control will provide a future that wee do not desire.
Who am I going to get help from?
If we were offered an equivalent choice on earth, no one would refuse
it. But because it is not of this earth we do not accept it. Is
there any doubt that we have earthly preferences. And if you believe
what has been stated and in God, how can you not want to learn how to
change your earthly preferences to heavenly ones; by committing your
life to God's training plan.
Behind the laws of Deuteronomy lies the basic rules of the creator of
this world, which start as the life of obedience on the part of his
people. Our pattern of obedience must of necessity be different since
we live in different times and in different places. But it still is
the same God, we try to serve; therefore we can profit from the deep
sense of love to God and neighbor which complete basic human needs;
and we can learn that the obedience of God is something which involves
every aspect of human activity. This reflects the complete submission
of a life which desires to be joined with our God in heaven. Jesus is
more concerned about our walk than our talk. He wants us to do right
not just say the right words. What you do cannot be separated from
what you believe.
(Matthew 7:21)
"Not everyone who calls me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the Kingdom of
heaven, but only those who do what my Father in heaven wants them to
do."
How would you sum up the attitudes Jesus is encouraging?
Submission and obedience is required of us. But just as a young child
we wish to control the world around us. And as a young child we
become frustrated when we cannot. When a child trusts his parents he
loses that frustration and becomes peaceful.
To obey God's Laws will bring his help and support, to disobey will
bring his curse (Deut. 11:26-32).
How would you explain to a new Christian the goodness that comes from
obeying God?
What if we do not obey? How do we reject our earthly family? Well we
could simply state that we reject that relationship, or we could
willing performs some action that would cause us to be rejected by the
family (e.g. murder, steal, etc.). These actions would usually be a
serious intentional act. A earthly father would take action to remove
a member of a family that bring serious harm to the family.
(Ezekiel 18:24)
"But if a righteous man stops doing good and starts doing all the evil
disgusting things that evil men do, will he go on living? No! None
of the good he did will be remembered. He will die because of his
unfaithfulness and his sins.
Is repentance (change) hard or easy for you? Why? What should you
repent?
God gives us the same options; we can reject, the family through
direct or indirect (through our actions) means. But just as in a
truly loving family relationship; if we change our mind and should
desire to return to the family of God, we have that option. We can
reject the actions we took that separated us from the family; and
request the right to come back. We can avoid this by doing what is
"right and fair." Sacrifices and offerings are not bribes to make God
overlook our character faults.
(Proverbs 21: 2-3)
"You may think that everything you do is right, but remember that the
Lord judges your motives.
"Do what is right and fair; that pleases the Lord more than bringing
him sacrifices."
What does the Lord regard "sacrifice" as unacceptable, even
detestable? What does he want instead? What does this say about mere
religious ritual or orthodox belief?
I would like to take this opportunity to further discuss the area of
whether you can loose the family relationship you have with God. I
will ask you, would you like a family relationship where once you
where in it, You could not leave it. Wouldn't that be somewhat the
same as a convict or a slave. Since we are free to be a child of Good
or not be. Would it not make sense that this same freedom be given to
us, to reject that relationship. Also since God provided us with a
period of time to make the decision whether to become a child in his
heavenly family, would it not make sense that he would give us time to
Re-consider our decision and possibly reject it, or change our mind.
(Proverbs 20:27)
"The Lord gave us mind and conscience; we cannot hide from our
selves."
What are you holding back from him? Why?
The very nature of humanity call's out, for the ability to receive
forgiveness. Some people may question to need to acquire this
forgiveness from our father. But we must realize that we were created
to provide honor, glory, and most important love of our creator. Just
as a earthly father creates his children for his honor and glory.
But if he is truly a loving father, he has a strong need to express
his love and to receive in return love. In order for any love to be
shared, there must be a level of trust, respect, and submission. If
these qualities are not present the dark side will take over (i.e.
hate, etc.). Therefore any truly loving father must set forth the
proper relationships at various levels. And he must enforcement must
have penalties. This area is covered in more depth in another
lesson. The final outcome of the plans we make is in God's hands.
(Proverbs 16:1-2)
"We may make our plans but God has the last word. You may think
everything you do is right, but the Lord judges your motives."
What role should feelings, circumstances, play in knowing and doing
God's will?
When children are truly submissive, they realize when they have acted
in some may that is not according to, the desires of their father.
These improper actions can take many forms.
Improper relationship to other children (i.e. stealing, fighting,
etc.).
Improper relationship to the father (i.e. lack of honor, dishonor,
etc.).
Improper relationship to the fathers world (i.e. waste, damage, etc.).
God calls us to be active in our obedience.
(Matthew 3:10)
"The ax is ready to cut down the trees at the roots; every tree that
does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown in the fire."
To be productive for God, we must obey his teachings, resist
temptation, actively serve. God will take action against us if we
fail in our commitment to him. But as any loving earthly father would
do; God will accept a child's improper actions, if the child is truly
sorry and interested in refraining from this action again, and
correcting the improper action.
The Child of God who desires to join His Family in Heaven - who turns
his life over to God - has now a new motive for existence, and indeed
only one motive, namely to identify himself more and more with the
will and purpose of God as opposed to his own private desires. So the
desires of earth should take second place (Matt. 6: 19-21).
God has provided us His own Son to be our perfect example. As the
ultimate example of our commitment and submission we have the
acceptance (by God and His Son) of the denial by His People (Israel)
their God's Son; and the agonizing death they imposed on the Son. God
provided His Son, knowing what would happen and being a Father, yet he
watched His Son being put through such agony. He stood back and let
this happen, He did not help His Son and He did not take action of
retribution. God being God OUR Father, as well as Christ's Father.
did all this to help us to join him in Heaven. Can We do less, Can we
not submit to what he asks us to.
His Son, also being God, and yet also being our Brother in the Family
of God; submitted himself to such difficulties as being human and such
agony as His death imposed on Him. And all of this because He also
wished to submit to His Father and to help his Brothers and Sisters to
join him in Heaven. (Mark 10:38). His plea that he might be spared
the cup of bitterness is not granted. Instead he says: "Not my will
but thy will be done." Can we not try to take His example along with
His Father's and use these to assist us in acting on the submission
and commitment we are required in order to join our Brother and Father
in Heaven.
God the Father delivers his children from the shakles of their sins,
when they commit themselves utterlyy to Himself. The right
relationship to God, achieved in the obedience and self-dedication,
becomes possible only through a complete commitment to his Son and
the example he set for us as a goal to achiieve. One which we will
never achieve, but must strive for. One which was made possible, by
the Grace that is provided us through the perfect obedience and self-
dedication of Christ; and through his suffering and agony on the
Cross, for all who identify themselves with God his Father. In
addition to the Grace he provides us, he established Churches that can
provide additional support and guidance. This guidance and support is
also in addition to that which both Christ and the Father provided
through the "Spirit." God has good, pleasing, and perfect plans for
his children. He wants us to be transformed people.
(Romans 12:1-2)
"So then, my brothers, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to
you" Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his
service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should
offer. Do not conform yourselves to the standards of this world, but
let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your mind.
Then let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of your
mind. Then let God transform you inwardly by a complete change of
your mind. Then you will be able to know the will of God - what is
good and is pleasing to him and is perfect.
What does this add to your understanding of true worship?
This all makes sense! He wants us to have renewed minds, living to
honor and obey him. Because he wants only what is best for us, and
because he gave his Son to make our new lives possible, we should
joyfully give ourselves as living sacrifices.
We also see that we cannot find happiness until we deal with our
relationships with God. The concepts covered above also suggests that
there is in man unlike any other creature, the possibility of relating
to God as an important part of the equation of existence. He may do
so or not, for he is free to choose. People need childlike attitudes
of trust in God.
(Matthew 19:14)
Jesus said, "let the children come to me and do not stop them, because
the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
The receptiveness of little children and their simple faith are needed
to believe in Jesus. We see in the above quote, that we need to
become like little children. Therefore in this course we will be
reviewing factors that have a impact on the above statements. In
additions to the above, we will be reviewing in this course, some of
the following areas. God wants us to join him in his home in heaven;
after we have completed our period on Earth; where we are given time
to make that decision. Also as part of this period, we are provided
the ability to prepare ourself for the entry into God's family by
completing a training program and to reach a degree of maturity. This
training is like earth's children in that this schooling trains us in
the discipline, relationship with others, and mental knowledge; we
require in the worlds we must deal with. Once we move forward from
this period of decision making we enter a new world. This new world
is a spiritual world. Therefore the training to help us achieve the
maturity necessary to make that decision and join God in heaven;
concentrates in the spiritual area. "The fear of the Lord" is a key
theme and means to have respect and reverence for God and to be in awe
of his majesty and power.
How is wisdom apparent in your life?
(Job 28:28)
God said to men, "To be wise, you must have reverence for the Lord.
To understand you must turn from evil."
With this in mind we see that we must make that decision, God or the
evil's of earth. As children of God, how should we proceed to make
that decision? The age of majority on earth concentrates on the
mental and physical. The age of majority for the heavenly world
concentrates on the areas of love and other spiritual areas. Jesus
used a child to help his self-centered disciples get the point. We
are to be childlike, with humble and sincere hearts.
(Matthew 18:1-4)
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, asking, "Who is the greatest
in the Kingdom of heaven?"
So Jesus called a child, had him stand in front of them, and said, "I
assure you that unless you change and become like children, you will
never enter the Kingdom of heaven. The greatest in the Kingdom of
heaven is the one who humbles himself and becomes like this child."
What does it mean to humble oneself like a child? Why is this
important?
Humility and Love can make us the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
So how do we achieve these qualities? God provides us with our earth
based plan of growth to become mature members of the family of humans
in order to give us a living parable of how we can become mature
members of His family. We shall look at these parallel growth plans
and look at how each relates to the other, and why God did this for
us.
(1 Chronicles 17:19)
"It was your will and purpose to do this for me and to show me my
future greatness."
Take time to praise God, to count his blessings, and to affirm your
commitment. God wants us to be great in heaven and he will show us
how to get there. As part of the growth paths, we will be discussing
how each individual must take an active part in planning his/her own
growth. This in itself is part of growth. But an even more important
part of growth is how well you are able to follow that plan.
Therefore we see that this growth plan must affect our "heart." God
takes the initiative. When we turn our lives over to God, he, by his
Holy Spirit, builds into us the desire to obey him.
(Jeremiah 31:31-34) are some of the greatest words in the book of
Jeremiah and it points beyond Jeremiah's own troubled time to the day
when there would be a new covenant, one that God's people would keep
without a teacher to remind them; because it would be written on their
hearts.
One of this course's purposes, is to provide you with an additional
guide to assisting you through the required growth. We hope that this
course will help clarify this period of preparation and decision
making, and provide you with some guidelines on how to complete this
period, the best way possible sharing a child's joy.
(Job 33:29-30)
"God does all this again and again; he saves a person's life, and give
him the joy of living."
Another purpose of this course is to show how a loving God offers his
people a rich and full heritage of life when we participate in a right
relationship to him, and how when his people fail to achieve this
relationship, their lives court disaster. This is a lesson we all
have to learn, within the experience of spiritually growing, and where
we also learn the true nature of the rich heritage that is offered,
and that it does not depend on material success but on the life of the
spirit.
My coping with difficulties will be improved by?
Our loyalty should be to God's truth, his way of life, and his
dedicated people.
(1 Peter 2:11)
"I appeal to you, my friends, as strangers and refugees in this
world! Do not give in to bodily passions, which are always at war
against the soul."
In terms of time, effort and money spent, which comes first for you?
(James 4:1-2)
"Where do all the fights and quarrels among you come from? They come
from your desires for pleasure, which are constantly fighting within
you. You want things, but you cannot have them, so you are ready to
kill; you strongly desire things, but you cannot get them, so you
quarrel and fight."
What are some outward signs of this inward submission to God?
In the two prior selections, we see that the quest for material
success can cause many earthly problems. This quest also diverts our
efforts away from our real purpose in existence. Could these be some
of the reasons that God has problems with these actions. Having
friendship with the world involves seeking pleasure at others' expense
or the expense of obeying God.
(James 4:4)
"unfaithful people! Don't you know that to be the world's friend
means to be God's enemy? Whoever wants to be the world's friend makes
himself God's enemy."
What is meant by "friendship with the world" and submission to God?
Material success encourages us to remain as earth's child and reject
being God's child. Become moneys master not it's slave. We will look
at this area further.
(Job 1:9-11)
Satan replied, "Would Job worship you if he got nothing out of it?
You have always protected him and his family and everything he owns.
You bless everything he does, and you have given him enough cattle to
fill the whole country. But now suppose you take away everything he
has - he will curse you to your face!"
How would you have responded to similar circumstances?
Will Satan be asking questions about you?
Commitment determines our fate in God's Kingdom.
(Lk. 13:30)
"Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first will
be last."
There will be many surprises in God's Kingdom. Some who are despised
now will be greatly honored then; some influential people here will be
left outside the gates. Many "great" people on this earth (in God's
eyes) are virtually ignored by the rest of the world. What matters to
God is not a person's earthly popularity, status, wealth, heritage, or
power, but his or her commitment to Him. How do your values match
what the Bible tells you to value? Put God in first place and you
will join people from all over the world who will take their places at
the feast in the kingdom of heaven.
How do you plan on getting in?
What it takes to follow Jesus.
(Mt. 16:24)
"Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, he
must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."
When Jesus used this picture of his followers taking up their crosses
to follow him, the disciples knew what he meant. Crucifixion was a
common Roman (government and society) method of execution, and
condemned criminals had to carry their crosses through the streets to
the execution site. Following Jesus therefore, meant a true
commitment, even to laying down their lives and no turning back.
In what area does this strike home to you now?
Jesus demands it from us.
(Lk. 9:23-26)
"Then he said to them all: 'If anyone would come after me, he must
deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever
wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me
will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and
yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my
words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him."
Christians follow their Lord by imitating his life and obeying his
commands. To take up the cross meant to identify completely with
Christ's message, even if it means death. We must deny our selfish
desires to use our time and money our own way and to choose our own
direction in life without regard to God's plan for us. Following
Christ is costly now, but in the long run, it is well worth the pain
and effort.
People are willing to pay a high price for something they value. Is
it any surprise that Jesus would demand this much commitment from his
followers? There are at least three conditions that must be met by
people who want to follow Jesus. We must be willing to deny self, to
take up our crosses, and to follow him. Anything less is superficial
lip service.
If following Jesus is most important, you will find your self in
unsafe, unhealthy, and uncomfortable places. You will risk death, but
you will not fear it. Jesus' disciples are not to use their lives on
earth for their own pleasure - they should spend their lives serving
God.
What does it mean specifically to you to: (a) deny yourself, (b) take
up your cross daily, (c) follow Christ and (d) lose your life?
Our commitment to Christ must be Total
(Mt. 8:19-20)
"Then a teacher of the law come to him and said, 'Leader, I will
follow you wherever you go.' Jesus replied, 'Foxes have holes and
birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay
his head.'"
Following jesus is not always easy or comfortable. Often it means
great cost and sacriifice, with no earthly rewards or security. You
may find that following Christ costs you popularity, friendships,
leisure time, or treasured habits. But while the cost of following
Christ is high, the value of being Christ's disciple is even higher.
Discipleship is an investment that lasts for eternity and yields
incredible rewards.
Jesus was always direct with those who wanted to follow him. He made
sure they counted the cost and set aside any conditions they might
have for following him. As God's Son, Jesus did not hesitate to
demand complete loyalty. His direct challenge forces us to ask
ourselves about our own priorities in following him. Nothing should
be placed above a total commitment to living for him.
What does this teach about discipleship, and how is it costing you
now?
What true commitment to Christ means
(Jn. 12:25)
"The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his
life in this world will keep it for eternal life."
We must be so committed to living for Christ that we "hate" our lives
by comparison. This does not mean that we long to die or that we are
careless or destructive with the live God has given us, but that we
are willing to die if doing so will glorify Christ. We must disown
the tyrannical rule of our own self-centeredness. By laying aside our
striving for advantage, security, and pleasure, we can serve God
lovingly and freely. Releasing control of our lives and transferring
control to Christ brings eternal life and genuine joy.
Where is Jesus calling you to die so that you might live?
What do you tend to hold on to rather than follow Jesus?
I trust God's plan to bring about the perfect fulfillment.
Today I relax the tight grip if have on my thoughts and attitudes. I
ease up, secure in the knowledge that no disasters will happen if I
relax my vigilance. I release all matters to God's Divine Plan for
me.
At times I might find it difficult to know how to handle a particular
situation, but right answers always come when I acknowledge that my
Father is in control.
Today if offer up my fears, my doubts and my feelings of insecurity.
I let them go in the sure realization that God's plan is unfolding for
me in Divine order and Divine timing.
Christian Models
Abraham
Numerous examples could be taken from the Bible of how God develops
leaders for his purposes. Few people receive the extensive treatment
of Abraham. Abraham's life provides a thorough example of how God
chooses ordinary people and turns them into effective spiritual
leaders.
Abraham Was an Ordinary Person
Abraham was born in Ur, among the moon-worshiping Chaldeans.
Abraham's plan for his life was probably not complicated. he likely
planned to live out his days raising his herds and flocks. His wife
Sarah was unable to bear children, so parenthood would not factor into
Abraham and Sarah's plans. God's plan was radically different from
Abraham's. God's plan for Abraham was not that he live a settled life
without children, but that he become a nomadic patriarch. Abraham
would become father to a holy nation. His life would be a spiritual
example to God's people for thousands of years. The Messiah would be
Abraham's descendant. Abraham's life would prove to be a pivotal
point inn history. Generations of believers would find inspiration
and eternal salvation because of Abraham's life. To say that God's
plans dwarfed Abraham's plans would be an understatement! The key was
not for God to bless Abraham's plans but for Abraham to discard his
plan in favor of God's will.
It is not surprising that, since God had so much in store for Abraham,
he took time to prepare him thoroughly. Christian leadership does not
happen by accident. It develops as God matures people in their
character as well as in their relationship with him. Character
includes wisdom, integrity, honesty, and moral purity. Relationship
involves trust in God, obedience to him, and love for him. Although
God often used people who appeared to be the least likely candidates
for true leadership, the common denominator was that these people were
all upright in character and they walked closely with him (1 Sam.
16:7). The greater God's assignment, the greater the character and
the closer the relationship with God that is required (Matt. 25:23).
The Bible gives numerous examples showing how God chose and developed
people to serve him. These men and women were as diverse as people
can be from one another, and God's call on each person's life was
unique. Abraham's life is just one example of how God develops
leaders, but its extensive biblical coverage clearly identifies the
key aspects to God's leadership-development process.
Abraham Built on His Heritage
When God first spoke to Abraham and told him to leave his homeland in
Ur, God had already used Abraham's father, Terah to begin the process
(Acts 7:2-4; Gen. 11:31-32). What God began with Abraham's father, he
continued through Abraham's life and eventually completed through
Abraham's descendants. Terah would only get as far as Haran. It
would be his son Abraham who would complete the family's journey to
Canaan. Heritage can be a powerful factor in leadership. As
Abraham's case, God may begin a work in one generation that is brought
to fruition in succeeding generations. God wanted Abraham to go to
Canaan, so he also gave that desire to Abraham's father. God called a
son to be a nomad, so he initiated a restlessness in the father.
Abraham Grew Through Failure
Every event in Abraham's life contributed to his character
development. Abraham did not begin his life as a paragon of faith,
but gradually, over many yeaars, he developed a mature and deep
relationship with God. God used Abraham's failures to prepare him for
leadership. For example, God specifically instructed Abraham to leave
his family behind but instead Abraham took Lot with him to Canaan
(Gen. 12:1, 4). This meant Abraham would have to separate from Lot
later, taking the land Lot rejected (Gen. 13). Still later, Abraham
would find himself interceding with God on Lot's behalf, pleading for
the wicked city of Sodom when God was about to destroy it (Gen
18:16-33). Lot's descendents, the Moabites and the Ammonites, would
cause tremendous grief to Abraham's descendants (Gen. 36-38). With
one act of seemingly minor disobedience, Abraham inadvertently
endangered the inheritance God wanted to give him and his
descendants. Through this failure, Abraham learned a valuable lesson
regarding his modification of God's will. Abraham's mistake makes it
clear that adding to God's will is as devastating as rejecting God's
will.
Why is it so important to follow God's will exactly as it is and not
try to add to it so it makes more sense? God's ways are not man's
ways. It seems ridiculous for God to call a seventy-five-year-old man
to have a child and then to spend twenty-five years preparing him for
the child-rearing task. Yet God had plans for Isaac far beyond what
Abraham could ever have imagined. God intended for Isaac to be a
patriarch for the people of God. For such an assignment, Isaac
required a godly, faithful father.
Abraham Built Spiritual Landmarks
Abraham's spiritual pilgrimage can be traced by examining the altars
he built. Every time Abraham came to a milestone in his life, or when
ever he learned something new about God, he built an altar. "The Lord
appeared to Abram and said, ' To your descendants I will give this
land.' So he built an altar there to the Lord who had appeared to
him. Then he proceeded from there to the mountain on the east of
Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the
east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name
of the Lord" (Gen. 12:7-9).
Each altar provided a testimonial to Abraham's growth in understanding
God's ways and to his trust in God. For today's leaders, spiritual
markers provide a backdrop by which they can see where God has helped
them mature in their relationship with him. God's current
instructions are always best understood in light of the knowledge of
all he has done in a leader's life so far.
When a severe famine swept across Canaan, Abraham took matters into
his own hands and moved to Egypt. Unfortunately, he did not consult
the Lord, either when he left for Egypt or when he arrived. No
mention is made of an altar being built while Abraham was in Egypt
(Gen. 12;10-20). Whenever Abraham made decisions without consulting
God, the results were disastrous.
Abraham Experienced God's Redemption
It is significant to note from biblical examples that God seldom
intervened when people wre about to make mistakes. Rather, he allowed
them to fail, but stood ready to redeem them. Many individuals,
through the process of failure and redemption, saw God's character
revealed in a deeper dimension than if God had simply stepped in to
help them avoid failure. If there is anything leaders must carefully
evaluate and process, it is their mistakes. By systematically
reviewing mistakes and making the necessary adjustments to ensure that
the same errors are not repeated , leaders can derive great benefit.
Abraham, fearing Pharaoh would kill him in order to marry his wife,
had Sarah lie about their marriage. This lie would cost Abraham and
his descendants dearly. It was one event that happened in the fear of
the moment. However, the lie indicated a flaw in Abraham's faaith and
character. Abraham's lie revealed that he had not yet learned to
trust God fully. There was more work to be done in his life before he
could be entrusted with raising another patriarch. This flaw in
Abraham's character would manifest itself again (Gen. 29).
Interestingly, his son Isaac would also lie about his wife when faced
with a similar situation (Gen. 26:7) and Isaac's son Jacob would
become a notorious deceiver. Character flaws, left unchecked in
people's lives, can tenaciously reappear in subsequent generations
(Exod. 34:7; Deut. 5:9). Nevertheless, God continued to forgive
Abraham and to work in his life until Abraham became the model of
faith for generations of God's people.
Abraham Learned by Experience
Abraham's understanding of God was not theoretical. He didn't learn
it from books. He learned it through encounters with God. Each time
God revealed a new facet of his character to Abraham; it was through
experience. For example, God gave Abraham a brilliant victory over a
superior army (Gen. 15:1). Thereafter, Abraham knew he could trust
God as his shield. This was not just because God said he could
protect Abraham, but because Abraham had experienced God's protection
firsthand. Christian leaders must make the connection between God's
activity in their lives and God's character.
Abraham Was Not Allowed to Take Shortcuts
Abraham's life shows that attaining Christian maturity is a lifelong
process. Christian leaders don't take shortcuts. Genesis 16 details
a low point in Abraham's life. Despite the incredible covenant God
made with him to make him the father of countless descendents, the
fact was that he remained childless. At this crucial time of testing,
Abraham listened to the counsel of people instead of listening to
God. His wife, Sarah, advised him to produce a child through her
servant Hagar. This was a commonly accepted practice in Abraham's
day. It was worldly reasoning at its best, but it was not God's way.
After ten years of waiting on God, Abraham's faith wavered and he
opted for Sarah's plan. Hagar did produce a son, Ismael, who would
eventually become Israel's fierce enemies. Thousands of years later,
people continue to suffer and die because Abraham chose to take a
shortcut rather than to trust God's word.
Abraham was one hundred years old when Isaac was born. He had waited
twenty-five years for God to carry out his promise. Abraham learned a
lesson about the difference between God's timing and people's timing.
God sees things from an eternal perspective. people see things from a
temporal view. Christian leaders court disaster when they panic and
assume they must take matters in their own hands. When Christian
leaders wait patiently on the Lord, regardless of how long it takes,
God always proves himself absolutely true to his word. Sometimes the
time it takes God's promise to be realized can seem eternally long,
but a promise fulfilled by God is always worth the wait. Many more
leaders would see major accomplishments occur in their lives and in
their organizations if only they were willing to wait as long as
necessary to see God accomplish his will.
Abraham Demonstrated His Faith
By the time Abraham was a senior citizen, God had developed him into a
godly husband and father. Still, God had even greater plans for him.
God intended for Abraham to be more than a father to Isaac; he wanted
him to be the father of the faithful, a model of faithfulness for the
rest of time. For this, Abraham had to advance farther in his
relationship with God than anyone had gone before. In order to
develop a great faith in God, Abraham was asked to make the most
difficult decision of his life. "Now it came about after these
things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, 'Abraham!' And he
said, 'Here I am.' And He said, 'Take now your son, your only sone,
whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him
there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell
you,' So Abraham arose early in the morning and saddled his donkey,
and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split
wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which
God had told him" (Gen. 22:1-3).
There was no mistaking what God was asking. The question was would
Abraham obey? Most of the time, the problem with Christian leaders is
not that they don't know what God wants them to do. The problem is
that they know only too well, but they are unwilling to do it.
To modern readers, God's command seems unusually cruel. But to
Abraham, it would not have seemed peculiar. Abraham lived in a land
of fanatical idol worship. Idolaters, desperate to gain their god's
favor would sacrifice their first-born children on altars. In
essence, God's command would prove whether or not Abraham was as
committed to his God as the people around him were to theirs. If
Abraham was to be father of the faithful, it would require of him a
deeper faith in God than the average man had. For Abraham to do
extraordinary things, he would need an extraordinary relationship with
God.
Abraham Obeyed God
Through obedience, people experience God working through their lives
and they come to know more about God's character. In response to
Abraham's obedience, God spared Isaac's life. Abraham named the place
"The Lord will provide," for he learned that when people are willing
to give everything they have to God, God will provide all they need.
Abraham's response reveals the kind of man he had become. Scripture
testifies: "So Abraham rose early..." Abraham received the single
most difficult assignment God had ever given to any man, and he obeyed
without hesitation. in passing this test, Abraham not only went
deeper in his relationship with God; he also demonstrated his
readiness to be a great leader of God's people. "By Myself I have
sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have
not withheld your son, your only son, indeed I will greatly bless you,
and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and
as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall posses the
gate of their enemies. And in your seed all the nations of the earth
shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice" (Gen. 22:16-18).
Far more hinged on Abraham's obedience than he first realized.
Abraham came to understand that his actions did not affect him alone,
but his obedience to God would impact generations to follow.
Abraham Became a Friend of God
What was the result of God's work in Abraham's life over the years?
He became a godly man; he became the patriarch of a nation; he became
father of the faithful. But God's activity in Abraham's life helped
him to become something even more important than all of these things,
Abraham became a friend of God (2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8). It is one
thing to call God your friend. It is quite another for God to call
you his friend. Abraham is the only person to whom Scripture gives
this distinction. "And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, 'And
Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,'
and he was called the friend of God" (James 2:23).
Abraham was far from perfect. He made many mistakes. Yet his heart
was open before God, and God chose to develop him into a man of
faith. God didn't choose Abraham because of his leadership ability.
He chose Abraham because of his heart. The key was not that Abraham
attended all the best leadership seminars. The key was that he came
to know God and he allowed God to transform him into a leader through
his obedience. When people strive to have their hearts right before
God, the God promises to "show himself strong" (2 Chron. 16:9).
Student Prayer
Dear Father, I am faced by so many temptations. Help me to resist
them. Grant that I might rely on your will and power. Be with me in
every situation. Amen.
For more information go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jeramiahs_back_again/
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