Coffee With The Lord

It’s not enough to simply “raise your hand, step to an aisle, go forward and pray a prayer” to be forgiven, and thus be “born again” or experience “new birth.” “DISCIPLESHIP” should be the result and outcome of “new birth!”

The big question is, are you a “disciple” (i.e. a devoted, obedient, follower of Jesus)? That is why the “Great Commission” Jesus gave His disciples was, “Go therefore and MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe (obey) all that I have commanded you!” (Matthew 28:19-20) It’s not enough to simply “make converts” or tally up “decisions” … we must “MAKE DISCIPLES!” Every Christian Church must be ‘first and foremost” in the DISCIPLEMAKING BUSINESS!

After a person makes a decision to follow Jesus, the next obedient step is to be “baptized” in water. Water baptism is important (even essential) but it is simply the “first step” of DISCIPLESHIP!

Hey, DISCIPLESHIP is a life-long journey! Apostle Paul described it as a “WALK”(a life-long walk)… “WALK” was his favorite word to describe DISCIPLESHIP(not “run, ride, or fly” – “WALK”)!

I was again reminded of this today in my Bible reading…

“Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no long WALK as the Gentiles (i.e. the “unconverted”) do, in the futility of their minds… that is NOT the way you learned Christ (the word “learned” here is a Greek form of the words “disciple”) assuming that you have heard about Him and were taught in Him, as the truth is in Jesus. Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness,” (From Ephesians 4:17-24)!”

Com’on, let’s take a WALK together – the “Christ walk!” DISCIPLESHIP is a WALK… A WALK with Christ, a WALK with the constant help and empowerment of the Holy Spirit, a WALKS with fellow Christians… and a WALK all the way from “here” to “heaven

THINK ABOUT IT… GOD’S “GLORIOUS RICHES”!!!

This was Apostle Paul’s prayer…

“I pray that OUT OF HIS GLORIOUS RICHES He [God] may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”  (Ephesians 3:14–21 NIV)

Let me tell you… “HIS GLORIOUS RICHES” would make the accumulated wealth of all the nations in the world for all time look like abject squalor and poverty!  “His glorious riches” are abundantly adequate to meet your deepest needs…

• All the inner strength you need to face all that life brings
• The consciousness of God’s abiding presence in every aspect of your life every day
• A deep and growing awareness of God’s absolutely unfathomable love for you
• The knowledge that God’s “fullness” is completely adequate to meet your deepest challenges and needs

And as if that isn’t enough… Paul declared this in another place was… “My God will meet ALL OF YOUR NEEDS ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4.19)

I’M BLOWN AWAY by His complete adequacy today… Hey, I’m just savoring the significance of “HIS GLORIOUS RICHES”!!

I’m reading the prophecy of the prophet Ezekiel in the Bible during my time of “coffee with the Lord” right now… Over and over again I come across these words: “And they shall know that I am the Lord!” … interestingly those words are most often found in contexts of divine judgment (check it out for yourself)!

Here’s an important question it seems to me: What will it take to bring us as a nation to a knowledge that “He is the Lord”? I’m praying for America! And I’m praying for the American Church! Bring us back to that knowledge and awareness (even if it involves judgment!).