A Discipleship Model, Part 2of7

~ Step 2:  Control Your Thinking ~   

NOTE:  This Discipleship Model is a special 7-part series showing a clear path to spiritual victory. One step will be posted each day for a calendar week. After completion of this series Abundant Life Now will “resume regular programming.”

A basic problem is that carrying out good intentions ultimately requires hard work! But misdirected hard work doesn’t accomplish much. In this series of posts we are looking at a Biblical pattern for gaining victory in the Christian life. The second step in our Discipleship Model is to control our thought life. 

I heard a story once about a kamikaze pilot. It seems that it was his 28th mission! Unfortunately that is often the story of well-meaning Christians who desire to live a life pleasing to their Lord. Has that been true for you? Many times they just don’t see a way out of their habitual patterns.

A common contemporary saying is, “The definition of insanity is to keep on doing what you’ve been doing and expecting a different result.” If you are frustrated with the progress of your Christian life, you will gain insights from this series. Let’s move forward.

Have you ever wondered how a Christian leader who seems to have it all together can commit a terrible sin? The answer is that the process was a slow leak—it was not a blow out! The tire in this analogy is the brain and the leaking air is the thought life. 

It is at the thinking level that Satan rages his battle with you! If you are not actively testing your thinking and your attitudes, you are headed for real trouble.

“All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts” (Ephesians 2:3, emphasis added).

Our thoughts eventually produce results. “But the mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace" (Romans 8:6, emphasis added).

The Apostle Paul understood this principle, “Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ … I beg you … For the weapons of our warfare are … mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:1-5, emphasis added). 

The Apostle Peter recognized the role of our thoughts, “Your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity" (Acts 8:21b-23, emphasis added).

The writer of Hebrews understood the importance of our thought life. “For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12, emphasis added). 

Our Lord made it clear that the thought life is absolutely critical. “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’  But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Matthew 5:21-22).  “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’  But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-29). Jesus Christ certainly recognized the importance of our thought life!

Our strength or weakness is based partly on our past thinking and attitudes that have been forming for weeks, months, and even years. To strengthen our strengths and weaken our weaknesses we must form new and regular patterns of thinking.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things”  (Philippians 4:8, emphasis added).

“Fix your thoughts on Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest whom we confess” (Hebrews 3:1, emphasis added).   

Step 1:  Paradox  ~  Understand your partnership with God.

Step 2:  Thinking  ~  Choose to control your thoughts!

The next step will focus on how patterns of thinking gain control over you.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

A Discipleship Model, Part 1of7

~ Step 1:  Embrace an Apparent Paradox ~

NOTE:  This Discipleship Model is a special 7-part series showing a clear path to spiritual victory. One step will be posted each day for a calendar week. After completion of this series Abundant Life Now will “resume regular programming.”

The Christian life and the Christian faith have many “apparent paradoxes.” Each of these is like a coin—having two sides, but in truth is only one coin. Both sides need to be fully embraced. This Discipleship Model starts with the recognition that as a disciple you are Totally Dependent upon God and also Fully Responsible before God.

Totally Dependent  ~  Most Christians understand this. Here are two well-known verses from God’s Word. “I [Jesus Christ] am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

When dependence upon God is properly understood, the proper reaction is to be regularly in prayer. “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up” (Luke 18:1, emphasis added). “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8a, emphasis added). “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5:16b).

Fully Responsible  ~  Even with God’s help the process of discipleship is hard work. He expects us to be responsible before Him. While it is not easy, it is worth it. Keep in mind your exciting prospect of becoming more and more like Jesus Christ your teacher. Jesus said, “A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher” (Luke 6:40). 

This is the normal and expected pattern of all Christians. “But we all [Christian disciples], with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Your responsibility before God grows out of the fact that you have been given everything you need to live a life that pleases God and to grow increasingly like Him. 

Peter, who so many of us can identify with, stumbled many times, but he learned these truths. Listen to Peter, “To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

“Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:1b-11, emphasis added).

Since you have been given the tools, you also have the responsibility to train yourself in Godliness. “Exercise yourself toward godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7b). 

Step 1:  Paradox  ~  Understand your partnership with God.

The next step will focus on a key for lasting spiritual change.    

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Messiah, 30

~ Messiah Would Be a Descendant of David ~ 

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“‘The Lord declares to you [David] that the Lord Himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish His kingdom. He is the One who will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of His kingdom forever. I will be His father, and He will be My Son’” (2 Samuel 7:11b-14a).

The Messiah  

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham…

and Jesse begot David the king” (Matthew 1:1,6). 

“He said to them, ‘How then does David in the Spirit call Him “Lord,” saying: “The Lord  said to my Lord, sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool”’'? If David then calls Him “Lord,” how is He his Son?’ And no one was able to answer Him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore” (Matthew 22:43-46). 

“Then Jesus answered and said, while He taught in the temple, ‘How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is the Son of David? For David himself said by the Holy Spirit: “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’ Therefore David himself calls Him “Lord;” how is He then his Son?’” (Mark 12:35-37).

“And He said to them, ‘How can they say that the Christ is the Son of David? Now David himself said in the Book of Psalms: “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’ Therefore David calls Him 'Lord'; how is He then his Son?’” (Luke 20:41-44).

“Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: ‘Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began’” (Luke 1:67-70).  

“Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God  which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:1-4).

“Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, ‘Truly this is the Prophet.’ Others said, ‘This is the Christ.’ But some said, ‘Will the Christ come out of Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?’” (John 7:40-42).

~~~ EXPLANATORY “MESSIAH” NOTES ~~~   

(1)  Each Saturday ALN posts an example of a Hebrew Scriptures prophecy (or foreshadowing) related to the coming Messiah which was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(2)  While extensive it will not be a complete list—there are hundreds of prophecies of the coming Messiah which have been fulfilled by one man—Jesus Christ at His First Coming.

(3)  It is important that there are many more prophecies of the Messiah, yet unfulfilled, which Christians believe will be fulfilled at the time of His Second Coming.  A particularly relevant Scripture verse in this regard is: “Do not despise prophesies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

(4)  These posts will typically consist only of Scripture—which speaks for itself.  Sometimes italicized or bold font will be used by ALN for emphasis.

(5)  The numbering of these fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah is used to differentiate individual posts. It is not chronological (either by time of the prophecy or by sequence in the life of the Messiah).  The posting sequence will, for the most part, be in the order that the prophecies appear in Scripture.

(6)  Because of the chosen methodology (#5 above) we will find many specific prophecies repeated multiple times throughout the Scriptures.

(7)  These serial posts are in addition to our regular Tuesday ALN postings on random topics.

(8)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Lemons into Lemonade

~ The Christian View of Trials ~

This is a Guest Blog by Chris Goppert which appeared in the U.K. publication The Voice where it was entitled “Drawing Strength from the Right Sources: Suffering for the Child of God Benefits the Soul.” It contains thought-provoking truth: 

Suffering that does not result from discipline for a known sin can be profitable for the believer and glorify­ing to God.

·         Joseph in Prison ~ “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” (Genesis 50:20).

·         Hezekiah's Illness ~ “Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish. In Your love you kept me from the pit of destruction; You have put all my sins behind your back” (Isaiah 38:17).

·         Paul's “Thorn in the Flesh” ~ “To keep me from becoming conceited... there was given me a thorn in my flesh... to torment me” (2 Corinthians 12:7).

·         Paul's Imprisonment ~ “Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel” (Philippians 1:12-14).

·         The Man Born Blind ~ “‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life’” (John 9:1-3).

Trials allow maturity to develop fully—“Perseverance must finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:4).

For forty-nine years Charles Simeon served as the minister of Trinity Church in Cambridge, England. A friend once asked Simeon how he endured opposition to his ministry. Pastor Simeon replied: “My dear brother, we must not mind a little suffering for Christ's sake. When I am getting through a hedge, if my head and shoulders are safely through, I can bear the pricking of my legs. Let us rejoice in the re­membrance that our holy Head has summoned all His suffering and triumphed over death. Let us follow Him patiently, we shall soon be partakers of His vic­tory.” (see also 2 Corinthians 1:7)

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Quote: Jim Elliot, 2

~ Willing vs. Willed ~

Do you understand desire?

The following is an excerpt from a book.

“That delight—in God—is the thing that brings desire in the heart to do good, and desire is beneath everything. If there is no desire to do God’s will, then the doing of God’s will is just outward conformity, and God doesn’t appreciate it at all.

“Now desire is more than just willingness. I once worked for the Foreign Missions Fellowship, which is a group of collegiate kids who are considering going to the mission field. You know, every time I would talk to some Christians in college, their big cry about the mission field was, ‘Well you know, I’m willing to go. I’m quite willing to go to the mission field. Very willing to go. Willing. But I need a call from God (or some such thing) because I don’t feel as if I’m sent to the mission field.’ Well, I’m telling you that passive willingness is not desire. I was willing to go to the mission field a long time before I willed to go to the mission field. And it is the desire of the will that God wants.

“Desire is the putting of my will into God’s concern. It’s not a passive, sitting back in your easy chair, folding your arms sort of thing, which says, ‘Well, I’m willing, if God would only give me a good swift kick and send me.’ That’s willingness all right. But God doesn’t want willingness, He wants will! He wants your will put behind those desires.”

~ from “JIM ELLIOT: A Christian Martyr Speaks to You” edited by Robert Lloyd Russell, pg 25 (ISBN: 9781615797646)

Learn more about this important book at Amazon, the Publisher, or the Author’s website. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW