As you Go, Make the Next Step!

You may wonder why I did two days today. Well, we got two days behind over the course of the 40 days and I was compelled to continue on today! So...

Day XXXIX: As You Go

Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

God entrusts us to reach the world and help take his kingdom message to the planet. Us?
Yes, us. Not angels, us.

One of my personal favorite and very true quotes:
"It's not your ability, but your availability."

"Jesus begins his last word to his guys by reminding them that he's the boss. All authority in heaven and on earth is his. That's a lot! So what he says goes, and what he says is "Go.""

Jesus calls us to make disciples. "Not pew sitters, disciples. Not retreat goers, disciples. Not people who just buy Christian CDs and books, but people who obey Jesus Christ. The law of nature is like produces like... You and I can't produce disciples if we aren't disciples ourselves, and the level of commitment of those we influence is seldom higher than our own... If you and I want people to follow Christ, we have to live and breathe the grace and truth of Jesus."

I work with middle school ministry. I have had the most wonderful opportunity to share my life with my students. Our words and our actions make profound statements about what we believe. My girls are impacted by me and my decisions. If I am not rooted in Christ, they will not see Christ in my life. Let's get rooted!!

Day XL: The Next Step

Matthew 16:24-27
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done."

"Jesus calls us to make choices about him, about ourselves, and about how we live. If it doesn't shake us up from time to time, we must already be dead!.. Let God change your identity, and you'll never be the same."

Yes, Satan will always be scheming and distracting us from Christ, but if we are aware and on guard we will know how to respond to danger (1 Peter 5:8).

Making a decision for Christ isn't a one time thing, it's every day. We see this as Demas and Paul near the end of their lives. Demas' heart shifted from Christ to this world. He allowed the devil to get a foothold(Col 4:14, 2 Tim 4:10). Paul, however, plowed through life's struggles and strained through daily obedience because he was looking for the age to come.

2 Timothy 4:6-8
Paul's Last Words before he was martyred in Rome.
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Where will you stand on the day of judgement? How will you prepare for the Kingdom? We are in the womb of eternity, let's GO and make disciples!