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All who call out to the Lord will be saved.  How can people have faith in the Lord and ask him to save them, if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear, unless someone tells them?  And how can anyone tell them without being sent by the Lord? The Scriptures say it is a beautiful sight to see even the feet of someone coming to preach the good news.

Romans 10.13-15 (CEV)

How beautiful are your feet?  We have a calling to tell others about faith in Jesus Christ.  It will require surrender and sacrifice.  Reflect on these words by George MacDonald:

I said: "Let me walk in the field";

God said: 'Nay, walk in the town";

I said: "There are no flowers there";

He said: "No flowers, but a crown."

I said: "But the sky is black,

There is nothing but noise and din";

But He wept as He sent me back,

"There is more," He said, "there is sin

I said: "But the air is thick,

And fogs are veiling the sun";

He answered: "Yet souls are sick,

And souls in the dark undone."

I said: "I shall miss the light,

And friends will miss me, they say";

He answered me, "Choose tonight,

If I am to miss you, or they."

I pleaded for time to be given;

He said: "Is it hard to decide?

It will not seem hard in Heaven

To have, followed the steps of your Guide."

I cast one look at the fields,

Then set my face to the town;

He said: "My child, do you yield?

Will you leave the flowers for the crown?"

Then into His hand went mine,

And into my heart came He;

And I walk in a light Divine,

The path I had feared to see.

--George MacDonald

Mark of a Christ Follower: Devotion to learning the Word

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching 

Acts 2:42 (NASB) 

Another mark of a Christ follower is someone who is devoted to what the Apostles were teaching.  What does that exactly mean and how do we do that in our lives?  After all James, Peter and John (etc.) are no longer walking with us, so how does that work.

1. Devoted.  What does it mean to be devoted?  It means it becomes a priority.  As a Christ follower we must be devoted to learning from the Word.
2. Submit.  We must submit to the teaching of your church leaders, mainly your pastor.  Remember that no one is infallible, except for Jesus.  So submit to the teaching you are hearing at church but also search the Scriptures to verify what you are hearing is correct.
3. Discipleship.  What was it that the Apostles were teaching.  We would assume that they were teaching what Jesus taught them:  how to be a follower of Christ, or how to be a Disciple.

Marks of a Christ Follower: Fellowship

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to the prayers. 

Acts 2:42 (HCSB) 

Another mark of a Christ Follower is that they were devoted to fellowship.  A true Christ follower will be devoted to biblical fellowship.  Biblical fellowship is more than just eating a meal together.  It is coming together spiritually and emotionally.  And yes for those who may be asking, you really do need to be part of a church for true fellowship.  Let me explain.  I believe it is Pastor Rick Warren who suggest that there are over 50 commands in the New Testament that we cannot obey without being connected in a local body (church).  The word church in the Greek is ekklesia.  It means literially, "the called out ones."  So yes you must be a part of a local body (church) for true biblical fellowship, but a church does not mean you have to go to a building with a steeple or committees or budgets etc. . . but where the body of Christ join together to further His Kingdom until He returns.

So that begs the question, what is fellowship that will occur as we gather together?  Well there are at least 3 aspects of fellowship.

1. Encouragement.  In fellowship we need to encourage one another.  It is in the body of Christ that we should encounter people who will encourage us through difficult times.  They should encourage us to remain steadfast in making hard decisions.
2. Care and Support.  Another word for this is love.  Fellowship means loving relationships and developing lasting friendships.  It is in the body of Christ that we should find others who love us, care for us and support us through challenging moments.
3. Accountability.  We need to hold one another accountable.  That means when we see a brother fall or who is teetering about to fall, we step in.  Not to be mean spirited, critical or legalistic but to hold a brother or sister up.  To help them avoid sin.  Sometimes it is asking another person to check up on us in some of those areas that we know we struggle with.  It means we are involved in one another's life.  If the only time you are communicating with others in the body is on Sunday morning you are experiencing little fellowship.  

I hope you find these in your fellowship with other Christ followers.

Marks of a Christ Follower: Commitment

 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

Acts 2:41 (NASB)

Are there recognizable marks of someone who is a Christ follower?  I think that Acts 2 begins to show us some of those marks.  We will discuss several of them in coming blogs.  I continue to meet people who suggest they are a believer, Christian, or some other descriptive word to describe being a follower.  But some do not have fruit or proof that this is accurate.  So what are the marks of a true Christ follower.  The first that I would describe from the New Testament is commitment.  Now people can be committed to many things but that does not mean that they are a Christ follower.  Let me suggest 3 places in which we need to commit that would give evidence of following Christ.

1. Commitment to the Word of God.  I do not have the space on this blog to argue all the reasons that the Word of God is trustworthy.  Let me just suggest that you go to 2 Timothy 3.16 and meditate on what is written there.  We really can not claim to be a follower of Jesus Christ without a commitment to the Word of God.  We might have a different view or interpretation of Scripture but we will be committed to reading and following it and it will be a primary authority and guide for life.
2. Commitment to identifying with and obedience to Christ.  That's what baptism is all about.  Baptism is an outward expression of our faith and allegiance to Jesus Christ.  It symbolizes His work of salvation on our behalf and our new life in Him.  It is also the first step in our obedience to our new Master.  Why should we be baptized?  Because Jesus said too!
3. Commitment to the Body of Christ, the Church.  There has been a real push back against organized religion lately.  But the Church, as God intends it is not organized religion.  It is an organism for the completion of Christ task, will and purpose.  Don't despise what Jesus paid dearly for.  Find a Body that is seeking to fulfill God's purpose and commit to it.

Lifestyle Worship

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 

Romans 12:1-2 (NASB) 

Maybe you never thought of it this way but worship is a lifestyle.  If the only "worship" we do is at the church building on Sunday morning we haven't really worshiped.  Worship is how will live our lives for God.  Remember that the word comes from two English words that mean "worth ship".  In other words in worship we express the worth of a person or thing.  It is how we honor what is most worthy in our lives.  So when you are living out a lifestyle or worship let me suggest nine characteristics we should see.

1. Urgency.  Paul says I urge you.  It is urgent.
2. Mercy.  We are drawn to a lifestyle of worship because of the mercy He has given us.
3. Offer our bodies.  Worship is not nearly as much what we do but what we give.  Are we giving ourselves over to Him to do with us whatever He wishes?
4. Living Sacrifice.  Most of the time we think of something that is sacrificed as something that dies.  But in worship our sacrifice is alive.  We give ourselves to whatever and wherever God is at work.
5. Holy.  Holy means to be set apart, to be distinct, to be different.  Are we noticeably different from the World.  If we are living a lifestyle of worship we should be.
6. Spiritual.  We are lacking in our church communities Christ followers who are truly spiritual in their decisions and actions.  We can't just talk the talk.  We must walk the walk.
7. Transformation.  When we are living a lifestyle of worship, we are not just doing the right thing we are becoming the right thing.  God desires to transform us from the inside out.
8. Renewed mind.  Do you still think about life the way you used too.  A lifestyle of worship will begin to change the way we think about life, culture and morality.
9. Proving God's will.  A lifestyle of worship makes us a testament of how right and righteous God's will is and how wrong and destructive is the ways of the world.

Lets seek to live a lifestyle of worship as followers of Jesus.

God Knows

I will gather all the nations and take them to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. I will enter into judgment with them there because of My people, My inheritance Israel. The nations have scattered the Israelites in foreign countries and divided up My land.
They cast lots for My people; they bartered a boy for a prostitute and sold a girl for wine to drink.

Joel 3:2-3 (HCSB) 

Most of the time when we draw our attention to Scripture like this one from Joel, our focus is often on the end times.  This passage does refer to things that are to come.  But what caught my attention as I read was this simple truth.  God sees the minor details in my life in the midst of major things going on.  We face persecution, pain and trials at the hands of evil people.  Being a Christ Follower does not make us exempt from such things.  In fact if anything it escalates the persecution we experience.  But look at this and notice that God knew all the minor details of the abuse.  He knew a boy was bartered for a prostitute.  He knew that a girl was devalued for a little wine.

When you face the hard knocks of trials and persecutions just remember that God sees not just the big picture, but also the little things that we might think goes unnoticed.  Remember you are His child and part of His bride.  He knows all that you are going through and all that has been done to you.  Remember also that God will punish those for their abuses to His people.  He is as much a God of judgement as He is a God of Love.  He gives grace and Justice.

Run

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

 1 Corinthians 9:24 (NASB) 

If I didn't know better I would think that the Apostle Paul lived in our 2014 American culture.  It is a culture that says we all should win.  Give a prize or trophy to every one.  But that's not really how it works, is it.  Reality is that in life running is just not good enough but it is running to win.  One of the words of wisdom I have shared with my kids over the years is, "if it is worth doing it is worth doing right!"  Whether it is sports and games, or work in the workforce success is not based on participation but on doing our best.

The Christian life is no exception.  Some Christians are merely participating but not really giving their 100% to grow as a Christ follower. Some act as though God will be satisfied because they showed up at church every now and then.  Some are satisfied that they carry a Bible instead of digesting every Word as precious.  Some simply give what is left over rather than give God all of themselves.  But the Apostle Paul says, "No, run in such a way as to win."  In other word each day give God your very best.  Give Him your all.  After all, He gave His all for us!

Boldness

¹²  Therefore, having such a hope, we use great boldness.
¹³  ⌊We are⌋ not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the Israelites could not stare at the the end of what was fading away, 

2 Corinthians 3:12-13 (HCSB)

Would you characterize your expression of faith as bold or timid?  For most Christ followers if we are honest with ourselves would need to say we are more timid about our faith than bold.  I love the Old Testament illustration the Apostle Paul uses to encourage us to be bold.  Moses would go up on the mountain before the presence of Yahweh.  When he would come back down the people were afraid because his face glowed from his time in the presence of the glory of God.  First of all what an awesome testimony!  Do people know we have been with Jesus because we have a "glow" after being in His presence?  Second, why would we hide it? 

I wonder why Moses hid the residue of the glory of God that was on him?  Did they threaten him?  Was it an annoyance or a distraction?  Maybe he just tired of hearing their complaints?  Why do we hide our faith from others?  Paul said, "we are not like Moses" who hid the effect of God in His life.  We should shine boldly, because we have a hope in Jesus that needs to be seen.

Today, think about your faith.  Are you hiding it or letting it shine boldly?  We should shine the hope boldly till He calls us home!

Just Enough

Then the LORD said to Moses, “I am going to rain bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. This way I will test them to see whether or not they will follow My instructions. 

Exodus 16:4 (HCSB) 

In my journey there seems to be two truths that I have found to be true from my experience but it never dawned on me that we see it too in Scripture.  I have always known and it has always been clear from Scripture, God will provide for His people.  That I have known for a long time.  God has provided what we needed throughout my life and ministry.  Sometimes not without a struggle but He has always provided.

I and others have often joked that God always provides, never early and always just on time.  My experience also tells me that God always gives us just enough but rarely extra.  While this is a truth I have known to be true by experience, this morning I saw it illustrated so clearly in the Word.  

God would provide for Israel in the wilderness.  But they had to wait for it each morning and could only gather "just enough" for that day.  It was meant to be an exercise of faith.  What a great picture of our faithful and consistent God.  Why do we struggle with this?  Because deep down we are not trusting God to be faithful and consistent.  At this very moment there are needs that I am "concerned" about.  I am worried and stressed about where and how God will help us with this need.  He is testing and teaching us to wait because He will provide at the right time and with just the right supply.

It is also true that we have a part in it all too.  The Israelite had to be faithful and obedient and go out and the morning and get the manna on the ground.  It required obedience and stewardship.  Our needs being meet by God also require our Obedience and stewardship.

So as we walk through this journey a Christ follower, let us trust Him in obedience and with stewardship to meet our every need.