Calling Disciples

Luke 6:12-13

“Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles.”

Sunday, I heard a tremendous sermon on discipleship that inspired this week’s devotional. No matter where we are located or what we are doing, I believe the ultimate goal for each one of us is the mandate of Christ to “go and make disciples in all nations.” (Matthew 28:19) I believe several keys to making disciples are revealed in the opening portion from Luke 6:12-13. These are basic keys that I believe we all need to review in our lives that are a constant part of making disciples.

Prayer – Jesus pulled away from everything for a time of prayer. This was a repetitive act that distinguished His life and ministry. Everything He did and everything we do that has eternal consequences is born out of prayer. Prayer is the key to our relationship with the Father. Prayer encourages, inspires and energizes us in our everyday walk. Prayer enables us to see things as God sees things and to respond as He would respond. Pray empowers us to do what we could not do in ourselves. Making disciples requires concentrated prayer.

Called – “He called His disciples to Himself.” Every disciple of Christ responded to an intentional call by Christ. A call requires a decision and demands a response. We are all familiar with the Muslim “call to prayer.” Not everyone comes, but the call goes forth daily, confronting people and requiring a decision and response. How much more important is it for us to give a clear call no matter what the response. Jesus called them to Himself. Our call is to a relationship with Christ, but we have to give the call. For without the call, a person does not have the opportunity to accept or reject a saving relationship with Christ. Jesus said “Many are called but few are chosen.” If you have ever been is sales, you know it takes a lot of calls to make one sale. Making disciples requires persistent calls no matter what the cost.

Chosen – “He chose twelve whom He also named apostles.” It takes a boldness to call people, but it takes a commitment to disciple them. Many people who respond to the call, respond out of great need, and takes a commitment of time and energy on our part to disciple them. Jesus committed himself three and a half years, almost 24/7, to the ones He chose to be with Him. He called them intentionally and discipled them purposefully to be apostles or “sent ones.” While He continued to call and minister to the multitudes, the future of the church rode upon the ones He discipled. Making disciples requires choosing and committing ourselves to people who will disciple others.

Andy Clark

Fear Not

Isaiah  43:1-2

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.”

Fear is something everyone deals with in their lives. Fear of failure, fear of the unknown, or fear of rejection. People often mask their fears with aggression, controlling behavior, aloofness, avoiding relationships and commitments, or an unwillingness to try new things. Fear can rob us of the freedom, joy, and adventure of life that we had when we were younger. Great men in the Bible like Abraham and Moses dealt with fear. The words fear, fears, and afraid appear over six hundred times in the Bible. David, the great warrior and king, wrote, “I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” (Psalms 34:4) Jesus repeatedly had to tell the disciples not to be afraid. The great Apostle Paul wrote, “For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears.” (2 Corinthians 7:5)

In these last days the world is trying to intimidate the church through threats and fear tactics to rob us of our freedom and authority purchased for us by the blood of Jesus Christ. The enemy would love to box us within our church walls creating a powerless and ineffective church that is neither salt nor light in this darkening world. Many Christians are afraid to share their faith in the public arena because of political correctness, fear of ridicule and rejection, or the possibility of losing their jobs. Fear has caused financial security to trump moral values in the public arena.

Fear can paralyze us or motivate us. God is looking for people like, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, David, Esther, Peter, John, Paul and the men and women of the early church who, despite conflicts on the outside and fears within, stood up in their generation to live out and declare the truths of God’s word. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us.”

If we really believe God loves us, like children, we live in the security and freedom of that love no matter what is going on around us or what challenges we may face. The security of God’s love also enables us to live a transparent life in this world no matter what the response is of those around us. “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12: 32)

Andy Clark

Every Day Miracles

John 3:5-8

Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'  The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." 

I believe God is calling His people to begin to walk in what I call EVERY DAY MIRACLES. This is when God through you by the Spirit touches someone’s life at their point of need. This may be a word of encouragement, direction, faith and hope, an act of kindness, an expression of love or concern, a gift, or a supernatural touch of healing or provision. It may be expressed in person or through a prayer, call, email, or text message.

In John 3 Jesus is teaching on the necessity of the new birth, but there is also an underlying principle here that there are two levels of activity. There is that which is born of the flesh (man’s will or ability) and that which is born of the Spirit (God’s will and ability). Then He compares what is born of the Spirit to the wind. The wind is not bound by man-made limitations, ideas, laws, programs, culture and traditions, but “the wind blows where it wishes.” “So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

EVERY DAY MIRACLES are born out of our willingness to move beyond our ideas, programs, and ability into the freedom of the Spirit’s daily leading in our lives.

In John 5:16-20 Jesus heals a lame man on the Sabbath against Jewish tradition and comes under criticism of Jewish leaders. Look carefully at Jesus’ response. "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”…. "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.  For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.”

EVERY DAY MIRACLES are born out of a passion for God, His everyday will in our lives and a passion for people. Our role in any miracle must be to serve people, anyone, anywhere, and anytime God directs.

My everyday prayer has become, “Lord, whom do you want me to touch by your Spirit today?”  Then I go through my day expecting to be used of God in some unexpected way.

May you discover the God of miracles working in your life and ministry today and every day.

Andy Clark

Stand Still

Sometimes we find ourselves surrounded by challenges and problems that seem to have no solution. Maybe we have been experiencing victory and success, or at the very least, life has been going along pretty normally when: Bang! an unexpected crisis hits our life that throws everything into a tail spin.  Israel found themselves in this situation in Exodus chapter 14. God had delivered them from four hundred years of slavery with awesome miracles and power. They were so excited leaving Egypt with the wealth of Egypt in their hands on the way to the promised land. Man, life was good and God is great! Then they ran into the Red Sea with mountains on each side and the Egyptian army at their back.

When challenges, problems, or crises unexpectedly strike our lives, and there seems to be no way out, our initial response is not always the best. Like Israel, maybe we become frantic or fearful, or anger sets in and we blame God or others for the problem. Despair whispers, “Lie down and give up, there is no way out.” Cowardice cries, “Retreat; God’s way is too difficult, I’ve made a mistake and should have never tried this, it was good for a while but it isn’t working any more. Human Effort determines, “If I just pray a little harder, work a little more, or try a different way, I can get out of this. Presumption declares, “If the sea is before me, by faith I am going to walk into it and expect a miracle from God.”

Faith though does not listen to Despair, Cowardice, Human Effort or Presumption. As with Israel, the command may be, “Stand still and see the salvation of the Lord… The Lord will fight for you, and you will hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:13,14) Great faith is not based upon what we do, but our willingness to trust God totally in the midst of the storm and impossible situation. Do we really believe in a supernatural God who can do far above what we could even ask or think?

In Matthew 8:8 a centurion came to Jesus and said, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." Jesus immediate response was, “I’ll come to your house and heal him.” The centurion’s response astounded Jesus. He said, “Just speak the word and my servant will be healed.” Verse10 says, “When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!”

Sometimes the greatest faith is when we cease from our labors and stop crying, pleading, and begging God for what we want or expect and just stand still. Stand still, attentive to God, ready for action, expecting further orders, cheerfully and patiently awaiting the voice of God, ready to do whatever He asks, no matter how ridiculous it may seem. When Israel stopped complaining and stood still, quietly waiting, the word of the Lord came, “Go forward, lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel will go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.” (Exodus 14:15-16)

No matter what you are facing today, God is not at fault, nor is he surprised or caught off guard. He knew what was going to happen even before you were born and already has a solution in place. It may not be your solution but His solution. Stop your frantic activity, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.

Andy Clark