Facts of the Matter

In the last three weeks we have discussed the fact that:

1) We learned how to mutually accept each other as uniquely designed by God

2) We have been committed to the same purpose and calling in life: “Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?” (Amo. 3:3)

3) We determined that we would serve each other over and above ourselves:

4) We built our marriage on a solid biblical foundation : “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” (Matt. 7:24, 25) (See Pro. 24:3,4)

From before our engagement we understood:

– The importance of the daily quiet time. By that I mean a specified time daily, preferably the first thing in the morning, for prayerful meditation on the word of God. We realized that without this vital connection with God we would not become the Christ like person our spouse would love through thick and thin.

– That we needed to know how God intended for us to live, especially as it pertained to a biblical marriage relationship. Thus, we internalized passages like Ephesians 5:21-33; I Peter 3:1-12 and I Corinthians 13:4-8.

QUESTION : What action steps do you need to take to begin building a solid foundation of God’s word into your life? One place to start is to carve out 10 minutes, the first thing in the morning. Prayerfully meditate on a small portion of Scripture.

5) We learned how to maintain communications with each other:

We understood that communication is :

– “The meeting of meanings” (Paul Tournier)

– Understanding the meaning behind the words spoken.

– Learning and responding to your spouses “love language”: Words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, physical touch (“ The Five Love Languages” by Gary Chapman

– Recognizing that talking and having sex is not necessarily communication.

– Learning the art of disciplined listening – with the head and the heart.

– Learning to respect the other person’s point of view.

– Attacking the problematic issue rather than the person.

– Courageously facing and resolving problems, rather than sweeping them under the rug.

– Not allowing bitterness or resentment to remain in the relationship.

(See Pro. 17:27; 18:21; Col. 3:19; Jms. 1:19, 20

We learned how to establish and maintain communication, by planning quality time together .

– We planed for a daily quality connection – even if it is only for a few minutes. Pray together

– We planned a weekly date night.

– We scheduled monthly or quarterly blocks of time together to evaluate, plan, re-connect, and have fun.

QUESTION : Do you think your spouse feels that the two of you are in fact in touch with each other at the deepest level? One suggestion: Schedule a day or two on your calendar where the two of you can get away to re-connect. One goal would be to find out if either of you harbor resentment or bitterness toward the other.

This week, may you experience His grace, peace, and protection

R. Dwight Hill

Our first point, in last week’s “Facts” was I embraced the Sovereignty of God.

#2 I GLEANED FROM MENTORS: Solomon informs us that, “he who walks with the wise grows wise…” (Pro. 13: 20a) Joshua had Moses, Paul had Barnabas, and Timothy had Paul. In my formative years God brought four godly men into my life: Skip Gray, Jim Peterson, Lorne Sanny, and Warren Myers who modeled what a spiritually mature man looked like. They also encouraged, challenged, instructed and even rebuked me when it was warranted.

QUESTION: Are you choosing to surround yourself with godly discipler/mentors types? Lone Rangerism is not an option for the serious follower of Christ. “ Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (Ecc. 4:9, 10)

#3 I BUILT THE “BASICS” INTO MY LIFE: King Solomon stated that his purpose in writing the Book of Proverbs was “ to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives” (Pro. 1:3a – NLT). Paul admonished the Ephesians to “ live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people)” (Eph. 5:15b – Amp.). Paul said of himself, “ I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified” (I Cor. 9:26, 27 – NLT).

One reason I am, by His grace, still walking with God, is that in my formative years, I was helped to get serious about the “basics.” I’m talking about disciplined, prioritized time with God on a regular basis. I’m talking about prayerful meditation on, and application of the Scriptures to my life. I am talking about serious, in depth study of the Bible with a view toward mastery of the Scriptures. I am talking about systematic and disciplined Scripture memory. How can we help others spiritually if we do not have command of the Word of God? How can we live pure lives unless the Scriptures have gotten down into the very depth of our soul? Generally speaking, the Body of Christ is slovenly in its approach toward spiritual growth. Paul admonished Timothy, “ Train yourself toward godliness (piety), [keeping yourself spiritually fit]” (1 Tim. 4:7b – Amp.)

QUESTION: Are you in hot pursuit of truly knowing Christ as evidenced by a purposeful, informed, and disciplined approach to spiritual maturation? Or are you just lollygagging along like the wisp of the wind? We would do well to heed Paul’s warning, “…W e must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10a).

This week, may you experience His grace, peace, and protection.

R. Dwight Hill

Why is it so many of us live in dread or denial of death? Probably because it is so foreign to our experience: The unknown, shrouded in mystery. What we find difficult to grasp is that for the believer in Christ, death is a gateway to a new life in God that is infinitely richer and meaningful than anything we can began to fathom… For all eternity. Imagine:

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (I Cor. 2:9).

During World War II, the famous German theologian Dietrich Bonheoffer joined the resistance movement to assassinate Adolf Hitler. When the attempt failed, Bonheoffer was imprisoned. In anticipation of his impending execution, he penned these immortal words:

“ No one has yet believed in God and the kingdom of God, nor has yet heard about the realm of the resurrected, and not been homesick from that hour, waiting and looking forward joyfully to being released from bodily existence. Whether we are young or old makes no difference. What are twenty or thirty or fifty years in the sight of God? And which of us knows how near he or she may already be to the goal?

“That life only really begins when it ends here on earth; that all that is here is only the prologue before the curtain goes up. That is for young and old alike to think about.

“Why are we so afraid when we think about death? Death is only dreadful for those who live in dread and fear of it. Death is not wild and terrible, if only we can be still and hold fast to God’s Word. Death is not bitter, if we have not become bitter ourselves. Death is grace, the greatest gift of grace that God gives to people who believe in him. Death is mild, death is sweet and gentle, it beckons to us with heavenly power, if only we realize that it is the gateway to our homeland, the tabernacle of joy, the everlasting kingdom of peace.

“How do we know that dying is so dreadful? Who knows whether in our human fear and anguish we are only shivering and shuddering at the most glorious, heavenly, blessed event in the world.

“Death is hell and night and cold, if it is not transformed by our faith. But that is just what is so marvelous, that we can transform death.” ¹

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (Jn. 11:25). With this knowledge, our response as believers in Jesus Christ should be exactly that of St. Paul’s: “Thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Cor. 15:57). (See Jn. 6:39, 40; Rom. 8:11; I Cor. 15:20-26, 43-57; Rev. 20:10-15; 21:4)

This week, may you experience His grace, peace, and protection.

R. Dwight Hill

In our previous Facts we stressed (1) the disciplers need to set the pace and example of depth in his relationship with God, (2) Discipleship is relationship based, not program based, (3) As disciplers, I suggested we consider building the following disciplines into our disciples lives: Quiet Time, Scripture Memory, Bible study, evangelism and discipleship of others.

As a discipler we need to learn the art and discipline of listening.  Sadly, most of us talk too much and listen and observe too little. (See Jms. 1:19) It is important that we learn to listen compassionately to the heart of the people we are seeking to disciple.  What are their fears, defeats and pains?  How can I lead them to Jesus for healing, restoration and renewed hope?  We need to create an atmosphere of acceptance so that they will feel free to bear their heart with us. (See Pro. 20:5) One way is to be transparent with them about our own life to the degree that is appropriate and they can handle.

Believe it, discipleship is a spiritual battle.  Once your disciple begins to grow spiritually he will become a threat to the Enemy and will experience his attacks.  To ward off Satan, intercessory prayer on your part is a must.  Paul confided to the Galatians, My little children, for whom I am again suffering birth pangs until Christ is completely and permanently formed (molded) within you (Gal. 4:19). Doubtless that travail included deep heart-felt prayer to the Father on their behalf.  The night before the cross Christ prayed extensively for the Twelve disciples. (See John 17) That passage, coupled with Philippians 1:9-11 and Colossians 1:9-12 contain invaluable material on what to pray for your disciple(s)d. 

Finally, we need to speak into our disciples life.  That is, as we observe patterns of sin, or character weaknesses, we should pray, ponder and wait. When clearly prompted by the Holy Spirit, speak to him about issues critical to his spiritual growth. We are to care enough to confront; care enough to risk the friendship, if necessary.  Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. (Pro. 27:6 NKJV)

This week may you experience His grace, peace and protection.

R. Dwight Hill

Recently I received a letter from a friend whom I have been discipling over the phone, and whom I have been encouraging to get engaged in discipling others.  The other day I received an email with a series of questions he wanted answered regarding discipleship. Following are my attempts at responding to his questions: 

Question:  How do you decide (outside of prayer) which people are ready for discipleship?

Answer:  I look for patterns of faithfulness, and I bait them.  That is, I give them something to do, like have a quiet time (personal devotions), or I ask them to do a study on a subject such as The Grace of God, or I ask them to memorize a Scripture verse or passage. I carefully observe how they respond. The hungry, faithful ones come through. The others tend to eliminate themselves. The faithful, responsive ones are the kind I select for a discipling group. (Pro. 20:6; 25:19; 2 Tim. 2:2)

Question:  What do you look for in them?

Answer:  Hunger, a teachable spirit, faithfulness, a desire to live a spiritually significant life; a desire to count for God.  (Ps. 40:8; 42:1,2;112:1; Pro. 23:26)

Question:  What would you recommend on how to the approach someone whom you believe may be interested in joining a discipleship group?

Answer:  I will tell them that life is tough, families are disintegrating, and the Country is in serious decline. Ruth and I can help them on how in a practical way to live victorious, God-honoring lives in todays chaotic world. We can help them build a biblical foundation for their lives that will withstand the ravages of time (Matt. 7:24 27); that we are interested in helping them develop spiritually to their fullest potential for God (Eph. 4:11-16). By that we mean we can help them know God intimately, and that involves spiritual disciplines like mastery of the Scripture through in depth Bible study, a solid, regular time with God, and other disciplines (I Cor. 9:24-27; 1 Tim. 4:7; 2 Tim. 2:15). Not only do we want to help them know God, but we want to equip them in the word of God so that they can be effective instruments He can use in the lives of others.  (2 Tim. 3:16, 17)

This week, may you experience His grace, peace, and protection.

R. Dwight Hill

Power is the name of the game in the winner take all ethos of modern day capitalism. We are talking here about exercising power over others; the power of influence; the power to bring about whatever results we so desire. It is, after all, the powerful who rule, while the weak are shunted into the shadows of society. In our power hungry world, it is comforting to know that we serve an all-powerful God who is profoundly concerned about our well-being.

Gods power refers to His ability and strength whereby He can bring to pass whatsoever He pleases, whatsoever His infinite wisdom may direct, and whatsoever the infinite purity of His will may resolve (S. Charnock) Gods power is like Himself:  Self-existent; self-sustaining, eternal, and incomprehensible; it can neither be checked or restrained by His creation.  

God in His omnipotent power can do without effort, and by volition whatever He wills. (Charles Hodge) For example, in the Genesis 1 account of creation God simply said, Let there be light, and there was light (Gen. 1:3). And so it was in the ensuing acts of creation. (See Gen. 1:6, 9, 14, 20, 24, 26)  The prophet Jeremiah proclaimed, Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you (Jer. 32:17). (See Neh. 9:6; Ps. 102:25; Isa. 42:5)  Daniel exclaimed, [God] does as He pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: What have you done? (Dan. 4:35) (See Job 9:4; 23:13; Psa. 33:9-11; 115:3; Isa.14:24-27; See Eph. 1:11)

Gods power exhibited through Christ:  [Christ sustains] all things by His powerful wordand in Him all things hold together (Heb. 1:3; Col. 3:17). While on earth at His volition, the winds ceased, and there was a great calm. By an act of the will He healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind and raised the dead. (Arthur Pink)

APPLICATION:  

Because we are often surrounded by powerfully evil forces that can easily dwarf and intimidate us, it is imperative that we grasp the fact that this all-powerful God resides in us and works through us in overcoming evil: "… In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the worldYouhave overcome [false spirits], because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (Jn. 16:33; I Jn. 4:4).

And how do we access His power that is already resident in our lives? By humbling ourselves and recognizing our desperate weakness and need for Him. Certainly we can learn from Pauls experience, [God] said to me, My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor. 12:9, 10).  (See Phil. 4:13)

So, today, as you go about your business, will you choose to recognize your abject helplessness before God? Then in desperation will you invite His omnipotent presence to fill and empower you to live joyfully and victoriously in this, our sin-drenched, power-mongering world?

1) My survival in troubled times:  As I write this article, we seem to be in a global crisis over the energy issue.  Because there is uncertainty in the air as to the long term implications, it is easy for me to find myself in an anxious state of fear. Will God continue to provide?

And Gods wonderful promise to his children comes back: You give relief from troubled times. The LORD will not reject his people; he will not abandon his own special possession.  (Psa.  94:13, 14) (See 2 Cor. 4:17, 18; 2 Thes. 1:6-8; Rev. 14:13)

My prayer:  Lord, today, I choose to rest in your promise to take care of your righteous ones.  Amen.

2) My feeling that I am slipping: Here how it plays out for me in my times of temptation and stress:  All the ugly stuff seems to surface:  Anger, impatience, a nasty tongue and a compounding frustration that leads to the inevitable downward spiral into the abyss.  Often it starts out with some rather innocuous irritation that I let get the best of me, and before I know it, I am ricocheting out of control. What usually follows are doubts about my sense of worth, what others think of me, and questioning my worthiness before God.

Yet, He is there to meet me in my moments of crisis: I cried out, I'm slipping! and your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.  (Psa. 94:18, 19 NLT) (See Psa. 37:23, 24; 119:116, 117; 121:3; Isa. 41:10; Lk. 22:32)

My prayer:  Lord, thank you for your forgiveness and promise of comfort, hope and cheer.  By faith, I now receive your provision, in Jesus name. Amen.

3) My insecurities and fears, living as I do in an evil world:  Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side leaders who permit injustice by their laws? They attack the righteous and condemn the innocent to death. But the LORD is my fortress; my God is a mighty rock where I can hide. (Psa. 94:20, 21 NLT) 

Amidst the fray of cut throat business competition, people all around me are shading the truth, cutting corners, and taking the un-principled easy path.  If I dare choose the lonely road of integrity; if I dare  speak out against the culture of corruption and injustice if I dare to try and change the system, I am branded and marginalized as some kind of nut, and ejected from the inner circle of the in crowd. It a word, it will cost me dearly.

Here is Gods assurance to me:  But the LORD is my fortress; my God is a mighty rock where I can hide.  (Psa. 94:22 NLT) (See Psa. 27:1-3; 59:16, 17; 62:2,6)

My prayer:  Lord, in my moments of perplexity in a world of selfishness and corruption, help me to find my refuge in you, and in you alone.

CONCLUSION:  In Hebrews 13:5, God promises us, I will never leave you nor forsake you.  As Oswald Chambers reminds us, Sometimes it is not the difficulty of life, but the drudgery of it that makes me think God will forsake meBut as we grow in His grace we find that God is glorifying Himself here and now, at this very moment. If we have Gods assurance behind us [that he will never leave nor forsake us] the most amazing strength becomes ours, and we learn to sing, glorifying Him even in the ordinary days and ways of life.

A few months ago I carefully studied Consumer Report Magazine to determine the best camera to purchase. By the time I got to the discount store the models recommended in CR were obsolete and had already been replaced by new ones. We live in a world of accelerated change that bends the mind.  If we hope to relate to the Busters (those born from 1965 through 1983) and the Mosaics (those born from 1984 through 2002) it is imperative that we understand their values and world view.  The question is not whether we like their world of changing values, but whether we are willing to relate to them in their world.

Busters and Mosaics: 1

• Embrace constant change and innovation as normative.
• Accept the premise that there are no moral absolutes. Truth is whatever one believes it to be. Thus, all points of view and behavioral preferences are tolerated. Its live and let live.
• Believe that the means justify the end.  That is, engaging in the process is more important than the quality of the end product. 
• Support the idea that the individual is king; thus only that which is germane to ones personal passions is tolerated. Therefore, irrelevancy is out. If its not real, its out. There is little patience for anything based on tradition, customs, or social acceptability.
• Believe the supreme value in life centers around relationships. Thus:

-  The emphasis on excellence in performance is taking a back seat to personal authenticity.

-  The focus on principles and commands is being pre-empted by personal stories and experiences.

-  Charismatic and dynamic solo type leaders are being replaced by leaders who operate within a team context.

-  Organizations perceived as narrow or judgmental are giving way to organizations that demonstrate inclusiveness.

• Are less and less willing to sit back and endure what the world throws at them.  Rather, they are seeking ways to exert greater control over their lives to insure more personally satisfying outcomes. 
• Are searching for meaning in a world characterized by technology advancement, increasing complexity, fragmentation, frenetic and morally untethered standardsdysfunctional relationships, material excess, [and] abusive power. 2 It is in this context that two components are being seriously considered as the missing links to their maturation and fulfillment:  Sacrifice and surrender.

If we are to be relevant for Christ and the Gospel in todays rapidly changing world, it is imperative that we change with the times as long as we do not violate biblical absolutes. If we fail to adapt, we will become increasingly out of touch and perceived by the Busters and Mosaics as obsolete. Paul adapted his approach to winning and discipling: I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. (I Cor. 9:22a)  (See I Cor. 9:19-21; 10:23. Carefully study Act. 21:16-26)

I Chronicles 12:32 informs us that men of Issacharunderstood the times and knew what Israel should do  That is, they were knowledgeable men of wisdom, who grasped what was going on in their culture, and took appropriate action. The same was said of the experts in King Xerxes domain: Since it was customary for the king to consult experts in matters of law and justice, he spoke with the wise men who understood the times.  (Esth. 1:13) That is, King Xerxes experts understood what was going on among their people because they scrutinized and intently studied their culture.

QUESTION:  So tell me, are you moving with the times in seeking to comprehend the changes that are happening around you, and then adjusting your approach in a manner that connects? Or are you resenting and resisting change, and thereby running the risk of ossifying into a fossilized golden oldie? You know, a sort of a museum piece on the shelf that is respected, but perceived as out of touch with the times; a person who sadly is incapable of rendering the service God has called you to perform?

1 Most of the ideas in this Facts are drawn from Revolution George Barna, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.  2005

2 Ibid, Page 12