Discipleship Unveiled

The armor of God has been a topic that has been difficult to get our minds wrapped around. What it is and how we put it on, has seemed to be a bit mysterious. So maybe by looking at the effect of the armor we can get a better understanding of how to put the armor on. We previously looked at  The Helmet of Salvation , so let's take the next piece. We're leaving in,  The Effect of Armor,  section here for continuity. The Effect of Armor The most prominent place the armor of God is listed is in  Ephesians 6:14-18 NKJV .  Each piece of armor has an effect. Since it is spiritual armor, and we are physically oriented, it can be difficult to understand what is happening when we have it on. One of the things we know about armor is that once we are in the battle, we shouldn't have to think about the armor. It will passively protect us and we shouldn't have to give it another thought. We inspect, test and repair the armor on a regular basis and...

The armor of God has been a topic that has been difficult to get our minds wrapped around. What it is and how we put it on, has seemed to be a bit mysterious. So maybe by looking at the effect of the armor we can get a better understanding of how to put the armor on. We previously looked at The Shield of Faith , so let's take the next piece. We're leaving in,  The Effect of Armor,  section here for continuity. The Effect of Armor The most prominent place the armor of God is listed is in  Ephesians 6:14-18 NKJV .  Each piece of armor has an effect. Since it is spiritual armor, and we are physically oriented, it can be difficult to understand what is happening when we have it on. One of the things we know about armor is that once we are in the battle, we shouldn't have to think about the armor. It will passively protect us and we shouldn't have to give it another thought. We inspect, test and repair the armor on a regular basis and ensure it i...

The armor of God has been a topic that has been difficult to get our minds wrapped around. What it is and how we put it on, has seemed to be a bit mysterious. So maybe by looking at the effect of the armor we can get a better understanding of how to put the armor on. We previously looked at The Preparation of the Gospel of Peace , so let's take the next piece. We're leaving in,  The Effect of Armor,  section here for continuity. The Effect of Armor The most prominent place the armor of God is listed is in  Ephesians 6:14-18 NKJV .  Each piece of armor has an effect. Since it is spiritual armor, and we are physically oriented, it can be difficult to understand what is happening when we have it on. One of the things we know about armor is that once we are in the battle, we shouldn't have to think about the armor. It will passively protect us and we shouldn't have to give it another thought. We inspect, test and repair the armor on a regular basi...

The armor of God has been a topic that has been difficult to get our minds wrapped around. What it is and how we put it on, has seemed to be a bit mysterious. So maybe by looking at the effect of the armor we can get a better understanding of how to put the armor on. We previously looked at The Breastplate of Righteousness , so let's take the next piece. We're leaving in,  The Effect of Armor,  section here for continuity. The Effect of Armor The most prominent place the armor of God is listed is in  Ephesians 6:14-18 NKJV .  Each piece of armor has an effect. Since it is spiritual armor, and we are physically oriented, it can be difficult to understand what is happening when we have it on. One of the things we know about armor is that once we are in the battle, we shouldn't have to think about the armor. It will passively protect us and we shouldn't have to give it another thought. We inspect, test and repair the armor on a regular basis and en...

The armor of God has been a topic that has been difficult to get our minds wrapped around. What it is and how we put it on, has seemed to be a bit mysterious. So maybe by looking at the effect of the armor we can get a better understanding of how to put the armor on. We previously looked at The Belt of Truth so let's take the next piece. We're leaving in, The Effect of Armor, section here for continuity. The Effect of Armor The most prominent place the armor of God is listed is in  Ephesians 6:14-18 NKJV .  Each piece of armor has an effect. Since it is spiritual armor, and we are physically oriented, it can be difficult to understand what is happening when we have it on. One of the things we know about armor is that once we are in the battle, we shouldn't have to think about the armor. It will passively protect us and we shouldn't have to give it another thought. We inspect, test and repair the armor on a regular basis and ensure it is fitted corr...

There are plenty of studies on the armor of God that do a great job on describing what the armor is. Yet, it's still challenging to get a good grasp of what the armor actually is and how to put the armor on. Let's come at this in a little bit different way. Since the armor of God is such an important part of our walk, let's shift our thinking and look at it from a different perspective. Instead of starting with the what  and how of the armor, let's look at the effect of the armor and maybe the what and how will make more sense. The Effect of Armor The most prominent place the armor of God is listed is in  Ephesians 6:14-18 NKJV . Each piece of armor has an effect. Since it is spiritual armor, and we are physically oriented, it can be difficult to understand what is happening when we have it on. One of the things we know about armor is that once we are in the battle, we shouldn't have to think about the armor. It will passively protect us and we s...

There may be a few ways to look at happiness vs. joy and maybe this will add value to their distinctions. Happiness is generally determined by what is happening to us or even an accumulation of good or bad events or circumstances. Joy is completely different. It is determined by what we choose. When you ask someone if they are happy, the happy person says something like, "I feel good, things are going well, there haven't been any emergencies, my relationships are going well." The unhappy person says, "I haven't felt good, things are not going great, I've had a few emergencies and relationships have been tough." These are all external influences. Joy, for the Christian, is internal. It is a fruit of the Spirit and the Holy Spirit, in a Christian, is always producing this fruit. It's our job to get in on it. The barrier for doing this, comes from thinking we are the source of joy and we have to go outside of ourselves to get it. The Old Man ...

Dr. Chuck Missler went to be with the Lord on May 1st, 2018. It is difficult to put into words what he has meant to me as my heart has been heavy. He has taught the Word of God for decades and I am just one of so many that he has touched in that time. I am grateful to have known Chuck through his teachings. It was my Uncle Pat and Aunt Sheryl, who lent me the first Chuck Missler, Briefing Pack, which kicked off the most intense, insightful and thorough Biblical studies that I have ever come across. The Briefing Pack was called, The Coming Temple, Update . I remember it looking a little different than what you see here. The cover was pink and just had the words, The Coming Temple, Update , on the front. The pack shown here, I believe is a newer version. My first Briefing Pack If I remember correctly, the cover looked more like the following Briefing Pack, which I understand was Chuck's first Briefing Pack. He called it, a "Two Pack." I found this tidbit in...

There are many ways to confirm the authenticity of the scriptures and confirm the recorded accuracy of what makes up the 66 books of the Bible and the reality of the God of the Bible. Although, our best method for confirming the truth of the bible just may be what the psalmist suggested in 1 Psalm 34:8 (NLT) and simply, “Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” Yet, there are other fantastic ways to begin to see and confirm the authenticity of the Bible. Anything from showing the accuracy of the many ancient prophecies, to confirming the existence of individuals mentioned, the eyewitness accounts, detailed accounts of places, events, and even the timing of events, are all great places to start.  The study of Biblical Archaeology is one of these disciplines that can be persuasive logically and coherently in showing someone of the opposing view, why Christianity is a Worldview  that makes a lot of sense, and in fact, does...

How many of us know scriptures? It's a lot. Yet, we find that many Christians feel lost or ineffective in their walk with their Lord and Savior. Discipleship is the mechanism for guiding new and self proclaimed, ineffective Christians, to a clear and productive walk. So, if you're going "all in" to seek the Lord, you'll find that in a discipleship relationship, you won't just walk. You'll run! Discipleship is more than just taking a class or hanging out with a knowledgeable brother or sister in the Lord. Discipleship takes the form of an intimate relationship between two brothers or two sisters in the Lord. In a discipleship relationship you will experience a close relationship with someone who will help you understand who God is and His plan for this universe. They will guide you in understanding who we are in Christ, how to walk with the Lord and inform our ministry. In this discipleship relationship, the "discipler," uses several sk...

Have you ever wondered why there are so many great Christian men and women that read the same scriptures and come to so many different and seemingly contradictory conclusions? Well, me too! There's actually a good way to understand this phenomenon, and understanding it can really help us in our discipling. Perspective and fluid circumstances, are things that can be difficult to get our mind wrapped around. If only we were like the Lord and had unlimited knowledge. Yet, we will find that we don't need all knowledge if we have a great thinking strategy. One reason we are commanded to be transformed by the renewing of our mind is because when we come to the Lord we think like the world. The challenge to transition our thinking is analogous to the question, "does a fish know he is in water?" How can we take on God's thinking process when we are not even sure where the boundaries of our worldly thinking lie? Jesus thought in ways that were foreign to everyon...

There are three basic ingredients that go into our walk with the Lord. Prayer, reading the scriptures and connecting with other Christians. As much as we are grateful to the Lord for our new life, we still find that we struggle to do even these seemingly simple things. Why is that? It's because we do not understand the process of growing in the Lord. We need to be discipled. It is a vital part of coming to know the Lord and designed to bring us together that we can be of one mind, as the scriptures instruct us to do. Without discipleship, we see growing in our walk much differently than the Lord does. In fact, the ways of the Lord are difficult to understand until we grow into them. As a new creation in Christ we grow through having our mind renewed. There is a way that God sees that we cannot. God has a thought process that our old nature, which is the only way we knew, cannot understand. We need to adopt a new way of thinking or we simply will not know God or who He is...

We continue to drill down through the  Three Phases of Salvation , into   Sanctification , and finally, with a focus on repentance. Repentance & Renewing Your Mind There will certainly be more to be said about all of the aspects of falling into sin and returning to obedience but here is a quick outline to use as a guide when we do fall. The path of repentance is the process of recovering from our sin and is the mechanism of renewing our mind. ~~~~~~~ Falling Into Sin So, let's say we fall into sin. Jesus takes up our case and presents it to our Father.  ~~~~~~~ Conviction The Holy Spirit then immediately brings conviction. ~~~~~~~ Godly Sorrow This conviction brings sorrow. If we have a worldly sorrow we remain in our sin and ineffective. If we have a Godly sorrow it will bring us to repentance... every time!  Sorrow can be as quick as, "Wow! I know that is not who I am in Christ and I want to be like Jesu...

We continue our look at the Three Phases of Salvation , focusing in on Sanctification. When we are sanctified we are going through a process of becoming Christ-like. This is where we respond to an ongoing work of the Lord. The response on our part is obedience in faith. It's important to note, that all phases of salvation, Justification, Sanctification and Glorification, are done in faith and the growth is from the Lord. In sanctification we grow in Christ through obedience done in faith.  Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit [Rob: Justification] and soul [Rob: Sanctification] and body [Rob: Glorification] be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. -  1 Thessalonians 5:23 NASB Becoming Christ-like  What we see in this stage is an opportunity to grow, stumble, recover and then continue to grow. In our relationship with the Lord, even though we are separated from...

It is sometimes debated that fasting is not part of the New Testament and not a necessary or effective part of walking with the Lord in our modern day. This is an easy fix. Jesus said: "And when you fast..." - Matthew 6:16 NLT "But when you fast..." -  Matthew 6:17 NLT "Then they will fast." -  Matthew 9:15 NLT The command to fast, and certainly the expectation to fast, from Jesus was pretty clear. Fasting is a function, much like faith, that works the same way in the New Testament time as it did in the Old Testament. And Abraham is also the spiritual father of those who have been circumcised, but only if they have the same kind of faith Abraham had before he was circumcised. ... So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe. - Romans 4:12, 16 NLT...

When we believed and confessed that Jesus is Lord we were saved. That is to say, we were made perfect in the eyes of God. Looking closer, we see that we repented, believed and confessed what was in our heart. Jesus is Lord! We are now a new creation in Christ. Now, what? Once we are born again and become a new creation, it doesn't take too long to realize that, although we are right in God's eyes because of the work Jesus did on the cross, we were still susceptible to sinning. It can be confusing, if not difficult, to grow in the Lord if we do not under what is happening in our salvation. The Three Phases of Salvation Since salvation is realized in three phases we want to understand each phase and understand God's part and our part. The good news is, God does it all. However, there is a corresponding effect on the believer as He molds and shapes us. Justification The larger scope of salvation involves three distinct stages in a Christian's walk. We are sa...

We have a good idea as to what being politically correct is. In our culture it has a stranglehold on our ability to come together and share a purpose. The practical result of a PC culture leads to extreme deficiencies in effectiveness, communication and thought. We passively learn to live with PC norms. A little here and a little there. Then, just like the proverbial frog in the warming pot, we are neutralized. As Christians we are not immune to this effect. In fact, not only are we bombarded by the PC culture that surrounds us in public, we find that within the church we have another PC culture that we tolerate. It has the same impact on effectiveness, communication and thought. We witness this as we look across the body of Christ and see many, wonderfully saved by grace Christians who know scripture but are ineffective in their ministry. They have been in Christ for years yet do not have direction, vision or understand the ministry that the Lord has given them. Building For...

Have you ever wondered why when Jesus spoke to the disciples and others, they seemed so confused? Jesus was from another world and He thought differently than we Earthlings do. Therefore, we see our Lord responding to questions with questions. He was doing this because they were asking the wrong questions. Jesus used his questions to change their perspective. He was taking the first steps in changing they way they think. We see Paul furthering the work of this new way of thinking when he wrote to the Church at Rome, "for I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established"  Romans 1:11 NKJV So, where exactly did Paul want to establish those he was writing to? In the mind! The word  "established"  refers to a work of strengthening the mind. It means to be made stable, strengthened, to render constant, confirm, one's mind. It's not just important what we know, but our perspective as a new creation in Christ....

We want to give great value to the work we put in for the Lord. Yesterday's accomplishments can truly be significant and honorable but sometimes those wonderful achievements hold us in the past. How do our good works hold us in the past? Good works hold us captive in the past when we give what we have done in the past, more value than what we can do today. Have you ever had someone come to you who was seeking biblical wisdom about a challenge before them and when you began to teach them, they kept referencing things they accomplished several years before? Yea, I went to bible college. Well, I have read through the entire bible... 5 times! You know, I used to pray for 3 hours a day. I served at the church for 10 years. I've thoroughly studied that topic for many years. I know. None of these wonderful accomplishments have as much value as what can be accomplished today. They may have come to you for help today but they can't hear you because yesterday...

As Christians we can have trouble developing the mindset to do the things we know the Lord called for us to do. Spending time on our prayer list, reading the Word and connecting with other Christians on a consistent basis is almost a mystery to solve. Well, what if we thought of ourselves as Christian entrepreneurs? We generally think of an entrepreneur as being a businessman. The truth is, an entrepreneur is "also" a businessman. They may perform many tasks but more importantly, they are someone who is passionate about an idea. This passion is carried out through a variety of activities. The Dictionary.com definition tells us that an entrepreneur is a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, especially a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk. The Many Hats of an Entrepreneur  An entrepreneur wears many hats. Let's use the actions presented at the beginning of this article as an example. When we pray, read the Bible and connect with...

Miracles are generally attributed to an event where someone is in a bad situation that seems impossible to get out of. A person gets thrown from a car in a horrific accident where the driver seat is crushed. Somehow that person sails out the window 50 yards and sustains minimal to no injuries. Miracle! It does happen and these really are supernatural events. I'm sure we could all reflect on when one of these unexplainable events has occurred in our lives where we witnessed something that seemingly, should not occur. Yet, somehow it does. Many see these providential moments as acts of God. They are so moving, due to the supernatural aspect of the event that we tell the story for the rest of our lives as an inspiration to ourselves and others. We ask, "maybe God is working on my behalf. Maybe there is a purpose to life?" We as Christians take great joy in celebrating this power and mercy of our Lord and we should. Yet, let's look at a kind of miracle that God...

It's inevitable that when we are in a conversation we are going to say something that is wrong. It can be a misspeak, a missed truth, a missed fact, a misunderstanding. We could simply just be wrong. So, then what's next? As Christians, we are not responsible for knowing everything. We are responsible to continue to learn about our Lord and to be curious about God and His ways. So, there's no reason to be embarrassed. Just apologize quickly and move on! Confess your sins to each other... - James 5:16 NLT That's it! When you or someone you're engaged with in conversation points out something wrong, and it's clear that it's wrong, apologize and move on to the truth. Wasting time waiting to see if what you said will eventually "work itself out" can cause you to drift away from the truth. It will certainly get you off topic and can render you ineffective in the conversation. There a good reasons for apologizing quickly and moving on: Y...