GOING DEEP

 

Too often we are content to splash around in the shallows. Stephen Olford reminds us in these devotional thoughts to go deeper. How much productivity have we missed in ministry because we did not launch out by faith according to the Word of the Lord?

If you recall the story, the disciples had fished all night and caught nothing. Then Jesus commanded them to get back in the boat and go back in the water—but to go deeper this time. Simon protested initially. Perhaps he thought, “We are worn out. We have been at this all night with nothing to show for it. We just got our nets clean. I mean, we are experts at this as fishermen by trade—and You are carpenter!”  

Have we studied methodology, immersed ourselves in demographics, and made excuses for the lack of response  by pointing to the difficulties modern culture presents?  There is help that may be found and truth to acknowledge in those areas, but supremely our call is to say, “Master we have toiled…and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net,” (Lk. 5:5). 

When I get to heaven someday will the Lord show me what might have been had I only trusted in Him?

To their credit, the disciples did as Jesus said—and that faith enabled them to catch so many fish, the weight of them nearly sunk the boats!  Peter recognized the sinfulness of his unbelief and the power of Christ, falling at the Lord’s feet in repentance. The Lord let them know that this wasn’t really about catching fish, but would illustrate His call for them to catch men!

These simple fishermen in faith and obedience to the Lord changed the course of history and impacted eternity. It is said, “they forsook all and followed Him,” (Lk. 5:11b). God desires to do a deeper work in us and through us. Let us trust Him!

WHEN JESUS SHOWS UP!

 We know that the glorified Christ is omnipresent and therefore always in the church house, but what we need is the MANIFEST presence of the Lord—to experience Him in the house of God. In a sense, we may “shut the door” to His ministry—as the church at Laodecia did (cf. Rev.3:20). Let us pray for the glorious encounter with Jesus as we gather as His people. May we open the door of our hearts to Him. He has promised to come in!  Consider the words of Stephen Olford for what happens when Jesus is “in the house.”

MILK OR MEAT?

Babies need milk. They would choke on meat. When people come to Christ, they are born again, and need the first principles of God’s Word. That is how they develop.

Growth is normative.  This is discipleship. Believers should mature and move beyond ingesting the milk of the Word to digesting the meat of the Word.

A mark of physical maturity is the capacity to reproduce. Growing the congregation in spiritual maturity yields reproduction also. Those who are taught become teachers themselves.

Another indicator that people are maturing in faith is the skill with which they comprehend and communicate the Scriptures. There is a high level of discernment to sort out truth from error and to practically apply the Word in knowing the good to embrace and the evil to exclude.  The senses are exercised and a vitality in spirituality is evidenced.

Sadly, this congregation of Hebrews had not grown out of spiritual infancy. This is a frustrating matter for a Bible preacher.

Yet, do we shoulder some of the blame?  Have we been so invested in attaining a larger congregation numerically that we have neglected developing a deeper congregation spiritually?  Has there been a resolve on our part to lead the church to set a high standard for membership that demands accountability in discipleship?  Is our own study so shallow that we lack the content and communication skill to serve a hearty meal?

As you prepare to preach will you be able to feed them milk or meat?  Let us prayerfully consider this matter for we will give a strict accounting to God for it at the Judgment Seat of Christ!

STUFF I’VE LEARNED THAT SEMINARY DIDN’T TEACH ME #25

 How many years have you done Gospel ministry?  Think before you answer. Do not assume that if you have been preaching and serving churches for 25 years, that you have 25 years of ministry. You may have done 1 year 25 times or 3 years, 8 times!  

What do I mean by that?  We may be tempted to do everything the same way we always have done it. The sermons are recycled from church to church, the ways we express ourselves, the daily routine, and the traditional methods may become like ruts in our lives, dug ever deeper through repetition. You know what they say about a rut—it is a grave with both ends kicked out!

What do I not mean?  I am not saying it is never appropriate to adapt a former sermon to a new audience. Just don’t make it a habit. Nor am I saying that certain disciplines do not cry out for constancy. 

Just don’t go through the motions!  Don’t be a pastoral zombie, just doing the job as a job—a hollow man who outwardly does the task like being on an assembly line, while mind and heart are miles away. 

Sharpen the edge. Seek the Lord for a fresh touch and rekindled passion. Recall the words of John Piper’s book, “Brothers,  We Are Not Professionals!”

STUFF I’VE LEARNED THAT SEMINARY DIDN’T TEACH ME #24

Never stop learning. When a tree ceases to grow, that tree is dead!  That will be true of you. Oh, you might be still walking and doing stuff, but so do the walking dead in zombie movies. That is hardly how you want to be.  Leaders are learners. You can even learn from those you do not totally agree with—remember that everyone may not be as brilliant as you, yet still have something to say. After all, a broken clock is right twice a day!  With some authors and preachers, you must eat the meat, but spit out the bones!  I understand that we are warned of those, “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy‬ ‭3:7‬ ‭NKJV‬‬). Yet, but a little later, Paul instructs student Timothy, “ “But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (‭3:14-15‬). What makes the difference?  In the former case, one judges truth by the world’s distorted lens, while in the latter, we judge truth by the Word’s eternal lens.