Back to the Basics

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We cannot neglect fundamental principles in ministry and expect to make a difference for eternity. We might put up some good appearances but in time what we do will suffer. We need to keep going back to the basics.

Why Remembering the Basics of the Christian Life Are So Important

How well we remember the basics can determine how well we stand and persevere. The basics form the foundation of all we do. A faulty foundation and eventually we crumble. A firm foundation and we can stand no matter how difficult life becomes. (Read Luke 6:46-49.)

How well we remember the basics can determine how well we flourish. Roots need good soil. Toxins, chemical imbalance, or excessive weeds can weaken or destroy what started as a good plant. Hard or rocky soil can keep things from growing. (Read Luke 8:12-15.)

Church Leaders May Need to Get Back to the Basics of God’s Purposes, Design, and Mission

Back to the Basics of Life in ChristEverything church leaders do needs to be firmly rooted in the basics of life in Christ like God’s purposes, design, mission, heart, and power for the Church. When leaders have a good grip on God’s intent for the Church, their own roles become more obvious, as well as the heart and means needed to fulfil that role.

Check out the church leadership training division of Ministry Tools Resource Center, TrainChurchLeaders.com, which devotes a section to getting leaders back to the basics.

Also check out the downloadable resources to help leaders steer the church in these directions.

All Believers Need to Remember and Live in Accordance with Who We are and What We Have in Christ

We all, regardless of ministry roles, need to get back to the basics in order to walk worthy of our calling in Christ Jesus (Eph. 4:1). We need to remember some key spiritual truths:

  • We are sinners saved by grace, cleansed from sin because of Jesus’ death on the cross. — Are you remembering that it is all about what He has done for you?
  • We were taken out of darkness to live in the light of His truth. — Are you living like a child of the light?
  • We are new creatures in Christ Jesus. — Are you growing more and more into the likeness of who you are in Christ Jesus?
  • We were placed into a Body of believers to be members of one another. — Are you taking time to fellowship with and serve other believers?
  • We are to be salt and light in this world. — Are you a testimony for Jesus in a bland and dark world?

Let’s guard against complicating the Christian life and what the Church is about. If we remember these basics we will be used by God to make a difference for eternity.

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Living an Abundant Life is Possible Because of Jesus

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In light of the hardships, dangers, sorrows, and trials of this world, we might question if the abundant life Jesus promised is possible. If it was up to us or dependent on our circumstances, we’d have reason to doubt. The possibility of us living the abundant life, however, rests on Jesus.

Living an Abundant Life Possible Because of Who Jesus Is

Abundant Life, to the Full, Possible Because of JesusJesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (Jn. 10:10). If Jesus merely came to earth as a man, albeit a good teacher and great example, then His claim of abundant life would probably just be an ideal to work toward. That, however, isn’t the case. Consider the One who made the claim and how that makes a full life possible right now.

  1. Jesus is our Creator. Having always existed, He knows the beginning from the end (Jn. 1:1-3; Rev. 21:6). He knows how we were made and what we truly need to have an abundant life and He has the power to give it to us.
  1. Jesus is Immanuel, God with us (Matt. 1:23). As God in the flesh, all the fullness and radiance of God resides in Him (Col. 2:9-10; Heb. 1:3). He possesses the kind of life He promised to give.
  1. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who cares for the sheep like none other can, ultimately laying down His life for the sheep (Jn. 10:11, 14-15). He has the love and compassion that drives Him to provide a full life for us.
  1. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, the firstborn from among the dead (Jn. 11:25-26; Col. 1:18). In being brought back to life, Jesus demonstrated that in Him there is power over death and sin so we can be overcomers.
  1. Jesus is the Living Water (Jn. 4:9-10; 7:37-38). He quenches our thirst like none other can. In Him we can be satisfied with little or much.
  1. Jesus is the Bread of Life (Jn. 6:35). He Himself is our daily sustenance. In Him we have what we truly need.
  1. Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 17:14; 19:16), sovereign over all. He not only has the power to grant us the life He offers but also the authority to do so.

No matter what we experience in this life, we can still have a full life because of this One who came to give us that life. Remember, “neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:39).

Take time to further reflect on the abundant life Jesus came to give us.

Jesus’ Claim
The Difference It Makes
How to Have It

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The Destructive Nature of Gossip

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Need Guard on Mouth as Gossip is Destructive
Gossip betrays people’s trust as information that should have been held confidential leaks out. It possibly ruins their reputation and harms relationships. In previous posts we considered how gossip can destroy the effectiveness of prayer chains. Due to the destructive nature of gossip, perhaps we should pray similar to the psalmist when he asked God, “Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Ps. 141:3).

General Principles About Our Communication To Apply to Our Temptation to Gossip

Since “the tongue has the power of life and death” (Prov. 18:21), we need a biblical handle on the seriousness of gossip. Begin with broad guidance about our communication.

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Ps. 19:14)

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Eph. 4:29)

Put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. (Eph. 4:24-25)

Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. (2 Tim. 2:16)

When tempted to gossip, let’s go back to these verses and ask if what we’re about to share is pleasing in God’s sight, helpful for building others up, righteous and holy. Or, does it fit under the category of unwholesome talk, falsehood, or godless chatter?

A Biblical View of the Destructiveness of Gossiping

Now look at how God gets specific about gossip:

  • Gossip is a cancerous condition, eating away at us from the inside out. “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.” (Prov. 18:8)
  • Gossip is a break in integrity. “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.” (Prov. 11:13)
  • Gossip is a symptom of a depraved mind out of fellowship with God (Rom. 1:28-32). When we gossip, we are giving in to the old sin nature.
  • Gossip is a divisive activity. “A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.” (Prov. 16:28) — However, “Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down” (Prov. 26:20). Let’s not fuel the fire but rather “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:3).
  • Gossip is a violation of love. When we gossip it’s like we’re secretly slandering a person. This is not the loving thing to do for “love does no harm to its neighbor” (Rom. 13:10).
  • Gossip is a tool in the devil’s hand. Gossip follows after the ways of Satan who is called an “accuser of the brethren” (Rev. 12:10). The word “devil” means prone to slander, slanderous. Remember the warning in Ephesians 4:27, “Do not give the devil a foothold.”

May these truths challenge us all to pray, “Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Ps. 141:3)

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The Way God Made Us Gives People a Choice to Make

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God Made People Capable of Making Choices
After God created the heavens and earth and all that was in it, He put the people He made in a garden that contained all they needed (Gen. 1-2). It was also a place God walked among them (Gen. 3:8) so they enjoyed blessed fellowship with Him.

God wanted people to choose to stay in fellowship with Him because He also wanted a love relationship with them. Without being given a choice of whether to obey Him or not, the relationship would be nothing more than robotic servitude. So, God told them they could eat from any of the trees except one. And, He made it clear that a choice not to obey this one command would come with consequences.

God Made People Capable of Choosing

Being made in the image of God, humans had a will that enabled them to make choices. Would they choose to surrender to this one command of God or do what they wanted? He would not force obedience. They needed to decide if all they had with Him was enough.

Implications: Since God Himself doesn’t force people into a relationship with Himself, let’s be careful not to use tactics to coerce or manipulate people. We must faithfully speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15) but in the end, people are responsible for their own choices. We cannot make them believe or obey. Let’s be careful we don’t turn people into hypocrites by externally conforming in order to look the part.

People Won’t Always Make the Right Choice

Being omniscient, God knew what Adam and Eve would choose to do. But, He gave them the ability to choose anyway because He wanted people to want to be in a relationship with Him and to willingly participate in His plans and purposes.

God went to extremes to show people how much He loved them and wanted to be in a relationship with Him, but many still rejected Him, choosing their own way. Ultimately He sent Jesus who would die on the cross in their place. — “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” (Jn. 1:11-13)

Implications: Let’s be real. Not everyone we share the Gospel with will put their trust in Jesus. Not everyone we teach will take what they learn and apply it to their lives. Not everyone we give benevolently to will be grateful and pass it forward. People won’t always make the right choices. But, let’s not get discouraged. God made people with a will to choose. We are responsible to faithfully minister to others. They are responsible for how they respond.

Choices Come with Consequences

Yes, in the end, each person is responsible for themselves. And, each person will reap the consequences of their choices. Adam and Eve chose to do the one thing God warned them about. They suffered immediate consequences, being expelled from the garden and losing that face to face intimacy with God (Gen. 3). And, their choice brought on long term consequences, with people being born thereafter with a sin nature. Sin has marred lives ever since.

Implications: Let’s not candy coat the issue. We reap what we sow. We can’t make people believe or trust God but we can help them make informed choices.

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Giving God Our All?

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God deserves our all — all of who we are in all of what we do. The question we must ask is if we’re giving Him our all from the depths of our being.

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. (Rev. 4:11)

How We Give Back to God What He Deserves

Giving a Worthy God Our All
If we’re going to give a deserving God our all, then in whatever we do, …

we do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus (Col. 3:17)
we do it all for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31).

Whatever it might be, in each and every aspect of what we do, we live like He deserves our all.

And, we do it with the right heart attitude … “giving thanks to God the Father through Him ” (Col. 3:17). We look at the big picture and don’t just live for the moment. That means we sometimes lay aside our freedoms, our rights, for the good of the whole (1 Cor. 10:31-33; Gal. 5:13). We do what we do as unto Him from the heart (Col. 3:23) not out of duty.

Since we’re self-centered by nature, this can be difficult. We can easily become distracted by everything that clamors for our attention. We can get so consumed by the circumstances of this life, both the good and the bad, that we sometimes forget the One who gave us life.

So, how do we keep the focus on Him? How do we give Him our all as He deserves? It won’t happen by our own striving but rather by His grace and the strength He provides for us in any and all situations.

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. (1 Cor. 15:10)

I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Phil. 4:13)

Giving God Our All from a Life Fully Devoted to Him

It’s going to take a life fully devoted to the Lord, one that loves and trusts Him with all of who we are, to do all we do in His name and for His glory.

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. (Mk. 12:30)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (Prov. 3:5-6)

Therein comes the motivation and confidence needed. We love Him from the depths of our being because He first loved us (1 Jn. 4:19) and consequently “want to” align with Him in every area of our lives. We commit all our ways to Him because of His incomparably great wisdom and strength (Ps. 145:3; Isa. 40:28; Eph. 1:19-20). This is a God who deserves our all!

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Ready for the Second Coming of the Lord?

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Second Coming of the Lord Jesus
Throughout the years people have been convinced that Jesus would return at any moment. Back in the early 1970s Hal Lindsey’s best-selling book, ‘The Late Great Planet Earth‘, and the movie, ‘A Thief in the Night‘, got people thinking Christ would return any day. But, the 70s and 80s went by and still no Jesus. Then there was a lot of talk about the world coming to an end at the turn of the millennium. Remember all the Y2K alarmists? Decades later Jesus hasn’t come!

— Yet, we still are exhorted to be ready for the second coming of the Lord. — “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” (Mark 13:32-33)

The Importance of Being Ready for the Second Coming of the Lord

Jesus stressed the importance of being ready in a parable, saying “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom” (Matt. 25:1). Five virgins had extra oil with them whereas the other five only had their lamps. The bridegroom didn’t come right away so when it was time to trim their lamps, the ones who weren’t prepared had to leave to purchase more oil. While they were gone, the bridegroom came and it was too late for them to gain entrance into the wedding banquet. The parable concludes, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matt. 25:13)

The five who weren’t ready missed out on a significant, life-changing event. So it will be at the second coming of our Lord. As history has proven, we can’t predict Jesus’ coming. If we aren’t ready, we, or others we love, may miss out.

How Choices We Make Now Will Impact Then

What we do or don’t do now will impact eternity. Here are just a few ways:

  • If we keep putting off making sure our hearts are right with God, if we don’t truly know Him, we’ll miss out on eternal life with Him in glory. Or, if we do know Him, this life won’t have as much meaning because we won’t be living in the fullness of life He came to give us (Jn. 10:10). So, let’s start by asking if we truly know Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord. Are we resting solely on the all-sufficiency of the work that Jesus did on the cross for our salvation? If, as believers, we’ve allowed other things to block fellowship with Him, let’s confess our sins (1 Jn. 1:9) and walk in the newness of life He came to give us (Col. 3:1-17). We may only have today to make these decisions.
  • If we keep shying away from sharing the Gospel with those who don’t know Him, they might miss out on eternal life with Him in glory for “faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Rom. 10:17). Are we making the most of the openings we have (Col. 4:5)? We may not have another opportunity.
  • If we keep busy with things that only matter in this life and fail to invest our time and resources into that which counts for eternity, we’ll miss out on rewards when we stand before Christ. What we have done in this life “will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light” and we’ll either be rewarded or “suffer loss” (1 Cor. 3:13-15). The Judgment Seat of Christ is for those whose destiny in heaven with Jesus is already determined so the loss isn’t salvation but undoubtedly rewards as it says that person “will suffer loss but yet will be saved – even though only as one escaping through the flames” (1 Cor. 3:15). We won’t have the joy of casting our crowns (rewards) at Jesus’ feet in worship (Rev. 4:10-11). Imagine seeing the Lord of lords and King of kings in all His glory and majesty with nothing to lay at His feet. That’s a true loss.

When Jesus comes, it will be too late to do the things we put off doing. — “Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.” (Mk. 13:33)

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