Monthly Archives: September 2018

To give to the needs of others is a principle that is throughout the Bible. It is a way to learn to trust God. As we give away more of our resources, we are forced to rely on God more than on self-dependence.

To give up food, TV, or -gasp- the Internet, is helpful to show us that God is god and not food, TV or the Internet. If I rely on anything more than on God, I should think about doing without this thing for a period of time. One way to decide what may be the most important object of fasting would be to decide what is the thing you think you cannot do without. Then decide to do without it for a given period. One of the first lessons I learned about fasting from food was that I should have a specific matter to pray about, then, every time I felt hungry from not eating, I should pray about that request.

To decide to open our heart, minds and ears to those who have yet to meet Jesus is paramount to following Jesus faithfully. Praying to become aware of those who need to hear the gospel and then the grace to go tell them is our personal great commission.

The Great Commission has an imperative. As you’re going, make disciples. In the book, As We’re Going I explore disciple making historically, theologically and practically. Throughout the book you are reading, I refer to meeting with fellow disciples. Here, I’ll simply point you back to that larger work on the subject.

It is important for me to name my sin and admit it to God. Without this naming and admission, repentance is very difficult. James instructs us to confess to one another. Jesus taught us to go to the offended brother, and then come to the altar. Making a regular practice of confession, to God, to one another, to the person who gives us spiritual guidance, will allow us to keep the Devil from using unconfessed sin against us in our heart and in the heart of others. I find it helpful to have a written prayer of confession that I pray each morning (or each night) that has a place to pause in silence and consider what sin of omission or commission needs to be confessed.