Clearing the Fog

Revolution.

That's what we are talking about.  But I'm not quite ready to fully dive into what exactly I'm talking about.  But maybe I can clear out some of the fog from yesterday's post.  First of all, a definition.  From this point forward the following definition is how I am referring to revolution.  

nonu -  a sudden, complete or marked change in something

I am not inciting anyone to pick up arms, start fights, or anything of that nature.

This is not another Occupy Wall Street type movement.

That said this isn't going to be easy.  It's not going to be all flowers and sing-a-longs.  Those who participate will be misunderstood.  Antagonized.  Insulted.  Possibly even feared and hated.  I can not promise the absence of pain or suffering.

What I can promise, is hope.  And it's not even my promise to make.  It's already there.  Waiting.

Hope that things can be different.  That chains and repressions that have been unacknowledged or ignored for decades, and longer, can fall away.  Hope that tomorrow can be a better day despite the challenges that may come.

Hope.

So, as a question today I leave you with this.

Are you willing to endure what may come?

grace, peace & HOPE

-Bear

How Many Licks?

The old Tootsie-Pop commercial came to mind while I was ruminating over this post.  The one where the kid asks how many licks it would take to get to the middle of the Tootsie-Pop.  It always frustrated me that the owl stole his candy to answer the question.  I have a question, so don't steal my candy to answer.

Perhaps that's not the best way to approach the concept today.

But I wonder.

No big rambling.  Just a question.  A question I'd like to hear some of your thoughts.  So get off your butts, well um, lean forward in your desk chair, or hover over your mobile device and let me see some serious feed back.


The question is transformational.  Life altering if taken seriously.  In a world that threatens control, over how we live, what we think, say and do: do we accept this or not?


If you do accept it, read no further.  You've taken the blue pill and stay safe in your bed.


If you don't accept it, here's a glass of water to go with the red pill.


The question is:

How do you start a revolution?


(more about this idea next time, but until then, please leave a comment!)

grace, peace & hope
-Bear

Hold On To What You Believe

Music is a powerful thing.

The same song can take different people to different places.  One of my favorite bands is Mumford & Sons.  I'm not here to advocate that they are for everyone.  But I find many of their songs to challenge me and encourage me on in my faith.  (If you want to discus "spiritual vs secular" feel free to email me through my profile.)

For everyone else curious about how this ties to discipleship, read on my friends, read on.

This week I stumbled upon their live album and a new song that wasn't on their debut release.  The title bears the same name as this post.  Hold On To What You Believe.  Everything about this song just gets into my skin.  From the swelling intro, the mellow yet pacing verses back to a swelling wave of the chorus.  The chorus is made up of two simple lines:

"But hold on to what you believe in the light
When the darkness has robbed you of all your sight"

I haven't been able to get those words and that thought out of my head all week.  When darkness robs you of your sight, hold on to what you believe in the light.  It makes me think of Joseph.  The seven years of plenty, followed by the seven years of famine.  Or maybe it's Jesus telling his disciples that he will soon be leaving and that their lives will get very difficult.  (John 15)

They need to hold on to what he taught them.  To how he showed them how to live.  To hold on to what they experienced in the light of his time with them, because the darkness was coming.

We've discussed before that being a disciple is essentially being a student.  Once we become a disciple, we are to make disciples of others.  Teaching them the things Jesus taught us.  That's the basis of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20).  (Note - that's where our name "M28" comes from!)

Just before Jesus tells the disciples about the difficulty they will soon face, he tells them that they are branches, and he is the vine those branches belong to.  He encourages them to "remain in me."  Or if I may paraphrase;

 "Listen, there's a storm coming.  You're going to face all kinds of trouble because of me.  The world is going to hate you.  But that's alright cause they hated me first.  You don't belong to the world.  You belong to me.  And no servant is greater than his master.  If they persecute me, believe that they will persecute you too.

Think of it this way, I'm this vine here.  You are these branches.  If one of them is cut off, it won't produce fruit.  They have to stay in the vine to produce.  Just like you.  You have to hold on to me.  Hold on to what I've taught you.  Cause there is a darkness coming and soon I won't be here.  Hold on to what you believe in the light when the darkness robs you of all your sight.  Remain in me."

 In a way, the words of this song, especially the chorus come through my speakers or headphones as an encouragement from Jesus himself.  "Hold on to what you believe!  Hold on to me!  Hold on!"

So take that encouragement from me, and from Jesus, and if you have fellow followers of Jesus around you share it with them.  Encourage each other to hold on to Jesus.  To what he taught you.  And teach those things to others.

Hold fast, hold tight...hold on.

Grace, Peace & Hope
-Bear

On My Knees

In my last post we defined what being “lost” means. We also learned some easy ways to partner
with people and support them in their spiritual journey. But, sometimes it feels like we pray so hard
for an opportunity and yet, no one seems to cross our path. You are not alone in this! I believe as followers of Christ, we have a desire to partner with people and help them, with God’s help of course. We can’t change people, only God can.

Discipleship, as defined by the dictionary, is the making of a person who is a pupil or devotee of a doctrine (Christianity in this case), or a follower. At M28 we believe in the divine mission to find desperate or lost people. In fact, you will find resources and advice on the M28 website. Ok so enough about the obvious.

If you’ve been praying but do not have a disciple now, be continuously passionate in your prayer for the lost to cross your path.  We may never see the full harvest, but this is our divine mission. Pray continuously, and God will provide the right person in his timing, not our own.

I’ve been part of M28 since it began and I have not had the opportunity to partner alongside a non-believer. I pray continuously for God to bring the right person across my path. I keep asking God why, but then I’m reminded of some of the fruits of the spirit: faithfulness, selflessness and patience.
Am I truly being faithful in my prayer?  Am I praying for someone to cross my path because I truly want to lead someone to Christ? Or am I just doing what I’m “supposed” to do. I have to remind myself to be patient and faithful when I spend time on my knees in prayer for those that are desperate and in need of the Lord.

We all most likely know someone who is desperate.  Are they waiting for us, as believers, to make the first move? I pray that you spend time in prayer daily to complete the great commission God assigned to us. If you do this, God will provide opportunities for you to plant seeds. Maybe it won’t happen in the next month or two, but remember God wants us to exhibit perseverance and not give up because we haven’t had the opportunity yet. In 2 Chronicles 15:7 it says, “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”

We should want God to orchestrate the “how, who and when” of these opportunities. So be fervent and habitual in your prayer life. God is faithful and as he calls us to be disciple-makers, start with prayer, add a sowing of the seed, and pay attention to who may cross your path. God promises to be by your side and help lead you with the right words to say. God will provide and equip you to do his
work. His word says that he will never leave us or forsake us.

Ephesians 2:8 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not for yourselves, it is the gift of God.” So get on your knees and pray fervently for those who are desperate, so that they too can receive this gift.

Lost

Lost

The season premiere for ABC’s television show ‘Lost’ posed this question; can people from
a plane crash survive on a (supposed) deserted island until they are rescued? After being on the island for several weeks, the survivors try to hold on to hope. However after weeks of no signs of being
rescued, they end up taking things into their own hands.

Jesus also tells us people are lost. But what did he mean? If you are familiar with the show Lost, you know that people on the deserted island were waiting to be rescued and returned back to their homes and lives.

I believe Jesus uses the word ‘lost’ to explain people who lost their way and are desperate to find their way home too. Have you ever been lost in the woods? I have. You wander around wandering what
direction to go to find safety. I can tell you that you get this panicky feeling because you have no idea where you are or where you are going. You lack control but have to rely on some hope that someone will find you and show you the way. It’s a risky situation but you hold on to hope that you will be
rescued someway or somehow.

As believers, we are assigned the divine task of showing the lost their way. But we must also acknowledge that most people don’t always know they’ve lost their way.  They must come to a personal realization that they need more and cannot do it alone. It can be nerve racking, awkward and risky for us to share our faith. We ask ourselves: Why won’t people listen? Why is it so hard to let
someone else show them the way?

People are stubborn, prideful and resistant to the idea that there is someone that can help them. Pride can get in the way and overshadow the true meaning of discipleship.  We can be our own worst enemies because we feel weak when we allow someone to help us. But, God provides strength, courage and wisdom in difficult times if they seek after his word.

So what do we do to help people find their way? First you need to pray that those who are lost
are put into your life (1 Tim 2:1). Then, they have to want to be found, as strange as that may sound. You know that if they aren’t desperate enough to find something or someone to show them the way, then they are not ready to hear how they can be helped.

Next, you need to take time and invest in them and do life with them. You need to be authentic. You need to be an example and show Christ’s love. People need this example, especially those who have bad habits and slip into old ways.

This takes a personal investment.

Lastly, once they have found Christ, then they need to help others find their way. Our job
is to plant the seed of discipleship into their hearts. Think about the multiplication and effectiveness that God’s word can have if those of us who have found the Lord take on this divine mission.

I know that sometimes this can appear to be a large task.  However, you already know that with God’s help everything is possible. It’s easy to pray for the lost to come into your life, but when they do, you need to be ready. Pay attention to the people around you.