Years ago, I saw an illustration that has stayed with me. A woman was given a large glass jar and several rocks of various sizes, including large rocks, pebbles and sand. She was asked to put all the rocks into the jar. As she struggled to get all the rocks in, it became clear that […]
discipleFIRST Blog
Jesus gives you the power to join Him on mission. Jesus said, “As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you,” (John 20.21 NlT). In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus added, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone,” (Mark 16.15 NlT). It is very clear that Jesus has sent you […]
A wise person finds balance to life. Usually when we think of balance, we picture our life like a scale. Balance is found in dividing our time, resources and energy evenly among all the demands of our life. Everything is segmented; everybody gets their fair share. Unfortunately, life just doesn’t work that way. Work demands […]
Anytime God wants to initiate something new, he calls one of his own to make a bold move. You can count on it. It was certainly bold for Abraham to leave his retirement plans in Ur and venture out into an uncharted land. It was bold for David to face off against the giant, Goliath. […]
Let’s go back up to the mountain in Galilee. Jesus is casting His global vision to His disciples. He said, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy […]
Joining Jesus’ mission means living a fruitful life. On the night before He died, Jesus spent time with His disciples. These were His last words to the men He had loved and poured His life into for more than three years. As they walked through a vineyard on the slope of the mount of olives, […]
Sharing the Gospel starts with realizing what’s at stake. Joel Hutchinson treaded water as he watched the plane his father was piloting sink into Lake Erie. He was only seven years old the night he survived the plane crash that killed both his father and his brother. As the boy struggled to keep his head […]
Now, let’s take a minute to review. A disciple is a person who is DEVOTED to Jesus. (He has personally come to faith in Christ.) A disciple is a person who is DEVELOPING in the character and competencies of Jesus. (He is continually being changed both inside and out.) This disciple is also DEPLOYED into […]
In May 1971, a Texas newspaper featured an article titled “What They’re Saying” that quoted Frank Outlaw, president of the successful supermarket chain BI-LO: “Watch your thoughts, they become words; watch your words, they become actions; watch your actions, they become habits; watch your habits, they become character; watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” It […]
Imagine over 2 million Jewish slaves wandering in the wilderness. For 400 years they were enslaved in Egypt, providing the hard labor force to support the luxurious lifestyle of its citizens. God had heard their cries and brought them out by His own power under the direction of moses. Next, they were wandering, waiting on […]