05/07/09 - Building a Leader: The Right Raw Material [Peter]

The twelve apostles included “Simon, who is called Peter” (Matt. 10:2).

Peter is a good illustration of how God builds a spiritual leader. He begins with a person's natural traits and works from there. Natural traits alone don't make a spiritual leader–the person must also be gifted and called by the Holy Spirit to lead in the church and be a model of spiritual virtue. But often God endows future leaders with natural abilities that constitute the raw materials from which He builds spiritual ministries. That was certainly the case with Peter, who demonstrated the leadership qualities of inquisitiveness, initiative, and involvement.

Peter was always asking questions. In fact, the gospel records show he asked more questions than all the other disciples combined! People who aren't inquisitive don't make good leaders because they're not concerned about problems and solutions.

Initiative was another indicator of Peter's leadership potential. He not only asked questions, but also was often the first to respond when Jesus asked the questions (e.g., Matt. 16:15-16; Luke 8:45).

Also, Peter loved to be in the middle of the action, even when it got him into trouble. For example, we might criticize his lack of faith when he sank after walking on water, but remember, the rest of the disciples never even got out of the boat.

Peter was inquisitive, showed initiative, and sought to be involved. How about you? Are you inquisitive about God's truth? Do you take the initiative to learn about Him? Do you want to be involved in what He is doing? If so, you have the raw material for spiritual leadership. Continue to cultivate those qualities, allowing the Spirit to use you for God's glory.

Suggestions for Prayer:
    * Pray for your spiritual leaders.
    * Ask God for opportunities to lead others in the way of righteousness. Use every opportunity to its fullest.

[Father, thank You for the life of apostle peter, for using him as an example of how You build a spiritual leader. thank You for the miracles You have been doing in the lives of men and women You chose to lead Your people. bless them more as they continue to lead and guide us. bless also the ones you're already forming to become leaders. lead everyone to Your Love, Grace, Truth, and Christ-likeness. take away everything in us that's from the enemy and help us be more accountable to one another. i'm sorry if i became i bad example to others. please remind me and rebuke me right away, soften up my heart, and take away any pride. continue to mold me and make me. may i glorify you in all my actions, speech, and thoughts. Lord it's awesome to be a part of Your Kingdom! all these i lift up to You, in Your Name Lord Jesus, and by Your Power Holy Spirit. so be it.]

For Further Study: Read the following verses, noting the kinds of questions Peter asked: Matthew 15:15, Matthew 18:21, Matthew 19:27, Mark 13:2-4, and John 21:20-22.

[From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, http://www.crossway.com.

05/11/09 - Leading Others to Christ

The twelve apostles included "Andrew" (Matt. 10:2).

Andrew was Peter's brother and a native of Bethsaida of Galilee. From the very start we see him leading people to Christ--beginning with his own brother.

The gospel of John records his first encounter with Jesus: "John [the Baptist] was standing with two of his disciples (Andrew and John), and he looked upon Jesus as He walked, and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God!' And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. . . . One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He found first his own brother Simon, and said to him, 'We have found the Messiah' (which translated means Christ). He brought him to Jesus” (John 1:35-37, 40-42). Later Jesus called both Andrew and Peter to become His disciples, and they immediately left their fishing nets to follow Him (Matt. 4:20).

Our next glimpse of Andrew is in John 6:8-9. It was late in the day and thousands of people who were following Jesus were beginning to get hungry, but there wasn't enough food to feed them. Then Andrew brought to Jesus a young boy with five barley loaves and two fish. From that small lunch Jesus created enough food to feed the entire crowd!

Andrew also appears in John 12:20-22, which tells of some Greeks who were traveling to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover feast. They came to Philip and requested to see Jesus. Philip took them to Andrew, who apparently took them to Jesus.

Andrew didn't always know how Jesus would deal with a particular person or situation, but he kept right on bringing them to Him anyway. That's a characteristic every believer should have. Your spiritual gifts might differ from others, but your common goal is to make disciples (Matt. 28:19-20), and that begins with leading sinners to Christ. Make that your priority today!

Suggestions for Prayer: When was the last time you told an unbeliever about Jesus? Pray for an opportunity to do so soon.

[Father, thank You for apostle andrew's example. please give me a heart that loves people's souls. i want to make leading people to You my priority. please give me the boldness, wisdom, and compassion that the Lord Jesus had. all these i lift up to You, in Your Name Lord Jesus, by Your Power Holy Spirit. amen.]

For Further Study: Do you know how to present the gospel clearly and accurately? As a review read Romans 3:19-28, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Ephesians 2:8-10, and Titus 3:4-7.

[From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, http://www.crossway.com.

05/13/09 - Being Zealous for the Lord

The twelve apostles included "James the son of Zebedee" (Matt. 10:2 ESV).

Like Peter and Andrew, James and John were fishermen. One day as Jesus walked the shores of the Sea of Galilee, He saw them in a boat with their father Zebedee and some hired servants. When Jesus called them to follow Him, they immediately left the boat and went with Him (Mark 1:19- 20 NLT).

James and John were zealous and ambitious men--so much so that Jesus nicknamed them "Boanerges," which means, "Sons of Thunder" (Mark 3:17 NLT). At times their great zeal got the better of them. In Luke 9:54 for example, after a Samaritan village had rejected some of the disciples, James and John asked Jesus for permission to call down fire from heaven to incinerate the whole village! On another occasion they sent their mother to ask Jesus to give them the most prominent places in His kingdom (Matt. 20:20-28 NLT). They wanted power, prestige, and honor, but Jesus promised them suffering and, in James's case, a martyr's grave.

James was probably the eldest of the two brothers. His name is listed first whenever their names appear together in Scripture. Perhaps he was also the most zealous and passionate of the two since that he was the first apostle to be martyred. When King Herod decided to persecute the early church, he had James put to death with a sword (Acts 12:2 NLT). When he saw how much that pleased the Jewish people, he had Peter arrested but didn't kill him. Apparently James was a bigger threat than Peter. That tells us something about the powerful ministry he must have had.

Like James and John, some Christians have a zeal that prompts them to run ahead of the Holy Spirit. If that's true of you, be thankful for your zeal but also be careful to allow the Spirit to govern what you do and say. However, if you've slipped into spiritual complacency and your life isn't much of a threat to Satan's kingdom, you need to repent and become more zealous for the Lord!

Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to give you a holy zeal that's motivated by love and governed by His Spirit.

[Father, thank You for James' example of zeal for You. please give me the same Holy Zeal that is motivated by Your Love and driven by Your Holy Spirit. this i lift up to You, in Your Name Jesus, by Your Power Holy Spirit, let it be.]

For Further Study: Read John 2:12-22 NLT.

    * How did Jesus demonstrate His zeal for God's house?
    * Why were His actions necessary?

[Jesus drove out the animals and the people who were treating God's temple as a marketplace instead of a real temple of worship. Jesus did that because He loves the Father and because God is just Holy and God dwells in the temple.]

[From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, http://www.crossway.com.

Post edited 12:51 pm - May 15, 2009 by SekihMentis

05/15/09 - Speaking the Truth in Love

The twelve apostles included "John" (Matt. 10:2).

Some people picture John as overly sentimental and egotistical, lying with his head on Jesus' shoulder and constantly referring to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved. But that's not an accurate characterization of one of the "Son of thunder"! He loved Jesus deeply and was amazed that Jesus loved him--especially after he wanted to burn up the Samaritans and then secure a prominent place for himself in Christ's kingdom. Calling himself "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (e.g., John 21:20) was simply his way of marvelling over God's grace in his life.

As much as he loved Jesus, John never allowed his love to deteriorate into mere sentimentalism. In fact, the proper balance between truth and love is the hallmark of his ministry. In his writings we find the word love more than eighty times and witness nearly seventy times. His profound love for Christ compelled him to be a teacher of love and a witness to the truth. To him, obedience to the truth was the highest expression of love. As 1 John 2:5 says, "Whoever keeps [God's] word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected.”

John's greatest joy was to know that his spiritual children were walking in the truth (3 John 4). He firmly denounced anyone who attempted to divert them from that goal by denying or distorting God's Word.

Today, media talk shows and other influences have blurred the lines between opinion and truth. One man's opinion is purported to be as good as the next, and there's little talk about what's right or wrong.

Truth suffers even within the church because many Christians are willing to compromise it to avoid upsetting people. They forget that true love flourishes only in the atmosphere of biblical truth (Phil. 1:9).

Amid such confusion, God calls you to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). The world doesn't need another opinion–it needs God's absolute and authoritative Word!

Suggestions for Prayer: Thank God for the gift of His love and the power of His truth. Ask Him to make you a person of ever-increasing biblical integrity.

[Father, thank You for the power of Your Love and Truth. like apostle john, i want to stand for Your Truth in Love. let me be aware of false teachers, false faith, false agenda, false doctrines and give me the courage to rebuke them in Your Truth and Love. let me have the love, zeal and integrity for Your Word and do so as i fall in Love with You. Lord it's not about what we think or know; it's all about what You say, You've said, Your Truth; it's all about You. help our church to discern the things that are not from You. all these i lift up to You, in Your Name Lord Jesus, by Your Power Holy Spirit, let it be.]

For Further Study: Read Revelation 2:1-7.

    * What strengths did the church at Ephesus have?
    * What did it lack?
    * What did Jesus require of it?

[the ephesus church was hard-working, patient, enduring, intolerant of evil people, and discerning of false teachers. but the church wasn't loving each other and wasn't loving God as they did when they first loved Him. Jesus demanded that they turn back to Him, do the works they did at first, repent from their wrongs, and discern the works of the Holy Spirit.]

[From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, http://www.crossway.com.

05/21/09 - Beyond Doubt to Hope

The twelve apostles included "Thomas" (Matt. 10:3).

When Jesus was crucified, Thomas was shattered. He loved Jesus deeply and wanted always to be with Him. He was willing even to die with Him, but now his greatest fear had been realized: Jesus was gone.

Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus appeared to them after His resurrection. John 20:25 says, "The other disciples therefore were saying to [Thomas], 'We have seen the Lord!' But he said to them, 'Unless I shall see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” Thomas was emotionally spent and unwilling to subject himself to any further pain. So he retreated behind a wall of empiricism, saying in effect, “I'm not going to believe this on your word alone. I need proof! I must see Jesus myself.”

Because of that, people have labeled him “Doubting Thomas,” but remember, none of the disciples believed the resurrection until Jesus appeared to them. Thomas wasn't a compulsive doubter–he was a loving pessimist.

As it turned out, Thomas didn't need as much proof as he thought. When Jesus finally appeared to him and invited him to touch His hands and side, Thomas didn't do either. Instead he immediately cried out, “My Lord and my God!” (v. 28)–which is the greatest single confession of faith ever made.

Thomas struggled with doubt because he didn't understand what Jesus said about His own death and resurrection, and he wasn't with the other disciples when Jesus first appeared to them. He failed to understand God's Word and forsook the company of believers–two common mistakes that can lead to doubt.

Jesus doesn't condemn you when you have doubts. Instead, He gives you His Spirit, His Word, and the fellowship of His people to encourage and strengthen you. So commune with the Spirit in prayer, know the Word well, and never forsake the fellowship of believers. That's how to change your doubts into hope!

Suggestions for Prayer: Thank God for the presence of His Spirit, the power of His word, and the fellowship of His people.

[LORD God, thank You for Your faithfulness to me and other people. thank You for Your presence, Your Word, and the works of Your hand. thank You for encouraging me through other people's faith, their works, their lives. Holy Spirit thank You for your presence in our lives. Lord Jesus thank You for Your Word; for pointing us to the Father and for making Him known to us. thank You LORD God for turning our doubts into hope. thank You for blessing us and showing us You are real. all these i lift up to You, in Your Name Jesus, by Your Power Holy Spirit. amen.]

For Further Study: Read Luke 24:13-35.

    * Why didn't the two disciples recognize Jesus?
    * How did Jesus change their doubts to hope?

[they probably didn't recognize Jesus because of His glorified body (v.16) and apparently, the they didn't know the what the Scriptures said about Jesus the Messiah so and they claimed and believed Jesus died and that was all for Him. Jesus changed their doubts to living hope by enlightening them with what the Scriptures said about Him and by showing them that it is Him that is talking to them.]

[From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, http://www.crossway.com.

05/23/09 - Marveling at God's Forgiveness

The twelve apostles included "Matthew the tax-gatherer" (Matt. 10:3).

Matthew describes himself as "Matthew the tax-gatherer" (Matt. 10:3). He is the only apostle whose name is associated with an occupation. Apparently Matthew never forgot what he had been saved from, and never lost his sense of awe and unworthiness over Christ's forgiveness.

This is how he set the scene of his own conversion: Matthew 9:1-8 tells us Jesus forgave the sins of a paralytic man and then healed him of his paralysis. When the Jewish scribes accused Him of blasphemy for claiming to have the authority to forgive sins, He said to them, "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, and walk'?" He wanted them to know His miracles testified of His deity. As God, He could as easily forgive sins as He could heal diseases.

Immediately after that account, Matthew gave the account of his own call. It's as if he wanted his own salvation to serve as an illustration of Christ's ability to forgive even the vilest of sinners. Matthew 9:9 says, "As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man, called Matthew, sitting in the tax office; and He said to him, 'Follow Me!' And he rose, and followed Him."

When the Pharisees questioned Jesus's practice of associating with tax-gatherers, He said to them, "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. . . . I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (vv. 12-13). The Pharisees were sick with sin but thought they were healthy. Matthew and his associates knew they were sinners who needed a Savior.

Do you share Matthew's humility and sense of awe at receiving Christ's precious gift of forgiveness? I pray that you do and that you are continually praising Him for it.

Suggestions for Prayer:

    * Thank God for the wonder of forgiveness.
    * If you have lost your sense of awe over God's forgiveness, perhaps you're taking His grace for granted. Confess your apathy and ask Him to give you a deep appreciation for the enormous price He paid for your salvation.

[Father, thank You for Your forgiveness throught Our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus thank You for everything that You've done so we can be forgiven and be one with the Father. i'm sorry for i have taken Your forgiveness for granted. Holy Spirit please give me a deep appreciation for the sacrifices that Jesus did for my salvation. all these i lift up to You, in Your Name Lord Jesus, by Your Power Holy Spirit. amen.]

For Further Study: As a reminder of what Christ endured for you, read Matthew 26:17–27:56, which chronicles the events of His betrayal and crucifixion.

[From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, http://www.crossway.com.