1 John 4:19; Mark 12:29-31; Matthew 22:37-39 (Refer to last week’s post for the seven texts on Love - https://loveandlordship.com/blog/discipleship-loving-response-required-to-his-lordship/) Foundation: I can only love because God first loved and still/always loves me (1 John 4:19) From the moment that Adam and Eve ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil sin entered the world and mankind has since been completely marred by it. This means that in and of ourselves, while there are remnants of our being created in God's... Read More
March 4, 2021
Discipleship: Loving Response Required To His Lordship
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This isn’t going to be easy so I begin with a reminder…I'm sharing the direct words of Jesus...I'm just the messenger. We must heed what our Lord says. First let’s recap what He has called us to in order to be His disciples... 1) He must be the utmost priority in our life; 2) We must give ourselves wholeheartedly to Him; 3) We must give up everything for His sake, including our right to our life, our self and our right to be right (Luke... Read More
February 24, 2021
Discipleship: Walking According to His Truth
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Here are some simple thoughts on discipleship from Jesus Himself (Luke 14:25-35)... Christ must be the absolute #1 Priority (Lord) in your life (vv. 26-27)We must commit and submit wholeheartedly, not half-heartedly (vv. 28-32)We must die to or give up our selfish desires and possessions (v. 33)If we follow through on the above we can be devoted disciples; if we do not we can't be. I said simple, not easy? These can’t be done in our own strength…only by His Spirit! These 3 specific choices... Read More
February 10, 2021
Valentine, Marriage and “Family Privilege”
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St. Valentine is celebrated for Romance, love and sex. What if that’s only part of the story? His real life’s work that should be celebrated is for God’s institution of Marriage…and we, as His Church must take up the mantle in our day and culture! Let me start with 5 reasons that Valentine’s Day and Marriage are good for…1) Your Spouse; 2) Yourself; 3) Your Family; 4) Christ’s Church; 5) Our culture! If we’re not on the right foundation, and Marriage in God’s design is... Read More
January 27, 2021
The Lordship of Christ – Walking as His Disciple
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Two simple things The Spirit brought to my mind from His Word and from Oswald Chambers regarding Christ being Lord of every part of my life: 1) I must die completely to myself (Galatians 2:20). Oswald Chambers called this going to my own "white funeral" (read the powerful, short devotional here (https://utmost.org/do-you-walk-in-white/) and in another place he calls it going to the funeral of my own independence...fully surrendering and dependent on God in Christ, which leads to the second simple Truth... 2) Christ must live... Read More