Having the Faith for What’s Next
By Pastor Colin

In the Navy, my ship would often go on extended deployments out to sea – sometimes for several months at a time. And since we didn’t have access to phones, calls with my wife were scarce. Weeks would often pass before we could hear the simple sound of each other’s voices. And each time, it was incredibly difficult to say goodbye – to speak those last few words. So I wonder if it was that difficult for me, what does a soldier in Iraq say on the phone to loved ones when they know that call could be their last? Everything hangs on those final words.

Jesus taught us so many great things, but I believe that one of the most important aspects of His ministry was revealed at the very end: just before His ascension, with His last words.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18b-20)

I am by no means an expert in the original Greek. But I do find it interesting that in these verses, only one statement is in the imperative tense – a command – and that is to “make disciples.” Clearly, discipleship is important to Jesus. It was so important that as He gave this final commissioning statement to His followers, He commanded them to make disciples. Notice that the command is not to make converts, but disciples: people who will both publicly declare their conversion through baptism and will obey everything that Jesus commanded to His original followers.

So does this mean that Jesus’ legacy was a mere book of rules and regulations for us to obey? Absolutely not! The Good News of the Gospel ushers in a depth of freedom and peace that could never be achieved outside of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. After all, if our favor with God could be measured by the mere adherence to rules and regulations – by following the law, rather than the Law-Giver – then “Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:21).

So what, then, does it mean to obey what Jesus commanded? It is to study His example as His apprentice, to follow in His footsteps, and to allow Him to continue His work through each of us in our homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods. This calling to follow Jesus is by no means a spectator sport. But fortunately, we don’t have to rely upon our own strength and wisdom. It is solely through God’s grace and the indwelling work of the Holy Spirit that we are empowered to do His work and be His disciples.

But let’s be honest. This life of a disciple is not an easy one – requiring us to have a deeply genuine faith in our Lord and His hand in our lives. It’s much like the trust of a child jumping into his daddy’s arms. And as Brennan Manning points out in The Ragamuffin Gospel, without that child-like trust, our “faith is bartered for cozy, comfortable piety… a failure of nerve and an unwillingness to risk distorts God into a Bookkeeper, and the Gospel of grace is swapped for the security of religious bondage.”

During these 40 Days of Faith, we shattered the chains of religious bondage as we experienced the power of God’s Kingdom slicing into our present reality. We witnessed restoration, healing, and breakthroughs. In the past, so many of us were numb and willing to settle for very little of God’s power in our day-to-day lives. But alas, my friends, we have now tasted the glory. And once you’ve experienced even just a slice of God’s Kingdom, the status quo simply isn’t good enough anymore.

So what now? I, for one, want more. I want to grow deeper in my relationship with Jesus and I want to see more of His Kingdom power break into the midst of our reality here at the Vineyard. Will you join me in praying for this season of faith to continue here at our church? Will you join me in seeking a deeper, more intimate walk with the Lord as we each grow as disciples? It’s time to act on the faith that the Lord has been stirring within each of us over these past 40 days. This journey of faith cannot end; it must not end. For He is risen! And He has called each of us to join Him in His work. So have the faith to jump into your Daddy’s arms, because what an awesome honor and privilege it is to serve Him!

Colin Tuggle is the Executive Pastor at the Vineyard, handling the administrative, financial, and facility issues of the church. He and his family joined our fellowship last year. Colin and his wife, Lisa, will soon be starting a Home Group designed for parents and their young children, which will meet on Sunday afternoons.

Un-leaven Livin’
By Rich Jenkins

Matthew 5:13-16
“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Luke 13:18-21
Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.”

Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

In these passages, Jesus compares our witness to salt, mustard seeds, fire and yeast. He uses parables about very small but potent ingredients, each requiring a proper measure to remain active. I believe that when Jesus walked as a man on this earth he understood how small and insignificant we would feel. Yes, God allowed him to feel small and outnumbered sometimes. I’m not saying that Jesus was inadequate, because He certainly wasn’t. Jesus always knew He was fully man and fully God, but He constantly demonstrated for us that His almighty power had nothing to do with size.

God is for the little man!

He has loaded the Bible with analogies and parables of the concentrated might of the miniature. Consider David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. The Bible says “Goliath was over 9 feet tall” and that David was “only a boy!” When James speaks about our evil words in James 3:5, he likens our small tongue to a spark that can set a forest on fire.

Jesus himself says in Matthew 17:20 “I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Jesus knows the power of the little man. He constantly reminds us that it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but rather the size of the fight in the dog. Jesus is our source of power and demands us in John 15:5 to remain in Him: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” If you stay plugged into your source of power (Jesus), “Nothing will be impossible for you.” If we allow Jesus to grow our faith, He will give us opportunities and trials to exercise it.

Your small size cannot limit the power of Almighty God. There is nothing He won’t do for you and nothing He can’t do through you. However, in order to be a tool in His mighty hand, our faith must remain active. We must daily exercise our faith, through prayer and being in His Word, so it remains vibrant and living. Without faith, we live un-leaven lives. “Neither hot nor cold but lukewarm” was Jesus’ rebuke in Revelation 3:15.

Take this time to pray to our Father and ask Him to “Give me courage when I feel small. Show your mighty power in me.”

Work diligently today to exercise your faith. Trust Him in all things and know that He cares for you. Above all else, seek His will for you.

Rich Jenkins is an Elder in Training at the Vineyard. He, his wife, Val and four children have been part of our fellowship since the very first meeting in June of 1993. They open their home as the host of the Murfin Field Home Group on the first and third Monday of each month.

This devotional was recently featured in the Summer 2008 issue of “The Gift”, a quarterly journal published by TwoShirts.org.

Confessions of a Tightwad
By Brian Stevenson

Some people have said that admitting your problem is the first step to recovery. I’m desperate, so let’s give it a shot, “Hello, my name is Brian, and I’m a tightwad.” Here are some telltale signs of a tightwad:

1. We will agonize over the idea of buying something, then agonize a second time after the money has been spent.
2. When we go to a restaurant with friends we breakdown the cost of every appetizer and divvy up the cost down to the penny.
3. If we find one small thing wrong with a product or service, we will insist they waive all or part of the bill rather than give an opportunity to correct what’s wrong.

We tightwads might outwardly claim noble titles such as “frugal” or “thrifty”. However, we pass up purchases not because we enjoy saving money but because we hate to part with our cash. We will often abstain from buying material things not because we are striving to live a simple life, but because we find security when we hoard our money. In other words, tightwads are dominated by a sense of fear.

I believe that God has spoken words of encouragement for us in Psalms 112. When you read this passage, look for three things: 1. How do we relate to the LORD? 2. What do we receive from the LORD? 3. What is our response to the provision of the LORD?

Psalms 112:1-10
1 Praise the LORD.
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who finds great delight in his commands.

2 His children will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.

3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.

4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.

5 Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
who conducts his affairs with justice.

6 Surely he will never be shaken;
a righteous man will be remembered forever.

7 He will have no fear of bad news;
his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.

8 His heart is secure, he will have no fear;
in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.

9 He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor,
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn will be lifted high in honor.

10 The wicked man will see and be vexed,
he will gnash his teeth and waste away;
the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.

The author of this Psalm draws our attention to a righteous person. This righteous person relates to the Lord with praise, reverence, and delighting in His commands. In other words, the righteous have a relationship with God that is full of life. In Psalm 119 we read how the words of the Lord are sweeter than honey! Our relationship with God is not supposed to be bland or boring; it is supposed to be enjoyed.

The righteous receive several things from their relationship with God; blessings, provision for our needs, and sense of security. God does not promise a smooth-sailing life; he promises to be with us in all of our circumstances. The righteous still go through darkness (v. 4) and get bad news (v. 7). The difference is that when a righteous person places their trust in the Lord, they will have no fear during their circumstances. In other words, our foundation should be built on the Lord, not our wealth.

The righteous respond to their relationship with the Lord in several ways. They are generous, compassionate, and do what is right. The righteous simply do what they see their Father doing. Since they have placed their trust in the Lord, they are now free to respond generously with all of the resources they are stewarding.

Take some time to meditate on your relationship with God. If it has been a little dry lately, consider a reading one Psalm each day for the next eight days (Psalm 92, 103, 104, 106, 111, 146, 147, 148). Ask yourself, “Where am I finding security; in my money or in the Lord?” Remind yourself that your greatest treasure and source of security is not your money, but rather God Himself. When we begin to embrace the immeasurable treasures of our Lord, our natural response is to give freely and generously.

__________________________________
Brian Stevenson is a Twoshirts.org member and student at Vineyard Leadership Institute. He is married to his wife Tanya and together they live in Columbus, Ohio.

I was invited to participate in a panel discussion for a Baptists for Life youth event. Each year, they have a high school lock-in for some of the baptist churches in the area. In the early part of the evening, I was on this panel; then for 5 hours I played games at Magic Mountain!

Here is Panel Question #2:

You are in a relationship with a very nice young woman that you met in your youth group. The two of you have been dating for about 1 year and you really like each other, you have even talked about getting married someday. One evening while your parents are out with friends the two of you are home alone. After several minutes of “making out” your girlfriend says that she thinks that the two of you are ready to “take the next step in your relationship and sleep together”. You do believe that this is the person that God will have you marry so it would be okay right? What should you do?

This WOULD have been my answer (but we ran out of time):

Can I have a show of hands… How many of you have heard of Song of Songs or Song of Solomon? How many have read some or all of it? What’s the book about?

Love, marriage, sex…

I remember reading this book when I was about your age and thought, “Whoa, who put this in the Bible!?” In Chapter 4, I would read the passages that talk about all the female body parts and wonder, “Your eyes are like doves?” “Your hair is like a flock of goats?” “Your teeth are like a flock of sheep?” “Your neck is like a tower?” How many of you have complemented your girlfriend by saying, “Sweety, your hair is so nice; it’s like a flock of goats.” Not so much.

Then I’d read passages like, “Your lips drop sweetness like a honeycomb” and I’d be like, “Yeah, now we’re getting to the good stuff!”

But, this book isn’t just about the physical features we admire in the opposite sex. The underlying themes in this book are courtship, marriage, and the intimacy found within the marriage relationship.

Throughout their courtship in chapters 1 through 3, they modeled a healthy relationship that was filled with love, excitement, and anticipation for the future. Then in chapter 4 after their wedding, the newly married couple begins to consummate their union. The husband says to his bride, “You are my private garden, my treasure, my bride, a secluded spring, a hidden fountain.”

What do you think the man meant when he said: Private garden, secluded spring, and hidden fountain? There were some parts of their relationship that were still a mystery and had yet to be explored and enjoyed. I want you to remember that your girlfriend is treasure from God. Certain parts of that treasure are to remain unexplored until you are joined together in marriage.

I was invited to participate in a panel discussion for a Baptists for Life youth event. Each year, they have a high school lock-in for some of the baptist churches in the area. In the early part of the evening, I was on this panel; then for 5 hours I played games at Magic Mountain!

Here is Panel Question #1:

My 16 year old friend who recently broke up with her boyfriend just found out that she is 8 weeks pregnant. She has not yet told her parents, who are going to be very upset, and her ex-boyfriend tells her that “it’s not even really a baby yet, just have an abortion”. What should I tell her? Is a baby alive at 8 weeks of age?

Here was my response:

I’d like to read a Psalm to you. This is a song of David.

Psalm 139:13-16
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

Did you notice a recurring theme in this song? Seven times the word YOU was used as he sings this song to God. David is intentionally pointing upward and gives God the credit for three things:

1) He is created by God
David didn’t give credit to his parents for his existence; it was God who knit him together. At times we’ll say a pregnancy is unintentional or accidental, but God doesn’t make mistakes.

2) God’s creation is wonderful.
David unleashes his praise to God saying, “Your works are wonderful, I know that full well!” Does he sound unsure about that? Anything that God creates is wonderful.

3) God has an intimate relationship with his creation.
Even before David understood that he had a relationship with God, God already had an intimate relationship with David. This relationship started even before he took his first breath! God knew everything about David’s body, his personality, his character, and his inmost being. But it didn’t stop there; God knew everything about David’s future before any of it happened.

Psalm 139 isn’t so much about David as it is about the sovereignty of God. When we are faced with difficult circumstances in life, it’s easy to focus on ourselves and make a decision that will make things easier on us. But, before you make up your mind about what do you with a pregnancy, I challenge you to enlarge your perspective to take into consideration God’s sovereign plan. God doesn’t make mistakes.