Submission To Jesus

“As we submit to the claims of Christ and the demands of the Gospel, we receive Jesus by grace through faith. He comes into our lives in the Person of the Holy Spirit, plants a flag on the beach of our souls, and radios back to heaven that we now belong to our rightful Father, and no longer to the father of lies.

Following Jesus means submitting to Him in every area of our lives. We may not pick and choose with Jesus. He is not Someone for merely a part of our lives, at our beck and call whenever we like; He is Lord of all, and that means Lord of all our lives, every moment, every situation, for our good and His glory . . .

. . . We do not claim Jesus, or possess Him. Quite the opposite, in fact.”

– T. M. Moore

The Emmaus Model of Ministry

What can we learn from that “walk to Emmaus” about ministering to the people God has placed in our path? In Luke 24, Jesus gives us a ministry model worth imitating. Four ministries served two hopeless travelers on one road in a single day, yet they show us the history-shaping life and ministry of Jesus on a small scale. He walked with us, talked with us, taught us, and brought us to himself through the taking, breaking, and giving of his body for us. These are the ministries of incarnation, inquiry, interpretation, and ignition.

Read the rest of my latest article at Gospel Centered Discipleship . . . 

While you are there be sure to check out the many helpful resources GCD has produced to help the Church make, mature, and multiply gospel centered disciples of Jesus.

A Prayer For Christian Unity

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, three-in-one God, one God in three persons . . .

You are the original relationship. You are the original God-centered, others-oriented community. You are the MODEL for the unity of Your Church. Our Lord Jesus prayed that we would live in holy relationship with one another, even as You live as a holy relationship.

But we have fallen short of the glory of Your loving unity, Lord. Forgive us: for we have hurt and hated one another, we have turned away from and not toward one another, we have talked about and not to one another.

But because of His great love for us, the Father planned to provide peace through the Son by the power of the Spirit. You have forgiven us so that we might be able to forgive those who have sinned against us. You are not only the glorious MODEL but also the gracious MEANS by which Your people live in unity.

Now we ask, Lord, that Your work of redemption for us and in us might powerfully work reconciliation between us. Stir our hearts to forgive as we have been forgiven, to reconcile with one another even as we have been reconciled to You.

We ask this in the name of Jesus, who lives and reigns with the Father and the Spirit, one God, now and forever,

AMEN.

The Cup Of The New Covenant

On Thursday of Holy Week we remember that first Lord’s Supper when Jesus said “this cup is the new covenant in my blood.”

Do you have any idea how much meaning is poured into that cup?

Perhaps this excerpt from Cruciform: Living the Cross-Shaped Life will help you get a taste of how sweet the new covenant promises are for those who are in Christ Jesus: