Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:15–16) My ministry passion reflects my times of weakness more than my times of success. For years, I I thought I could have the best of what God offered, and the best of what the world offered. I tried to blend two competing worldviews, and I found it didn’t work. God broke through that, drawing me into full relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. He also birthed in me a passion to disciple men. And He gave me a special interest in reaching out to men who are cultural Christians, because that’s where I used to be. My ministry passion comes from my failures, and I believe that will be true for most men. Perhaps you had a marriage problem, and now you are uniquely qualified to help men whose marriages are failing. Or maybe you battled an addiction, or endured through some type of physical 50 Wednesday—December 13•Restoration Fuels Ministry Passion lived “on the fringe” of Christianity, pursuing a god I wanted rather than the God who really is. suffering. Those weaknesses carry the seeds for ministry harvest. WEEK Week 9 Where do you need God’s restoration? How can that affect your desire to reach out to others? Daily Reading: Obadiah 1:1–21, Revelation 4:1–11, Psalm 132:1–18, Proverbs 29:24–25 Thursday—December 14•Protect Your Faith These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. (1 Corinthians 10:11) In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul lists several Old Testament examples of people who fell prey to various sins. That list begins with idolatry and proceeds to various forms of personal indulgence which all brought God’s discipline. Then Paul reminds his readers, those examples serve as warnings. I don’t believe anyone responds to Jesus, intending to fall away from that relationship. But it does happen. We prioritize other things over our relationship with God. That’s idolatry. And then we find ourselves mired in suffering that we never anticipated. Because of His great mercy, God warns us about the various attitudes and actions that can contribute to our demise. If you find yourself chafing at God’s warnings, I’d ask you to consider why you have that response. That attitude rarely comes from a spirit of humility. It usually indicates that someone is behaving like a rebellious teenager. Sometimes we see God’s warnings as limiting our freedom. In reality, they are expressions of God’s love, designed to protect us from drifting from our relationship with Him and falling away from our faith. WEEK Week 9 What happens when you disregard a warning light on your dashboard? What does that imply for people who disregard God’s warnings? Daily Reading: Jonah 1:1–4:11, Revelation 5:1–14, Psalm 133:1–3, Proverbs 29:26–27
20514 Man in Mirror
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