Together # 3
A Together of Relationship with God
A Together of Relationship with God
Together Be Led by Jesus Christ
copyright by Dick Wulf, 2018
Jesus is the King of the kingdom of God. He is to be followed as He leads us individually and together. Help one another want to be led by the King for the work of the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 16:24; Matt 19:28; Luke 18:22;
John 8:12; John 10:3-4; 2 Cor 5:15; 1 Peter 2:21
I suspect that every Christian knows he or she should follow Jesus. But we may not have considered carefully what it means to be led by our Lord.
How many believe that following Jesus only means to know biblical doctrine, attend church, and do a little good now and then? How many realize that it means more than just living a moral life? How many interpret following Jesus as just dealing with life’s usual difficulties in a biblical way?
Jesus explained following His lead this way:
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple
must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
Matt 16:24
must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
Matt 16:24
If we consider Jesus’ life on earth, the Bible indicates He spent most of His time doing difficult things. Yet, don’t we think that the Christian life should be easy? We need to think again. The cross Jesus said we need to pick up before we follow His lead refers to the cross of crucifixion. It means that the work the King of the kingdom of heaven wants us to do here is not easy.
The good news is that suffering produces Christian character and molds us into the image of Jesus Christ. Seen from the perspective of heaven and life eternal, suffering is not so horrible. Fortunately, the difficulty of following Jesus is easier and less debilitating if we let Jesus lead us together with other Christians.
Because so many of us accepted Jesus as our personal Savior to get good things from God, we never really considered that we are to be following Jesus. As a result, we keep asking God to do things for us – to lead His life around our needs. This would be all well and good if we with equal sincerity and desire asked what He wants us to do for Him.
Whether we consider it or not, Jesus Christ is our Lord (think “boss”) and Savior. Our old selves, who we were before we became Christians, are still in control of too much because we have not committed ourselves quite enough to be led by Jesus Christ. This holds back our new self which, created in Christ Jesus, is designed to be led by Jesus to live for Him and His work in this sin-contaminated culture.
The good news is that suffering produces Christian character and molds us into the image of Jesus Christ. Seen from the perspective of heaven and life eternal, suffering is not so horrible. Fortunately, the difficulty of following Jesus is easier and less debilitating if we let Jesus lead us together with other Christians.
Because so many of us accepted Jesus as our personal Savior to get good things from God, we never really considered that we are to be following Jesus. As a result, we keep asking God to do things for us – to lead His life around our needs. This would be all well and good if we with equal sincerity and desire asked what He wants us to do for Him.
Whether we consider it or not, Jesus Christ is our Lord (think “boss”) and Savior. Our old selves, who we were before we became Christians, are still in control of too much because we have not committed ourselves quite enough to be led by Jesus Christ. This holds back our new self which, created in Christ Jesus, is designed to be led by Jesus to live for Him and His work in this sin-contaminated culture.
As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved.
Eph 2:1-5
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Cor 5:17
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Eph 2:10
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We are in a process of transformation whereby at the start we are most aware that Jesus is with us to help us. Then, as we mature in our faith, we become more aware that we are to be with Him in this world – to live for Him and help with what He is doing.
And he died for all, that those who live
should no longer live for themselves
but for him who died for them and was raised again.
2 Cor 5:15
should no longer live for themselves
but for him who died for them and was raised again.
2 Cor 5:15
What is the work Jesus is doing with which He will ask us to help? It is what God the Father wants. We are called to serve Jesus our King and Commander-in-Chief who serves God the Father.
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me
and to finish his work.”
John 4:34
and to finish his work.”
John 4:34
Jesus will lead us if we are willing and seek what He desires. We Christians must help one another follow Jesus, because following Jesus, not just calling Him “Lord”, is necessary to enter the kingdom of heaven.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Matt 7:21
but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Matt 7:21
This may sound like salvation is attained by good works, but doing the good God the Father wants is the result of salvation by faith, not the cause of salvation.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.
Eph 2:8-9
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If someone has not been saved by God’s grace, she or he cannot do good to the glory of God. If it is merely good, but not for His glory, it is not a sign of citizenship in heaven. Salvation empowers doing the will of God to glorify Him.
We Christians are already in the kingdom of heaven and need to follow the King. If we understand what this means, choosing to be led by Jesus is difficult. We need one another’s help to walk into the storm of following Jesus.
We Christians are already in the kingdom of heaven and need to follow the King. If we understand what this means, choosing to be led by Jesus is difficult. We need one another’s help to walk into the storm of following Jesus.
For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.
1 Peter 2:21
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We live in a world that is not aligned with God. Therefore, God is trying to do things in ways contrary to the values of individuals and society. Since He is doing those things through us, this life before heaven will be difficult for those who allow themselves to be led by Jesus. But, the eternal rewards are great and will be discussed shortly.
For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him,
but also to suffer for him, . . .
Phil 1:29
but also to suffer for him, . . .
Phil 1:29
The Scriptures that indicate we are to be led by Jesus are usually too hard for individuals. Our strength is in the Lord, but His strength is made available when Christians are being led by Him together in their Christian friendships, families and marriages.
God does big things, far more than simple and easy things. The big accomplishments of God take more than one Christian working alone, just as building a house or a bridge requires many people. What a mistake, then, to primarily focus on the Lord’s individual leading. But, that is what we usually do. We seek how God wants to lead us in the choice of a career or job, or what house to buy. Not that such things are wrong, they just don’t take into account the more complicated things God wants to do through our efforts.
Therefore, both when alone and with other believers, we should always be aware that the Lord leads us together for significant things, often hard but extremely valuable from the perspective of God’s work in the world. Together with other Christians we need to ask Jesus what He wants us to do. Sometimes we will be asking God what He wants one of us to do. Confirmation by other believers with whom we are close to and who have proven loyalty to God over loyalty to us is called for occasionally. At other times, what is called for is Christians together to ask the Lord what He wants them to do together, especially as Christian friendships, Christian families, and Christian marriages.
Once in a while we can join a large group to which Jesus has assigned work. Certainly, in our churches we can seek our place in the work of the congregation. This is very important, but just a start. Most of the important things God wants done take teams of Christians who know one another well, trust one another, know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and are committed together to God.
Christian friendships, Christian families, and Christian marriages, following Jesus together, are in many ways the most powerful forms of the church. A few friends following Jesus together, listening to what the Lord wants them to do, will find the Savior directing them to tasks of great love for others in one way or another. A family working together can take on assignments one family member alone could not address. And, a marital team can be led by Jesus to do many things not possible by the husband or wife alone.
We have not been adequately taught the power of Jesus and two or three Christians. We need to stop incorrectly applying Matthew 18:20 to larger groups.
God does big things, far more than simple and easy things. The big accomplishments of God take more than one Christian working alone, just as building a house or a bridge requires many people. What a mistake, then, to primarily focus on the Lord’s individual leading. But, that is what we usually do. We seek how God wants to lead us in the choice of a career or job, or what house to buy. Not that such things are wrong, they just don’t take into account the more complicated things God wants to do through our efforts.
Therefore, both when alone and with other believers, we should always be aware that the Lord leads us together for significant things, often hard but extremely valuable from the perspective of God’s work in the world. Together with other Christians we need to ask Jesus what He wants us to do. Sometimes we will be asking God what He wants one of us to do. Confirmation by other believers with whom we are close to and who have proven loyalty to God over loyalty to us is called for occasionally. At other times, what is called for is Christians together to ask the Lord what He wants them to do together, especially as Christian friendships, Christian families, and Christian marriages.
Once in a while we can join a large group to which Jesus has assigned work. Certainly, in our churches we can seek our place in the work of the congregation. This is very important, but just a start. Most of the important things God wants done take teams of Christians who know one another well, trust one another, know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and are committed together to God.
Christian friendships, Christian families, and Christian marriages, following Jesus together, are in many ways the most powerful forms of the church. A few friends following Jesus together, listening to what the Lord wants them to do, will find the Savior directing them to tasks of great love for others in one way or another. A family working together can take on assignments one family member alone could not address. And, a marital team can be led by Jesus to do many things not possible by the husband or wife alone.
We have not been adequately taught the power of Jesus and two or three Christians. We need to stop incorrectly applying Matthew 18:20 to larger groups.
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”
Matt 18:20
Matt 18:20
Jesus is omnipresent and, therefore, with believers when they are alone and when they are in large groups. However, there are things that can happen in a small, intimate group of two or three with Jesus that will not happen in larger groups.
Note that Jesus took only three of His twelve disciples to witness His transfiguration and meeting with Moses and Elijah, recorded in Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9. Jesus even told Peter, James, and John not to tell the other disciples or anyone else what had happened until after He died and rose again from the dead. Even if we are not sure what it was, there was a reason Jesus worked with just three of His disciples. And there is a reason that Jesus works in special ways when two or three of us meet in His name.
Two or three friends consciously meeting in the name of Jesus, under His authority, can pay attention to Jesus being with them. If they do, He can more easily communicate with them and show things to them. Two or three Christian friends should agree with one another that whenever they are together they are gathering in the name of Jesus and will do their best to recognize that Jesus is with them in a way that is different and more intimate than His presence with individual Christians or believers in larger groupings. If they sincerely do this, they will be led together by Jesus. He will point out to Christian friendship groups where to follow and serve Him.
Two or three such friends in restaurants will be aware that Jesus might ask them to do something, often His purpose hidden just as it was to Peter, James, and John at the transfiguration. Perhaps Jesus knows that a waitress needs a compliment of some specific kind. Perhaps the waitress is a single mom struggling financially and needs a double or triple tip. In this latter case, one friend will say that she or he thinks she or he hears Jesus asking them to leave a much larger tip. If another says that the same thought came to his or her mind, the message from Jesus sitting in the restaurant with them is heard and, hopefully, acted upon.
Obviously, two or three friends at an outdoor community event will be confronted with many ways to serve and help people. However, with their ears tuned to their invisible Lord, they will hear in their spirits specific things that seem like Jesus leading them and telling them something He would like them to do. They can check with each other to see if anyone else heard or hears the same message and then, if confirmed, have the joy of helping in Jesus’ name. If asked why they are helping, they can respond that Jesus told them to. This response may have spiritual impact.
Christians can and should be continually asking Jesus, “What do You want me and my friends to do when together with You? Where do You want to lead us?”
Wives and husbands are usually together more than are friends and can similarly listen for Jesus. Because married life has so many mundane responsibilities, spouses probably need to remind themselves often that Jesus is there with them and available to lead them. Married couples have a specific social sphere Jesus wants to impact. Their neighborhood, group of friends, and frequent recreational pursuits are where Jesus wants to spread His love through them. If married couples would ask Jesus, “What do You want us to do together as a team for you?”, constant ministry together would erupt in their relationship, they would experience common joy in serving Jesus, and strong bonds would develop to give more stability to their marriage.
Families usually are a bit larger than two or three with Jesus. However, most moments of family relationship are just two or three. This is not to say that the special presence of Jesus is not offered to slightly larger groups, but some of the benefits of two or three concentrating on Jesus might be somewhat compromised. In any case, families should carefully teach the presence of Jesus in their midst and commit to listening for Him to lead them.
The personal needs of family members are more exposed in families. Jesus will be trying to communicate to a few family members to get involved in some way or another to meet these needs. So many kids with low opinion of themselves could benefit from two or three family members listening to Jesus as to what they can and should do to help. Hundreds of similar examples could be listed. Families have unlimited opportunities to hear Jesus lead them to help just in their own family.
But, families have additional opportunities to take Jesus’ help elsewhere. There are extended family members like aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. Then there are neighbors. And the family’s children have friends from school that Jesus might lead them to serve in some way or another. Families should ask in prayer, “What is it that You want our family to do to help You do Your work? Where do You want to lead our family?”
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
Note that Jesus took only three of His twelve disciples to witness His transfiguration and meeting with Moses and Elijah, recorded in Matthew 17, Mark 9, and Luke 9. Jesus even told Peter, James, and John not to tell the other disciples or anyone else what had happened until after He died and rose again from the dead. Even if we are not sure what it was, there was a reason Jesus worked with just three of His disciples. And there is a reason that Jesus works in special ways when two or three of us meet in His name.
Two or three friends consciously meeting in the name of Jesus, under His authority, can pay attention to Jesus being with them. If they do, He can more easily communicate with them and show things to them. Two or three Christian friends should agree with one another that whenever they are together they are gathering in the name of Jesus and will do their best to recognize that Jesus is with them in a way that is different and more intimate than His presence with individual Christians or believers in larger groupings. If they sincerely do this, they will be led together by Jesus. He will point out to Christian friendship groups where to follow and serve Him.
Two or three such friends in restaurants will be aware that Jesus might ask them to do something, often His purpose hidden just as it was to Peter, James, and John at the transfiguration. Perhaps Jesus knows that a waitress needs a compliment of some specific kind. Perhaps the waitress is a single mom struggling financially and needs a double or triple tip. In this latter case, one friend will say that she or he thinks she or he hears Jesus asking them to leave a much larger tip. If another says that the same thought came to his or her mind, the message from Jesus sitting in the restaurant with them is heard and, hopefully, acted upon.
Obviously, two or three friends at an outdoor community event will be confronted with many ways to serve and help people. However, with their ears tuned to their invisible Lord, they will hear in their spirits specific things that seem like Jesus leading them and telling them something He would like them to do. They can check with each other to see if anyone else heard or hears the same message and then, if confirmed, have the joy of helping in Jesus’ name. If asked why they are helping, they can respond that Jesus told them to. This response may have spiritual impact.
Christians can and should be continually asking Jesus, “What do You want me and my friends to do when together with You? Where do You want to lead us?”
Wives and husbands are usually together more than are friends and can similarly listen for Jesus. Because married life has so many mundane responsibilities, spouses probably need to remind themselves often that Jesus is there with them and available to lead them. Married couples have a specific social sphere Jesus wants to impact. Their neighborhood, group of friends, and frequent recreational pursuits are where Jesus wants to spread His love through them. If married couples would ask Jesus, “What do You want us to do together as a team for you?”, constant ministry together would erupt in their relationship, they would experience common joy in serving Jesus, and strong bonds would develop to give more stability to their marriage.
Families usually are a bit larger than two or three with Jesus. However, most moments of family relationship are just two or three. This is not to say that the special presence of Jesus is not offered to slightly larger groups, but some of the benefits of two or three concentrating on Jesus might be somewhat compromised. In any case, families should carefully teach the presence of Jesus in their midst and commit to listening for Him to lead them.
The personal needs of family members are more exposed in families. Jesus will be trying to communicate to a few family members to get involved in some way or another to meet these needs. So many kids with low opinion of themselves could benefit from two or three family members listening to Jesus as to what they can and should do to help. Hundreds of similar examples could be listed. Families have unlimited opportunities to hear Jesus lead them to help just in their own family.
But, families have additional opportunities to take Jesus’ help elsewhere. There are extended family members like aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. Then there are neighbors. And the family’s children have friends from school that Jesus might lead them to serve in some way or another. Families should ask in prayer, “What is it that You want our family to do to help You do Your work? Where do You want to lead our family?”
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
Jesus in the Cereal Aisle
Based on Matthew 18:20 which says, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them”, Mary and Beth decide to recognize that Jesus is with them when they get together. They ask Jesus where He would like them to go with Him. They both decide Jesus wants to go to the grocery store with the two of them, a team of three rather than each going separately. And He wants them to take Him with them every week for a long time. They suspect that Jesus will want them to do something in His name from time to time in the marketplace.
Then, one day as they pass the cereal aisle they see a mother hassled by her two little sons. The preschool boys are throwing a fit because they cannot have the expensive, fancy brand of corn flakes with the kangaroo they saw advertised on television. Listening with the ear of faith, Mary and Beth hear the silent voice of Jesus asking them to help out. So, they approach the children and explain that the cheaper cereal tastes just as good and that their mother is being a very good mom to save money for other things they might want. Once things calm down, Beth and Mary introduce themselves to the children's mother Veronica. They talk a little and then each goes on to finish shopping. Mary and Beth trust that Jesus touched that situation through them. [In a way, this might be the first time the church comes to Veronica.] A few months later, Mary and Beth are in the canned vegetable aisle, and Veronica spots them. She excitedly comes up to chat. [In a way, this may be the first time Veronica comes to the church.] |
Jesus did only what his Father in heaven told him to do.
. . . , but I do as the Father has commanded me,
so that the world may know that I love the Father.
John 14:31
For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish,
the very works that I am doing, . . .
John 5:36a
I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.
John 8:28b
. . . the Father who dwells in me does his works.
John 14:10c
so that the world may know that I love the Father.
John 14:31
For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish,
the very works that I am doing, . . .
John 5:36a
I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.
John 8:28b
. . . the Father who dwells in me does his works.
John 14:10c
Just as Jesus is led by God, His Father, whenever we are willing to be led by Jesus, we are like Him. And, we become more and more like Him when we allow ourselves to be led on more difficult journeys and assignments.
So, what would happen in our world if in every community hundreds of Christian friends shopped for groceries together each week, taking Jesus with them? What if mom and the kids were aware when they shopped that Jesus would be with them and from time to time have something for them to do for Him in the grocery store? How would communities be shown the love of God by making Jesus available in all the nicks and crannies—and grocery aisles?
To allow Jesus to lead us and our Christian friends and family members, we need to learn to listen for Him.
So, what would happen in our world if in every community hundreds of Christian friends shopped for groceries together each week, taking Jesus with them? What if mom and the kids were aware when they shopped that Jesus would be with them and from time to time have something for them to do for Him in the grocery store? How would communities be shown the love of God by making Jesus available in all the nicks and crannies—and grocery aisles?
To allow Jesus to lead us and our Christian friends and family members, we need to learn to listen for Him.
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
John 10:27
John 10:27
Hearing Him needs special commitment to let Jesus direct our lives. We must strongly desire to hear Him when He tries to communicate with us. Not only do we need to develop our own individual spiritual ability to listen for Jesus to speak to us, we need to learn this also as friendship groups, families and marriages.
We can develop the perception of our spirits deep within us by first learning the Bible. The Holy Spirit who serves Jesus and God the Father will help us understand God more and more through our study of the Bible’s contents. Jesus will not ask us to do anything that is contrary to what God says to us in our Bibles, so learning Scripture and its true meaning is a way to test if we are really hearing our Lord speaking to us.
We also need to ask Jesus questions, not just tell Him what we want. Asking Jesus to reveal what He is asking us to do opens our minds to His leading. In talking to us, He will then not have to break through a resistant spirit.
Christian friendships, Christian families, and Christian marriages might want to have a few minutes of silence and only speak of what they hear God saying to them. When more than one hears the same message, they see it as God’s message for them.
When friends are together, when the family is meeting, and when spouses take time, it is necessary to be silent, ask and listen every now and then. How can Jesus lead anyone or any group if they do not know how to listen for Him? Those in Christian friendships, families and marriages need to give one another permission to speak up when they think Jesus is telling them something. Such observation should not be stated too forcefully so that genuine confirmation can happen. The exception to this guideline is when the one speaking is known to have an especially close relationship with God as evidenced by obedience and sacrificial living.
Life is interesting, and moments of quiet during exciting activities are often necessary. Trying to hear the Lord when one of our friends chatters on incessantly is difficult and our friends need to know that at times we will tune them out if silences of a few seconds are rare. That is why quiet times of prayer are golden opportunities to hear God’s voice, not to just ask for things.
We might need to tone down our interest in other things every so often to be able to hear His silent voice speaking to our spirits. That is probably why Jesus said what He did to the rich, young ruler;
We can develop the perception of our spirits deep within us by first learning the Bible. The Holy Spirit who serves Jesus and God the Father will help us understand God more and more through our study of the Bible’s contents. Jesus will not ask us to do anything that is contrary to what God says to us in our Bibles, so learning Scripture and its true meaning is a way to test if we are really hearing our Lord speaking to us.
We also need to ask Jesus questions, not just tell Him what we want. Asking Jesus to reveal what He is asking us to do opens our minds to His leading. In talking to us, He will then not have to break through a resistant spirit.
Christian friendships, Christian families, and Christian marriages might want to have a few minutes of silence and only speak of what they hear God saying to them. When more than one hears the same message, they see it as God’s message for them.
When friends are together, when the family is meeting, and when spouses take time, it is necessary to be silent, ask and listen every now and then. How can Jesus lead anyone or any group if they do not know how to listen for Him? Those in Christian friendships, families and marriages need to give one another permission to speak up when they think Jesus is telling them something. Such observation should not be stated too forcefully so that genuine confirmation can happen. The exception to this guideline is when the one speaking is known to have an especially close relationship with God as evidenced by obedience and sacrificial living.
Life is interesting, and moments of quiet during exciting activities are often necessary. Trying to hear the Lord when one of our friends chatters on incessantly is difficult and our friends need to know that at times we will tune them out if silences of a few seconds are rare. That is why quiet times of prayer are golden opportunities to hear God’s voice, not to just ask for things.
We might need to tone down our interest in other things every so often to be able to hear His silent voice speaking to our spirits. That is probably why Jesus said what He did to the rich, young ruler;
“You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Luke 18:22
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Then there are times when Jesus speaks through circumstances.
So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him.
Mark 14:13
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Christian friendships, families, and marriages need to train themselves to analyze situations to see if they can recognize if Jesus wants to lead them to do something. Often such circumstantial signals have both a statistically small chance of happening and fit in with living biblically.
Opportunity to Worship God
Opportunity to Worship God
Some years back a friend of mine (Dick Wulf) needed a job after working with a Christian organization. She had to take a management position with a secular company where the people she had to work with were crude and very difficult. She asked me why I thought God did not give her another job within a Christian company.
I suggested another, much different question. “Why did Jesus want to be with all of those rather difficult people – at this time – through her?” |
Being led by Jesus Christ is great worship. It reflects back to God the character of Jesus who exclusively was led by God the Father.
When He walked this earth, Jesus was always ministering to people who did not “have a clue” about him. So, it makes sense that he will lead us to do the same. When that happens, it will reflect back to God the Father the image of the Son of his love. And, that is great worship.
We can limit our following of Jesus to comfortable journeys. It will be worship. Going to church on Sundays is valuable as worship because Jesus went to the synagogue. Enjoying a Christian friendship with good, Christian behavior is a kind of worship. Keeping family life smooth is a kind of worship. Not dealing with anything other than what has to be dealt with in marriage can be a kind of worship. In some small way these will be a reflection of our Lord, but only to a very limited extent.
The witness of the Bible shows that Jesus wants to lead Christians on difficult assignments. God the Father seldom led Jesus to comfortable places to do easy things. Therefore, if we want to worship God by being like Jesus, we will let him lead us into tough situations and responsibilities.
Tough assignments yield significant worship because more Christlikeness is required. Let’s “amp up” our worship. Let’s tell Jesus we are willing to follow Him outside of our comfort zones to do more than just what is easy. But, let’s do them with other Christians. Jesus often leads us together.
When He walked this earth, Jesus was always ministering to people who did not “have a clue” about him. So, it makes sense that he will lead us to do the same. When that happens, it will reflect back to God the Father the image of the Son of his love. And, that is great worship.
We can limit our following of Jesus to comfortable journeys. It will be worship. Going to church on Sundays is valuable as worship because Jesus went to the synagogue. Enjoying a Christian friendship with good, Christian behavior is a kind of worship. Keeping family life smooth is a kind of worship. Not dealing with anything other than what has to be dealt with in marriage can be a kind of worship. In some small way these will be a reflection of our Lord, but only to a very limited extent.
The witness of the Bible shows that Jesus wants to lead Christians on difficult assignments. God the Father seldom led Jesus to comfortable places to do easy things. Therefore, if we want to worship God by being like Jesus, we will let him lead us into tough situations and responsibilities.
Tough assignments yield significant worship because more Christlikeness is required. Let’s “amp up” our worship. Let’s tell Jesus we are willing to follow Him outside of our comfort zones to do more than just what is easy. But, let’s do them with other Christians. Jesus often leads us together.
Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.
Heb 13:13
Heb 13:13
Listening carefully for the Lord to speak to them, two or three Christian friends at work might hear Jesus say, “Come follow me and let’s see if we can help people at work understand one another better and treat each other more kindly.” If acted upon, that would be fantastic worship because these friends allowed Jesus to lead them. Their following the Lord in such a way would more accurately reflect Jesus’ being led by God the Father than would easier things.
Non-work friendships can follow Jesus to help people in a thousand ways. There are many things to do that will heal people and repair relationships. There are places and programs that could use a volunteer team of friends who already know one another well and can work together harmoniously. When we allow Jesus to lead us to do things, it is worship. Christian friendships can walk with Christ wherever He leads them.
Parents and their children can listen for Jesus to speak. Jesus suggested that little children are able to come to Him more easily. Therefore, families might do well to listen to what Jesus says to their children. Kids often do not filter out those things the Lord asks that might be resisted by their parents. How often do we think of families as worship units? Well, getting families willing to be led by Jesus could greatly increase worship of our wonderful God.
Husbands and wives can be called by Jesus to follow where there is something to be done. Allowing their marriage to be led by Jesus can provide new life to stagnant marriages and build stronger bonds between busy spouses. It probably will be necessary for marriages to clear out time for listening to the leading of Jesus and then following His wishes.
And, let’s not forget teams of two couples who are close friends. What has been said about friends being led by Jesus applies here as well.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
Non-work friendships can follow Jesus to help people in a thousand ways. There are many things to do that will heal people and repair relationships. There are places and programs that could use a volunteer team of friends who already know one another well and can work together harmoniously. When we allow Jesus to lead us to do things, it is worship. Christian friendships can walk with Christ wherever He leads them.
Parents and their children can listen for Jesus to speak. Jesus suggested that little children are able to come to Him more easily. Therefore, families might do well to listen to what Jesus says to their children. Kids often do not filter out those things the Lord asks that might be resisted by their parents. How often do we think of families as worship units? Well, getting families willing to be led by Jesus could greatly increase worship of our wonderful God.
Husbands and wives can be called by Jesus to follow where there is something to be done. Allowing their marriage to be led by Jesus can provide new life to stagnant marriages and build stronger bonds between busy spouses. It probably will be necessary for marriages to clear out time for listening to the leading of Jesus and then following His wishes.
And, let’s not forget teams of two couples who are close friends. What has been said about friends being led by Jesus applies here as well.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
I (Dick Wulf) just met someone at the Human Trafficking Task Force for Southern Colorado who has been led by Jesus to go to the rough streets of Colorado Springs and Denver to talk to any girls who might be slaves in the sex trade. He and another male friend go together. They ask prostitutes if they are okay and give them a phone number to call if they ever want to be rescued. They also give them a Christian tract that explains God’s gift of salvation and heaven.
One day, eating in a fast food restaurant in Pueblo, Colorado, a woman came up and asked him for a dime. He gave her a dollar and asked if she was okay. She said, “No” and told him she was in a motel room with 5 other prostitutes and she wanted to get out. He was not in Denver or Colorado Springs searching for sex slaves, but Jesus called him to help that woman, and he listened. |
We use this Together to fight evil and defeat the devil. Satan really doesn’t want us following Jesus. If the evil one can’t get us to follow him, he will settle for our being led by the Lord only when He calls us to easy things, like entertaining activities in the church.
Most importantly, Satan sure doesn’t want us following Jesus in relationships of two and three. The devil knows that he will be defeated whenever a small team of Christians have Jesus with them and follow Him to do what He asks of them. (See the Together # 52: Stand Up to the Devil at One Another’s Side.)
Christian friends, families and marriages are powerful whenever they intentionally join with Jesus. They can take their friendship, family or marriage out of the “comfort zone” and follow Jesus into unpleasant situations to defeat the devil.
Most importantly, Satan sure doesn’t want us following Jesus in relationships of two and three. The devil knows that he will be defeated whenever a small team of Christians have Jesus with them and follow Him to do what He asks of them. (See the Together # 52: Stand Up to the Devil at One Another’s Side.)
Christian friends, families and marriages are powerful whenever they intentionally join with Jesus. They can take their friendship, family or marriage out of the “comfort zone” and follow Jesus into unpleasant situations to defeat the devil.
The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
1 John 3:8
1 John 3:8
Jesus came to destroy the works of Satan. So it only makes sense that if we listen, He will tell us to do some uncomfortable work for Him in order to prevent or unravel evil. Remember, having “peace” about something God asks is not the same as “being comfortable” with it. We can be certain that sometimes what Jesus asks will be uncomfortable and beyond our level of confidence, but we will still have a peace inside that it is what Jesus wants done.
Christian work friendships have endless journeys Jesus might lead them on to eliminate evil. Does the Lord want a lonely person befriended? Harmful office gossiping challenged? Compliments be handed out? Prayer for a medical concern of a co-worker? A talk with management on behalf of others?
A Christian marriage, listening for where Jesus Christ wants to lead them, will hear Jesus say, “Come follow me.” He might want to be with them entertaining neighbors for a meal, volunteering at a homeless shelter, cleaning up a neighborhood street or park, mentoring a younger couple on raising a family, befriending an older person who is alone and giving him or her an ongoing family life, and a host of other things. There are a lot of things damaged or hindered by the devil that a husband/wife team can make right. They can go with Jesus as He destroys the devil’s work.
Christian families can be powerful for Jesus to lead somewhere to destroy some damage caused by Satan. Many children have friends in loveless homes. Jesus may speak to a family and lead them show His love to one or more of these kids. A Christian family can look all around them and identify things that are not as right as they would be if there was no evil. Then, that family can ask the Lord in prayer to show them which situation He wants to correct with the family’s help. Is there a yard of a sick person that needs to be weeded? Don’t like to weed? Quite like Jesus to ask a family to do something they do not want to do. That is the way He develops their spirits for living with God in heaven.
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
Christian work friendships have endless journeys Jesus might lead them on to eliminate evil. Does the Lord want a lonely person befriended? Harmful office gossiping challenged? Compliments be handed out? Prayer for a medical concern of a co-worker? A talk with management on behalf of others?
A Christian marriage, listening for where Jesus Christ wants to lead them, will hear Jesus say, “Come follow me.” He might want to be with them entertaining neighbors for a meal, volunteering at a homeless shelter, cleaning up a neighborhood street or park, mentoring a younger couple on raising a family, befriending an older person who is alone and giving him or her an ongoing family life, and a host of other things. There are a lot of things damaged or hindered by the devil that a husband/wife team can make right. They can go with Jesus as He destroys the devil’s work.
Christian families can be powerful for Jesus to lead somewhere to destroy some damage caused by Satan. Many children have friends in loveless homes. Jesus may speak to a family and lead them show His love to one or more of these kids. A Christian family can look all around them and identify things that are not as right as they would be if there was no evil. Then, that family can ask the Lord in prayer to show them which situation He wants to correct with the family’s help. Is there a yard of a sick person that needs to be weeded? Don’t like to weed? Quite like Jesus to ask a family to do something they do not want to do. That is the way He develops their spirits for living with God in heaven.
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
Ken and Dawn “get it”. They realize that this life is not the most valuable life. So they decided to get even more serious about preparing for their life in heaven, a life that will last far more than 70 or 80 years.
Although they already seek to know what Jesus wants them to do as a couple in many areas, they begin praying that the Lord will lead them into tougher assignments. They want to show Jesus how willing they are to be led by Him, to let him be “the boss”. They want to show the Lord that they love him enough now for responsibilities later in heaven that require close attention to how He wants things done. And Jesus gives them assignments that bring them to their knees in prayer for strength and understanding. But, they are excited to be used by the Lord in His work. And heaven is becoming more a part of their daily life. |
The society in heaven will be ordered by Jesus, the King of the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, it would be wise for us to prepare to be led by Jesus there in eternity.
Everyone will be willing to be led by Jesus in heaven because there will be no sin and no deviation from the will of God. However, the issue for us is how much do we want to enjoy following Jesus as the leader in heaven for all eternity.
As children we may have played the game Follow the Leader. If we hated following the leader or if we only enjoyed it when we were the leader, we have some changes to make if we want to enjoy heaven more. If we do not, we will be led in heaven a bit like robots, not really feeling anything about being led by Jesus. We won’t be able to dislike it, so we will have to be oblivious to it.
However, if we go to heaven having enjoyed following Jesus before death, great will be our joy in being led by Jesus in heaven – forever! So, the choice is to prepare for that unending joy or end up neutral. Hopefully, we want to have all the joy we can in heaven, and this is just one kind of joy we can add to other joys for which we have prepared.
Do we think of heaven as primarily an individual experience? Do we entertain a conviction that we will be serving God in heaven alone? If this describes us, we have not been paying attention to the Bible. The example of Israel and its laws, ceremonies and responsibilities shows service and obedience as a community undertaking. The example of Jesus with his disciples shows team involvement. The book of Acts details Christian community.
How we allow Jesus to lead us as an individual is important. But, truthfully, He also wants to lead our Christian friendships, families and marriages. And, being willing to be led to follow Him in those relationships is all important preparation for teamwork in heaven.
What will our resumes look like? Will our resumes state that we worked cooperatively with others? Will they say that we joyfully worked in our team for what the boss wanted done? Or will we go to heaven only qualified to do solitary service like sweeping a street? If we now learn how to be led by Jesus in our Christian relationships, we will go to heaven having proven that we know how to work faithfully and intimately together with God’s people.
Will we have on our resume that we only let Jesus lead us on easy journeys, tasks that did not require much devotion to Him or sacrificial love on our part? What job then in heaven will we be qualified for as our reward? Or, will our resume testify that we were capable and willing to let the Holy Spirit help us be led by Jesus into difficult paths and assignments requiring the involvement of other believers? If so, the greater will be the responsibilities in heaven for which we are qualified.
Everyone will be willing to be led by Jesus in heaven because there will be no sin and no deviation from the will of God. However, the issue for us is how much do we want to enjoy following Jesus as the leader in heaven for all eternity.
As children we may have played the game Follow the Leader. If we hated following the leader or if we only enjoyed it when we were the leader, we have some changes to make if we want to enjoy heaven more. If we do not, we will be led in heaven a bit like robots, not really feeling anything about being led by Jesus. We won’t be able to dislike it, so we will have to be oblivious to it.
However, if we go to heaven having enjoyed following Jesus before death, great will be our joy in being led by Jesus in heaven – forever! So, the choice is to prepare for that unending joy or end up neutral. Hopefully, we want to have all the joy we can in heaven, and this is just one kind of joy we can add to other joys for which we have prepared.
Do we think of heaven as primarily an individual experience? Do we entertain a conviction that we will be serving God in heaven alone? If this describes us, we have not been paying attention to the Bible. The example of Israel and its laws, ceremonies and responsibilities shows service and obedience as a community undertaking. The example of Jesus with his disciples shows team involvement. The book of Acts details Christian community.
How we allow Jesus to lead us as an individual is important. But, truthfully, He also wants to lead our Christian friendships, families and marriages. And, being willing to be led to follow Him in those relationships is all important preparation for teamwork in heaven.
What will our resumes look like? Will our resumes state that we worked cooperatively with others? Will they say that we joyfully worked in our team for what the boss wanted done? Or will we go to heaven only qualified to do solitary service like sweeping a street? If we now learn how to be led by Jesus in our Christian relationships, we will go to heaven having proven that we know how to work faithfully and intimately together with God’s people.
Will we have on our resume that we only let Jesus lead us on easy journeys, tasks that did not require much devotion to Him or sacrificial love on our part? What job then in heaven will we be qualified for as our reward? Or, will our resume testify that we were capable and willing to let the Holy Spirit help us be led by Jesus into difficult paths and assignments requiring the involvement of other believers? If so, the greater will be the responsibilities in heaven for which we are qualified.
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels,
and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
Matt 16:27
and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.
Matt 16:27
Jesus will always lead us to work in harmony with others to get His work done. To be ready for heaven later, we now need to grow in joyfulness while being led by Jesus to work together with other Christians for God’s glory and mankind’s good. Most of this cooperative and mighty work for God will happen when Jesus leads obedient Christian friendships, families and marriages.
How this Together Can Make it Really Good in Heaven
How this Together Can Make it Really Good in Heaven
Peter is having the time of his life serving in heaven with a team of humans and angels to run the irrigation system that supplies Grove County in the new earth. Fruit of all kinds thrive all around him as he surveys the orchards with his friends working by his side. He is thankful that he learned joy in being led by the Lord in his friendships back in the sinful environment of his life before death. Others on his team do not find quite the level of joy in doing what Jesus has assigned.
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Some of the joy in heaven will be that of being led by Jesus Christ hour-by-hour, day-by-day, into eternity. We can learn that joy when we get to heaven, but all those who learned it before death will always be far ahead of us.
Here, in the midst of sin and the temptations in our old selves to run our own lives, to yield to the leadership of Jesus takes resolve powered by the Holy Spirit. Our spirits become more one with that of Jesus if we seek to be led by Him. Our minds more and more automatically produce prayer questions such as: “Jesus, how do You want me to handle this situation?”; “Jesus, what do You want me to do today?; and “Jesus, how do You want me to think and feel about this?”
How would we answer if we were asked, “In whose hands would you rather put your life, yours or God’s?” Most likely, asked that way, we would opt for God. But, most of us would probably be just giving the right answer. The proof that we actually made such a decision would be that we consciously sought out Jesus’ leadership multiple times a day, even if most of the time just in the back of our minds.
One of the great things about heaven is that Jesus will lead in everything. Every citizen of heaven, human and angels, will let Him decide how they should treat each other, how they should talk and act, and, most importantly, how they each will serve God with others.
Think of a military organization. Soldiers will vary in their ability to follow orders. Those best at following orders will be promoted, have higher ranks, receive better pay, and have greater authority. It is similar in large corporations and small businesses. And, it will be that way in heaven. Everyone will obey, but when a Christian first enters heaven, he or she will have a certain level of skill in letting Jesus lead that was developed before death. Those who let Jesus lead them only a little, will be given job assignments where little ability to follow orders is required. Those with greater ability to seek the leadership of Jesus with their personal lives but not in their Christian friendships, families and marriages will qualify only for job assignments where they work alone. And, those who actively sought Jesus to lead their Christian friendship groups, families, and marriages will have resumes that will be used to put them in God’s service for the bigger things of heaven where many of heaven’s citizens need to follow orders together.
The result of growing ever more able to be led by Jesus now will be to later have the joy of serving God in heaven in some significant capacity that contributes to God’s heaven being the wonderful place it will be. Doing our part will give us great quality of life and tremendous satisfaction.
Here, in the midst of sin and the temptations in our old selves to run our own lives, to yield to the leadership of Jesus takes resolve powered by the Holy Spirit. Our spirits become more one with that of Jesus if we seek to be led by Him. Our minds more and more automatically produce prayer questions such as: “Jesus, how do You want me to handle this situation?”; “Jesus, what do You want me to do today?; and “Jesus, how do You want me to think and feel about this?”
How would we answer if we were asked, “In whose hands would you rather put your life, yours or God’s?” Most likely, asked that way, we would opt for God. But, most of us would probably be just giving the right answer. The proof that we actually made such a decision would be that we consciously sought out Jesus’ leadership multiple times a day, even if most of the time just in the back of our minds.
One of the great things about heaven is that Jesus will lead in everything. Every citizen of heaven, human and angels, will let Him decide how they should treat each other, how they should talk and act, and, most importantly, how they each will serve God with others.
Think of a military organization. Soldiers will vary in their ability to follow orders. Those best at following orders will be promoted, have higher ranks, receive better pay, and have greater authority. It is similar in large corporations and small businesses. And, it will be that way in heaven. Everyone will obey, but when a Christian first enters heaven, he or she will have a certain level of skill in letting Jesus lead that was developed before death. Those who let Jesus lead them only a little, will be given job assignments where little ability to follow orders is required. Those with greater ability to seek the leadership of Jesus with their personal lives but not in their Christian friendships, families and marriages will qualify only for job assignments where they work alone. And, those who actively sought Jesus to lead their Christian friendship groups, families, and marriages will have resumes that will be used to put them in God’s service for the bigger things of heaven where many of heaven’s citizens need to follow orders together.
The result of growing ever more able to be led by Jesus now will be to later have the joy of serving God in heaven in some significant capacity that contributes to God’s heaven being the wonderful place it will be. Doing our part will give us great quality of life and tremendous satisfaction.
Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Matt 19:28
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We really should embrace the desire to serve God in heaven as much as we can. Unless we cherish the easy, lazy life pictured by floating on clouds for eternity, let us want to spend eternity making God happy and glorifying Him in a place of significant service.
Letting Jesus lead us along with others rather than primarily alone will give us more joy in heaven where surely we will be interwoven as the whole body of Christ. We will be more able to enjoy working side-by-side with others as we blissfully follow the Lord in heaven, doing whatever His wonderful desire has in store for us all.
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Eternity
Letting Jesus lead us along with others rather than primarily alone will give us more joy in heaven where surely we will be interwoven as the whole body of Christ. We will be more able to enjoy working side-by-side with others as we blissfully follow the Lord in heaven, doing whatever His wonderful desire has in store for us all.
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Eternity
I have noticed over the years of eternity in heaven that when Jesus comes around to groups that are glorifying God with their service, He repeatedly spends a little more time with the same individuals.
Even though I am one of those getting a bit more fellowship with the Lord of Heaven, I still wondered why some got more attention than others. Finally, I asked Jesus why this was so. He had fun with me and answered with a clue. He said, “Who does a tour guide like to spend more time with, a tourist interested in what he or she has to say and also follows orders to not touch museum exhibits, or one who ignores his or her directions?” |
Whenever we walk with Jesus in heaven and He talks of following God, especially in the sinful culture that crucified Him, we want to be able to have shown Him that kind of loyalty before we died. We want to tell our Lord just how wonderful it was to follow Him in the midst of strong temptations to go other ways.
When God forgives our sins, it does not mean that He will treat us as if we were more loyal subjects in His kingdom of heaven on earth than we were. Nor will He treat us as if we were less loyal servants. He will be fair and treat us exactly in proportion to the loyalty we showed Him.
Any employer has a closer relationship with those who are more loyal to his leadership. They make his job and life easier. He appreciates them more. He may not be able to spend much time with such employees, but when she or he does greet loyal employees, there is a much warmer quality to her or his words. That brings much joy to the employee. In this world, other employees see that added warmth and concern and are envious. They accuse the employee of doing something wrong rather than recognizing that the employer would obviously appreciate loyal employees more.
This will and will not be the way it is in heaven. Jesus will add something to His interaction with those who were loyal to His leadership under the opposition of sin before their death. But the others will not be envious; they will either be unaware as in a daze or they will recognize that the person more appreciated by the Lord earned it.
Employers want their employees to work well together. When they explain how employees are to do something together, employers will notice who allowed themselves to be led as a team or work group and those who were not so willing and happy to work with the others the way the employer stated. Those less willing to be led as a part of a team or work group will be treated well in terms of employment and pay, but the employer will either seek them out to tell them of her or his disapproval of their performance or largely ignore them at company parties.
In heaven, Jesus will be like the employer just described, but without the scolding. Past sin before death will need no comment, and the less-loyal citizen will no longer sin with disobedience. But, Jesus will spend less time with that believer who does not yet have a spirit much developed to be led together with other citizens of heaven.
Let’s want as much face time with Jesus as possible in heaven. Let’s add to our approachability by being led by Jesus together now.
Praise & Prayer Regarding this Together
I and those in my Christian Inner Circle will need Your help to grow our spirits so that we can more sensitively listen for and follow Jesus. Help us to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit for all of us to give You more glory in the way we allow ourselves to be led by Your Son.
Please help us all to become more like Jesus and increase the percentage of time we do only what our Lord and Savior wants us to do, just like Jesus did only what You, His Father, wanted done.
May our lives worship You more because we follow Jesus on more and more difficult journeys and assignments. In that way, we can reflect back to You the image of Your Son who never shied away from something difficult that You wanted done.
Make us strong in Your power to defeat the devil by following Jesus in our Christian friendships, families and marriages where His promise that He is with two or three believers in a special way makes His voice more clearly heard. Our Omnipotent God, unleash the power available to our Christian Inner Circles such that we follow Jesus to help Him do difficult things to destroy the works of Satan.
Help us all to prepare for heaven by growing more consistently to follow Jesus so that we can do so more spontaneously in heaven when we get there. We look forward to all the wonderful things He will want to lead us to in eternity.
When God forgives our sins, it does not mean that He will treat us as if we were more loyal subjects in His kingdom of heaven on earth than we were. Nor will He treat us as if we were less loyal servants. He will be fair and treat us exactly in proportion to the loyalty we showed Him.
Any employer has a closer relationship with those who are more loyal to his leadership. They make his job and life easier. He appreciates them more. He may not be able to spend much time with such employees, but when she or he does greet loyal employees, there is a much warmer quality to her or his words. That brings much joy to the employee. In this world, other employees see that added warmth and concern and are envious. They accuse the employee of doing something wrong rather than recognizing that the employer would obviously appreciate loyal employees more.
This will and will not be the way it is in heaven. Jesus will add something to His interaction with those who were loyal to His leadership under the opposition of sin before their death. But the others will not be envious; they will either be unaware as in a daze or they will recognize that the person more appreciated by the Lord earned it.
Employers want their employees to work well together. When they explain how employees are to do something together, employers will notice who allowed themselves to be led as a team or work group and those who were not so willing and happy to work with the others the way the employer stated. Those less willing to be led as a part of a team or work group will be treated well in terms of employment and pay, but the employer will either seek them out to tell them of her or his disapproval of their performance or largely ignore them at company parties.
In heaven, Jesus will be like the employer just described, but without the scolding. Past sin before death will need no comment, and the less-loyal citizen will no longer sin with disobedience. But, Jesus will spend less time with that believer who does not yet have a spirit much developed to be led together with other citizens of heaven.
Let’s want as much face time with Jesus as possible in heaven. Let’s add to our approachability by being led by Jesus together now.
Praise & Prayer Regarding this Together
I and those in my Christian Inner Circle will need Your help to grow our spirits so that we can more sensitively listen for and follow Jesus. Help us to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit for all of us to give You more glory in the way we allow ourselves to be led by Your Son.
Please help us all to become more like Jesus and increase the percentage of time we do only what our Lord and Savior wants us to do, just like Jesus did only what You, His Father, wanted done.
May our lives worship You more because we follow Jesus on more and more difficult journeys and assignments. In that way, we can reflect back to You the image of Your Son who never shied away from something difficult that You wanted done.
Make us strong in Your power to defeat the devil by following Jesus in our Christian friendships, families and marriages where His promise that He is with two or three believers in a special way makes His voice more clearly heard. Our Omnipotent God, unleash the power available to our Christian Inner Circles such that we follow Jesus to help Him do difficult things to destroy the works of Satan.
Help us all to prepare for heaven by growing more consistently to follow Jesus so that we can do so more spontaneously in heaven when we get there. We look forward to all the wonderful things He will want to lead us to in eternity.
Ever increasing practice of the Togethers of Scripture will (1) create in you the loving essence of Jesus, (2) give Jesus the kind of love He requested, (3) provide you with the most significant spiritual lifestyle which is attainable only through Christian community, (4) offer significant worship to God by reflecting his own character back to him through your behavior, and (5) bring God’s kingdom to earth as asked for in the Lord’s Prayer. And for heaven, such growing obedience to Scripture now will later (6) qualify you for a more responsible place of service as reward in heaven, and, (7) most important of all, give you greater empathy with God for a closer relationship with Him for all of eternity.