Welcome fellow One another-ers
Clicking on the blog post title will bring up a download window. You can also go to the BUCKIT week page at http://buckitweek.org/audio if you would like to listen to the rest of the audio from this conference. BUCKIT -Bible University Christian Knowledge Intensive Training- a week of challenging messages for all believers. The message linked is by J. B. Nicholson and is titled "Stuff" taken from Matthew 5, 6, and 19. Enjoy.
I posted this link here because this message, the topic is so relevant to the idea of one anothering. I have found myself prodding many folks to listen to this message, and I feel it is worth the time. I think it is an essential teaching in the 21st century church. Download it, listen before you go to bed, on a jog, at work (as long as it is not a distraction) but make time. I believe an earnest student that listens to this will be challenged to truly walk each day as the Lord Jesus walked. I know stories that have come from application of this teaching and have encouraged me greatly.
What if the church of 2009 looked like Acts 2:42-47? (Don't skip any verses)Do we take meals together, remember the Lord at His table, or give to those in need of our own rather than just hording our stuff and looking in pity at others. All we have came from God, and even the poor have something to offer (the widow's mite).
For those who went to BUCKIT week, or have put this into practice, PLEASE send me stories of how you have put this into practice. One need not be a writer or eloquent speaker to tell a story, just have a heart full of love for our Savior and desire to bring Him glory. I have asked before for stories and input, know that this is not a one way street, I desire to be encouraged, challenged, and would like to have a colaborer in this work. Let me know if you have a desire to help.
On a side note, I would like to throw this out there. I know many people are very busy with family, ministry, school, work. I understand and do not desire to criticize. For those who have time to kill, and spend hours a day playing video games, watching TV, and other hobbies (which are not bad, don't get me wrong) maybe consider taking an hour a week to listen to sermons/messages that are available online. Voices for Christ has thousands of messages available by speaker, topic, conference. I have messages available here by myself and a few brothers in Maine.
When we gave up TV, my wife and I started listening to more sermons. We have found it challenging and enjoyable. Often a message we heard before is brought to new light and more easily applied after having some time to think about it. If I had one suggestion, it would be to make more time in God's Word and hearing from God's men as they share from it. Make no mistake about it, if we don't invest in learning how to live from those who labor over the Word, we are shorting ourselves of blessings and fruit for the Lord. Witnessing, sharing the Gospel is another area we tend to not have time for. Let's examine often our schedules to see if we are being the most effective we can to grow in Christ and be about His business until He comes.
God's Word will change your life, but only if you read it, study it, and put it into practice.
In Christian love,
Mark
Friday, September 25, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
We are the body- submitted by Kevan Fortier
A dear brother in Maine, Kevan Fortier, has written this post, any comments made can be posted here, or I will be happy to forward encouragement on to him. Kevan attends a church in Damariscotta, Maine. Kevan works for the Maine state marshal service. Ministry involvement includes local church youth ministry, jail ministry, and he also does discipleship work with men who have recently been released from jails in Maine. His heart is full of the love of God and I value his input here.
Kevan graciously asked me to share at their monthly men's breakfast. It was a great time talking about this very subject of "one anothering" in the body of Christ. This breakfast represented 6 or 7 local churches working together as the united body of Christ to edify one another and reach out to the communities around them. It was a great blessing to share with them. Now, on with Kevan's post. Thank you for reading.
If we are the Body why aren’t His arms reaching, why aren’t His hands healing, why aren’t His words teaching? And if we are the Body why aren’t His feet going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way? There is a way. Jesus is the Way.-Casting Crowns
Why aren’t we showing the love of Jesus Christ to this world if we are truly the Body? Jesus says this in John15:12-13; “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
What does Jesus mean that we should love as He loved? What is He saying when He says that we should lay down our lives for our friends? Does He want us to die for our friends; our wife or husband? Jesus tells us plainly that we are to love as He first loved us. In Romans 5:8, the Word of the living God says it this way; ‘But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ Did He wait until I was lovable? No. I am not lovable now, but my wife lays herself aside daily, not for me but for the cause and the purpose of lifting up the Lord Jesus Christ that I may see Him living in and through her love for me, and others. Jesus wants us to lay ourselves down, set ourselves aside and be set apart for Him; daily.
Then He said to them all, “if anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23 NKJ
Jesus didn’t just say that for the sake of His disciples or the crowds that regularly followed Him; He said to them all, He is still saying it to you today in the stillness of your heart; take up your cross and follow Me. When we take up our cross to follow our Lord, we are saying that we will follow Him; we will lay down our lives for our friends just like He did for us. Is this easy? No. But as we draw near to Him, we are strengthened and renewed in His grace (which is always sufficient for us / 2 Corinthians 12:9).
Jesus is our perfect example of how to love one another, and how to lay down our life for our friends; but what about those who are against the Lord? They are not against us, they are against the One who sanctified us and called us into a right relationship with Him? What about our enemies?
“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.” Luke 6:27-28 NKJ
When Jesus was led away to be crucified; a death that you and I rightfully deserve, He still loved those who were putting Him to death, He still prayed for his enemies (“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34 NKJ), Jesus gave Himself up for all who would ever call upon His Holy name by faith as the only One who can save us from our sins. He alone is the perfect example of how to ‘one another’.
Knowing this, how do we walk daily with Jesus? How do we love those who spitefully use us? How can we show love and lay down our lives for our friends, and love our enemies? We are the Body of the living Christ! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!!! (Philippians 4:13) We have an amazing Savior who shows us daily the depths of His heart for those who will call upon Him. He has called us into all the nations to show the world who He is (Matthew 28:18-20).
If we are the Body; why aren’t we? Jesus paid much too high a price for us to pick and choose who should come (Casting Crowns / If we are the Body). Do I have the right to say whom I will show His love to? No. Jesus died for all, ‘The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.’ (2 Peter 3:9 NKJ). I do not have the right to choose. If I am the Body, even if I am a fingernail within the Body (1 Corinthians 12:12-31) I have a clear function and purpose that Christ set me apart for, and not for my glory but all to His!!! Amen.
‘Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma.’ (Ephesians 5:1-2 NKJ)
If this is how the Father shows His love for us by giving His only begotten Son (John 3:16) while we were still sinners; if this is how He first showed His love to this world by showing us how to be reconciled to Himself, what are we waiting for? If we are set apart and saved through His blood, we shouldn’t be able to contain this great love that God the Father has lavished upon us, we shouldn’t be able to walk by someone and keep silent about His love, the sweetest love I know.
I am trying to die to myself daily and show the love of Jesus Christ to my wife, my co-workers, family and friends. I am seeking Him for the strength that only He can provide, and the peace that surpasses all of my understanding. Jesus laid down His life for us not so that we can do what we want, but that we can show His love to this world. If we pick and choose who we think would be willing to listen, what have we done with this great love Christ has for us (read James 2:1-13)?
Jesus touched the untouchable (Luke 5:12-13), He raised the dead (Luke 8:52-56), Jesus ate with sinful people (Luke 5:29-32). Jesus did not care about what He would look like to others, He showed great love, compassion and mercy to all who ever called upon Him by faith. We must show this love to the world, we must be the Body of Christ to a world who will certainly perish without Him and apart from Him.
I challenge you this day to go forward, and pray to the Lord asking Him to give you courage and strength for His purpose in your life to be accomplished. Go out and show His great love for someone. We all know someone; a family member perhaps who is not saved that needs to hear that they are loved by Jesus Christ.
Pray for this daily, walk as He walked, love as He loved and loves you. Be the Body of Christ; show one another the depths of His love, grace and mercy. Don’t let another day go by you without sharing that love that has saved you from your sin to one another.
Kevan Fortier
Waldoboro, Maine
Kevan graciously asked me to share at their monthly men's breakfast. It was a great time talking about this very subject of "one anothering" in the body of Christ. This breakfast represented 6 or 7 local churches working together as the united body of Christ to edify one another and reach out to the communities around them. It was a great blessing to share with them. Now, on with Kevan's post. Thank you for reading.
If we are the Body why aren’t His arms reaching, why aren’t His hands healing, why aren’t His words teaching? And if we are the Body why aren’t His feet going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way? There is a way. Jesus is the Way.-Casting Crowns
Why aren’t we showing the love of Jesus Christ to this world if we are truly the Body? Jesus says this in John15:12-13; “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”
What does Jesus mean that we should love as He loved? What is He saying when He says that we should lay down our lives for our friends? Does He want us to die for our friends; our wife or husband? Jesus tells us plainly that we are to love as He first loved us. In Romans 5:8, the Word of the living God says it this way; ‘But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.’ Did He wait until I was lovable? No. I am not lovable now, but my wife lays herself aside daily, not for me but for the cause and the purpose of lifting up the Lord Jesus Christ that I may see Him living in and through her love for me, and others. Jesus wants us to lay ourselves down, set ourselves aside and be set apart for Him; daily.
Then He said to them all, “if anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23 NKJ
Jesus didn’t just say that for the sake of His disciples or the crowds that regularly followed Him; He said to them all, He is still saying it to you today in the stillness of your heart; take up your cross and follow Me. When we take up our cross to follow our Lord, we are saying that we will follow Him; we will lay down our lives for our friends just like He did for us. Is this easy? No. But as we draw near to Him, we are strengthened and renewed in His grace (which is always sufficient for us / 2 Corinthians 12:9).
Jesus is our perfect example of how to love one another, and how to lay down our life for our friends; but what about those who are against the Lord? They are not against us, they are against the One who sanctified us and called us into a right relationship with Him? What about our enemies?
“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you.” Luke 6:27-28 NKJ
When Jesus was led away to be crucified; a death that you and I rightfully deserve, He still loved those who were putting Him to death, He still prayed for his enemies (“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” Luke 23:34 NKJ), Jesus gave Himself up for all who would ever call upon His Holy name by faith as the only One who can save us from our sins. He alone is the perfect example of how to ‘one another’.
Knowing this, how do we walk daily with Jesus? How do we love those who spitefully use us? How can we show love and lay down our lives for our friends, and love our enemies? We are the Body of the living Christ! I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!!! (Philippians 4:13) We have an amazing Savior who shows us daily the depths of His heart for those who will call upon Him. He has called us into all the nations to show the world who He is (Matthew 28:18-20).
If we are the Body; why aren’t we? Jesus paid much too high a price for us to pick and choose who should come (Casting Crowns / If we are the Body). Do I have the right to say whom I will show His love to? No. Jesus died for all, ‘The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.’ (2 Peter 3:9 NKJ). I do not have the right to choose. If I am the Body, even if I am a fingernail within the Body (1 Corinthians 12:12-31) I have a clear function and purpose that Christ set me apart for, and not for my glory but all to His!!! Amen.
‘Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma.’ (Ephesians 5:1-2 NKJ)
If this is how the Father shows His love for us by giving His only begotten Son (John 3:16) while we were still sinners; if this is how He first showed His love to this world by showing us how to be reconciled to Himself, what are we waiting for? If we are set apart and saved through His blood, we shouldn’t be able to contain this great love that God the Father has lavished upon us, we shouldn’t be able to walk by someone and keep silent about His love, the sweetest love I know.
I am trying to die to myself daily and show the love of Jesus Christ to my wife, my co-workers, family and friends. I am seeking Him for the strength that only He can provide, and the peace that surpasses all of my understanding. Jesus laid down His life for us not so that we can do what we want, but that we can show His love to this world. If we pick and choose who we think would be willing to listen, what have we done with this great love Christ has for us (read James 2:1-13)?
Jesus touched the untouchable (Luke 5:12-13), He raised the dead (Luke 8:52-56), Jesus ate with sinful people (Luke 5:29-32). Jesus did not care about what He would look like to others, He showed great love, compassion and mercy to all who ever called upon Him by faith. We must show this love to the world, we must be the Body of Christ to a world who will certainly perish without Him and apart from Him.
I challenge you this day to go forward, and pray to the Lord asking Him to give you courage and strength for His purpose in your life to be accomplished. Go out and show His great love for someone. We all know someone; a family member perhaps who is not saved that needs to hear that they are loved by Jesus Christ.
Pray for this daily, walk as He walked, love as He loved and loves you. Be the Body of Christ; show one another the depths of His love, grace and mercy. Don’t let another day go by you without sharing that love that has saved you from your sin to one another.
Kevan Fortier
Waldoboro, Maine
Sharing "one anothering" at Bluegrass Bible Fellowship
Our family arrived in Richmond, Kentucky this past Saturday. We are parked at a beautiful, sprawling farm owned by Jim and Rose Harmon. Jim is one of the elders here at Bluegrass Bible Fellowship in Richmond. We will be working with this local assembly of Christians as the Lord leads. In our first day here, we were greeted and helped to set up by a local family, the Everlings. The patriarch of the Everling clan promptly greeted me with "a holy kiss" and we all shared a laugh about this greeting between brothers. Seems Jesse is reading the blog, at least!
Jim Harmon and John Frasher are the elders here in the meeting and have asked me to share this Wednesday evening for the mid week prayer and Bible study meeting. What a privilege it is to share this subject with a local church. I know many of the folks at BBF are in the Facebook group, and have heard tell of a "one anothering" game. Similar to "Apples to Apples" in style, each of the "one another" verses are printed on cards and distributed to all players. They then go on to share different circumstances and choose the most appropriate verse to apply to the situation. Sorry to the Harmons if I have butchered the description. I should get them to write out the rules for us all, maybe.
Please keep me in prayer as I prepare to share tomorrow night. I have been so blessed by the responses on the blog. I have also had many conversations with folks around the USA and a few other places about how a church should function according to the New Testament pattern. We ought to all spend time truly assessing if we are functioning as Christ would have His bride function. May we all take time this week to search God out, to honestly pray about how we could better serve our brothers and sisters in Christ, and in so doing, serve our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
I will be writing again soon, but have much to do. Keep the believers here at Bluegrass in your prayers. These folks are earnestly laboring in prayer and in deed to proclaim the Gospel, disciple new believers, and all the other things that come with a major Gospel outreach. There is much to do in a local church, not to mention family, work, follow up...
As Nathanael Pena so often exhorts- "Go serve your King!"
Mark Cowperthwaite
Jim Harmon and John Frasher are the elders here in the meeting and have asked me to share this Wednesday evening for the mid week prayer and Bible study meeting. What a privilege it is to share this subject with a local church. I know many of the folks at BBF are in the Facebook group, and have heard tell of a "one anothering" game. Similar to "Apples to Apples" in style, each of the "one another" verses are printed on cards and distributed to all players. They then go on to share different circumstances and choose the most appropriate verse to apply to the situation. Sorry to the Harmons if I have butchered the description. I should get them to write out the rules for us all, maybe.
Please keep me in prayer as I prepare to share tomorrow night. I have been so blessed by the responses on the blog. I have also had many conversations with folks around the USA and a few other places about how a church should function according to the New Testament pattern. We ought to all spend time truly assessing if we are functioning as Christ would have His bride function. May we all take time this week to search God out, to honestly pray about how we could better serve our brothers and sisters in Christ, and in so doing, serve our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.
I will be writing again soon, but have much to do. Keep the believers here at Bluegrass in your prayers. These folks are earnestly laboring in prayer and in deed to proclaim the Gospel, disciple new believers, and all the other things that come with a major Gospel outreach. There is much to do in a local church, not to mention family, work, follow up...
As Nathanael Pena so often exhorts- "Go serve your King!"
Mark Cowperthwaite
Thursday, September 3, 2009
***MINI CHALLENGE*** of the week
This week, we have been pondering some of the ideas brought out by Elijah Hall in his message "Am I my brother's keeper?" I know that in my own life, I never want to neglect how God has spoken through His Word to us via gifted teachers and preachers. I know sometimes in my own life, I find that I have forgotten what was said be Wednesday. We strive to continue to talk about Sunday sermons, and incorporate the lessons into our daily lives. This challenge is the direct result of one of those times of musing.
Sara and I have listened to the message 2 times, plus I have listened and taken notes, clips, etc 2 more times. We listen as we ride from place to place, and rather than watch TV, we listen to audio lessons, sermons, conferences, etc. We have found this time to be very profitable for our family and would encourage others to seriously consider this point: Teachers take many hours in prayer and pouring over God's Word and then speak for the purpose of edifying the body of Christ through preaching. I think we should do more than just listen on Sunday morning, and then forget what was said.
On with the challenge. One of the points in the message was that we should not be jealous of our brothers and sisters in the Lord, but rather to find Godly characteristics in their lives and see how we can learn from them. We all have strengths and weaknesses. Too often, we would rather pity our fellow believers for how they don't measure up to our standards, but we should instead look for the good things and try to learn from them as we follow the Lord together. If we all did this honestly, those areas that others have problems with would look to good examples and assess where they need to grow.
I know I would much more often look back and see someone else's faults rather than seriously consider my own life to see what must be changed. We need role models for Godly living, and can look to the Bible and Jesus specifically. Yet, it is sometimes easier to see Christlike examples lived out before our eyes. Some of us are visual learners and need to experience something firsthand to put it into practice. It is with all this in mind that we wanted to challenge you all. Sara had a wonderful idea and we have started, but it will take some time, dedication, and a true desire to see God's people through the filter of "what can I learn from them?"
Rather than issue demands, I will tell you what we did, and would welcome a better way. Implement this one your own way and see how God leads.
We made a list of some folks we know(this list will be LONG by the time we are done) and gave each person a page in a notebook. We started with a few we will see before we leave Maine. We wrote down (only) spiritual characteristics that we see lived out in their lives. We then agreed that we would pray for a person, and write them an encouraging note to let them know that we see God at work in their lives, and how specifically that inspires us to follow the Lord more closely. This keeps the positive in focus and helps us to appreciate our brothers and sisters. It also reminds us to pray for them, and will encourage them when they receive a note from someone who loves them and wants to edify them.
We will pick a few families a week, maybe one per day to pray for, consider, and write to. I also considered that this type of thing could become a way of life, to consider others higher than ourselves and stop looking for ways to fix people and be critical, but instead to try to live a Godly example and lift up our Lord while also seeking to learn from them.
One minor flaw in our system has been noticed. It isn't a flaw in the system, but rather in our lives in general. You can not write spiritual encouragement or learn from people you don't really know. We have to be proactive in learning more about those we are in fellowship with. So, we must continue to get to know one another, to see one another for the purpose of encouragement, to learn from each other, and to build up the body of Christ by working together with the other members of His body to adequately fulfill our jobs in His body, the church, that marvelous collective of all sinners saved by His grace and being ever conformed more into the image of Jesus Christ.
Please let me know if you have improvements, variations, or have put this into practice in your lives. I understand writing cards or letters may not work for everyone, but I would encourage you to try it. Seeing other believers as someone to learn from and be encouraged by is much better than the trap I have sometimes fallen into of tearing one another down to try to get myself higher. Listen to the message by Elijah , he says it better than me.
Sara and I have listened to the message 2 times, plus I have listened and taken notes, clips, etc 2 more times. We listen as we ride from place to place, and rather than watch TV, we listen to audio lessons, sermons, conferences, etc. We have found this time to be very profitable for our family and would encourage others to seriously consider this point: Teachers take many hours in prayer and pouring over God's Word and then speak for the purpose of edifying the body of Christ through preaching. I think we should do more than just listen on Sunday morning, and then forget what was said.
On with the challenge. One of the points in the message was that we should not be jealous of our brothers and sisters in the Lord, but rather to find Godly characteristics in their lives and see how we can learn from them. We all have strengths and weaknesses. Too often, we would rather pity our fellow believers for how they don't measure up to our standards, but we should instead look for the good things and try to learn from them as we follow the Lord together. If we all did this honestly, those areas that others have problems with would look to good examples and assess where they need to grow.
I know I would much more often look back and see someone else's faults rather than seriously consider my own life to see what must be changed. We need role models for Godly living, and can look to the Bible and Jesus specifically. Yet, it is sometimes easier to see Christlike examples lived out before our eyes. Some of us are visual learners and need to experience something firsthand to put it into practice. It is with all this in mind that we wanted to challenge you all. Sara had a wonderful idea and we have started, but it will take some time, dedication, and a true desire to see God's people through the filter of "what can I learn from them?"
Rather than issue demands, I will tell you what we did, and would welcome a better way. Implement this one your own way and see how God leads.
We made a list of some folks we know(this list will be LONG by the time we are done) and gave each person a page in a notebook. We started with a few we will see before we leave Maine. We wrote down (only) spiritual characteristics that we see lived out in their lives. We then agreed that we would pray for a person, and write them an encouraging note to let them know that we see God at work in their lives, and how specifically that inspires us to follow the Lord more closely. This keeps the positive in focus and helps us to appreciate our brothers and sisters. It also reminds us to pray for them, and will encourage them when they receive a note from someone who loves them and wants to edify them.
We will pick a few families a week, maybe one per day to pray for, consider, and write to. I also considered that this type of thing could become a way of life, to consider others higher than ourselves and stop looking for ways to fix people and be critical, but instead to try to live a Godly example and lift up our Lord while also seeking to learn from them.
One minor flaw in our system has been noticed. It isn't a flaw in the system, but rather in our lives in general. You can not write spiritual encouragement or learn from people you don't really know. We have to be proactive in learning more about those we are in fellowship with. So, we must continue to get to know one another, to see one another for the purpose of encouragement, to learn from each other, and to build up the body of Christ by working together with the other members of His body to adequately fulfill our jobs in His body, the church, that marvelous collective of all sinners saved by His grace and being ever conformed more into the image of Jesus Christ.
Please let me know if you have improvements, variations, or have put this into practice in your lives. I understand writing cards or letters may not work for everyone, but I would encourage you to try it. Seeing other believers as someone to learn from and be encouraged by is much better than the trap I have sometimes fallen into of tearing one another down to try to get myself higher. Listen to the message by Elijah , he says it better than me.
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