Day Eight - Lordship
Welcome to day eight! I am going to ask you to watch the video of Robert Morris on Lordship. If you didn't see his message on Discipleship that was posted yesterday, please watch it first.
In this video, Pastor Robert Morris addresses the parable of the Sower and Soils in a series he entitled You are Here, meaning, as I have said many times, you are in one of those four groups. Everyone is.
Interestingly, our goal is to stay where we begin. Listen and watch as he explains. The Scripture in included below if you wish to follow along.
Read Matthew 13
In this video, Pastor Robert Morris addresses the parable of the Sower and Soils in a series he entitled You are Here, meaning, as I have said many times, you are in one of those four groups. Everyone is.
Interestingly, our goal is to stay where we begin. Listen and watch as he explains. The Scripture in included below if you wish to follow along.
Read Matthew 13
Read Isaiah 57
Did you catch the line in the introduction: "This centered-in-Christ final stage is where we all begin"? Jesus is Lord at salvation, or there is no salvation. We begin with a right heart, but life, our old nature, and the evil one wants to pull us away from Him and make us unfruitful. This is the challenge! This is the purpose of the Twenty-One Day challenge, but this truly is the challenge of the Christian's spiritual pilgrimage with our God. Keeping our soil fertile, keeping our minds pure, keeping our heart open, or whatever metaphor suits you best, is the challenge of the Christian life.
The focus of my ministry has always been on Discipleship and Lordship. For some pastors, nearly every sermon comes back to the cross and man's need for salvation. I can see how I could do more of that, but I have just always felt that my call was to shepherd the flock of God, meaning I trust that, as I speak weekly, the vast majority of the congregation have been saved, thus, I need to help them (you) in the "Walk of Faith."
God is the Judge of how effective I have been in that ministry of preacher/teacher. But, allow me to ask this: if I was being evaluated on a case-by-case basis, member-by-member, if you would, how would I be doing? So, the evaluator comes to examine you in order to evaluate me, what do they determine? Are the sermons relative and do they resonate? What is the results of your involvement in our fellowship? Is there spiritual evidence of a Spiritual growth? Are you progressing in your devotion?
Daily Devotions, fasting, and praying are not about the activity. "Okay, got that of the way" is not to be our attitude. No, we attend worship, Bible studies, concerts, retreats, camps, revivals, and have our quiet time with God for life devotion and for personal identity, because we love Him and need Him and want to point others to Him.
I am enjoying writing these, and I sense the majority of our church is reading them. It must lead to knowing who we are in Christ, individually and collectively. Would you be willing to develop and write your own vision and purpose statement for your life, a vision of Lordship devotion?
Tomorrow, we will dig into what a Christ-centered worldview and identity looks like. Truly, the best days of our spiritual journey of life might very well lie ahead.
In Christ,
Pastor Todd
The focus of my ministry has always been on Discipleship and Lordship. For some pastors, nearly every sermon comes back to the cross and man's need for salvation. I can see how I could do more of that, but I have just always felt that my call was to shepherd the flock of God, meaning I trust that, as I speak weekly, the vast majority of the congregation have been saved, thus, I need to help them (you) in the "Walk of Faith."
God is the Judge of how effective I have been in that ministry of preacher/teacher. But, allow me to ask this: if I was being evaluated on a case-by-case basis, member-by-member, if you would, how would I be doing? So, the evaluator comes to examine you in order to evaluate me, what do they determine? Are the sermons relative and do they resonate? What is the results of your involvement in our fellowship? Is there spiritual evidence of a Spiritual growth? Are you progressing in your devotion?
Daily Devotions, fasting, and praying are not about the activity. "Okay, got that of the way" is not to be our attitude. No, we attend worship, Bible studies, concerts, retreats, camps, revivals, and have our quiet time with God for life devotion and for personal identity, because we love Him and need Him and want to point others to Him.
I am enjoying writing these, and I sense the majority of our church is reading them. It must lead to knowing who we are in Christ, individually and collectively. Would you be willing to develop and write your own vision and purpose statement for your life, a vision of Lordship devotion?
Tomorrow, we will dig into what a Christ-centered worldview and identity looks like. Truly, the best days of our spiritual journey of life might very well lie ahead.
In Christ,
Pastor Todd
Posted in 21 Day Devotion
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Day One - First LoveDay Two - SilenceDay Three - Don't Just Stand There, Pray SomethingDay Four - God is God and You are NotDay Five - Focus Focus FocusDay Six - Dust on the Bible, Drought in the HeartDay Seven - DiscipleshipDay Eight - LordshipDay Nine - Bacon or EggsDay Ten - Spirit-FilledDay Eleven - Walking With the Holy SpiritDay Twelve - Drown him OutDay Thirteen - Monday??Day Fourteen - VisionDay Fifteen - SeekDay Sixteen - Praise
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1 Comment
There are so many things on my mind after tonight's devotion. Two verses in particular come to mind.
"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:13
"Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near."
Isaiah 55:6
Think of all the books that have been written, devotionals, videos etc. from some of the most profound biblical scholars in the world all in the name of developing a deeper relationship with Christ. Not to take a single thing away from them, but as Pastor Morris eludes, if your heart isn't right then it's all in vein. I'd also point out the word humility. When we come to Christ we are in the most vulnerable state we can be. We are acknowledging all of our faults and failures and that we need a Savior. What an ironic thought to think we are striving to get back to the place of where we started!
Praying with you on this journey! Looking forward to tomorrow!