Dec 23, 2013
“Jesus wept.”
– John 11:35
That’s the shortest verse in the Bible. And the only place in the Bible that it’s recorded that Jesus cried. Why? What was up? The verse is only a couple syllables long, but I believe these two words are there for us to learn from!
What’s the context of John 11:35? If you go ahead and read the other verses in John chapter 11, you’ll realize that Jesus was crying because His friend Lazarus had died. Lazarus had been sick; Jesus didn’t go to him right away; and Lazarus died.
You know what John 11:35 tells me? Jesus was human. Gayle Erwin’s book The Jesus Style explains this so clearly. Jesus was human – and understanding that can be revolutionary! (If you haven’t read The Jesus Style yet, go do it.) Jesus was 100% man, and 100% God. If you can’t fully comprehend that, that’s okay. Neither can I. It’s like trying to wrap your mind around the concept of infinity. But just because I don’t fully understand something, it doesn’t mean I can’t believe in it with all my heart!
“Jesus wept.” Jesus felt sorrow, he felt pain. He understands my emotions!!! And it’s okay to cry. (In class in School of Discipleship one morning, we were discussing if it was okay for guys to cry. That’s a controversial topic so I won’t get into it, but we came to the conclusion that is IS okay for guys to cry. John 11:35 tells us that Jesus did!) But one point that was brought up about this verse – Jesus didn’t remain in His sorrow. He wept, and then He moved on. He was sorrowful, and then He did something about it! Jesus was sad that Lazarus had died – and then He raised him from the dead.
So, emotions are okay. Just don’t let them rule you. Feelings come and go, but facts are what you can depend on. That sounds awfully pragmatic…but it’s true. Relying on the truth – on what God says – is so much better than relying on what I feel.
And when we feel sorrowful, that’s okay.
“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5)
“There is a time for everything… a time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,4)
But don’t dwell in that sorrow, move on, learn from it, and do something about it. Cause that’s what Jesus did.
Dec 23, 2013
“Lay Me Down” by Chris Tomlin has been like the theme song of the 2013 January class of School of Discipleship. At the beginning of the year we all went to different churches together and almost every Sunday we heard this song playing. Either we would sing it in the service, hear it playing after the service, or someone had it in their head and was singing it.
At first, we just thought it was a great song. I had never even heard it before coming to the School of Discipleship. Then, as we continued to hear it we figured maybe God was speaking to us through it. After hearing/ singing it over and over and over again, I thought, “Hey – this could be our theme song!”
The whole song talks about giving up all we are for the Lord to use however He chooses. The motto for School of Discipleship is “Can you die to yourself for one year?” I think this song is the answer to that question. Not only does this song talk about laying our lives down for Christ, but it says “It will be my joy to say, Your will, Your way, ALWAYS!” Those are some pretty powerful words and they have challenged me a lot. Am I willing to joyfully lay down my entire life and say “Lord, whatever You want me to do and wherever You want me to go, my answer will always be, yes Lord, send me?”
This is what Jesus Christ, the Son of God, did for me and you. What choice do we have, but to give it back and die for Him. He has promised the greatest reward if we do. Praise the Lord for salvation and the sacrifice of Jesus’ blood on that cruel cross.
May our prayer be, “I lay me down, I’m not my own, I belong to you alone, lay me down, lay me down. Take this life and let it shine, lay me down, lay me down, Jesus.” – Chris Tomlin
Singing around the campfire while camping!
Dec 23, 2013
I recently had the privilege to travel to South Asia with my fellow School of Discipleship students to see some of the work God is doing through Gospel For Asia. Something that stood out to me about the trip was the contrasting realities I saw – while I observed signs of extreme poverty and suffering, I also witnessed the light and hope of Christ, shining through ministries like Bridge of Hope, as well as people like the women missionaries, bible college students and pastors. The distinction between the rich and poor was at times, pretty surreal, and was well demonstrated one day as our group drove through some busy city streets. At one point on the drive, I looked outside my left window to see a school bus full of children from seemingly well-to-do families. At the same time, outside my right window, were a few children running along with the traffic, stopping every once in a while to perform a song and dance, most likely to make some money. It was a bit difficult to process, but that experience and others like it have given me better understanding of the reality faced by so many in South Asia. I praise God for the opportunity to have had visited the mission field, as well as for the privilege to have been a part of the work He has been doing through Gospel For Asia throughout this past year.
Dec 10, 2013
The 2nd graduation of GFA School of Discipleship will be on December 20. Join us live as we stream the graduation service at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
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~ Order of Service ~
Announcements
Becky Emerick
Opening prayer and Welcome
Pat Emerick
Introduction of Speaker
Harvey Martens
Graduation Message
Pastor Steve Lindsay
Reading of Mission Statement and Theme Verse
Trevor Sherk
House Leaders and Students Reflect
End of the Year Report
Iris Weibel
Presentation of Certificates and Gifts
Pat Emerick, Steve Lindsay and house leaders
Vote of Thanks
Harvey Martens
Closing Prayer
Pat Emerick
Graduates
Mission Statement
The mission of Gospel for Asia’s School of Discipleship is to assist men and women to become devout followers of Christ and to fulfill the Great Commission by enabling them to know Jesus more fully and intimately through the careful study of God’s Word along with practical teaching and training relevant to each individual God-given calling.
Sep 4, 2013
“How Much is God Worth to You?”
This question has been rolling around in my mind recently since I have been going through the book ‘True Discipleship’ by William MacDonald… I think it is a very good one to ask as well as a hard one to apply!
I have also had to ask myself, am I really willing to forsake all for my relationship with God? I really want to be able to do this, but it is something that is not achieved overnight! (Or at least not for me!) I take encouragement from the message Pastor Danny Punnose shared with us when he was here. He shared with us that although willow trees grow fast, they have a very short lifespan of 20-30 years! In comparison, California Redwoods take years and years to mature, but they last for 500-700 years! This analogy shows us that even when we feel that we are taking an excruciatingly long amount of time to learn a lesson, we can be confident that if it is done in God’s strength and for His glory, it will surely most last! Praise the Lord! This message was and still is a great encouragement to me to continue pursuing a deeper and more sacrificial relationship toward God. I hope this will encourage you in your relationship with God as well. God Bless!!:)
Sep 4, 2013
The School of Discipleship had a car wash for missions!
All the students paired up and walked the streets of Stoney Creek and
put flyers in people’s mailboxes for that coming Saturday.
We were all looking forward to washing cars since it was something we hadn’t
done all year!
I love doing outdoor activities and just working a long with my fellow students. We also had cookies and iced coffee that we had prepared and were selling for those who came by to get their car washed. We prayed for lots of cars to come and there was quite a few, not a lot – but it was still great! I personally prayed for a black 2012 Dodge (my favorite vehicle). And you wouldn’t believe it! YES the last vehicle that came by was…… A 2012 black DODGE! No joke! God is so good to us.
I am very blessed to make so many good memories this year! We do many different kinds of things and it always involves serving our great King! Praise Him forever, Amen?
Sep 4, 2013
Grace is so amazing! It completely boggles my mind! I don’t understand how the God of the universe could bestow grace upon us humans. To think, that because of His grace, I get to spend eternity with Him forever! If he would have given justice, hell would have been our destination after death. If it was mercy, God might have let us just live in an earth state for eternity. But no, He gave us…me grace! I can look forward to being in His presence till the end of time and beyond!
Looking forward to being with Him forever is staggering as it is, but I also have the chance to live in freedom until I wait for that day. His grace frees me to be no longer have to obey the enemy with his temptations, or my own fallen flesh. Through grace, I can live free from the bondage of these things, as well as my own pride and legalistic thinking.
Knowing all this, my mind (like I said before) is completely blown! I am reminded that the Lord loves me (I will never be able to understand how much He does) This makes me want to spend all my time with Him, alone. Just the two of us. To have no distractions keeping me away from knowing Him more.
This amazing grace is, well…amazing to know about, but it is so much better to live! Jesus has helped me to, more or less, chill out. I tend to be very legalistic, and when I make a mistake, I feel like a failure (which is not true). As I apply this grace, I am reminded that I will make mistakes, but God does not view me as a failure. He views me as what I will be when He is done perfecting me. I can’t tell you how encouraging and relieving that is!
When I am reminded of this grace that God has shown towards me, I find it easier to have grace for others as well. I need to continue to have grace for others, because the Lord is working in their lives as He is working in mine. He might be working on different characteristics or sins hidden deep down inside. I should let God be God and not judge my brother or sister because they might not have the same opinion on the issue being discussed. Grace gives me room to respect, and even more importantly, to accept their opinion. To have an open mind that is ready to hear different views on a topic. I know, and am reminded how much I didn’t deserve God’s grace, and this allows me to give grace to others.
I can’t say that I have attained the grace yet in all areas of my life, but I sincerely hope that one day, I will be able to say I am completely free. Free in Christ, free indeed. Free at last.
Aug 19, 2013
I was almost shocked when I read “Touching Godliness” by K.P. Yohannan. It gave me a completely different view of submission and authority. A big thing that hit me was how people that have authority over us are placed over us by God and when we disobey them we are actually disobeying God. I really love Jesus and to think of disobeying Him really hurts me. Now I have a hard time obeying when I don’t feel like I have to and knowing that when I don’t submit or obey my delegated authority I hurt my Lord and Savior made me give it more thought. Another thing that is a challenge to me, is the truth about submission; that it’s a matter of the heart. I should always have a good attitude at heart when obeying, that’s when I give the glory to God. This book was bold, challenging and frustrating but it made a lot of sense! I couldn’t disagree with much because by the time I was done reading the chapter it all clicked and I realized that it was the truth.
One of my favorite chapters was chapter 3, “The Benefits of Submission.” First of all, it’s comforting but it also encourages me and gives more reasons to submit besides just the fact of being obedient to the Lord. Even though that’s the biggest reason and should probably be the only reason, but I also know now that God uses delegated authority for our own protection. Through submitting to our authorities we get protection from the powers of darkness and we are protected from making bad choices. We are restored from past mistakes/rebellion and blessed by God and to add to all that, it pleases God when we submit! It makes sense doesn’t it? God uses our authorities like a shepherd watching his sheep and when we step out from under the covering of our authorities we become like wandering sheep.
Aug 19, 2013
I find it amazing how God works! I’m finding that He works in different people’s lives in many different ways and He’s working in my life in a different way than He is in my brother’s and sister’s lives!
The book that we as students are going through right now is called “Grace Awakening” by Charles Swindoll. Boy!! I sure didn’t realize that I needed to have so much grace for others! The one thing that I am learning in reading this book is that if I expect others to give me grace, I also need to be willing to extend grace to them. God has given me grace so many times. I’m realizing that if it wasn’t for His grace, I wouldn’t be here. Thank You Lord for Your grace!
Another thing that I am trying to learn is to let other people be who God intended them to be. I don’t have to try to change anyone or make them believe exactly the way I believe because that’s not showing them grace. I have to let them be them and hopefully they’ll let me be me. I want to be able to work together with them in unity even if we don’t necessarily agree with each other in everything but we can still grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ together!
Jul 22, 2013
I remember when I landed in Texas on August 17th, 2012, after a long flight from my hometown Boise, ID. I got off the plane, my eyes red from crying most of the flight over (after an emotional goodbye with my family and best friend), and made my way to the baggage claim. I got a text from my house mentor, someone I had never met and only talked to on the phone briefly, and told her I was short and wearing an orange shirt. She found me and I remember walking out of the airport and being smacked in the face with the heat and humidity that makes mid-August infamous in Texas for. The drive to my apartment was so much to take in. The sky felt so huge…and I realized that’s because there were no mountains. Everything was flat. And brown. I remember thinking, ok, Lord, here I am sacrificing this year to You like You asked. Let’s get it over with so I can get on with the life I’ve dreamed of having – being a pilot in the Air Force, maybe studying Journalism, and eventually becoming a missionary pilot (long down the road, that is).
Here I am, nearly a year later, still disliking Texas and the heat as much as when I first came, but so thankful for the year I’ve had here and so completely changed by the Lord that I’ll be coming back to live here and serve as a full-time staff member of Gospel For Asia for as long as the Lord wills me to. Isn’t that crazy? Tell me this is where I would be a year ago and I would have smacked you! Just kidding. But seriously, when you buckle down and seek the Lord’s will – actually desire to know what HE wants for you, not what YOU would like Him to want for you – surprising things are going to happen. You might just have to give up dreams you’ve cherished since you were tiny. You might have to give up comforts, like living in an area of the country that is absolutely beautiful and perfect to go to one that nearly kills you with its humidity and heat and insanely large insects. You might have to accept the fact that you won’t be around for as many family holidays as you would like…you might miss important family milestones and even feel a bit lonely, seperated from the people you’ve lived with and loved all your life.
It’s different for each person, but giving things up comes with picking up your cross and following our Savior. Does that sound depressing? It’s difficult, yes. But when I understand that the desires of my heart are now irreversably entwined with the desires the Lord has for me, and when I dwell on His incredible love, and how like in Colossians 2:9-10 I am complete only in Him, and chapter 3:3, my life is hidden with Christ, and He is now my life, then my perspective changes and there is nothing I would rather be doing than following where He leads.
Home is with Him. That’s one thing I’ve learned this year. If He calls me to Antarctica it would be all right, because He is with me in Antarctica and I am fulfilling the purpose He created me for by obeying Him.
Spending a year here at Gospel For Asia’s School of Discipleship has taught me a marvelous paradox…to obtain freedom, I must become a slave. To experiance life to the fullest, I must die – only in sacrifice will I gain my heart’s desire. Prayer is the most powerful weapon given to mankind – the ability to enter the presence of the Lord God Almighty and to intercede before His throne. Fellowship and transparency with the body of believers is vital to spiritual growth. Brokenness and submission are worthy goals I will be striving all my life to attain. And the greatest of all is LOVE.
As my year here ends, so does this chapter of my life. But the full story, the great adventure, is just beginning.
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