Community Updates from Dr. Bob: 11/8/2023
Individual transformation comes as we let God work in our heart. But it also comes as we have conversations and relationships with others who are seeking to live into what God is calling them to. Pray this week that God would lead you to those people:
I pray that as I take steps to put myself forward, that you will guide those steps toward people I can journey alongside as fellow Jesus-followers—that we could spur one another on toward love and good deeds, doing the work of Jesus in the world. Lord, who are the people I can journey together with?
Then spend some time listening.
This process of transformation in Christ doesn’t happen automatically or in a vacuum. Part of how we grow is that we each bring our gifts and strengths to the community of faith and we use those strengths to help spur one another on toward love and good deeds:
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:23-25)
We all need encouragement and help from those around us. And we all need to grow so that we can help speak into each others’ lives with love and encouragement. We need each other to love and spur each other own toward the work of disciplemaking. Jesus called us to make discples, and here are four essential qualities of doing that well:
- Disciplemaking is intentional: seeing where God is working and joining him there. Paying attention and obeying him on purpose.
- Disciplemaking is developmental: helping one another take the next steps closer to Jesus, from wherever they are, and overcoming blockages as we go.
- Disciplemaking is supportive: providing encouragement for each other as we all grow in our journey of living as disciples and making disciples.
- Disciplemaking is focused: holding unswervingly to the hope we possess so that we do not lose sight of the goal and help each other stay on mission, knowing the god is faithful to his promises.
Consider: What kinds of relationships you do you have with others that can help you in these ways? How are you helping others in these ways? We all need those kinds of relationships, for just as God can transform each of us individually, he can carry that to completion as he does great things through us together.
We can’t lose sight of the goal: that’s what will make all the difference. And we are to encourage each other in that process. I remember what my father wrote to me in the Bible he gave me for my ninth grade graduation:
The most important part of a race is the finish—never let the goal out of your sight and you will steer a straight course all through life. Then you can happily repeat with Paul, “I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7).
