Brown's Daily Word 2-11-10

Praise the Lord for many Christian theologians who love the Lord and His Word. They are the scholars, who are the believers.. I am blessed by the writings of Dr Dallas Williard . Dr Williard has authored several books on Christian faith, including: The Spirit of the Disciplines, Understanding How God Changes Lives, The Divine Conspiracy, and rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God .
In his web page on discipleship Dallas Williard wrote this: "Disciples simply are people who are constantly revising their affairs to carry through on their decision to follow Jesus." He goes on to argue that disciples are people who understand every part of their lives as a working relationship with God. Another author I have found helpful on discipleship is Richard Peace, one of the founders of the African Enterprise mission organization. In his article on discipleship in The Complete Book of Everyday Christianity Peace suggests that discipleship involves what he calls "conscious intentionality". "The contemporary challenge", says Peace, "is to conduct our whole lives as conscious disciples of Jesus." But in a society whose dominant value is to "shop until you drop", where everything is just a "lifestyle choice", not easy to live intentionally as a Christian is it? Do you find that the busyness of modern life is the greatest enemy of being an intentional disciple?
John Wesley was one of the great reformers of the church and one of the most effective Christian evangelists of the 18th-Century or any other century. During his ministry he rode over 225 000 miles on horseback across Europe and North America to preach the good news about Jesus. Wesley had lists of over 20 questions he would use to examine himself each day and to help keep himself spiritually accountable (see A Collection of Forms of Prayer for Every Day of the Week, published 1733). He also gave them to members of his discipleship groups. Some people would perhaps find them somewhat negative? Jesus told his first disciples: "I came so you can have real and eternal life, more and better life than you ever dreamed of" (John 10:10; The Message translation). Jesus came so we can have real and eternal life, more and better life than we ever dreamed of.

John Wesley’s questions for self-examination
1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?
4. Can I be trusted?
5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
7. Did the Bible live in me today?
8. Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?
9. Am I enjoying prayer?
10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
11. Do I pray about the money I spend?
12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
13. Do I disobey God in anything?
14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
17. How do I spend my spare time?
18. Am I proud?
19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold a resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
22. Is Christ real to me?
In Christ,
Brown



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V84STSWVp3g

Hi Pastor,
Right now, I am praising God for the wonderful blessing of a beautiful granddaughter. Her name is Joyanna Mae Krause and she was born at 2:32 this morning (2/11/10). Teagen had a rough time, and ended up having a cesarian section, but she is fine. Because of the diabetes, Joyanna was taken to the NICU to be monitored probably until later today. She weighed 6 pounds and 12 ounces, and when they brought her out of the operating room, her eyes were wide open and she was very alert. I just read your blog about Joy meaning "gladness, bliss and celebration" and "Joy is a divine dimension of living that is not shackled by circumstances.", and I thought about how perfect this beautiful little baby's name is, because she is all of these things. She is a joyful blessing that can only come from our glorious Father. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Thank you for your love, phone calls, and prayers. God bless you and your family as you prepare for Jessie and Tom's wedding, I am praying for all of you and I am praying for the quick renewal of your strength and health.
Blessings!