We're beginning to look a lot like Jesus!

Merry Christmas fellow followers and shepherds!

In 6 days it will be Christmas Day and we will be celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus, if indeed, we remember to. It's easy to get caught up into the busyness of the season and forget Him, especially when some in our families are not fellow followers yet. Sometimes Jesus doesn't even become a part of our conversations.  Have your way in our lives Lord as we gather together during this Christmas season.  Let's pray for our family members, friends, neighbours and coworkers that we have a burden for. Lord, open their eyes and help us to be Your hands and feet and mouth.

Let's BE those expressions of the fruit of the Spirit to others... Love Joy, Peace ...we see these words a lot in Christmas cards! ... Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control ... these last six characteristics can often disappear from our lives when we get stressed out ... don't allow that to happen!

We have taken a break over the Advent season from our study of The Story.  I trust you have been benefiting from this study as much as I have as you listen to the messages each week and fellowship with your small groups.

Over the last few months, as we have been doing The Story together, I have been trying to capture Christ-like characteristics and attitudes of some of the main characters in The Story.  If you go back and review the blogs, you will see that so far we have looked at 7 characters who I think we can learn some good "stuff" from - Adam, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Ruth and David and 1 character, King Saul who we can learn some things that we should try to exclude from our own character.

Here is summary list that I pulled out from the various blogs of some of the good "stuff";  Praying, Having Fellowship with God, Being Honest, Being Humble, Being Obedient, Confessing Sin, Repenting, Trusting, Waiting, Persevering, Believing, Having Faith, Forgiving, Not Being Bitter, Being Blameless, Being God Dependent, Being God Confident, Being Holy, Being Righteous, Being Strong, Being Courageous, Not Fearing, Loving God, Praising God, Being Thankful.

We can thank these men and women of the Old Testament for being good examples of how to live Christ-like lives before us even though none of them were perfect. They were being transformed and we saw just a glimpse of their lives. Lord help us to incorporate these good characteristics into our lives.

It's too bad that being transformed into Christ-likeness couldn't be instantaneous. God's goal for us is to be perfect and holy and indeed we are already IN CHRIST from God's perspective.   But while here on earth there is still much for us to do to work out our salvation as we are being sanctified by the Holy Spirit and His Word.  Sorry fellow followers ... it takes time and it takes practicing some spiritual disciplines (our part) and it takes a whole lot of Grace (God's part by His Holy Spirit).  One day we will see Him and be like Him. What a great day that will be!

Thank you for your service and leadership as you help fellow followers grow stronger in His Word and in the Holy Spirit.  Please feel free to share this blog with the members of your group.


Joyce and I will be on a mission trip to Papua, Indonesia for most of January, 2014.  Pray for us that we would be in the centre of His will and have His health, protection and wisdom as we help Lois Belsey and Mary McElhone.  We appreciate your support and encouragement and will be praying for you too.

May God Bless you and your small group.

Ruth - Much to Glean

After reading the book of Ruth which is a relatively short story, I wondered what "gleanings" could I get that would help us become better shepherds.  As we do our studies in The Story, I am looking for character qualities, attitudes and principles for living that can help us all to become more like Jesus.  As we seek to become like Him, I believe others notice and see the fruit of the spirit being lived out in our lives.

If you read the story of Ruth quickly and don't stop to think about it you may not "glean" too much.  In fact if you read any part of the Word quickly and don't take time to meditate on it, you don't get much out of the Word and have probably wasted your time. Here are a few Ruth-like characteristics that are very Christ-like.

Commitment: Ruth was committed to staying with and helping her mother-in-law, Naomi and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob even though she was a foreigner originally from another land (Moab), where she grew up worshiping other gods. She didn't have to stay with Naomi.  She could have returned to live in the land of Moab and probably remarried there but she loved Naomi and loved her new life under her new true God.

Faith of a Child: Following Naomi, not knowing where they would live, how they would feed themselves and survive and not knowing what would happen to them, living with tremendous uncertainty ... took faith. Following Jesus into the unknown and doing things that are new also requires this same kind of faith.  We need to trust Him that He will care for us and direct our steps.

Teachable and obedient:  Ruth didn't know the customs and culture of the land she was going to ... but Naomi did and she was able to instruct Ruth....which field to glean in, what to do, how to act, how to dress, etc. Ruth listened to he mother-in-law and did what she said and the Lord worked things out so that Boaz falls in love with her and becomes Ruth and Naomi's kinsmen redeemer, Ruth's husband, and eventually great-great grandparents to David from whose lineage, 28 generations later, Jesus is born.  God sees the BIG picture and knows how we all fit into it.  You never know how God is going to use your life but God does and He has a great plan indeed as we trust and obey and remain teachable and willing to trust Him..

A good reputation:  Ruth's reputation proceeded her.  Word gets around!  Boaz was able to find out who Ruth was and learn about how she was caring for Naomi and that she was a "woman of excellence". Wow! I am sure we would all love to be known as a man or woman of excellence when someone inquires about us.

Others are watching and taking notice of what kind of person we are. They see our smile, our good deeds, our tears of compassion, our love for one another and hear our words of encouragement. They see our gifts and our potential. Opinions are formed and we develop a reputation.  Unfortunately, people also see some stuff that is rooted in our old carnal nature (un-Christ-like qualities) which Paul encourages us to put aside or put off (see Colossians 3:8,9).  We need to clothe ourselves in Christ-like qualities. (see Colossians 3:12-17) and remain in Him and learn to walk in the Spirit.

Thank goodness we can all get back on track when we mess up and confess our sins because we too have a kinsmen-redeemer who loves us and cares for us and paid the ultimate price for all our sins so that we can become part of his church and his bride.

Take time to read Ruth again slowly and pick out some other qualities that you see in Boaz's, Ruth's and Naomi's life that are worth imitating.

Caution! There is something in Naomi's life that was exhibited for a while that we don't want to copy.  She wanted to be called Mara because she was bitter over her circumstances ... but she didn't remain there!.  Don't be known for being a bitter person as it leads to a host of problems and it is easily noticeable..  
   

Joseph - A Blameless, Blessed, Christ-like Life

 As I look at Joseph’s life, he seems so perfect.  I really can't see any sin in his life or any glaring flaws in his character.  As a teenager he receives a vision / dream that one day he would be placed in a powerful position.  I am not sure if he even completely understood his dream at the time.  He must have had a true God-experience at that young age which kept him strong in his faith in the Lord.

Imagine being hated by your own brothers because of their jealousy; being sold into slavery and then accused of something that he didn't do; then having to serve time in jail;  helping others get out of jail that then forget about you and leave you in jail.  He had reason to be angry, bitter, retaliatory and unforgiving but he remained blameless. He didn't sin and act like we may have done given the same circumstances.  He displays Christ-likeness throughout his entire life!  Obviously he is a great example for all of us especially those who have a role in leadership (i.e serving others).

Vision and Dreams – God gave Joseph a dream / vision that ultimately comes to pass.  I believe God still has plans and things that He wants to accomplish through us.  One vision or dream that I believe God gives all of us is to make disciples … its part of Jesus’ great commission to us all.  I know I am seeking to serve Him in ways that allow this vision for my life to come to fruition.  What do I want to be when I grow up?  Answer: First and foremost a disciple maker, helping others to get to know Him personally and also helping them become true Christ-like followers who also have a passion for making disciples.

Gifts and Talents – It seems that God blessed Joseph with the gift of administration and leadership.  We are also told that the Lord was with Joseph and he prospered and gave him success in everything he did and he found favour in the eyes of those he served (Potiphar, Prison Warden and Pharaoh).  As leaders, we can pray for this kind of favour as we work and serve others.  I am sure Paul was thinking about men and women like Joseph when he penned Colossians 3:23 (ref. Memory Verse tab). As leaders, I pray that we may have this kind of work ethic – seeing ourselves working for the Lord regardless of our job or who we are employed by or what ministry we are serving in. Use your gifts and talents for His purposes and make sure He gets the glory. 

Complete Trust and Forgiveness – Despite the hurts that Joseph endures, somehow he remains positive and keeps on trusting God.  He never complains about his circumstances and forgives those who caused him to be placed into the difficult and trying circumstances.  His relationship with God was strong and solid.  He knew that God was in control and Sovereign. Joseph’s brothers meant to harm him but Joseph knew that God intended everything he went through was for good.  Joseph could see the dream / vision that God gave him unfolding and how God was putting him in the various situations, circumstances and roles even though some of them were very hard and difficult. Joseph seems to understand what Paul tells us in Romans 8:28.  “that in all things God works for the good of those who love him.”

Our goal is to be like Christ.  If you want to know what Christ-likeness looks like, we can certainly learn a great deal from Joseph's life and how he handled difficult life circumstances.  

(By the way, notice how he handled temptation when Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him!