December 26, 2011
Posted by rgaschler in Fasting.add a comment
Fast Seriously
Ezra 8:21 (ESV) Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.
For a meaningful fast, people must not only withhold food, but they must also agonize in prayer. Fasting is more than diet adjustment; it involves spiritual agony and intercession.
Originally great distress would beset the people (cause) and then diet was adjusted as people were too upset to eat (effect). But in time people realized fasting should be the cause to lead to the effect of agonizing in intercessory prayer (“Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough” by Elmer Towns, 47).
Why Fast Seriously or even at all?
- Because believers are in bondage to sin.
- Because your family may need a spiritual breakthrough.
- Because our church needs a spiritual breakthrough.
- Because the body of Christ needs humbled and unified at FSBC and in America.
- Because the lost need saved in Tucson, Arizona, America and the World.
- Because the city is enslaved in darkness.
- Because poverty, starvation, disease, and injustice is killing multitudes in our world.
- Because our government has lost its way.
- Because we are not desperate enough for God and it will help us remember what it is to feel desperate.
Fasting: Make Space for God in your Life December 17, 2011
Posted by rgaschler in Fasting.add a comment
In our busy lives where we often make much of food and much of entertainment, one goal of fasting is to create space in our lives for God to speak through His Word and prayer. Fasting is an opportunity to make space for God in our lives.
It is important that fasting is done with right motives. It is about the spiritual life of the person fasting and praying in the will of God. Going with or without food has no spiritual value in and of itself. 1 Corinthians 8:8 says, “Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.”
Also, if you are the type who skips lunch often or never eats breakfast, you cannot count that as fasting. Going without food is not fasting. But when you make sacrifices and give up things that maybe you have become more in love with than God, or depend more on than you depend on God, that is where fasting is.
Let’s give up the things we love more than God at times so that we might seek, know and love God more. During a lunch instead of eating go and pray.
Scripture References for Fasting:
1 TIMOTHY 2:1-2
“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”
ROMANS 12:1
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.”
MATTHEW 6:33
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
ISAIAH 58:6
“[Is] not this the fast that I have chosen to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?”
Matthew 6:16-18, Matthew 9:14-15, Luke 18:9-14
Relation to Prayer and Reading of the Word:
1 Samuel 1:6-8, 17-18, Nehemiah 1:4, Daniel 9:3, 20, Joel 2:12, Luke 2:37, Acts 10:30, Acts 13:2
Corporate Fasting:
1 Samuel 7:5-6, Ezra 8:21-23, Nehemiah 9:1-3, Joel 2:15-16, Jonah 3:5-10, Acts 27:33-37
Remember that it is the attitude of a heart sincerely seeking Him to which God responds with a blessing (Isaiah 58, Jeremiah 14:12, 1 Corinthians 8:8). May God greatly bless you as you fast!
Sewing for a Harvest beyond your Reach: Priority Alum Serving in Pittsburgh July 30, 2010
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Today I spent time with Mike Ichamura, a Priority College Ministry alum who was called by God to Pittsburgh during our spring break mission trip in 2002. It was amazing to see the ministry that he has established to reach out to homeless people in order to lead them to know and walk with Christ as well as re-assimilate them back into society.
You never know what God might do through your obedience. We were obedient to bring students to Pittsburgh. And through this, one answered God’s call. Not only has he started Living Ministry, he along with others are being used by God to bring revival to some destitute parts of Pittsburgh. This revival has even caused revitalization of some areas of the city.
Sometimes it is hard to see the results of ministry. You wonder if you’re making any impact. But sometimes you don’t realize what influence you had on a life that is now having a great impact in another city. We have to keep pressing on for the Gospel because we won’t fully know the full reach of our efforts until eternity. But we can praise God for these little glimpses along the way.
You can learn more about Mike’s ministry at www.livingministry.org and find them on Facebook.
The ingredients for your leadership success February 22, 2010
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What kind of leader do you want to be? What kind of influence do you want to have? How will you make yourself the most marketable candidate for whatever arena you move into?
Legendary UCLA Basketball Coach John Wooden was asked what it takes to build a dream team and he answered three things: Talent. Talent. Talent.
Leadership experts like Ken Blanchard, John Maxwell or Steven Covey would not agree. Ken Blanchard says skill/talent will get you in the door, but character will keep you there.
I want to propose a leadership framework that will make you the most successful and most attractive candidate for your future.
Ken Blanchard and John Maxwell both say that leadership is influence.
My story
The ingredients for your leadership success
1. Character—Who you are
I don’t care where you work, lead, or serve, character matters first.
Willingness to admit mistakes. Turn from mistakes. Believe and uphold the truth
Ken Blanchard, “You will diminish your effectiveness by fixating on short term results at the expense of long term integrity.”
2. Competence—skills for the task
Prov. 10:4 Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches
Be a life long learner.
Prov. 22:17 “Listen closely, pay attention to the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge.” 23. Buy—and do not sell—truth, wisdom, instruction and understanding.
Andrew Creighton said, “Avoid competency traps. Do not stay only where you are good at things go out and be challenged.”
Always raise the bar.
But also be careful to identify your strengths and your weaknesses. You must learn to capitalize on your strengths and manage around your weaknesses. You weren’t meant to be good at everything. A good leader knows what he does best and delegates the rest.
3. Conviction—What I believe
Romans 14:23 (MSG) 23 But if you’re not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you’re out of line. If the way you live isn’t consistent with what you believe, then it’s wrong.
Without conviction you turn to legalism and tyranny—Hitler
Sound conviction should influence us rather than public opinion.
Strong convictions precede great actions. William Wilberforce, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Theresa, President Reagan
4. Commitment—What I do. This is based on what I believe
Steven Covey wrote, “Effective leadership is putting first things first. Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.”
To have commitment today goes against our cultural norms. But to achieve any success commitment is required. You could also consider this follow through. Or I call it stick-to-itiveness. Are you going to stick to it until your vision or goals become reality?
Parable of the Farmer (Mark 4:26-29)—preparation, patience, profit
Leo Buscaglia “what we call the secret of happiness is no more a secret than our willingness to chose life.”
The Dynamic Ministry of the Living Word June 22, 2009
Posted by rgaschler in Disciplemaking Church.1 comment so far
Acts 12:24 “But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.”
When we preach the Gospel and teach believers to feed themselves on the Scriptures, there will be lasting fruit of the word of God spreading as people believe, know and apply. The problem is in many churches people have become accustomed to being spoon fed theology by pastors and good Bible teachers when instead they should be learning to feed themselves. After all it was prophesied that in the New Covenant we would teach ourselves as we are guided by the Holy Spirit (Jer. 31:31-36; John 6:45). As a result the word of God is not multiplying at the rate it did in Acts.
We need to commit ourselves to know the Word and not expect to be fed only by eloquent teachers of the word.
We also need to commit to preach the word to others so they may believe in Jesus.
Finally we must be faithful to disciple new Christians to teach them how to feed on the word and help them gain a vision for teaching it to others. Through this all believers will take up their God commissioned responsibility to make disciples, teaching them (Matt. 28:19-20).
This requires a time investment many are not willing to make. But if we want to be obedient to our Lord this is required. If we want to see the Gospel spread with power for the glory of God like we read about in Acts this is non-negotiable.
Real Friendship April 21, 2009
Posted by rgaschler in Disciplemaking Church, For Leaders.add a comment
What is real friendship? It seems like a trite term but “authentic” would seem more so. It seems everyone is on a quest for meaning in relationships. One problem we face in building real and lasting friendships is the desire for instant gratification that our culture has produced. I think even in the prosperity of the first five years of this new century we grew accustomed to getting quick and abundant results for little effort. But this is never how friendships should work.
1 Samuel 18 introduces us to the friendship that David had with Jonathon. They were the least likely to be close friends but by God’s grace they were. They show us the type of hard work needed to make friendships last. You have to devote time and effort to building healthy relationships. It will cost you at times as you work out conflict. But through the Holy Spirit’s leadership in your lives, you have the opportunity to move each other closer to Christ and grow your bond as friends.
Proverbs 18:24 says “there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.” Do you have this kind of friend? Someone or a few you can share your struggles with maybe even disagree with but walk away still in committed friendship? Is there someone you could call when you are being tempted and ask for help? That is the friend that sticks closer than a brother. You need to make the investment in people to make these kinds of relationships happen.
As a small group leader, as you model this to your group, you will cultivate a culture of real friendships. I have had a few conversations recently about relating to each other and some of us are reading Samson and the Pirate Monks by Nate Larkin (that’s for guys, sorry ladies). So I am moved to help build a value for real friendship among our fellowship.
Spirit Filled vs. Market Driven October 13, 2008
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There is a growing and disturbing trend in the church. This trend is the onset of an apathetic generation. Furthermore, we have so programmed ourselves and marketed our ministry so much that we can draw people and do great things with out the Holy Spirit being in any of it. This is alarming. We need to return to a pursuit of a Spirit-filled life and a Spirit-filled church. Then we can see God accomplish his work in us and through us and stop relying on good marketing schemes.
The Spirit Filled Life (Acts 2:2-4; Eph 5:18)
Have you ever observed a Christian and was so amazed at how the Holy Spirit just seems to ooze out of every part of their being? I mean the kind of person that hears God clearly in their prayer life. They can leap over temptations in a single bound. And they are that person that always has the story of how they got on an airplane and sat next to someone, shared the gospel with them and had everyone on the plane on their knees in the aisle accepting Christ. And then you think, “I wish I experienced the fullness of God’s Spirit in my life like that.” Well you can. The Bible says that God wants for all believers to live Spirit-filled, Spirit controlled lives. It is a reality that is within reach for all of us.
The sad thing is, many Christians have a basic doctrine where they believe:
1. nobody’s perfect
2. God understands
But God never intended for us to live with a defeatist mentality like that.
Acts 2:2-4 (NLT) Suddenly there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them, and it filled the house where they were meeting. 3. Then, what looked like flames of tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. 4. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
I want to show you how to be Spirit-filled. First, we need to understand an important truth.
I. ALL BELIEVERS RECEIVE THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AT CONVERSION
I Cor. 12:13 (NLT) Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into Christ’s body by one Spirit, and we have all received the same Spirit.
Where’s the sound of wind from Heaven? Where is the visible manifestation of “cloven tongues?” If a believer always has to speak in tongues to be filled with the Spirit, then it will always be accompanied also by wind and lightning. Because, it was in this text. Getting the point? This interpretation is inconsistent.
This is the way it happened for the apostles and first disciples because Jesus was still with them. And the Spirit could not come until he left. But after Jesus ascended to heaven the Holy Spirit was for all believers (Acts 2:38).
Just as you become a child of God at salvation, you also receive the Holy Spirit into your heart at salvation
Gal. 4:6 KJV “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”
So, If the Holy Spirit is not dwelling within you, you are not a Christian
Rom. 8:9 NLT But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you. (And remember that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them are not Christians at all,)
Rom. 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (It does not say, “confess in tongues!”)
I am not to judge your experience. You can have a valid experience. But, we are never to let experience be our authority. The Word of God is our authority in all matters.
B. Being filled with the Holy Spirit – This is where you receive a fresh empowerment from the Holy Spirit in order to serve God, give a testimony or whatever else for the glory of God (Acts 4:8,31; 7:55; 13:9). This is a continual process of being filled. My former pastor told a story of how a man walked down an aisle in his church long ago and asked him to pray for him to be filled with the Holy Spirit. An elderly lady being a bit too nosy said, “Don’t do it pastor he leaks!” And isn’t that true? We all leak and need to be filled over and over to be empowered for God’s work and to be empowered to live free from sins control.
II. HOW TO BE SPIRIT FILLED
1. PURSUE INTIMACY WITH CHRIST
§ Worship—bring pleasure to God with your whole life.
§ Discipleship—become like Christ
§ Fellowship—be in community with other Christians
§ Ministry—serve God with you Spiritual gifts, passions and abilities.
§ Evangelism—pass your faith on to others
What we should seek (and this applies to all Christians) is that God would pour His Spirit out upon us so completely that we are filled with joy, victorious over sin, and bold to witness. And the ways He brings us to that fullness are probably as varied as people are. And often it comes gradually through a steady diet of God’s word, prayer, fellowship, worship and service. However it comes, our first experience of the fullness of the Spirit is only the beginning of a life-long battle to stay filled with the Spirit.
And that brings us to Ephesians 5:18 where the present tense of the verb in Greek means just that: “Keep on being filled with the Spirit.” Let’s look at the context to see more specifically what this means.
Ephesians 5:15-18 (ESV) Look carefully how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Therefore, do not be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, always and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
The contrast with drunkenness is the key here. What do people go to alcohol for? For a happy hour. We all want to be happy, but there is a problem: “The days are evil.” Notice the logic of verses 16-18:
The days are evil. Therefore don’t be foolish but understand what the will of the Lord is and do not get drunk … but be filled with the Spirit.
Where do you turn when the days are evil, when you are frightened or discouraged or depressed or anxious? Paul pleads with us: “Don’t turn to alcohol, turn to the Spirit. Anything of value that alcohol can bring you, God the Holy Spirit can bring more.”
There are people who can’t begin to whistle a happy tune or sing a song at work because they are so tense and anxious about life. But later in the evening at the bar with a few drinks under their belt they can put their arms around each other and sing and laugh. All of us long to be carefree, uninhibited, happy. And the mounting tragedy of our own day, as in Paul’s, is that increasing numbers of people (even Christians) believe that the only way they can find this child-like freedom is by drugging themselves with alcohol or narcotics. Such behavior dishonors God, and so Paul says: There is a better way to cope with the evil days — be filled with the Spirit, stay filled with the Spirit. And you will know unmatched joy that sings and makes melody to the Lord (Charles Stanley, The Wonder Spirit-filled Life).
2. FIND YOUR JOY IN THE LORD
Nehemiah 8:10 “the joy of the Lord is your trength”
John Piper says, The fundamental meaning of being filled with the Spirit is being filled with joy that comes from God. And Luke would agree with that, too, because he says in Acts 13:52, “The disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” To be sure, one of the marks of a person filled with the Spirit is that he is made strong to witness in the face of opposition (Acts 4:8, 31; 7:55; 13:9). But the reason for this is that. “When you are happy in God you are a strong and brave witness to His grace. So I repeat, whatever joy or peace you find in alcohol, the Spirit of God can give you more. Even the psalmist of the Old Testament had experienced this. He says in Psalms 4:7-8 (ESV) “7 You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. 8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
3. BELIEVE ALL OF GOD’S PROMISES
You see, God moves into our lives with fullness through faith. The pathway that the Spirit cuts through the jungle of our anxieties into the clearing of joy is the pathway of faith. Luke says of Stephen in Acts 6:5, that he was “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit,” and he says of Barnabas in Acts 11:24 that he was “a good man full of the Holy Spirit and of faith,” The two go together. If a person is filled with faith he will be filled with the Spirit, the Spirit of joy and peace.
The most important text in Paul’s writings to show this is Rom. 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”
Notice that it is in or by believing that we are filled with joy and peace. And it is by the Spirit that we abound in hope. When we put those two halves of the verse together what we see is that through our faith (our believing) the Spirit fills us with His hope and thus with His joy and peace. And, of course since hope is such an essential part of being filled with joy by the Spirit, what we have to believe is that God is, as Paul says, the “God of hope.” We have to rivet our faith on all that He has done and said to give us hope.
Nobody stays full of the Spirit all the time — no one is always totally joyful and submissive to God and empowered for service. But this should still be our aim, our goal, our great longing. “As a heart pants for the flowing streams, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:1,2). But in order to quench that thirst, Piper says, we must fight the fight of faith. We must preach to our souls a sermon of hope:
Psalm 42:5 NLT “Why am I discouraged? Why so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!”
We must feast on the promises that God has made to us and feed our faith to the full. Then it may be said of us as it was of Stephen and Barnabas: “They were filled with faith and with the Holy Spirit.”
4. ACT ON GOD’S PROMISES
Acts 1:8 NLT “But when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere.”
The Holy Spirit is your number one helper to assist you with the practical matters of living the Christian life.
Now listen, because of this event, the baptism of the Holy Spirit on all who believe in and confess Jesus Christ as Savior, you are empowered to fulfill the mission God has given you.
If God calls us to live purpose driven lives, then don’t you think he is a God of purpose? His purpose has always been to call the nations to know and glorify him. The events of Pentecost were a foreshadowing of the fact that his mission is for the whole world. And the whole world of Believers are to be involved in it!
2 Cor. 1:20 MSG “Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes, together, gloriously evident.”
The power of God is upon you. God has made you righteous, He has given you his authority—the same authority he gave Christ, He has promised we are no longer condemned by our sin but are now free in His Spirit. We are free to live the lives God intended us to live. The greatest life, the Spirit filled life!
The Holy Spirit is a wonderful communicator. But He does not speak just to pass along information. He speaks to get a response. He wants for us to hear and then obey.
The “Do you or don’t you” mentality works against the unity of the Body.
A Good Word About Success January 8, 2009
Posted by rgaschler in For Leaders.2 comments
Do you ever struggle with whether achieving success and being humble are reconcilable? I agree with Charles Stanley who wrote in Success God’s Way, the Bible is clear, God desires you to be successful. While the Bible only uses the word “success” seven times, it uses the word “prosper” or “prosperous” numerous times. Stanley defines success as “the continuing achievement of becoming the person God wants you to be and accomplish the goals God has helped you set.”
The key to your success is knowing what God desires you to be successful in. Psalm 37:4 says “delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” God is committed to your success as you are committed to his desires. And that is not a limiting statement to say you must pursue God’s desires to be a success. Instead, it is “unlimiting” when you let God enable you to do amazing things you could never imagine (1 Cor. 2:9)!
Setting Godly Goals January 14, 2009
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Success God’s Way
Charles Stanley defines success as “the continuing achievement of becoming the person God wants you to be and accomplishing the goals God has helped you set.”
1. Success is a continuing desire to pursue God’s desire
Psalm 37:4 (NIV) 4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
2. Success is an ongoing pursuit
2 Corinthians 3:18 (NASB) 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Philippians 3:10 (AMP) 10 [For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]
We are on a journey for our whole lives of learning, growing, serving and becoming more like Christ. So we understand that success is an ongoing pursuit.
3. God is committed to your success
The Bible is your guide—The Bible only uses the word “success” seven times: twice in Joshua, once in Genesis, Nehemiah, Job, Ecclesiastes and Daniel. But that doesn’t mean God is not interested in our success. There is another word that appears a lot in Scripture, the word “prosper.”
God is concerned with saving your whole person so he desires you to prosper.
Prosperity is wholeness in action.
Take inventory of your life.
Where am I in my spiritual walk?
Where am I in my finances?
Where am I in my education?
Where am I in my vocation?
Where am I in my service to the Lord?
Where am I in my health?
Where am I in my relationships with other people? (family, friends, coworkers, fellow church members)
Wholeness is not contingent on circumstances.
Daniel 6:28 (NASB) 28 So this Daniel enjoyed success in the reign of Darius and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.
In the midst of all his trials Daniel trusted the Lord and was considered a success.
4. God calls you to success
Joshua 1:1-9 NASB
Neh 2:18-20 NASB
Success is a process
5. God equips you for success
The Holy Spiritis given to every believer enabling us to be successful in what God has made us for.
Rom 8:28
The Holy Spirit gives us the following:
· Discernment
· Gifts
· Assurance Rom 8:28; 1 John 1:9
1 John 5:13 (NIV) 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.
· Guides—convicts, moves, compels
6. Your key to success is setting Godly goals
One of the most goal oriented people in the Bible is Paul.
Phil 3:7-14 NASB
Goal- organized, planned stretching of your life.
· Know your priority goal (or three)—it’s the same for all of us.
To know Christ, to become like Christ and to glorify Him.
Romans 8:29-30 (NASB) 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
This expands your horizons of what your goals could be. It never limits you.
· Four questions to ask God as you set goals:
1. “Why is this important to you Lord?”
2. “Does this fit into your plan for my life?”
3. “Is this goal totally in line with God’s word?”
4. “How might the accomplishment of this goal bring blessing to others?”
· Write it down. God puts value in what he says to us and we ought to write it down.
Jeremiah 30:2 (NASB) 2 “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Write all the words which I have spoken to you in a book.
Jeremiah 36:2 (NASB) 2 “Take a scroll and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you concerning Israel and concerning Judah, and concerning all the nations, from the day I first spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day.
Habakkuk 2:2 (NASB) 2 Then the LORD answered me and said, “Record the vision And inscribe it on tablets, That the one who reads it may run.
· Types of Goals
Immediate Goals—preach this message
Short Range Goals—lead a fruitful semester of ministry that leads you to connect with God, ministry in the church, and your mission in the world.
Long Range Goals—Develop a ministry that trains up and sends out laborers for the Kingdom.
Ask the Lord to direct your goal setting and use the following tips.
· Be Specific
· Set goals that are reachable
· At the same time, Set goals that can only be accomplished with God’s help.
· Set goals that are measurable
Not “I’m going to grow in Christ”
But instead state specific goals like, “I’m going to grow in Christ by reading my Bible five days out of the week.”
· Take one step at a time.
· Depend completely on God
John 15:5, Joshua 1:8
Phil 3:14 “I Press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus”
Knowing God through Small Groups February 5, 2009
Posted by rgaschler in Disciplemaking Church, For Leaders.add a comment
Proverbs 9:10 in the Living Bibe says, “Knowing God results in every other kind of understanding.” If you lead a small group, you are a vital part of leading group members to know God so they can gain understanding in all areas of life. We live in dark world where people are given over to all kinds of sins out of desperation to understand life. We have the only true understanding through the Light of the Gospel. Through small group Bible study communities we can be part of trasnforming lives as we remain in God’s Word and His Word remains in us (John 15:7). What an exciting endeavor, we literally are shedding light on the subject!
A CALL TO FAST December 10, 2011
Posted by rgaschler in Fasting.1 comment so far
I would say desperate times call for desperate measure such as fasting with our praying as we are in desperate times in our world. However, Jesus did not perceive fasting as desperate measures. Jesus assumed we would fast because he said “when you fast” in Matthew 6:16. Jesus also expected his disciples to fast after he was gone (Matthew 9:14-15).
WHAT IS FASTING? Simply put fasting is abstaining from food, drink, or other things for a period of time.
Esther 4:15-16 (ESV) Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.”
Fasting generally was from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32).
WHY FAST? In a sense we need to become desperate for God again. And when we are experiencing hunger pains while fasting then we are reminded to depend on God, to call out to God, to seek Him alone.
Also we fast to seek spiritual help for ourselves and for others (Isaiah 58:5-9). Some things only find their breakthrough by fasting and prayer.
Matthew 17:21 (NASB) “But this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”
And, our world is saturated with evil and worship of idols of all kinds. Even our stomach is an idol. I know if I don’t get to lunch at 11:30am every day I get grumpy! The Bible says that Paul fasted regularly (2 Corinthians 11:27; Acts 9:9)
We also fast to bring true repentance of and deliverance from sin in our lives. David fasted because of the in he committed with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 12:15-16).
WHAT SHOULD I FAST? If you have never fasted before then start simple and small. Preparation is needed to fast longer. There are various kinds of fasts and the important thing is to do what works for you. Then, make a commitment to it and stick with it. Also, the best way to stick with it is to have some one fast with you to have accountability.
KINDS OF FASTS
Some types of fasts
- The Full Fast-Going without food for a defined period consuming only liquids (water, juice, broth, etc.).*
- The Daniel Fast-Eat no meats, no sweets, no bread. Drink water and juice. Eat fruits and vegetables for a defined period of time.
- The Partial Fast-from 6am-3pm or sun up to sun down. It can be a Full Fast, Daniel Fast, or giving up at least one item of food.
*Consult a physician before any lengthy full fast.
In our church we teach four major habits for growing Christians: Time in God’s Word, prayer, fellowship with Christians, and tithing. But I believe practicing the discipline of fasting takes our faith to a whole new level. This is where we can really see the power of God unleashed in answered prayer and direction for our lives and the church.
JANUARY 8-29th Join myself and First Southern Baptist Church of Tucson in a 21 day fast. We are fasting and praying for God to do great things!
Here is a link for more great help about fasting. http://www.ccci.org/training-and-growth/devotional-life/personal-guide-to-fasting/index.htm
Helping Students Fit in at Church After College April 15, 2011
Posted by rgaschler in Uncategorized.add a comment
One of the tragedies of American church life is that college students coming out of vibrant campus ministry experiences seem to have to “backslide” to fit into their church. Let’s put a stop to that.
Here’s what I suggest:
1. Cast a vision for being change agents in their church. Graduates who came from a tremendous disciple making community on campus should not settle for less in their church. They should get involved in the leadership to help the church make disciples. And if their church is not willing then they should move on to a church that is.
2. Maintain accountability during transition. Graduates need to stay in touch with friends who will keep them accountable to stay in God’s Word, stay in prayer, active in church and other spiritual habits.
3. Graduates need to know that where they are going, God has sent them to make his glory known there. Their job is a platform for sharing the gospel. Their new community is a new opportunity for the sake of the gospel.
Every great movement in church history started with young men and women so let’s inspire them to keep it going!
Developing the Leaders Around You by John Maxwell December 4, 2009
Posted by rgaschler in Reading Recommendations.add a comment
A must read for any leader to move beyond being a good leader into the realm of building good leaders. This book also helped me get out of a low point I was in after recent leadership struggles. I was reinspired to invest in people and I was also given some very practical help on how to do it better.
What is God Like? Christian Beliefs Chapter 2 Discussion November 11, 2009
Posted by rgaschler in Uncategorized.Tags: What is God Like?
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1. What are some attributes that God most clearly shares with us? What are some attributes he doesn’t share very much with us? Name one attribute of God that you would like to imitate more fully in your daily life and tell why.
2. Can you tell what some of the dangers would be in considering one of God’s attributes more important than all the others?
3. Which of God’s attributes seem most amazing to you? What have you learned about God through this attribute?
