Your COMPASS for the Journey…on the PATH of Discipleship | January 30-February 5, 2011
Posted by Isaac Butterworth | Filed under Discipleship, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation
Your COMPASS for the Journey on the PATH of Discipleship is a daily resource designed to help you find direction in your walk with Christ. It includes a ‘Compass’ (a daily reading), a ‘Map’ (a brief comment to aid your understanding of the reading), and an application section called ‘Journey.’
Saturday, February 5, 2011 MAKING FRIENDS FOR GOD
Compass:
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 ‘…I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.’
19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
Map:
Paul faced criticism for his method of ministry. Like his Lord before him, he was often in the company of those whom others considered ‘undesirable.’ But Paul made it clear that his goal in life was not to win everybody’s approval or to live above criticism. His one goal was ‘to win as many as possible.’ So he rubbed shoulders with all kinds of people. ‘I do all this for the sake of the gospel,’ he said.
Journey:
Is winning others for the sake of the gospel important enough to you to take a few risks to make it happen? We are not to join others in sinning (Paul said, ‘I am not free from God’s law’), but both Jesus and Paul show us that we should join sinners in the midst of living in order to make friends for God. Whom can you befriend ‘for the sake of the gospel’?
Tomorrow: EXTERNAL RELIGION
Friday, February 4, 2011 READY TO GIVE ANSWER
Compass:
1 Peter 3:13-16 ‘…Always be prepared to give an answer….’
13 Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.” 15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
Map:
Peter’s first readers were a persecuted minority in their society. Peter tells them to do the right thing even if they have to suffer for it. Such a lifestyle may cause someone to inquire about the hope that motivates such character. It’s then that God’s people need to be ready to put their faith into words.
Journey:
We often play down the value of speaking about our faith, nobly asserting that deeds are better than mere ‘talk.’ There is truth to this, but it is also important to be able to give a verbal account of ‘the hope that you have.’ Sometimes, we may even use the position that ‘actions speak louder than words’ as an alibi. Find a way to learn what you believe and why, and then speak to someone about it.
Tomorrow: MAKING FRIENDS FOR GOD
Thursday, February 3, 2011 THE COMPANY WE KEEP
Compass :
Luke 5:27-32 ‘Why do you eat and drink with…”sinners”?’
27 After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. “Follow me,” Jesus said to him, 28 and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
29 Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them. 30 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?”
31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Map :
Tomorrow: READY TO GIVE ANSWER
Wednesday, February 2, 2011 A FRIEND OF GOD
James was the half-brother of Jesus and the pastor of the Jerusalem church. His letter urges endurance in hardship and responsible Christian living. In this passage, he talks about ‘faith and…actions…working together’ when Abraham offered his son, Isaac, on the altar.
Journey :
James says that Abraham was ‘called God’s friend’ because he obeyed God and trusted him with the outcome. What potential outcome do you fear may come about if you obey God in the situation? Can you lay aside your fear and trust God with the results, thus showing yourself to be God’s friend?
Tuesday, February 1, 2011 JUST BETWEEN FRIENDS
Compass :
Exodus 33:7-11 ‘The LORD would speak to Moses…as a man speaks with his friend.’
7 Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the ‘tent of meeting.’ Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. 8 And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. 9 As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses. 10 Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent. 11 The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
Map :
The Hebrew people, having been delivered from slavery in Egypt, were encamped in the wilderness. In the center of their camp was the ‘tent of meeting,’ the tabernacle, the place of worship. God’s presence, represented by a pillar of cloud, would remain at the tent’s entrance with Moses, and ‘the Lord would speak with Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend.’
Journey :
Do you enjoy intimacy with God? Would you like to be God’s friend and have a ‘face to face’ relationship with him? What steps would you take to develop such intimacy? What are some steps you take with others with whom you want to deepen your bond? Give it priority? Invest your time? Ask someone else to help you get better acquainted? Plan to spend a day together? Could you do these things with God?
Tomorrow: A FRIEND OF GOD
Monday, January 31, 2011 CLOSER THAN A BROTHER
Compass:
Proverbs 18:24 ‘…There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.’
A man of many companions may come to ruin,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Map:
The Book of Proverbs, a collection of wise sayings, has much to say about friendship. For example, ‘A friend loves at all times’ (17:7) and ‘There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother’ (18:24).
Journey:
We all need to have friends, and we also need to be a friend. Are any of your friends experiencing difficulty (perhaps with no one to blame but themselves)? Since ‘a friend loves at all times,’ is this a time for you to stick ‘closer than a brother’? What would that look like?
Tomorrow: JUST BETWEEN FRIENDS
Sunday, January 30, 2011 FRIENDS OF CHRIST
Compass:
John 15:12-17 ‘You are my friends….’
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Map:
On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus had one, final, intense conversation with his disciples (recorded in John, chapters 13 through 16). In chapter 15, he says to them, ‘You are my friends if you do what I command.’
Journey:
Jesus’ command in this context is: ‘Love each other as I have loved you.’ How does Jesus love us? Unconditionally. Sacrificially. Right? Love is not a feeling; it’s an action. Toward whom can you act with unconditional, sacrificial love today?
Tomorrow: CLOSER THAN A BROTHER
Photo Credit: ‘Weather Vane‘ by Auntie P.
