Give me the Tools for More

Give me the Tools for More.  Matthew 7.24

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After a very long day in the classroom, I exited the Harvard building, headed out into a cold, windy evening, and walked quite a few blocks to a restaurant where many of my classmates gathered for a late dinner, exhalation from a tedious day, and exhilaration from conversation with new friends.  On one side of me was a hostage negotiator from Switzerland, who I truly found fascinating, and a kind and gentle person.  A fellow from Belgium took the seat on the other side of me, and getting to know him was quite interesting as well. 

Quite through happenstance, a more personal conversation with Mr. Belgium came the next night— more meaningful as it had to do with his faith in God.  Catholic by religion, Bernard indicated it does not really have much impact on his daily life.  He began to tell me about an impasse in his family that has caused complete division, and great heartache.  Besides listening, the only thing I knew to do was pray—right then, right there—in the crowded noisy restaurant.  I told him to just keep his eyes open and I would too, and then I prayed that God would come and do what only he could do—that he would bring healing and restoration to Bernard’s family.

When we have relationship with an all-loving, all-powerful God, we can go to him in prayer and ask him to “do what only he can do!”  Our Morning Briefing readership has now expanded into a 128^th country—Belgium.  A few other new friends have joined as well, and would like to grow in their faith, but are not quite sure how to make that happen.  So here goes.

‘Can you teach us how to grow our faith?’ was asked by one of the high school athletes I was leading several years ago.  Growing a personal relationship with Christ is accomplished primarily in two ways:  Bible reading and prayer.  Prayer they could kinda’ get, so I knew I had to start with Scripture.  With about a hundred students gathered, I took them to John chapter 15, which just might be my favorite chapter in the Bible.  Some of the students were opening Bibles, for the very first time, which was so cool to watch from my vantage point.

Setting the scene:  Jesus had just shared the Passover meal with his beloved disciples in the Upper Room in Jerusalem, as crowds streamed by below. Indeed, this was the last supper they would share together before Jesus went to the Cross.  After he washed their dirty feet in the manner of a servant, he told them that one of them was about to betray him … and that where he would soon be going they could not come.¹ Jesus told them of Heaven, that he was going to prepare a place for them, and they should not be troubled.² He promised that when he left them, the Comforter would come³ … and then he said to them, “Come now; let us leave.”

And so Jesus leads his best friends down, out of town, and into the vineyard, where he uses the grapevine to symbolize believers’ connection with God. 

“I am the Vine, you are the branches.  

 Apart from me, you can do nothing.” John 15.5  

When we finished reading the few verses, I asked the students three questions that they could apply to any passage of Scripture: ‘What are these verses saying?’  Simply, true life comes from being connected to Jesus Christ.  ‘How does that apply to us?’  We must then seek to be connected to him.  ‘How?  Is there any action we should take?’  Get to know him through his Word, get to know him by communicating with him----you know, pray!  ‘Start your day by connecting with the one who made you, the one who knows all about you, the one who loves you.’

‘Want to grow in your Christian faith?   I invite you to spend a little time each morning, at the start of the day—with these Morning Briefings, and/or taking a verse or verses to study and then consider:

1) What are the verses saying? 

2) In what way do the verses apply to me? 

3) What, if any, action should I take?

Take Matthew 7.24, where Jesus said, “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.”  Go ahead—apply Jesus’ words to your life.  Simply, if you listen to Jesus teaching, and obey him, you will be like a wise person who builds his house on a solid foundation.  Two parts:  listen, take heed to Jesus’ words; second, obey what he instructs -> you will become wise.

Daily, take some time to commit yourself to God in prayer.  Ask him to lead and direct your path—to give you wisdom.  Ask God to speak to you, and then be quiet, and listen.  You might turn off your radio as you are driving down the road or working in your home, and ask God to speak to you—give him some quiet in which to speak.

Be wise; start by giving God more room in your life—use these tools.

1 – John 13.33;  2 – John 14.1;  3 – John 14.26