What is our Christian Calling?

Scripture:
"Now when Jesus heard that John had been put into prison... He went to "the people who sat in darkness.... And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned. For, Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” ... And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee saw two brothers,... Then he said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." ...Going from there, He saw two other brothers, and he called them, "and immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed Him." Matthew 4:12-22.


Study: John the Baptist, the forerunner to Jesus, was put into prison, Jesus took the same message that John the Baptist spoke, "Turn from you sin and turn to God." Then Jesus calls out two believers that John had baptized earlier (John 1:37) and said, "If you follow me I will make you fishers of men." Christ followers;

• Come when they are called. When we hear the call we are to be obedient. Interestingly, God knows all the stuff that is going on in our lives and he expects us to leave those things to fulfill the calling.
• Go wherever he leads them. Sometimes we say we must step out into the dark. Darkness is not of Christ.  We step out in faith trusting God to lead the way. 
• Focus on Him. As we walk we turn away from ourself and the world and focus on Christ 
• Bring light to darkness. Jesus is the light in the darkness. The gospel message is always the same, "Turn from your sin," and "Follow Jesus."

Application: When we answer the call to follow Jesus, we are called to share that gospel with others. Many people do many things, good things, in the line of ministry. Objects are objects, they are not love. We give things that represent the love we have. These good things are the ways that we share love with others. We are commanded to love our neighbors so that we will lead them from "darkness to light." The only way to do this is by getting to the core of the gospel, "Turn from your sin, and follow Jesus," You may not all be called to be an evangelist, preacher, or foreign missionary, but all followers are  called to share the gospel message. Have you been faithful to your calling.

Prayer: 
Dear Father, Help me to walk worthy of the calling, to be faithful to follow you wherever you lead, and to be bold in sharing your gospel. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Go Ahead and Back Up

Scripture(s):

Genesis 35:1-3 And God said unto Jacob, Arise, and go up to Bethel, and dwell there: and make there an altar unto God, that appeared unto thee when thou fleddest from the face of Esau they brother... Then Jacob said ... And let us arise, and I will make there an altar unto God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and was with me in the way which I went.

Affirmations from God:

To sum up Jacob's story, God gave Esau’s birthright to Jacob even before he was born, however in his trickery, Jacob stole it from Esau. Esau was going to kill Jacob, thus Jacob fled. After wandering for some 40 years God comes to Jacob to renew his covenant with him. For the first time Jacob decides to listen to God and returns to Bethel.

So many times we are like Jacob, we hear God but are not obedient to God. As Honore de Balzac would say, “It is easy to sit up and take notice, What is difficult is getting up and taking action.” God wants us to take action rather than spending our life wandering around. 

Interestingly enough, I accepted Christ at the age of ten. I heard God speaking but many times I did not respond but then I had a Damascus road experience.  God called me and basically said, "And let us arise, go back to your Bethel, make you an altar to God, who answered you in your distress, and has been with you as you have fled from your fears, and routed your own journey" (Gen. 35:1, Patsy's translation).

While it is not easy to accept that we have been disobedient to God, we are wise to back up, go back to where we started from and start over. For some the cost of backing up is more than for others, however we are wise to obey when he calls us. Regardless the cost, we know that when we are obedient to God he will give us all that we need. At the end of this same chapter in Genesis, we find that because Jacob was obedient, "God blessed him."

Personal Application:

1.  When did you accept God’s call on your life?

2.   Are you following him or are you wandering around?

3.   What is keeping you from going back to your Bethel, making an alter to God and moving on with your life?

4.   Are you willing to move on at any cost?

Prayer:

Pray for God to take you back to your Bethel. Pray that God will reveal to you the things that are preventing you from following him. Pray that you will have the strength to be obedient to his call in your life. And... then thank Him for his continued watch on your life and for His blessing to you, in Jesus Name, Amen

I Am a Follower by Leonard Sweet

There is a difference in knowing about God and knowing Him. Knowing about Him encompasses all the information that we obtain from the first time we heard about Him throughout life. To know the historical background, biblical truths, and scripture memorization is a worthy accomplishment, for it is through knowing about God that we are able trust Him enough to establish a relationship with Him. 

Leonard Sweet in his book, I AM A FOLLOWER, points out that if we want to know Jesus then we must follow Him without any reservations. Jesus said, "Come, follow me, and I will make you...." In other words, Jesus will direct our steps. Sweet says, "followers don't begin with an end in mind so much as they begin with a horizon in view." Until one accepts this principle they are still doing the leading rather than following God. 

Challenging us to follow Jesus, Sweet says, "to follow Jesus is not to demand road signs but to respond to the voice of the Spirit along the way....When we embrace the wings of the Spirit, we can soar to unlimited heights."  This message, ringing loud and clear, vibrated my being. My spirit does not argue with the fact that I am a Follower, however, my spirit wrestles as I struggle to follow Him when I do not know what lies beyond the door that He is leading me to walk through. 

If you want to make a difference in someone's life you must teach them to follow and the only way to do this is by modeling through your own life how you follow. Pick up a copy, I am a Follower, and allow Mr. Sweet to lead you into an understanding of what it means to follow Jesus. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Cardboard Box Love

Recently some of you have been enquiring about how I have been spending my time since retirement. This video, produced by Martha O'Bryan Center, is seeking to offer secular assistance to this community. It speaks more than a thousand words. Please do not turn off the music for later it stops, and individuals tell their story. Afterwards, I will tell my story and how we are seeking to give spiritual guidance to the community.

Many of you know Matthew, our son. After graduating, from Vanderbilt University, with his Master’s of Divinity, Matthew found himself sleeping on couches in various friends’ houses and working bi-vocational church staff positions trying to make a living. One house in particular on Shelby Avenue proved to be an eye opening experience that would shape the way he did ministry and thought about God’s Kingdom. Behind his backyard, on Shelby Avenue, is one of the poorest sections of Nashville’s housing, with approximately 12,000 people per square mile. It houses the largest housing unit in the metro Nashville area, Cayce Place, featured in the Martha O’Bryan on Video Clip. God has opened our eyes and touched our hearts and we cannot turn our back on the ministry needs here. Seven months ago, Matthew and Alyson started casting their vision among a small group of individuals, that began to call themselves, East Nashville Community Church, (ENCC). It is at Kirkpatrick Recreation Center that we will plant ENCC to have an intentional time for the community to worship together.

During the past weeks since April, I have had the privilege to work with ENCC to minister in this neighbor"hood." It has been a blessing to work with those who have partnered with us: Casting Crowns, Powerplant 2010, Kirkpatrick Metro Center, Keith Cook: On The Go Ministry, and other individuals to begin connecting with the community/families.  We have been able to connect with the community by cleaning classrooms at Martha O’Bryan Center (a local non-profit for at-risk persons), serving and delivering “Meals on Wheels,” by skating and interacting with groups playing basketball at the Kirkpatrick Center, or just sitting at a picnic table passing our icy-pops. We have not only connected but have been able to share the gospel through picnic table ministry, parking lot ministry, as well as just finding a spot to tell a short Bible Story to children, handing out information about East Nashville Community Church, and/or just telling everyone I meet about the ministry going on here.

One time specifically while taking clothes to the Martha O’Bryan center to hand out…I went about my business, chatting to some individuals as we unloaded clothing from the back of our car. I saw the older man sitting against the wall, appearing not to pay us any attention. As we carried in the last box, he said something that still rings through the crevices of my mind, and touches the deepest part of my heart, “Lady if you want to make a difference in our neighborhood, you gotta” walk” our streets.”  

I overheard one of the community children ask the student minister, “Will you come and have church on Sunday?” The student minister answered, “No, we have to go home.” They (the children) didn’t say it, but you could read their eyes, “You bring us cardboard boxes filled with token’s of love, but then you leave us. We know all about the kind of love that comes and goes. We want you to stay around so we can feel your arms. We want to experience your love.”  

Oh, what good intentions we have when we “drop off” our love in cardboard boxes, hop into our vehicles, and drive away. It is so important to connect with individuals and certainly these are ways to connect. However, connecting is only the beginning of making a difference in someone’s life. An Ethiopian man was reading the book of Isaiah, (or what we would interpret as, the Bible) in Acts 8:31. Phillip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” In other words, can you understand this in a way you can apply it? The Ethiopian answered Phillip’s question saying, “ ‘Well, how can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.” In essence, this Ethiopian man was hungry for discipleship.

 We have seen over 100 come to know Jesus as their Savior. The community wants to know more about Jesus. They want hope. They want to continue to experience love. Matthew has shared with the community that we are coming to worship with them on August 1^st. A mother, with two young daughters, shared that if they went to church they had to ride a bus and her small oxygen tank would not last long the trip. Others shared that they had to catch a ride for there was not a church in walking distance. With enthusiasm and excitement they would say, “August 1st, Now…You will be here, right here, August 1st?” Two men were playing basketball at the courts. One man said, “You see these children, my nieces and nephews; if you bring a church here, I will see to it that they are there.”

We, ENCC, believe that people matter to God. Whether we all agree on specific doctrines, we can agree on that until we unite together to complete the gospel then we waste a lot of time and resources competing with each other. This community has invited us to come and sit awhile, to love them, and we are responding. This is our attempt to "sit" with them, to share with them a genuine love that gives hope, yet makes a difference in all of our lives.

 The Costner’s, family, and a few friends have been funding this church plant since it’s beginning. Our heart hurts more and more for the restoration and redemption of this great community, but the needs are greater than what we can accomplish on our own. Please pray that God will speak to you and your family as to how you can support/partner with us. We need 24 individuals that will join us in giving $100.00 per month for a minimum of one year. If not a one time check would be appreciated. Thank you for reading our story, and I pray that God will bless you beyond your giving.

I have a video presentation that I would love to share with you, your group, or church. Please do not underestimate the working of the Holy Spirit in lives. Share this with individuals at your church, put it in your newsletter, YOU can talk to your pastor, sometimes he is just waiting for a layperson as yourself to cast vision for the church. Share it with your friends who might not know us. 

For more information: Subject line  Want to partner with ENCC 

Matthew Costner  at  matthewcostner@gmail.com or 

Patsy Costner  at pscostner@gmail.com 

Hearing God's Voice

Can you really hear God's voice? I can and do. So often I hear someone say, How do we know it is God's voice?


Scripture:

Romans 1:6 “And you also are among those who are called…”

John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Lesson:
I have mitral valve prolapse. When I get all wrapped up in life and allow circumstances, situations, worry and fatigue to get the best of me it affects the normal work of my mitral valve. When this happens, I suffer symptoms: severe tightness of chest, weakness, pain in jaw and teeth, etc. My cardiologist prescribed a beta blocker to slow down my pace to prevent me from "over doing it." 


However, I prefer preventive medicine over prescribed medications. So....Early on I decided to listen to the voice of my body. By doing this I am able to control the things that trigger the symptoms related to this problem, therefore, I do not have to take the medications. Just as we learn to listen to our body we can learn to recognize the voice of God. 


God speaks to us:

• Through the written Word, (Bible).
• Through the Holy Spirit living within us. 
• Through other individuals under the influence of the Holy Spirit. (words,   music, testimony, witness, etc.) 
• Through experiences and circumstances.
• Through His creation creations. 

Application:

1. How does God speak to you?
2. Are you able to discern God's voice from other voices? How?
3. As we learn to hear Gods voice we should ask for discernment. I have met individuals that seemed to say that God told them things that appeared to be self-promoting.
4. When discerning God will, always know that it will not contradict His Word. 

Prayer:

Dear Father, teach me to hear your voice. Make my senses sensitive to you that I may be so in-touch with you that I not only hear you in every way but am obedient to your call. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Is That You, God?

Do you hear God’s voice? Some have said to me that God does not speak to individuals. I choose to disagree. God speaks to me all the time. 

Scripture:

Romans 1:6 “And you also are among those who are called…”

John 10:27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

Lesson:

Who are the called? Scripture tells us that God is not willing that any should perish. (John 3:16) , therefore we know he is calling out to us. We are told in Job that God even calls out in the thunder and lightning. It was through His son that God made a way for all to experience everlasting life. He calls to us just as he called to Saul on the road to Damascus. It's simple, He calls, and You either answer or ignore Him? Saul heard the call and then he answered, “What do you want me to do?”

Not so long ago I had been trimming the shrubs and low tree limbs in my yard. I stopped to adjust my ratchet cutter and when I could not see the detail of the ratchet, I realized I had lost my glasses. Yes, I had prayed that God would show them for me. After two days of looking, I went outside to look just once more time before the city maintenance picked up the limbs. As quick as I prayed, and I talk to God like I talk to you, “Lord, you know exactly where those glasses are, and I have been obedient in every way I know, to follow you,” I actually heard a belly roll chuckle, and then a voice say, “You must be kidding. When you came out the door to do your trimming I told you to take those glasses off and put on your safety glasses.” I believe that I momentarily stopped breathing for a moment. I said, “God you are so right. I heard that, but I did not know it was you.” A sickness, went through me and I though, "Why did I not know your voice?" My moment of truth followed, as He said, “If I am in you and you in me you will only hear my voice.”

How true. I taught kindergarten for 15 years and everyday we would go outside. I taught my students to listen for my voice so that I would not have to chase them down by yelling or screaming. At the end of playtime I could just raise my hand and in a loud but not screaming or yelling voice, say, “Mrs. Costner’s class come in.” You know, they would line up at the door and not once did students from the other classes line up to come in with me. Why? Sheep hear their master’s voice and are obedient to his call. 


I cried to my God, and asked forgiveness for not recognizing his voice. Now I am learning to hear his voice. 

Application

1. Do you hear God’s voice? 
2. How does God speak to you?
3. Why did I not recognize His voice? 
4. We listen to too many voices. The world yells for us to follow it's way. We must learn to turn our ear His way  we will only hear His voice.

Prayer:
Dear Father, open my ears to you only. Make me deaf to the voices of the world that might lead me astray. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

FAITH IS ABOUT GOD not OUR OWN STRENGTH

Has life been a bed of roses? Have you ever felt like Job? You are trying to walk the Christian walk and it seems like you are drowning in the world of circumstances while everyone else is floating around on wealth, health, and happiness, offering you no words or arms of encouragement?

Scripture:

Romans 1:5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.

Lesson:

The more I talk with people I find that life is no “happily ever after” situation. If you are alive and living, life gets hard, inspite of the prosperity messages, that if you are a Christian you will experience all the good things that life offers. I have given my life seeking God and yet I do feel like Job at times. Not only do I question my own faith, or lack of faith but I wrestle with God at times. I must say that He always wins, and I wind up learning a little more about him. I must say that situations and circumstances have always kept us looking to God for answers. Twice God brought my husband through two serious operations, an acoustic aroma, and triple bypass surgery. Then more recently, like last week, I was concerned with how God was going to orchestrate in my son and daughter-n-law’s lives as the Nashville flood "seemed" to be coming in all around them. When I pray, it is easy to ask God to respond as we see and want things to turn our, but harder as we pray, “God please protect them as you orchestrate your will in their lives.” It is so hard to actually release ourselves and those we love to His will and purpose.

That is where faith comes in. God is still working in my family to teach me that, faith is not trusting God to answer as I want Him to, but trusting Him to orchestrate His will in our lives regardless of the outcome. You know the sad thing is that during my hard times, were only been two individuals that took me to the scriptures and reminded me of this truth. As, I reflect, I thank God for Matthew and Mary who took me back and reminded me of the Creator, and Prince of Peace.

I thank God for voices of encouragement during hard times. We must learn to place our faith in the God who is faithful. We have been talking about our belief system. I am so glad that my faith resides on the strength and power of God Almighty and not within my own strength.

Application:

1. In whom does your faith reside?
2. We have no strength within ourselves, but God is all powerful. Then why do we find it so difficult to surrender ourselves into his care?
3. Faith cannot be a verbal belief, just saying that you are Christian. Does your life reflect a trust in Jesus, and if so what are some evidences of your obedience to faith?
4. Our faith encourages other people and they will draw strength and encouragement from it. How do you encourage and strengthen other people?
5.   How often do you pray for others in the church, missionaries, friends, or neighbors? Do you feel an obligation to reach all people with the gospel?

Prayer:

Dear Father, Thank you so much that can rest my faith in you. Help me to demonstrate my faith in you that others may draw strength and encouragement from it. Thank you, for those individuals that you have brought into my life that have encouraged me through the years. Bless them for their obedience. Fill me with a desire to reach all people for your kingdom. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Romans 1:5 DOES OBEDIENCE REFLECT YOUR FAITH?

does obedience reflect Your faith

What does obedient faith look like? We do a lot of things in the name of religion, but what about according to the gospel? Are we obedient to what God calls us to do? Does our faith make a difference in how we live our lives? In other words how does what we do align with God's purpose for us? How "love"ly are you today?

Scripture:

Romans 1:5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 

Lesson:

As followers of Christ we receive grace as a gift but with that grace comes the responsibility to go out and share the gospel. Paul is going to great lengths in this introductory chapter of Romans to make sure that we understand that the Gospel is universal and that as a follower of Christ, we have been sent forth by God on a mission, to bring about obedience of Faith. To know the fact of the gospel is not enough. Paul is saying here that we must have a faith that leads to obedience.We are to be about God's business of sharing the gospel for Christ's sake. In other words, our purpose is to be about glorifying God. As we think about obedience, one might wonder just why Paul would talk about obedience. But what kind of faith would one have if it did not result in obedience. As a kindergarten teacher I know the significance of teaching obedience, for obedience is the starting point of discipleship. As believers we start our walk with Christ beginning with obedience of our faith just as Christ began his ministry in obedience to the Father. 


With this said, Paul will continually see a thread throughout Romans that says that the gospel is about Christ, according to the scriptures, for all people, unto the obedience of faith and to glorify God.

Application:

1.     As believers, we have received grace and apostleship (a mission to go forth and spread the gospel). What are you going to do about this calling?
2.     Who is the object of your faith? The church, you, your cause, Christ?
3.     What are some evidences or your obedience of faith? Does your faith encourage others to obedience? 
4.     How often do you encourage others by praying or meeting their needs?
5.     Do you feel an obligation to reach all people? What evidence is there that you do?
6.     As you walk in obedience, how freely does love flow from your actions, or do you act and react out of necessity or the "have to" attitude? 

Prayer:
Dear Father, thank you for your grace and mercy in providing a way of salvation for all who will believe. Open doors of opportunity that I may go forward and spread the gospel. Help me to be open to all people and to extend your love to them. Help me to be an encourager. Forgive me of the time when I have not been obedient and even unpleasing to you. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Romans 1:1 SET APART FROM OR APART TO?

We spend most of our lives trying to be like others. We want to fit in, to be apart of the group, to be included. We do not really want to be set apart do we? If we did not care we would not spent billions of dollars a year to make sure we are looking like the "Jones."

Scripture:

Romans 1:1. Paul, ….. set apart for the gospel of  God—

Lesson:

We most often think of being separated "from" something. We separate the sick from the well, bad fruit from the good, the criminals from law abiding citizens, etc. We we think about being separated from "the" group, is not a "good" feeling is it? We want to be picked don't we. We want to be invited don't we? 


Paul says in this scripture that we are not set apart "from" but "to" or "for" something. Now that is better isn't it. We do like being chosen for something. Paul tells us that Christians are separated for the gospel of God. To be separated to something is like a husband/bride relationship. No longer do these two living their lives in singleness but as one. Everything comes to the marriage based on what is good for the marriage. A husband/bride is separated unto each other for the fulfillment of the marriage contract. 


Paul said, I am a servant, I am sent out, and everything I do is for the gospel of God. As a Christian, we will be different for we are set apart to be different and for the purpose of spreading the Gospel of God." Some individuals spend their lives wanting to be "chosen." So we go about doing a little of everything to try to find our place so that we do not look different from others. However, when we know who we belong to and that we are on God's team we can be set apart, different. God has a team that surpasses any other team that we could be a part of called the "kingdom" team, or the "church." Christ thinks we are so special he calls us his "bride." We are set apart unto Him. Let us live as one set apart for Him. 

Application:

1. Do you recognize how special you are to God and his son, Jesus? 
2. Did you realize that in accepting Jesus, not only are you accepting him as Savior but Lord of your life? You are marrying Jesus. You are His now, not the worlds and he has set you apart?
3. Are you living a life of purity for your husband, Christ, or do you slip into adultery and live like the world when you think no one knows?  
4. What changes do you need to make in your life so that you would make Jesus attractive to the world?
5. Do you live for Jesus on Sunday but for the devil through the week?

Prayer:

Dear Father, search me and know my heart. Give me your eyes that I may see myself as you and the world sees me. Help me to be true to you to stop trying to hold on to the world and to you. Help me to have an intimate relationship with you so that as the world looks on they will know that I am yours and yours alone. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.

Romans 1:1 WHO Is CALLED?

When I say, ________ is a called man/woman, what comes to your mind? Do you know someone you consider “called?” What do you mean when you hear someone was called? We hear it all the time, the church called so-n-so to do such-and- such. Is this way of thinking Biblically sound?

Scripture:

Romans 1:1. Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle

Lesson:

As a minister (I have given my life in ministry to kingdom work) individuals will come to me and say….you need to say or do this…. Because they sense a person is called they feel that that person should be doing such-and-such. It is interesting to me of all the duties and responsibilities of the one "called" designated by those that do not perceive themselves to be "called." Who is the called in your book?  Are you Called? 

When God came to Saul, Saul responded, “What do you want me to do?” Saul obeyed God. Do you think God calls us as believers to certain task?When God comes to us, we are to ask the same question, "What do you want me to do?" He calls out to all of us and we respond as Paul or we ignore the calling. He calls and appoints us to different roles and missions. But keep in mind that God created and designed us for the thing he purposed us to do. He calls and appoints us. The church or people of God are not the the ones who call and the ones called are not under their authority. They are only affirming the call on that person’s life. 

Application:

1.   Have you considered the fact that you are “called.” ?With this new understanding of called, are you called?

2.   Apostle means, one who is sent out. Think about the opportunities you have everyday to speak Jesus to someone. Name some of the opportunities you have.

3.   Would you live your life the same if you wore the title, Missionary    Mary, Pastor Patty, Deacon Diane, Chaplain Christy,etc.? Do we need a title to hide behind to be about God's work?

4.   What are we as Christians called to? God is speaking to you now, what is he calling you to do?

5.  If we would look at the encounters we have each day with individuals as opportunities to witness, how would Christianity be impacted?

Prayer:

Dear Father, help me to realize the potential I have everyday to speak of your greatness and to the difference Christ has made in my life. Open my eyes and ears to the needs of individuals. Help me to be bold in sharing your love.  Again, Father, show me what you would have me do and give me the courage and strength to be obedient to your calling in my life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.