If a disciple is someone who is following Jesus, is being changed by Jesus, and is on the mission of Jesus, how does that impact our priorities in life? I take what some see as a radical view and believe that Jesus actually meant it when He said, “Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me.” What that means is that HE IS our priority. There is no other.

The question that each of us must ask is, “What does it look like for me to keep Jesus first in my life?” What would your workplace look like if Jesus was actually first in all you said and did? What about your community and your family? Your “free” time? We give lip service to the commands to love God with our heart, soul, mind, and strength; but what would our lives look like if we actually intended to live that out every hour of every day?

I don’t know about you, but I am easily distracted. I start out with good intentions and soon find myself wondering what happened. Busyness takes over my schedule, and I wonder how my priorities are being reflected. I will wake up again tomorrow knowing that TODAY, I need to choose Jesus first. And the struggle will ensue as “good” things compete for my attention. We need a revival, and I need for it to start with me.

Let’s pray for each other that God would so capture our hearts and minds that we can’t look away, and let’s commit to living out His values and priorities in every relationship that we have. If it feels like a struggle, it is. But it is worth the effort, so fight to keep your heart and mind aligned with His.

written by Norman Smith, originally created for the WARBC Regional Connect blog, 8/28/24

This week I have been spending some extra time thinking about the reason we gather as a church. It’s easy to come together and enjoy the fellowship and good relationships that we have with our church family without really paying attention to the deeper reasons behind our gathering. While not all inclusive or in order of priority, I want to consider some of the reasons we gather as the family of God.

To start with we should remember that we are God’s family. We belong to Him, and the time we spend together with His family should point us back to Him. The special relationship that we have is a result of the relationship that we have with Jesus. We are tied together in ways that aren’t possible without the work of the Holy Spirit. You didn’t choose God’s family any more than you chose your parents. God chose you and placed you into a spiritual family that has a purpose. You have a role to play and gifts that your spiritual family needs, if we all are to be the family that God intends.

It’s also helpful to remember that none of us have “arrived” yet. The relationships that we form with our church family point out our flaws and drive us to our knees time and time again. And that is as it should be. Embrace the challenge of getting along with people who are not like you! In those moments when we struggle to understand each other and still allow the love of God to hold us together, we are the brightest lights in a dark world. Have patience and love each other.

The last thing for today, when we gather as God’s family we are uniting for a purpose that is bigger than any one of us. The mission of Jesus in the world is big enough to encompass all of our lives. The ministry of reconciliation demands more than any single believer, or any single church can give. It is only when we unite at the foot of the cross, drawn by the working of the gospel in our lives, and are compelled outward by God’s grace that we really begin to understand the church and her reason for being.

Today I thank God for each of you and the local church body that you represent. May God be glorified as you are strengthened in your faith.

Rejoicing!

Norman