tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.comments2023-05-25T00:59:18.693-07:00IT'S YOUR CALLINGJohn Waltershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07863307378885677106noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-85449757871356101912016-12-31T09:00:24.323-08:002016-12-31T09:00:24.323-08:00Sounds like the church you visited is more focused... Sounds like the church you visited is more focused on having a production and check some boxes rather than leading people in actual worship of God. IMO it's becoming more common as the american church becomes more apostate/man-centered.<br /><br /> For the last 2-3 years we've intentionally focused on less hustle&bustle during the holidays. One small aspect of this has been participating in the Christmas service at a church near our house instead of going to our home church. They've had the most worshipful Christmas service I've experienced...yes they have several classic carols but they're done in a worshipful way instead of check-box, there's no hokey ceremonies that seem out of place to visitors like us, and this year the pastor's message led the congregation through authentic repentance in light of the Christmas season (it wasn't a stereotypical alter call for the twice-a-year church visitors but rather aimed at professing Christians in various practical aspects of life).<br /> I commend this church (and all other faithful churches) on honoring God and leading worship at a "worship service" as opposed to having a "production service" or a "checkbox service". So back to your opening paragraph: no, your expectations are not off!David Honakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03939992046785123886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-66623390348290431652016-12-19T07:39:10.303-08:002016-12-19T07:39:10.303-08:00I'm proud. Our Lord works greatI'm proud. Our Lord works greatAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06626244102802636613noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-16711530635466761242016-09-21T19:12:35.862-07:002016-09-21T19:12:35.862-07:00These are great (and very important) thoughts, Joh...These are great (and very important) thoughts, John! You are absolutely right -- we must not become consumed with many 'good' things and lose the (only) best thing: Jesus Himself, and shepherding others to know and follow Him. Amen!<br /><br />In Christ,<br />Jennifer Zilly CanalesAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-16874894858622255902016-06-07T20:20:43.956-07:002016-06-07T20:20:43.956-07:00So glad you are still in the land of the living. I...So glad you are still in the land of the living. I hope this doesn't mean we can't do Sea Island anymore. Praying for your continued healing and a return to full throttle.<br /><br />JamesAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17142780023665368983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-85036443525110333482016-06-03T06:32:13.799-07:002016-06-03T06:32:13.799-07:00Love this!Love this!jewelshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02727049206421945126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-90455387946203753562016-06-02T11:32:00.782-07:002016-06-02T11:32:00.782-07:00Well said John! Thank you for sharing and wishing...Well said John! Thank you for sharing and wishing you a speedy recovery...Steve Killhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15600911231830292944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-75972552304959948152016-03-04T17:47:34.637-08:002016-03-04T17:47:34.637-08:00Great article John Great article John Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-7952532109300032982016-03-04T17:47:01.867-08:002016-03-04T17:47:01.867-08:00Great article John Great article John Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-36833598804850529662016-03-04T11:09:08.522-08:002016-03-04T11:09:08.522-08:00Great word! I agree 100 % thanks for sharing.
J...Great word! I agree 100 % thanks for sharing. <br /><br />James Mendoza Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01258339004672889485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-72549921902385529992016-03-04T11:09:00.231-08:002016-03-04T11:09:00.231-08:00Great word! I agree 100 % thanks for sharing.
J...Great word! I agree 100 % thanks for sharing. <br /><br />James Mendoza Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01258339004672889485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-55106985130178020692015-08-04T13:11:40.105-07:002015-08-04T13:11:40.105-07:00Thanks for the positive review, John! I'm humb...Thanks for the positive review, John! I'm humbled by your recommendation.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08731867446578392412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-43842819961639856442014-06-23T12:31:01.896-07:002014-06-23T12:31:01.896-07:00Well said, Dave. It is so easy to forget and live...Well said, Dave. It is so easy to forget and live from the flesh, the old operating system instead of the spirit. John Waltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07863307378885677106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-33748662591624472692014-06-23T10:43:22.227-07:002014-06-23T10:43:22.227-07:00Thanks, John. It is such an unconscious thing. W...Thanks, John. It is such an unconscious thing. We don't wake up in the morning and deliberately "use people". We slip into that place when we forget.<br /><br />For me, it must anchor itself to the daily remembrance that my God Story of Abba Father ("Daddy God"), pursued me, graced and forgave me, and now who allows me to walk with Him. It is personal...relational...redemptive...and does not allow for us to do anything but love because He first loved us.<br /><br />Thanks for the reminder, John. It caused me to look into the mirror today.<br />Dave Ghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15730115233320378541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-2196343808526357252014-06-18T19:06:06.410-07:002014-06-18T19:06:06.410-07:00Excellent observation Marty. Faith is about trust ...Excellent observation Marty. Faith is about trust and if we have faith in God, you are absolutely correct, we will obey Christ. Pop obviously has the Spurs attention, they listen to him and follow his direction. Do we listen to God? I guess we could go on and on with the lessons. Thanks for commenting. John Waltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07863307378885677106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-58213905182286801622014-06-18T12:04:26.433-07:002014-06-18T12:04:26.433-07:00This is probably implied by your statement "o...This is probably implied by your statement "one team with many parts all working together toward one goal", but I'm going to state it more explicitly. A recurring expression you see as you read many of the articles regarding the "Spurs way" is the term "buy in" or "bought in". Such as, the players have "bought in" to Pop's idea of team play on both ends of the court. Isn't this just another term for faith. The players have faith that if they "get over themselves" and do it Pop's way, they will be champions. <br />Have we "bought in" to God's way? It's an important question to ask ourselves. If, as Christians, we've really bought in to God's way, then why do we struggle with the same habitual ways that are contrary to God's Word? Let's all reflect on this and truly buy in so that we can be the "champions" God has intended us to be. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04981890990063783022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-90729305652973091492014-04-21T22:30:14.211-07:002014-04-21T22:30:14.211-07:00Only the Holly Spirit working in you brother. May ...Only the Holly Spirit working in you brother. May God keep you fill up with His spirit. God bless you!!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06660962593857432037noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-59425922030563050532014-04-02T11:32:50.868-07:002014-04-02T11:32:50.868-07:00Thank you Mr Walters for this blog post of enlight...Thank you Mr Walters for this blog post of enlightenment! Mark Christensenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12883548960520537373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-26878159134415356422014-04-02T11:32:23.388-07:002014-04-02T11:32:23.388-07:00Thank you Mr Walters for this blog post of enlight...Thank you Mr Walters for this blog post of enlightenment! Mark Christensenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12883548960520537373noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-83425511546693023692014-03-22T14:52:30.747-07:002014-03-22T14:52:30.747-07:00Thanks for your amen. We have discerned how God ma...Thanks for your amen. We have discerned how God made plants to grow may we discern and enhance the growth of one another to become the garden of God. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03466698558785764624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-69428597127216615202014-03-21T10:49:08.202-07:002014-03-21T10:49:08.202-07:00Thanks for the comment. All so true. We don't...Thanks for the comment. All so true. We don't just start abiding over night. It is a process. I wonder how many believers never experience "abiding" in Christ to the extent He has for us. I wonder myself how much I am missing out because I am still holding on to parts of my life that Jesus wants. John Waltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07863307378885677106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-75853149543998363862014-03-21T06:16:38.403-07:002014-03-21T06:16:38.403-07:00John I too agree with the Verge speaker,"...c...John I too agree with the Verge speaker,"...culture tend to view discipleship as passing down information to a disciple instead of modeling our lives. The art of discipleship according to Jesus was living, eating, and ministering together, not just passing along information." My question is what is the process of making disciples? It is more than just modeling, although godly character is a must. We follow a rational God that gave us a rational word to understand and to transform our thinking; so transferable knowledge must be a part of the process. Yet I agree it is not the "cookie cutter" approach to make people like ourselves. Nor is it a 1-2-3 method of some kind. There must be a personal connection between us and the Vine. Christ called this Abiding. Abiding is more than an emotional experience AND it must be transferable if we are to make disciples. Abiding includes our whole being of worship through thinking, doing and being as we allow the Holy Spirit to live and love through us. Paul wrote in Col.2 "...6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7 rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." We received Christ through the gospel which is by grace yet then we try to do the Christian life by human effort. (Galatians) Living through the gospel is the process of our humble acknowledgement that we can do nothing w/o Him (John 15), Seeking God through His word in meditative eating on the Word to receive God's thoughts (Isaiah 55)into our live so it can work through us that life is transfer from God to us. As the Holy Spirit reveals God's commands to us we are empowered to follow. John, I know this sounds too methodical for many, yet it is full of individual freedom and intercourse between us and God. This is a person fluid approach that requires a one on one with God. Yes there are common "steps" or process points mentioned but each one must be individualizes if they are to produce fruit. Just as God made various green plants some are flowers others are trees, yet they all follow similar process to grow and become the planting of the Lord. If this is not away to transfer the process of making Disciple then I humbly seek others to help me.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03466698558785764624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-47028952767717336392014-03-15T09:35:53.567-07:002014-03-15T09:35:53.567-07:00Frank, I love all of your work! You are a true bl...Frank, I love all of your work! You are a true blessing to us and an inspiration to all who are living in Christ. John Waltershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07863307378885677106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-86658749385702430352014-03-14T05:28:26.407-07:002014-03-14T05:28:26.407-07:00thanks for the shout out!thanks for the shout out!fvhttp://frankviola.infonoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-3144389310117321732014-03-13T08:53:23.482-07:002014-03-13T08:53:23.482-07:00Beautiful Message... Made me really consider my ca...Beautiful Message... Made me really consider my calling... The what and why's of it. God has something for me but its found BEHIND the CROSS! I'm going to have to DIE to myself... My Will to get it... That is humbling.DonteBankshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00072973624816059500noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6331186169565847482.post-86857443414323760112014-02-03T21:12:18.607-08:002014-02-03T21:12:18.607-08:00Thank you for your insight!Thank you for your insight!Chad Schapironoreply@blogger.com