Tag Archives: Discipleship

Message In A Minute: Through Me

On one of my favorite episodes of the Andy Griffith Show, Barney gets help from beyond.

The choir has a big show coming up and somehow Barney gets a solo. He can’t stay in tune, and the choir director doesn’t want to hurt his feelings. Andy comes up with a crazy idea that would never work anywhere but Mayberry.

Andy convinces Barney that a special microphone will be used for the performance. Andy explains that Barney has to sing so low that almost no sound comes out of his mouth. Barney seems confused but trusts Andy’s advice.

The hapless deputy stands alone in front of the crowd waiting for his cue. He doesn’t realize that his microphone is off. Another man from the choir slips behind the curtain to a live microphone and belts out a powerful solo. Barney moves His mouth and believes it’s his own voice.

You can watch Barney’s demeanor change after just a few notes. He goes from unsure to confident in an instant. Barney is filled with bravado, the crowd is in awe, and he never realizes the power came from a more qualified voice.

I feel like Barney sometimes.

It’s not a perfect analogy but it makes sense to me.

There have been times I had just the right words at just the right moment. Other times, I decided to do something for someone and it ended up being more meaningful than I imagined. A few have told me that my words or actions helped them get through a tough time.

I look back and realize it wasn’t really me, it was someone working through me. Like Barney, I was simply playing my part while God was behind the scenes directing and speaking through me.

I’ve seen this happen many more times through other people. God works through them to encourage, uplift, or inspire. I’ve seen God work through people you would least expect.

God promises to give us the right words, clear direction, and pure motivation, if we yield to His leading.

We all have gifts, some may be good singers, others may have a way with words, while others have the ability to help others through doing repairs to a home or vehicle.

Everyone has limitations as well. We can’t meet all the needs around us. Our attitude holds us back, our finite resources impede our benevolence, or we simply don’t know what to say.

But God has all the wisdom, all the strength, all the patience, all the resources, all the mercy, and all the love to impact others through you.

Trust God.

Ask Him to work in you and with you.
Ask Him to speak to you and through you.
Ask Him to reach into your heart and out through your hands.

The reality is, if God is with you, you will never be standing alone.

-Tom Wise

Message In A Minute: Let Your Adventure Speak

A couple of years ago my brother and I discovered a YouTube channel that we’ve grown to love.

The channel “Adventure Archives”, consists of four friends who spend time in nature and document what they encounter on the journey.

Their cinematography skills are excellent, the original music scores are well suited to the scenery, and the ongoing narration is insightful and inspiring. The overall quality is better than anything I’ve seen on cable television. One day I imagine everyone will know who they are.

The young men are good friends and it shows. They demonstrate an attitude of constant wonder and willingness to learn. The group deals with adversity like unpredictable weather or equipment failures with determination and humor. My brother and I look forward to each new episode. In fact, we’ve been inspired to plan our own outdoor adventures.

I especially love when one of the guys starts to explain the subtle differences in mushrooms, trees, or plants. Those things aren’t all that compelling to me. But this guy makes them compelling because he exudes joy in every detail of each specimen. He has knowledge, but that knowledge comes from a deep interest he has. And his passion draws you in to an otherwise forgettable subject.

Interested people are interesting.
Fascinated people are fascinating.
Wonder filled people are wonderful.

An excellent author doesn’t want you to see them in the writing, he or she wants you to see what they see by conveying it through the writing.

The young men of Adventure Archives let us see nature, friendship, and adventure through their eyes.

I want to do this with Christianity.

I hope that I can be so interested in Christ, that people see him through me. Then I hope they become so fascinated with Him that they don’t need me at all.

That’s what being a disciple really is.

So consumed with learning and growing that your life speaks for itself.

Your priorities preach, your demeanor demonstrates, and your attitude articulates.

Let your adventure inspire those around you.

-Tom Wise

https://www.youtube.com/user/AdventureArchives

Message In A Minute: Reflect the Light

There is a village in Italy called Viganella.

Viganella is in a valley surrounded on every side by mountains. In fact for 3 months out of the year the sunlight can’t reach the village because of the mountains.

For a long time people lived in shadows for a quarter of each year. Many villagers understandably suffered from depression during that time of the year. Some people would leave the village during this time because being in the constant darkness caused them so much emotional difficulty.

Until one man decided to gather a team and construct huge mirrors to place on a mountain top. Those mirrors now reflect the sunlight to the middle of the town. I encourage you to look this up on the internet, it’s a great story.

As soon as the results could be seen from the mirrors everyone was amazed. It virtually turned night into day. The people celebrated and the overall mental health of the town greatly improved.

I can’t help but see a moral to this story, we can reflect the love of God, the mercy of God, and the truth of God to all who long to see the light.

You and I aren’t the source of the light but we have been tasked with reflecting it to the people around us.

Illumination can happen on the outside and even more importantly, on the inside.

-Tom Wise



A HUNGER FOR THE TRUTH

Photo by Stefan Kunze on Unsplash

And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

– Acts 2:40-42

When any person comes to faith in Christ, the question inevitably becomes, what now?  The book of acts describes the culture that these new converts had created for themselves to help them grow in their faith.

Learn From A Good Teacher

These early Christians suffer the same dilemma that all Christians face when they make the initial decision to follow Christ:  they must learn how to move forward.

One of the key factors to spiritual growth is good biblical teaching.  One of the best ways to learn the ins and outs of the Christian faith is to find a good teacher.  That’s why these new converts attached themselves to the Apostles and their teaching. Continue reading →

31 DAYS TO A BETTER PRAYER LIFE | DAY 10: DISTRACTIONS

I am easily distracted. In fact I struggle to stay on task with one project because I suddenly think of something completely unrelated I need to do. The other day I noticed that I am almost always in multitask mode. I’ve also noticed I have unfortunately become addicted to distraction.

No matter where I go, I seem to always have some form of media filling the silence. When I am driving, sometimes I have music playing but more often I have the news or a podcast playing. When I am at work I generally have a sermon or a comedian playing in the background. At home with two kids, the distractions create themselves. I have a very difficult time with silence. I have even started listening to podcasts at night, I have my earbuds (similar to headphones for us older people) in while I fall asleep. Continue reading →