ARM CHAIR DISCIPLE

“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

-1 John 1:5-10 (NKJV)

Have you ever heard the term “Arm Chair Quarterback?” Well an “Arm Chair Quarterback” is the man who sits in his recliner immersed in the football game and calling the plays “his” team should run as if he were actually in the game and then critiquing every aspect of the game. However, the reality is; he’s not in the game...in fact; he’s not even warming the bench! The “Arm Chair Quarterback” is in the comfort of his own home with his cozy recliner, his remote, a beverage and a less than healthy snack on most occasions. This is a far cry from the athletes that endure brutal weather extremes, a grueling training regiment and dietary restrictions, and the physical and mental challenges of the game itself.

As Christians, it is easy for us to become “Arm Chair Disciples,” lounging in the comfort of our sin; watching and critiquing the rest of the world for its failings as we feed our fleshly desires with temporary food and drink without experiencing the discipline, rejection and persecution that is synonymous with being a true Disciple of Christ. The “Arm Chair Disciple” is no more a disciple than the “Arm Chair Quarterback” is a quarterback, nor is he any more in the game. There are, however, some significant differences between the two. The “Arm Chair Quarterback” cannot jump into the game at any time and start playing. Yet, the “Arm Chair Disciple” can, at any moment, decide to confess his sins and walk in the light of the Lord. The biggest difference, however, is the consequence suffered...the “Arm Chair Quarterback” may pack on a few extra pounds from the less than healthy refreshments and inactivity which may or may not result in some residual health issues, but the consequence for the “Arm Chair Disciple” is certain death and eternal separation from the Father.

In James 2:26, we are reminded that faith without works is dead. To be a true Disciple of Christ, we must “walk the talk” as our actions are the outward showing of our faith. We must see our sin for what it is...sin, and repent if we are to walk in fellowship with the Lord. “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7) The choice is yours...“Arm Chair Disciple” or true Disciple of Christ, which do you choose?

COACH'S CALL TO ACTION

• In what ways are you an “Arm Chair Disciple?”

• What is the sin that you have been lounging in?

• When will you step out of the darkness and repent to walk in the light of the Lord?

Copyright © 2008-2009 Radiant Sun Life Coaching. All rights reserved.

GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

-1 Samuel 16:7 (NKJV)

It is interesting to see that when Samuel was sent to Bethlehem to anoint a new king for the Lord, he was certain that Eliab (David’s oldest brother) was God’s anointed based on appearance and physical stature alone. However, God had refused Eliab and sought out David (the youngest of the eight sons of Jesse) not for his outward appearance or his physical stature, but for his heart.

We spend so much time and money making ourselves presentable to the world by focusing on our outward appearance. As a nation, we spend billions of dollars annually on cosmetic surgery, diets, cosmetics, apparel, and gym memberships. Not only do we give of our money to make our bodies presentable to others, but we also give of our time. We take time agonizing over what clothes we will wear, applying make-up (for some of us women), styling our hair just so and even exercising (not necessarily for health, but to “look” better or to be more attractive to the world). I draw your attention to these things not to condemn them or you, but to put things in perspective. Every day, we spend our money and our time creating a presentable shell for the world to see, but what do we do to prepare our hearts, that they may be presentable to the Lord?

The Lord’s ways are not our own, He sees our heart and is not concerned about our outward appearance. Maybe it’s time we get down to the heart of the matter. Let’s focus on what really matters...our spiritual fitness. When God looks at my heart, I want Him to see potential like He saw in David. I want Him to be able to use me for His purpose and His glory. How about you?

COACH'S CALL TO ACTION

• What do you want God to see when He looks at your heart?
  
• What are you doing to prepare your heart, that it may be presentable to God?
  
• What steps will you take today to prepare your heart for the Lord?

Copyright © 2008-2009 Radiant Sun Life Coaching. All rights reserved.

GOOD GROUND

“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth. But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had not root it withered away. And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced; some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

“The sower sows the word. And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for the other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

-Mark 4:3-8; 14-20 (NKJV)

I love it when Jesus lays it right out for us...we don’t have to interpret what the parable of the sower means, Jesus has done it for us and who better to explain this parable than He! Jesus reveals four types of people in this parable of the sower: people who hear the word, but Satan immediately takes it from them; people who receive the word with gladness but are only able to endure for a time because they have no root; people who hear the word but their flesh and the desires for this world choke the word and no fruit can grow; and then there are those people who not only hear the word, but accept it and bear fruit.

As I read these descriptions of the four types of people, I realized that I have people in my life that fit into each of these categories. That is the easiest place to look though isn’t it...at other people, not ourselves. So looking at my own reflection, I am faced with the knowledge that I have been all of the people described here at different times in my life and for a season. I have been the one by the wayside that never really received the word, lost. I have been the one on stony ground who has heard the word and received it, but turned from it at the fear of rejection and persecution. I have been the one who hears the word, but my desire for the things of this world and the desire to feed my flesh choked the word. In fact, I think I have spent most of my “Christian” life here, unfruitful and choked by worldly desires and the hunger of my flesh. Until I was born again, I was not able to break free of the strangle hold the thorny vines of this world had on me because I cannot break free, I don’t have the strength to break out of the bondage of this world but God does and by accepting Jesus into my life, He is breaking the strangle hold of worldly desires one thorny vine at a time. I am so grateful that I don’t have to wrestle with the thorny vines of the flesh; Jesus has done and is doing this for me. All I need to do is give it to Him.

COACH'S CALL TO ACTION

• Which of these people are you right now, in this season of your life?
  
• What are the thorny vines that are choking the word in your life today?
  
• What will you do about those thorny vines?

Copyright © 2008-2009 Radiant Sun Life Coaching. All rights reserved.

WHITE AS SNOW

“To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to Me?” Says the LORD. “I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams And the fat of fed cattle. I do not delight in the blood of bulls, Or of lambs or goats. “When you come to appear before Me, Who has required this from your hand, To trample My courts? Bring no more futile sacrifices; Incense is an abomination to Me. The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies—I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting. Your New Moons and your appointed feasts My soul hates; They are a trouble to Me, I am wary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you; Even though you make many prayers, I will not hear. Your hands are full of blood. “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes, Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow. “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the LORD, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They shall be as wool. If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land; But if you refuse and rebel, You shall be devoured by the sword”; For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

-Isaiah 1:11-20 (NKJV)

So often we approach our relationship with the Lord like it is a checklist of things to be done; go to church (check), pray (check), tithe (check)… The Lord doesn’t want empty religious rituals; He wants a relationship with us. When we start seeing our relationship with the Lord as a mere “To Do” list to be checked off, there is no relationship and we are just going through the motions. Checking off tasks on our spiritual “To Do” list makes it really easy to be deceived into believing that we are leading a life that is pleasing to the Lord, after all, we are doing what we should right… we go to church, we pray, we tithe, etc. However, the reality is we cannot exchange our relationship with Jesus Christ for a spiritual “To Do” list and be made clean. Our spiritual “To Do” lists are just empty religious rituals and our sins are still red like crimson. We must choose to have a relationship with the Lord over our spiritual “To Do” lists if we are to be white as snow in the eyes of the Lord.

Yet, it is tempting choose our spiritual “To Do” list over a relationship with Christ since it is easier to keep doing what we want and continue in our sinful ways if we are the ones checking things off as we go. There is no one holding us accountable for our actions except ourselves and for most of us that is not much accountability. When we have a relationship with the Lord, we are accountable to Him and we must put away our sinful ways because there is no relationship if we don’t. If we choose to continue in sin, He will hide His eyes from us and even though we make many prayers, He will not hear them. (Isaiah 1:15) I don’t know about you, but if a friend or a spouse refused to hear me or even look at me, I wouldn't think that to be much of a relationship. Yet this is the relationship many of us have with the Lord because this is what we choose to have. I want a real relationship with the Lord, I want Him to hear me when I cry out to Him and I want to know Him and His will for my life. How about you, do you want a real relationship with the Lord or a spiritual checklist of things to do?

COACH'S CALL TO ACTION

• What kind of relationship do you want with the Lord?
  
• How do spiritual “To Do” lists keep you from having an intimate relationship with the Lord?
  
• Write down everything on your spiritual “To Do” list, and then, turn it over to the Lord in prayer.

Copyright © 2008-2009 Radiant Sun Life Coaching. All rights reserved.