That is exactly the thing that is on my mind as of lately. To become like Jesus I've mostly studied him the first say 30 years of my life. But now that I've come to about the same age as Jesus was when he 'came on the scene' I'm beginning to understand the importance of practising Jesus.

To use the words of Keith Green:
"Open up, open up, and give yourself away,
You've seen the need, you hear the cry, so how can you delay"

Hey Vicky,

Glad to hear the tour is going great.

Just to touch on your topic. I think if we miss out on helping to meet people’s basic needs we miss out on a lot. If we look at the gospels, while Jesus was here on earth, that’s exactly what he did; he fed 5000 with 5 loaves and two fish, 4000 with 7 loaves and a few small fish, he healed, took the children on his lap, hung out with tax collectors and prostitutes, etc. Jesus’ ministry wasn’t JUST about preaching and teaching through words, but He preached and taught through living. “Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.” St. Francis of Assisi.

James 2:14-20 (MSG) says,

Dear friends, do you think you'll get anywhere in this if you learn all the right words but never do anything? Does merely talking about faith indicate that a person really has it? For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, "Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!" and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you? Isn't it obvious that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?

I can already hear one of you agreeing by saying, "Sounds good. You take care of the faith department, I'll handle the works department."
Not so fast. You can no more show me your works apart from your faith than I can show you my faith apart from my works. Faith and works, works and faith, fit together hand in glove.

Do I hear you professing to believe in the one and only God, but then observe you complacently sitting back as if you had done something wonderful? That's just great. Demons do that, but what good does it do them? Use your heads! Do you suppose for a minute that you can cut faith and works in two and not end up with a corpse on your hands?”

Do we really understand? Meeting people where they are, meeting their basic needs… as Christians, that’s what we’re called to do! Few wish to sit down and listen to a theological debate, or listen to someone preach and teach about the love of Jesus when HIS PEOPLE are the ones who see them hungry and don’t feed them, see them thirsty and can’t offer a glass of water, see them cold and not give them one of their 20 coats that are hanging in their closet.

Why do we teach and preach about being HIS hands and feet and then make someone who stumbles into church covered in dirt, smelling of alcohol, wearing rags, either leave or stand/sit in the back?

I sincerely hope that we would not be complacent anymore. For too long we’ve been spectators; sitting and watching. Maybe we’ve seen others helping the sick, feeding the hungry, giving water to the thirsty, and we just cheer them on. But if we can do ANYTHING about it… anything (!!!). Why do we just cheer?

I pray that this generation and the generations to come wouldn’t be satisfied laying in their comfy beds while there are people who are lost and dying, people who need a cup of water, who need a hug, a coat, or a cup of soup. And I pray that through meeting their basic needs that others would see the love of Jesus. What’s the point in the theological teaching when no one wants to listen because all they can hear/feel is the pangs of hunger? Break our hearts with what breaks Yours Father.


I guess my 2 cents ended up being 4-5 cents.

Be blessed

Vicki:

I spent four years studying theology at a Bible College and I realized that ministry is more than just "head knowledge". I am not dissing what I learned in the classroom but the majority of the courses was merely stuff for the brain very few of the courses I was able to practise.

After I experienced ministry first hand, I realized that everything I learned in the classroom is meaningless unless I am loving God with all my heart, soul, and mind and loving others as myself my degree is only piece of paper that hangs on my wall and three letters behind my name.

Yes, a theological education is important but am I living out what I learned in the classroom. What am I doing to reach people for Jesus Christ? Does my life draw people to Christ or does to draw them away from Him?

If you look at who Jesus choose as His disciples he did not choose the most educated people of His time. He choose ordinary men who help change the world. The majority of these men died a martys death.

I marvel at the people God used in the Bible. He used people that probably we would second guess Him about.
He used:
1) an ex-murder (Moses) to deliever the Israelities from the Egyptians.
2) An eldery woman (Sarah)to give birth to a son who would fulfill the promise that God made to Abraham.
3) A boy (David) to defeat a giant (Goliath) to deliever the Israelities from the Philistines.

I have to learn to realize that God use anything or anybody to complete His purpose. He is just looking for a willing heart that He can use.

Richard

What's the use of a head full of knowledge that never permeates life around us?

We live in a broken world that needs healing now...that can't wait until we're all perfectly educated to have their wounds held. It comes down to meeting people where they're at. For the general population, I can guarantee that they're not waiting to hear, "He who is Yahweh greatly enamours you, His beloved.” I’m sure, “Jesus loves you,” put to simple actions is good enough for them and will speak worlds more. Don’t get me wrong; I wouldn’t by any extent bash education. My dad is a pastor who studied Hebrew and Greek as well and has told me that although reading the Bible in translation is fulfilling and beautiful, it’s as if we were watching TV in black and white, because to read the Bible in its original poetic prose makes the words light up with colour and vivacity. If education is pointless, then I’m wasting my time busting my butt in the International Baccalaureate Program. Education is sound, but although it’s not pointless, it’s not the point either.

About 1,400 years ago, the printing press failed to exist. Lame. But without printed versions of the Bible, the people relied heavily on highly intelligent men to step up to be rabbis and teach the Torah. Children at that time would go through a long elimination process through the education system to pursue the life of being the most respected members of the community. And by 13 or 14, they would have the entire Bible memorized. Genesis through Malachi…39 books…memorized. Eventually the best of the best of the best would apply to a well known rabbi hoping to become one of his disciples…the deal was, though, after all they had been through, they had to be accepted…or they’d be back at square 1 doing the family business. So at about 30, when a rabbi generally begins his public teaching and training of disciples, we find Jesus walking along the Sea of Galilee. And he calls for two fishermen, “Follow me.” Why were they fishermen? Because they weren’t disciples. They weren’t good enough; they didn’t make the cut. Jesus took some boys who just weren’t quite adequate and changed the course of human history.

So yeah, I’ve been told that we were meant for so much more than simply avoiding failure. But what if failure has nothing to with knowledge? What if failure has everything to do with avoiding the impending birth of who we were born to become? We weren’t chosen because we were equipped; we were equipped because we were chosen. And now I want to know what it’s like to live a life worthy of the calling I have received. Not because I’m well-learnt or deserving in any way, but because the Rabbi called us to serve as His hands and feet long before Theology became a prestigious class that we had to pay $1,000,002 to study. So feel free to join me. We might just change the world.
Cheers.

I love the first picture! It's very beautiful! :-D
Sometimes I get really tired from al of those books that are available. I love to read, but I just want to have a simple understanding of Jesus' teachings. It's really great to have al these books, but what if we only read about practicing what Jesus taught us but don't actually practice what He preached?

I love studying my bible. I love seeing it come 3-d when you know the history and the greek/hebrew and when you can take a specific idea and follow it from Genesis to Revelation. LOVE IT!
However reading the bible is never going to make me like Jesus. Simply helping people is not going to make me more like Jesus, many people do a lot of good in this world that have good hearts and good intentions. Many are not Christians, and do not resemble Christ.
Close relationship with Jesus with a humble heart to be changed by His guidance, to lay down my own desires for His. That is the only way to be more like Him.

Philippians 3:10 The Amplified Bilbe
[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[a]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death

Hey all...

I think that knowing where you stand with God and theological study are great and can really encourage us to became better christians (more christ like) But,sometimes we (me especially), get bogged down in us not knowing, or understanding what God wants us to do. This week I have been challenged to live a more 'radical' christian life basing it on the simple gospel of Jesus. Its not easy trying to live a 'Jesus life' loving all and carrying your cross. But one scripture really captivated me this week "28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." I viewed it in a way I have never viewed it before. To me this week, that verse said it doesn't matter what you do as long as you do it with God as your goal, (whether spending quality God time with a friend or worship leading) as God will use this service to the good of his people. It taught me to stop just waiting on answers and actually move into something. Not to be a stagnent church, but a church going somewhere and doing SOMETHING!

Ben

Phil 3: 8
- "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ"

2 cor 3: 18, "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, [1] are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

But when we delve into the word we are moved by the beauty of Christ that meets us there to serve Him.
Consider George Muller, Hudson Taylor, Wurmbrand, Jim Elliot, etc.
The average missionary of old/ditto social activist had a huge view of Christ.
Heaven will be theology lived out perfectly.

Theology is important, too, Vicky. If it isn't important, the Church would not have had seven ecumenical councils to discuss theological issues, such as, who is Jesus Christ? Is He half God and half Man, fully God and fully Man, or just a Man? How are the two natures of Christ joined together? Are they joined together in the same way that a the nature of a horse and a donkey are joined together in a mule, or do they remain distinct and unchanged, but are joined together inseparably without mixture or division in one Person. Who is the Holy Spirit? Is He a creature or is He God? Was Jesus God while in His mother's womb or did He later become God after He was born? Does Jesus have two wills or does He have only one. Is the use of icons a form of idolatry or do they help preserve the doctrine that the Word of God became incarnate in the womb of a woman. Is it right or wrong to honor the Saints and the Mother of God? Those are the things that were discussed at the seven ecumenical councils along with a whole lot of other things.
One of the Fathers said that faith is dead without works and good works are dead without the right faith. St. Cyril of Jerusalem said that it is possible for a person to do all kinds of good works and be practicing blasphemy because he has wrong ideas about God.
However, there is another type of theology that the spiritual fathers talked about. It is the type of theology that one acquires through direct experience with God. St. Evagrius of Pontus was talking about this type of theology when he said, "A theologian is one who prays, and one who prays truly is a theologian."
We need to have a personal relationship with God and continue to live in that relationship as we keep His commandments. Father David Anderson once said that we do not keep the commandments to obtain eternal life. (That is, we do not earn it by keeping the commandments.) But "in keeping the commandments eternal life is found."
It all boils down to a way of life. That is what Jesus was teaching us in the Gospels. We should strive to live our lives a certain way in accordance with His teachings, pray and ask Him for mercy, and in the end we are ultimately saved by the mercy of God.
We must enter in at the strait gate, that is, by following Christ's teachings and example. Jesus said, "I am the Way." (St. John 14:6) The traditional interpretation of those words as found in the writings of the Church Fathers is that Christ is the Way in the sense that He is our guide, example, and teacher. We must follow Him!

Steve

The whole "Go out and preach the gospel. And if necessary, use words." (St. Francis of Assisi) bit, eh?

One of my favorite quotes on this topic is by Mark Twain and goes something like this, "It ain't those parts of the Bible that I can't understand that bother me, it is the parts that I do understand."

:o)