Discipleship? "Radix" Part II

When You Spend Time With Jesus He Opens Up His Treasures to You and Anything is Possible

The Early Church developed a problem within the first 100 years. They lost their first love! 

Their primary love for Jesus got crowded out by trying to function as Christians while being friendly to religion, friends, neighbors and the world around them. Persecution stopped and their hearts stopped pumping with passion for Jesus. They taught and learned about Jesus. They replaced the relationship at the Table with chairs in a classroom. They went to try and find the Lord by seeking Him through worship instead of worshiping as a result of being with Him. They tried to find Him through scriptures instead of being with Him who is the Word. When we are in fellowship with Jesus the Holy Spirit "quickens" the Word (gives it life and infuses us). 

The Last Days Church has a similar problem. They are so lukewarm they have no passion. 

Its impossible to tell what a genuine Christian looks and sounds like. "Christianism" replaces the Jesus People. Lukewarm means they 'get along with everyone' without any specific allegiance in their citizenship in the Kingdom of God. They blend in with everyone else while acting out what they are told to do. There is no salt or light in their life. You cannot see the glory of God on their life or sense God's presence because they have just been with Him. The fire is gone because they spend no time in His presence anymore. Communion means nothing. It becomes a ritual. There is no more revelation, vision, passion, fire or joy, only attempts at doing good and being nice. It is an attitude that repulses the Lord and quenches the Holy Spirit.

The problem with the early Church and the Last Days Church is much the same. Many 'become disciples' of the way of Jesus instead of spending time supping with Him. We do not have the capability, even on our best day, to become like Jesus. On our best attempt we come up like dirty rags. It is knowing Him in Communion that brings transformation and nothing else can replace that. Both stopped having an active personal relationship with the Lord through Communion. They left His Table and never came back. They lost their witness and stopped hearing His testimony. They try to replace it by learning from others instead of seeing and hearing from the Lord by the Holy Spirit. . The power of the New Covenant becomes neutralized and the Table remains empty. Yet, Jesus still waits. He never leaves or forsakes His friends.

You can say - I know the Lord through the scriptures. You can say I know the Lord through prayer. You can say I know the Lord through serving Him. You can say I know the Lord through those older and wiser than me. One problem. That's not how friends get to know each other. They do that by spending time, real time with each other! Let me ask you another question. How much time have you spent in the last week, month or year sitting down at Jesus' Table and letting Him share His life with you? Letting Him share His goodness and glory with you? Listening to what He has to tell you?

The solution: Spend time at His Table. Enjoy deepening Communion with Him. If every Christian made a decision to have Communion everyday it would dissolve the mega-marketplace of the "Discipleship Industry" that is diverting the attention of many would be friends of Jesus to becoming His servants or slaves of 'other masters'. Bible-study is fine and so is personal and group prayer and worship. Or is it? What? 

It is not second or third hand relationships with the Lord that accomplishes transformation. Transformation is not based on our ability and strength - it is totally based on change that happens because you know Him - first hand! Being His friend changes your perspective. Communion in His presence opens the eyes of your spirit and you recognize Him. When you are with Jesus at His Table, the Bible comes alive. You see Jesus in the scriptures. Worship is a result of the relationship you experience not the means. Fellowship happens because His presence becomes the joy that we share with each other. Without Communion, as Jesus says, "You have no life in you." John 6:53


The 30 Day Challenge
Have Communion every day for 30 days (you pick the start day) and watch it become the most important 30 days of your life! You will begin your friendship with the Son of God. You will learn how deep His love is for you when He smiles at you. You will know His touch that calms your heart in an instant. You will see glimpses of His glory and eternal Kingdom. He will meet you where you are, as you are, for who you are. You will know its Him because His presence will be real. He will make known to you everything He has heard from His Father. He will share His hidden treasure with you. You will become His friend and He will become yours.

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