brotherjwt

[brotherjwt]

Winter Watch (3rd Update)

When I made the decision to follow this opportunity I believe the Lord placed on me to go to Chicago there were many different responses. The most common was something like, “It’s going to be cold”. So I was ready for it, or at least I thought I was. I’ll be honest, the winter in Chicago is brutal! We had a number of weeks in a row of temperatures under freezing, that’s not counting the wind chill factor! Also, it snowed a lot. But, there is light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully sooner than later! 🥶

One of the strongest aspects of this program is the process of discovery and discussion. Each person privately studies every passage in the book being studied as if they would preach it, and then come to class to bring their discoveries to discuss with one another. It’s been super edifying to really read and discuss the word alongside other people. Not just showing up to read the Bible together and having a discussion, which is fine and okay. But, to take time to really read, study, and prepare the passage under consideration. Then, come back together to share what you have discovered. It’s encouraging when you hear from others a consensus theme or argument that you found. But, it is also humbling and instructive to hear when you missed something. This is only how we (and I) can get better at reading God’s word, which leads to rightful personal application and faithful teaching to others.

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,..’” - John 8:31

As Christians we will read and discover invaluable truths of God’s word for the rest of our lives. And in that we should be progressing. We should be getting better at reading and understanding. We should be going deeper into things. We should notice things we haven’t seen before. One helpfully way to grow in that? Read and discuss the word with other believers.

I encourage you to have a group of people you read and discuss God’s word with. Also, in that context to go a bit further and have each person read the word beforehand. Take notes. Write down questions you might have. Try to find out what the central point of that passage is. Observe how does this relate to Jesus and the Gospel. Then, as you come in your group you would share and ask one another these questions. This is not comprehensive, but a good place to start.

If you wouldn’t mind I would love prayer for a couple of things.

Love and hunger for God’s word. That this would not be just a intellectual thing, but my heart would be stored to love Him even more as He reveals Himself and His truths in His word.

A job. I need a part-time job to help pay the bills as I continue to be trained to serve the Lord and His church.

[brotherjwt]

1ST TERM DONE!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Thank you to each of you that have prayed and supported me in my pursuit to be trained and equipped to serve our Lord Jesus. The 1st term has finished this week, so just 5 terms more to go!!! I’m enjoying the program and have learned many things in such a short space of time. I just do not enjoy the cold!!!🥶

If I could share with you the main thing I have learned in this 1st term is to ask ‘Why’ when you read a passage or chapter in the Bible. I encourage you to read it multiple times. As you keep reading make observations, even just simple things. Then begin asking, ‘Why?’.

‘Why did the author include this? Especially in light of surrounding context, ‘Why does he mention this or that or these things?”. If you have read the Bible you can recall times when the author sometimes records several events or many years with just a verse, so ‘Why does he make more space and time to talk about this here?’. That is a simple question that is often overlooked, and it’s not easy to discover as we attempt to travel back into time into that setting. I am continuing learn how to be more diligent in implementing this in my own Bible reading and studying. But, if we really desire to know God’s divine intended truth for His people we must do the work to know these things. (Here is a good short article that can help explain why this is important. CLICK!)

I again thank you for your support and encourage you to join with me in diving into God’s word and seek to grow in our knowledge of Him and His truths that He desires us to know, treasure, and apply into our lives.

“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” - Philippians 1:9-11

[brotherjwt]

Goal of Preaching.

Be W.I.S.E.

1. Worship - the moving of the affections, both the heart and hands.

2. Inform - Instuct hearers in sound doctrine, rebuke those who contradict it, and encouragement and exhortation in obedience to the word.

3. Salvation - to know truth of God, salvation in Christ, and how He desires man to live.

4. Equip - Equip and encourage believers in their ministries.

[brotherjwt]

THANK YOU & UPDATE!

I just wanted to say ‘Thank You’ to all of you that have supported me in this journey. I would not be here getting trained for the Lord’s Kingdom without God using you and your gifts.

I have been in Chicago for 1 month now, and honestly it seems it’s been much longer! I have classroom training every Monday and Tuesday fo 6 hours. I volunteer at a local church here in the Youth ministry on Thursday evenings, as well as other get together with the kids. The rest of my time I am working on my assignments, getting used to the city, and trying to meet people in the community here. (Not been the easiest in getting plugged in community wise with COVID limitations.)

One of the foundational verses at the program is 2 Timothy 2:15,

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.“

I really am being trained to rightly handle God’s word for His glory and the good of those who hear my messages! I have learned to view my sermons as an offering to God. So, I am really desiring to focus on presenting myself to God and to please Him, not man. Lastly, I been challenged to do my best in all things. I am not getting to be perfect every time, but by His grace working I can try my best and continue to learn and grow. If you remember to pray for me use this verse to guide your prayers for me. I encourage you to pray these things for your local pastors also.

[brotherjwt]

Promotion and Prayer

We live in a buy and sell world. Our lives are filled with many aspects of either consuming or offering something. Marketing plays a role in the things we buy to eat, wear, use, or even places we go. Also, for many people our jobs are focused on offering items or ideas to others to consume. In addition, the media just amplifies all the products and ideas that are out there.

This is a real part of the culture we live in. Christins can easily be shaped by this mode thinking. This can easily slip into the church. Leaders can know things that are good for the people (like fellowship, discipleship, family worship, serving, etc.) and then start to present these things to the people as another product. The focus then becomes how to present these things to the people, so that they will want to participate in it. When those attempts fail to meet our desires and expections the reason is: the promotion, we did not present it rightly or promote it enough to the people, is why we didn’t get the response we wanted.

This is one way the culture has shaped minds of Christians, especially ministry leaders and pastors. This is a trap I have stumbled and fallen into before; and unfortunately I see and hear in many other ministry leaders. We are missing some huge elements of true-biblical ministry here. One is the condition of the human heart. Our fallen nature and the daily battle of the Spirit and the flesh. Another element is the role of the Holy Spirit and how He works in believers; what it means to live and walk by the Spirit. A third element is the role of prayer. How by prayer we are asking for God and His Spirit to work in the human heart.

Promotion does not replace prayer, it can not. If there is something good we are teaching and calling the people to (bible reading, prayer, serving, fellowship, etc.) and the people are not responding in action, then that’s a heart problem not a promotion problem. People do the things they love. You don’t need to convince people to do things they love. Things that are important and valuable to people are set as the top priorities. This true of every human.

The problem is not the marketing, but the hearts of the people. It’s the current spiritual state they are in. The solution is not better and more promotion, but prayer. We cannot overlook the role of prayer in ministry. I cannot forget the crucial role of prayer, which I easily can do. This is something that requires faith, because it is out of our control. In prayer we are calling to God to awaken hearts to the things we are calling the people to. There needs to be a stirring in the people’s hearts to desire those good things, but only God can do that. We cannot forget to pray. I cannot. We can try to manufacture something, but it won’t last.

Let us remember the God we worship and serve, and the truth that only He can change hearts. This is true of salvation, but also every step of our sanctification. We need His grace every step of the way. Christian leaders: let’s remember to pray for the flock, let all our prayers be made know to Him with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:6). Let’s remember the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of believers to help us grow in our maturity and obedience to the Lord (1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 5).

[brotherjwt]

“Discipleship to Christ makes objective demands on conduct, virtue, and morality. God revealed in the Holy Scriptures His commands to His people, and God calls His children to live in obedience to His commands and statutes.” Albert Mohler

[brotherjwt]

What is Church?

As the days of quarantining pass by, so do the weekends of not being able to gather together as one-big-body of Christians to worship our Savior and King Jesus. There’s many things the Lord is teaching His children and working in us through this whole pandemic, both individuals and as churches. One of the things I think we must consider, search the Scriptures, and apply to our lives is, ‘What is Church?’’.

Most people in America (and the western world) think of church as a place, or building, or event that happens on the weekends, usually Sunday mornings. Even as a Christian that is what has been predominantly my experience of church, something I go to and attend with other people that believe in the same Savior as me. While that is true, church is not only that.

Believers are encouraged and commanded to gather together (Hebrews 10:25). This is how we live out all the one another commands we see in Scripture, especially in the New Testament of how believers are to live and interact with other believers (Mark 9:50; John 13:34; Romans 12:10; 14:9; Ephesians 4:32; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; James 5:16; etc. there is 59 such commands in NT.)

As we gather together we come under God’s word (1 Timothy 4:13) which shows that we believe, trust, and submit to Him and His truth as the ultimate authority over our lives. The Bible also outlines that the church should have a structure or leadership (Matthew 18:17; Ephesians 4:12-16; 1 Timothy 3; Titus 1). I believe God gives some freedom in the smaller details of the structure, but He has outlined and commanded that there be Godly leadership that is empowered by His Spirit and is focused on mistering His word to the community the church is placed in. The church is called to be the “light” in this dark world by loving the lost in our words and deeds, that is by doing good deeds and by proclaiming God’s truth to the lost (Matthew 5:14-16; 28:16-20; Romans 10:14).

One pastor said that sometimes our greatest blessings can also be our curses. With the affluence of money, freedom, and resources that we have in America (and the western world) we have made church into buildings, programs, and events that happen. Christianity is suppose to be the lifestyle of a believer. We are called to live our lives for Christ, as supposed to being a religious experience that happens on certain day(s) of the week (Luke 9:23; Acts 2:42-47; Galatians 2:20).

This whole pandemic has prohibited us from meeting together in mass gatherings. But, the church can still be the church, if we go back to who we are called to be. We are to be dedicated to living life alongside other believers. We are called to love one another and build one another up in the faith. We are called to gather together to worship God, read His word, pray for one another and the world. We are called to then go out to love, serve, and reach the lost world for the sake of Jesus Christ.

So, how can we daily and weekly do this? Who are the believers we are surrounding ourself with? How are we being mindful of how to build one another up? How can we continue to grow in obeying the one another commands? How can we still read God’s word together, worship Him, and pray for one another and the world? How can we still reach the lost, and how one another accountable to reaching out to unbelievers?

One big thing I think God is teaching me, other Christians, and the church in this pandemic is that we are called to be the church. We are called, by His grace and empowering, to be doing these things. While we must have godly leaders to learn from and submit to, we cannot depend upon pastors, church leaders, programs, and events to do these things. We need to live these things daily. Examine your heart, as I examine mine. Pray for your local church and the global church. May we be the people He has called us to be, for His glory!

[brotherjwt]

Repent

+

Believe in Jesus

=

New Creation, Born Again, Relationship with God, Joy, Peace, Hope, Eternal Life, Presence of God Forever, and Part of God’s Family!

[brotherjwt]

🔥🔥🔥

[brotherjwt]

How to Beat COVID-19?

The world is in confusion. Countries are in panic. Cities are on lockdown. People are in fear. All of this because of a new virus that has spread globally faster than anyone could have imagined. This is like a movie, it’s surreal.

How can people overcome this virus called the coronavirus or COVID-19?

Only by the faithfulness witness of the church can humans defeat this disease. That’s right the church, not doctors , pharmacists, or politicians, but born-again Christians.

This whole situation is a reminder that we live in a fallen world, a world affected by sin in all ways. The world was not meant to have sickness, diseases, nor death. God is real. God is good and He created a perfect world. Mankind was made to worship God and live in a relationship with Him (Genesis 1-2). But, man sinned against God, meaning He rebelled against His Creator, and the consequence was death and a cursed earth (Genesis 3).

The ultimate result of sin was that mankind is now separated from God and we all will die. Paul says in Romans 5:12, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—”. That is the consequences of sin, and we are all sinners. We all fill the effects of sin.

Paul proclaims an amazing truth and promise in the beginning of Romans. Romans 1:16 proclaims, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (ESV). Paul reminds the church in Rome that the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ, is God’s power of salvation to all who believe.

That is the only-true way to beat this coronavirus; and not just this virus, but all sicknesses, diseases, hurts, pains, and even death itself. It is by realizing that God is real and He is good. We are not good, because we are all sinners. But, if we turn to Jesus and believe in Him--His death on the cross for our sins and His resurrection from the dead--we will be saved. Remember ‘the Gospel is the power of God for salvation for all who believe in Christ’.

Believers, we are to first remember this awesome promise. Our salvation is secure! We are also to be continuing to proclaim the Good News of Jesus to those around us. Social distancing does not give us an excuse to stop talking about Jesus to others, it might just look a little different. Share with your family members, neighbors, and those you run into. Use the technology we have as an instrument to share Jesus with those who you are talking to.

If you are not a believer in Jesus. The truth is death will come to you. Whether you are affected by this virus or something else. Hebrews 9:27 says, “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,” (ESV). The only way to have victory of death and judgment is by believing in the One who defeated death by being judged in your (and my) place, that is Jesus. Trust in Him as your Savior and Lord.

[brotherjwt]

“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NASB‬‬ https://ift.tt/2WnmzDA

[brotherjwt]

Powerful image! Via @davidjharrisjr ・・・ What kind of country are we, if we don’t stand up for our most innocent. Democrats call it health care, liberals call it a woman’s choice, the ignorant call it a clump of cells, I call it life. And a life that’s worth fighting for… PC: @theangelastanton #end #the #attack #on #un #born #babies #once #and #for #all #usa https://ift.tt/2Sy3Cfu

[brotherjwt]

Tweeted

TETELESTAI Greek for "it is finished" Christians your debt has been paid in full! The enemy accuses, confuses, and discourages but it's all been taken care of. Listen to trustworthy words of Jesus, not the devil nor our own thoughts.

— John Wesley (@PresidentJW) April 20, 2019

[brotherjwt]

Tweeted

“Son of God” means that Jesus is the greatest person in the universe alongside his Father. ⁦@JohnPiper⁩

— John Wesley (@PresidentJW) April 17, 2019

[brotherjwt]

Tweeted

The only certainty is not change. The only certainty is God, who changes not. —@JenniferWilkin

— Matt Smethurst (@MattSmethurst) April 16, 2019

[brotherjwt]

Tweeted

Biblical Jesus • Warns of judgment and hell • Gives salvation, joy, and hope • Demands self-denial • Preaches the holiness of God Modern Jesus • Avoids negativity • Gives positive reinforcement • Encourages you to love yourself • Preaches only love

— Dustin Benge (@DustinBenge) April 16, 2019

[brotherjwt]

Tweeted

https://t.co/CO0fTZOu8s

— John Wesley (@PresidentJW) April 16, 2019