2.29.12 "The Discipleship Dilemma"

"The Discipleship Dilemma"

Matthew 28:19-20

John 15:1-17

Happy Leap Year! Today we're looking at some verses outside of the One-Year Bible reading track as there isn't a given reading for the 29th.

Have you ever been given a job and really had a hard time completing it because you didn't understand it? I think there is a vast majority of believers who suffer from a sense of paralysis because there's not an understanding of the assignment. In the great commission of Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commands all of us, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

When you hear the words, "Go and make disciples", what feeling do you experience? I believe for many there's a feeling of intimidation because we don't understand what that means. When we hear the words "teaching to obey..." there's this level of confrontation that can be somewhat disconcerting. It's really important however, to look at the context of who's giving this command, and how he put this into action.

The Pharisees were people who walked around looking at people, and judging whether or not they were measuring up to the commands of God. They were judgmental. They looked down their nose at people. I think when we consider discipling people, our misconceptions of what it means may cause us to align with the methodology of the Pharisees.

But that's what we've got to reconsider. Jesus' method of discipleship was not a yardstick of judgment reminding people of how they fell short. His purpose and plan was to build relationships with people, and through those relationships teach them the ways of the Lord.

Listen to what Jesus says to his disciples: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands, and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as i have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit -- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other." (John 15:9-17)

Notice the key mindset: FRIENDSHIP.

When we have an incorrect view of discipleship, and we align with the methods of the pharisees, we don't engage in the process. We're not connected to the vine. We're not bearing fruit. This is the dilemma: We're commanded to disciple, but don't do it.

We need to understand that the priority of discipleship is Making Friends! As we focus on building relationships and becoming Godly friends, THEN the exponential expansion of discipleship begins to take place. Our friendships need to have the focus of encouragement, servanthood, and love. Jesus said that the world will know we are his disciples by our love for one another. He didn't say it was by the fact that we have a discipleship workbook in our hand.

Make disciples today! You can do it! Build friendships with purpose!

Through the Power of the Spirit,

Live the DREAM!

Pastor Greg Lathe

Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship

Relationships Devoted to Unity

Empowered Through Biblical Training

Active Ministry Involvement

Mission to Reach our World for Christ

12.12.11 "Come In!"

"Come In!"

Amos 7:1-9:15
Revelation 3:7-22
Psalm 131:1-3
Proverbs 29:23

We have two dogs. If you want see them get excited quick, yell "Come in!" as if someone is at the door. For some reason they freak out at the potential that someone is at the door. I guess it's their job to make sure that every person who walks through the door passes the sniff test & is formally introduced to the ferocious 9 pound guard dogs. 

Rev. 3:20 says, "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends." 

This verse reveals a profound insight into the nature of our Savior. His desire is to have a personal relationship with us. He wants to commune with us. He wants to be with us. The creator of the universe says, "Hey, can I come over for pizza?" 

I think it's in the guilt-driven human nature to envision a God who is behind massive closed doors with a sign on it that says, "You're not good enough for God!!" But what does Jesus do? He comes to us! 

These are the words of Jesus to the church of Laodicea. This church has become lukewarm in it's love for God. They have become complacent. They're so caught up in their own concerns that they're just going through the motions. They've not realized that they've pushed Jesus outside the door. Their relationship with Christ has fallen to the back burner. 

But Jesus doesn't kick the door down and start screaming at everyone. He stands and knocks. He speaks, hoping someone will recognize his voice. He desires the door be opened so he can be with friends. 

Where are you right now. Have you taken the time to sit and visit with Jesus, or are you thinking, "now that you mention it, I'm not sure where he is." Do you hear his voice calling you? Don't let the condemnation of the enemy keep the door to your heart locked. The enemy would like you to think, "don't let him in, he's going to make you feel guilty!" That's a lie. He just wants to be with you as a friend.

Do you hear him knocking? 

"Come in!"




Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

Pastor Greg Lathe

Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ 

11.15.11 "Look out!"

"Look out!"

Ezekiel 31:1-32:32
Hebrews 12:14-29
Psalm 113:1-114:8
Proverbs 27:18-20

If you've ever been to Niagara Falls, you know it is truly an amazing sight. The volume of water that goes over the falls is incredible. It almost makes you dizzy to watch it. When we were there in the summer of '07, we walked through tunnels behind the falls, and the roar of the water was incredible. I had slippery shoes on, and there were a couple of times i hit a slick spot on the tunnel floor, and wiped out. For how many tourists are there I'm surprised it isn't more guarded with safety rails. It seemed to me like it would be very easy for a child or a crazy teenager to walk out on a ledge, and fall over the cliff or into the falls. 

As I read the scriptures this morning, I was imagining seeing someone walk out there with slippery shoes. What would I do if I saw that? Would I say anything? Would I do anything to prevent?

When discussing confrontation a friend said, "It's hardest to confront those closest to you. We're great friends, but when it comes to spiritual things..." 

Hebrews 12:15 shows us the priority: "Look after each other so that not one of you will fail to find God's best blessings. Watch out that no bitterness takes root among you, for as it springs up it causes deep trouble, hurting many in their spiritual lives."

This is what it is all about. In pastoral ministries there are some sad stories. I'll sit in my office as the person across my desk has a broken life in their hand. Often it's something that has gone on for years. What makes it so sad, is that many times individuals in this condition have "close" relationships with Christian friends. But, for some reason or another, the struggle never came up in conversation. There may have been comments on the side about a marriage frustration, or even a snide comment about another believer, but for one reason another, it was never discussed. Never confronted. 

Enter the bitter root. An individual misses church for a few weeks, and no one "notices". Sure, there's a call from a pastor, or church leader, but what about my friends? The bitterness grows to the point that when a call is made, it seems "too late". The bitter root takes hold, and it causes deep trouble. Not only for the individual, but "hurting many in their spiritual lives."

It's uncomfortable many times to say, "hey man, I notice you're not getting along with your wife very well." Or, "I haven't seen you in bible study for a while. Is everything ok?" We don't want to risk offending the individual. But SO OFTEN, the one who's hurting inside is BEGGING for someone to notice. Someone to ask. 

It's like seeing the child on the ledge. "I'd say something, but I don't want the parent to think I'm judging them." "I haven't met them yet. Who am I to say something?" 

In a scenario like that the only way you would keep silent is either you don't value the life, or you don't recognize the danger. 

Look again at the purpose for this. "Look after each other so that not one of you will fail to find God's best blessings." If you see me heading down a path that could cause me to miss God's best blessings, why wouldn't you talk to me about it? Why wouldn't you say, "Look out!" Don't you care enough? 

The difficulty is that too often people are "judged" instead of talked to. Benny misses two bible studies & he must be in sin. We build a case against him in our mind, build it up to be a huge deal, and we actually become insecure in how to deal with the issue, and afraid to do anything. So, we shake our head, and wonder what went wrong rather than finding out that Benny is discouraged because of a job situation, and could really use a call. We don't value Benny's life enough to pick up the phone. 

Relationships Devoted to Unity are "discipling" relationships. It's caring enough to help one another keep conversation and conduct aligned with the word. Look at the people in your world differently. View yourself as God's agent to bring another closer to Christ. Not just unbelievers, but those in your family & the family of God. 

There's a pretty good chance that someone reading this email is the one who "needs someone to notice". The enemy wants to keep you isolated and alone. He wants to separate you from the Body so he can destroy you. Don't use the lie that "no one cares" feed into the ploy to drive you to despair. Get connected! Pursue relationships with godly people. EVERY ONE of us have this responsibility!

One thing that I'm discovering more and more is that as the Lord is purifying his Church for his soon return, there are some interesting things happening. In the lives of so many individuals there are things that are coming to the surface. For example, people who have been Christians for a long time are "all of the sudden" struggling with issues and it's being revealed. 

As the Lord purifies us, things come to the surface so we can allow God to take them away. What tends to happen, though is that we want to cover them up. We feel we should be perfect because it's time to be mature. But the bible says that we should "confess our sins one to another so that we may be healed." We need to be vulnerable one to another. We need to offer grace one to another. We need to show one another the way out. 

We need to Look Out! for one another! If we don't we either don't value the life, or recognize the danger.



Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

Pastor Greg Lathe

Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ 

10.18.11 "Be There"

"Be There"

Jeremiah 31:27-32;44
1 Timothy 3:1-16
Psalm 88:1-18
Proverbs 25:20-22

"Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is like taking someone's coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in a wound." (Proverbs 25:20)

Have you ever been discouraged and had someone come and say, "Aw, come on... where's that smile??" or "Get over it!" Or, maybe like me you're on the other end, and there are times when I've encountered someone who's down, and I've kind of blown it off with frivolity or humor. I've been well-intentioned, but it sure didn't meet the need.

To be a friend can sometimes seem to be a daunting task, especially if you're not really sure what to do to help. It's in our nature to "fix things". We see a problem, so there must be a solution. The friend must be the hero and come to the rescue, right? In reality, however, to be a friend just means to "be there". 

There's nothing greater than having someone meet you where you're at. There's nothing greater than not being alone. As much as we may think the "cheery tune" is just what is needed when someone has a heavy heart, the important thing is just to be there. The demonstration of Relationships Devoted to Unity is the devotion of pausing and coming along side a hurting friend. Just to "be there".

Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

Pastor Greg Lathe

Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ 

1.31.11 "Friend of God"

"Friend of God"

Exodus 12:14-13:16
Matthew 20:29-21:22
Psalm 25:16-22
Proverbs 6:12-15

It's a privilege to be considered a friend of God. Because of what Christ has done for us, we can boldly approach his throne. We can talk to him any time we want. We can bring to him any need.

But what kind of friend am I? I was thinking this morning about how my friends know what I like to do. They know what I enjoy. They know what's appropriate in my house and what's not. My friends don't "use" me.

What kind of friend would I be if I showed up at a friend's house opened his fridge, tracked mud on the carpet, said a couple of things, borrowed some tools and left? (come to think of it, I realize there are a couple of friends I might have done this to!) What if I always did what I wanted to do with that friend, and never considered his desires, or what he enjoyed doing?

What's missing from that kind of friendship? Respect. Something is quite out of whack for me to live treating a friend like that. For me to act like that shows that I'm way too self-centered.

"Where is the man who fears the Lord? God will teach him how to choose the best. He shall live within God's circle of blessing, and his children shall inherit the earth. Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises." Ps 25:12-14

The fear of the Lord is not a popular teaching. We want friendship with God, but FEAR? What do fear and friendship have to do with each other. When you think in terms of value, it makes it easier to understand. When we have an item of value, we protect it. We don't leave it lying around where it can be damaged, or destroyed. We take care of it. We fear that something may happen that could harm it.

When we love God intensely, we fear that something will damage our relationship. This is a healthy fear. We protect our relationship with the Lord. We wouldn't think of doing anything that could break the lines of communication. We know what pleases the Lord, and we do it out of love. We know selfishness will hinder the relationship, so we die to self.

I believe with all my heart that the Lord is preparing the church to meet with him. He's about to invite his friends home. He will be calling those who are prepared to meet with him. Those with clean clothes. Those who aren't just looking to raid his fridge and track mud on his carpet.

I need to step up my reverence for the Lord. Not just in "church" moments, but in every area of my life. Every thought, every word, every action needs to be put through the filter of reverence for Christ.

He's my friend. Why would I do any less.


Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

Pastor Greg Lathe

Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ

10.18.9 "Be There"

"Be There"

Jeremiah 31:27-32;44
1 Timothy 3:1-16
Psalm 88:1-18
Proverbs 25:20-22

"Singing cheerful songs to a person with a heavy heart is like taking someone's coat in cold weather or pouring vinegar in a wound." (Proverbs 25:20)

Have you ever been discouraged and had someone come and say, "Aw, come on... where's that smile??" or "Get over it!" Or, maybe like me you're on the other end, and there are times when I've encountered someone who's down, and I've kind of blown it off with frivolity or humor. I've been well-intentioned, but it sure didn't meet the need.

To be a friend can sometimes seem to be a daunting task, especially if you're not really sure what to do to help. It's in our nature to "fix things". We see a problem, so there must be a solution. The friend must be the hero and come to the rescue, right? In reality, however, to be a friend just means to "be there".

There's nothing greater than having someone meet you where you're at. There's nothing greater than knowing you are not alone. As much as we may think the "cheery tune" is just what is needed when someone has a heavy heart, the important thing is just to be there. The demonstration of Relationships Devoted to Unity is the devotion of pausing and coming along side a hurting friend. Just to "be there".

Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ

12.12.8 "Come In!"

"Come In!"

Amos 7:1-9:15
Revelation 3:7-22
Psalm 131:1-3
Proverbs 29:23

We have two dogs. If you want see them get excited quick, yell "Come in!" For some reason they freak out at the potential that someone is at the door. I guess it's their job to make sure that every person who walks through the door passes the sniff test & is formally introduced to the ferocious 9 pound guard dogs.

Rev. 3:20 says, "Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends."

This verse reveals a profound insight into the nature of our Savior. His desire is to have a personal relationship with us. He wants to commune with us. He wants to be with us. The creator of the universe says, "Hey, can I come over for pizza?"

I think it's in the guilt-driven human nature to envision a God who is behind massive closed doors with a sign on it that says, "You're not good enough for God!!" But what does Jesus do? He comes to us!

These are the words of Jesus to the church of Laodicea. This church has become lukewarm in it's love for God. They have become complacent. They're so caught up in their own concerns that they're just going through the motions. They've not realized that they've pushed Jesus outside the door. Their relationship with Christ has fallen to the back burner.

But Jesus doesn't kick the door down and start screaming at everyone. He stands and knocks. He speaks, hoping someone will recognize his voice. He desires the door be opened so he can be with friends.

Where are you right now. Have you taken the time to sit and visit with Jesus, or are you thinking, "now that you mention it, I'm not sure where he is." Do you hear his voice calling you? Don't let the condemnation of the enemy keep the door to your heart locked. The enemy would like you to think, "don't let him in, he's going to make you feel guilty!" That's a lie. He just wants to be with you as a friend.

Do you hear him knocking?

"Come in!"




Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ

2.29.8 "The Discipleship Dilemma"

"The Discipleship Dilemma"

Matthew 28:19-20
John 15:1-17

Happy Leap Year! Today we're looking at some verses outside of the One-Year Bible reading track as there isn't a given reading for the 29th.

Have you ever been given a job and really had a hard time completing it because you didn't understand it? I think there is a vast majority of believers who suffer from a sense of paralysis because there's not an understanding of the assignment. In the great commission of Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commands all of us, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

When you hear the words, "Go and make disciples", what feeling do you experience? I believe for many there's a feeling of intimidation because we don't understand what that means. When we hear the words "teaching to obey..." there's this level of confrontation that can be somewhat disconcerting. It's really important however, to look at the context of who's giving this command, and how he put this into action.

The Pharisees were people who walked around looking at people, and judging whether or not they were measuring up to the commands of God. They were judgmental. They looked down their nose at people. I think when we consider discipling people, our misconceptions of what it means may cause us to align with the methodology of the Pharisees.

But that's what we've got to reconsider. Jesus' method of discipleship was not a yardstick of judgment reminding people of how they fell short. His purpose and plan was to build relationships with people, and through those relationships teach them the ways of the Lord.

Listen to what Jesus says to his disciples: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands, and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as i have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit -- fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other." (John 15:9-17)

Notice the key mindset: FRIENDSHIP.

When we have an incorrect view of discipleship, and we align with the methods of the pharisees, we don't engage in the process. We're not connected to the vine. We're not bearing fruit. This is the dilemma: We're commanded to disciple, but don't do it.

We need to understand that the priority of discipleship is Making Friends! As we focus on building relationships and becoming Godly friends, THEN the exponential expansion of discipleship begins to take place. Our friendships need to have the focus of encouragement, servanthood, and love. Jesus said that the world will know we are his disciples by our love for one another. He didn't say it was by the fact that we have a discipleship workbook in our hand.

Make disciples today! You can do it! Build your friendships!

Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!

P Greg


Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ