March 2018

What are you excelling at in your life right now? Paul indicates to the Thessalonicans that, though they are walking well in the way they are following Jesus, they should strive to excel even more. We have used that phrase to be a distinctive of how we will strive to live as church members at FBC Newton:

“I Am a Disciple.
I Am a Disciple-Maker.
And I Am a Missionary.
So as I am going,
I will change my conversations, and
I will excel still more.”

This year, we have also added these three habits: And I will study, practice, and teach God’s Word.

As disciples, we are to walk like Jesus walked.
And, according to 1 Thess 4, we are to Excel Still More.

In verse 1, Paul says: “Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.”

They were walking in a way to please God, but Paul urged them to excel even more.

And then again, in verse 10, as Paul speaks about them being people of love toward others, he states: “…Indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more.”

Therefore, I encourage each of us who are disciples, to take up these commitments:
1. I will excel still more in my understanding of God and obedience to Him.
2. I Will Love God’s Word
3. I Will Love to Pray
4. I Will Love to Obey
5. I Will Use my spiritual gifts to build up the church.

If you are not doing these things – reading God’s Word regularly, praying daily, serving in a way that builds up the church, then you are not properly fulfilling your role of being a disciple.

Let us be focused on excelling still more as followers and disciples of Jesus.

Imitating Jesus is the calling on the Christian’s life. We are told that if we are called by His Name, then we are to walk like He walked.

a photo of some wooden dowels that represent people - one is in front of the rest leading the way - symbolizing our imitating Jesus — Who Are You Following?

I hope that you truly believe that God has called you to be:
a disciple, a disciple-maker, and a missionary.

My prayer is that my faith family, FBC Newton, would be the strongest disciples, disciple-makers, and missionaries in all of Mississippi. And that together, we would be:
     …growing in love and obedience to Jesus,
     …helping others to grow in love & obedience to Him, &
     …sharing the news of Jesus with those who don’t know Him.

We are supposed to be walking like Jesus. Jesus told the disciples, “Come, Follow Me” and as you come follow Me, you will learn to walk like Me. You will learn how to talk like Me. You will learn how to interact with others like Me.

God wants us to pick a side.
In calling us to “Come, Follow Me,” Jesus is saying take up your cross and die to yourself so that you can live for Me.

You can pick the side of self.
Or you can pick the side of Jesus.

God says: Pick yourself. Or Pick Me.
But if you do Pick Me, then you are to die to self. Obey to the point of death… giving me full control over your life. The words you speak are always to be My words. The manner in which you live is always to honor Me. The people you interact with are always to see Me thru you – thru your attitudes, actions, & speech.

Walking like Jesus did. Imitating Him in all areas of life. What does that look like? It looks like the entire New Testament. But I believe we can bring it together in this simple statement that we used throughout 2017:
“I am a disciple, I am a disciple-maker, and I am a Missionary.
So as I am going, I will change my conversations, and I will excel still more.”

(And for 2018, our church has also added in 3 habits: That we will study, practice, and teach God’s Word!)

I hope you will join me in these roles and tasks and habits!

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