About 4 years ago, there was talk from a friend about a book called "Not a Fan" by Kyle Idleman. She told me that it was a good book in that it explains the difference in being a fan of Jesus verses a follower of Him. When she first told me about it i thought to myself......"I don't need that....I'm a follower already. What more could I know about any of that".
So....one day I was at Ollies. I try not to go there too often as I tend to want more books then I need. (For those that don't know I have sort of an obsession with books.....and cheap ones are ever better). Anyway I was in Ollies looking around and there it was. One copy of "Not a Fan"......sitting right in front of me......one little lonely copy for $3.99. Thinking back to the conversation my friend and I had and reading the back cover, I realized I may not be on track with God like I thought I was. So I bought it. I took it home and read the whole thing in a short time. This book scared me in that all these years I thought I was a follower but in reality I was nothing more than a fan.
Idleman explains that fans are "enthusiastic admirers"......much like how we get all excited for our favorite sports teams or music groups. We are fans of them because we know all ABOUT them but don't know them. Same is true with Jesus. We can know about him, yet not know him. Some people call themselves Christians, but aren't interested in following Jesus at all. They only want him for the benefits, but don't want to have to change anything about their life. I call this riding the fence and there is no place for fence riders in Jesus' kingdom. Either you are all in or all out. This is where I was.
At the time of reading this book.....my husband and I were youth leaders and taught Sunday school for teens each week. Every week I would prepare two lessons......every month or two we would have fun activities to do with the kids.....but after starting this book and realizing what I was doing was trying to please God by "doing". I wanted to be there for the kids and serve my God, but I can say my heart probably wasn't all in. I was a fan trying to teach the kids how to be followers. A follower of Jesus is all in.....a person that only worships the living God, not money, not other people, not books, not music, not the Internet.....but Jesus alone. I had some work to do.
We ended up doing the Not a Fan study with the youth and as they asked questions I realized my relationship with my God was messed up and needed some work. It wasn't Him that moved.....it was me. They say we get "comfortable" in our relationship with God. Once we accept Him we are so excited to learn and grow.....but over time we take it for granted and we lose our first love. We get comfortable in our faith and become nothing more than a fan. So....after the study was over with the teens, I took a step back and told them all that my relationship with Jesus needed some work. That in order to teach them well, I had to work on my relationship with Him and fix it before I could be a good teacher to them. So I did that. It was hard stepping back, but much needed.
I began to get up early each day and pray and study.....and study some more.....and more. I did an online course in going through the New Testament reading one chapter a day. I would read and make notes and add notes from the study to my own. It was amazing. I couldn't wait to do that everyday and learn. God was changing me......and I knew there was a purpose for all this studying, but I just didn't know what it was, but I kept going. It was a desire I never experienced before. This is amazing to me in how God works. I've never been much of a reader in my life. In fact in school I would do book reports by reading the front cover, the back cover, and a couple pages in the middle. Then I would make up the rest.....hoping that teacher didn't ever read the book I was reporting on. I didn't like reading.....but this is how God works. When He has a plan, it won't be stopped. We can fight Him or just go with it. I've learned that going with it will change your life......for the better, I promise.
I still read.....a lot. I take notes.....a lot.......I ask questions.....a lot.....and from what I've been told, the purpose is for God to get His glory. That's it. All for His glory. All for Him.
I've realized the more we know about our God, we can love Him better. We can then love people better and make more disciples through relationships. It all comes full circle. We just have to stop being a fan and become the follower He needs us to be. I regret not getting things right with my God sooner. I feel I've missed a lot of opportunities to serve Him, but I can't dwell on that. We always have to more forward in truth and love. This book was a life changer for me. It was a stepping stone for a new life in Jesus.
Good post and it goes well with the pastor's last week.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is ( for me anyway ) that there has to balance. If we spend all of our time studying and then trying to analyze what we studied. We miss out trying serve others, love others and making disciples, as Jesus says we are to do. I watch things on TV or online sermons about the bible or Jesus or God. I have done this for years. I tend to learn better that way, over just reading. I see these people who are much more intelligent than I am, who are able to help explain things in very fine detail, however even as they trying to teach or in a lot of cases, just trying to earn the money they will make. There is not a lot of talk about serving other or loving others. That just does not seem right to me. Jesus was the ultimate in serving others, loving others and for sure, sacrificing for others.
I was telling pastor about some of the mega church preachers and how much money they make. All of the ones I researched, including some that are popular in our church. And, one that I like and try to watch as often as can. All of them are worth millions. Some have private plains and a bunch of houses. To me this is not sacrifice. I am not saying they should be living in the street, however you can feed a lot of people or shelter a lot of people with the money some of them have. And most of them try to get you to buy a book or DVD or just plain give them money. They should certainly not run their ministry in the hole and should be able to go to Texas roadhouse for a steak dinner when they want one, but to charge $25 dollars for DVD or a CD that only cost them a few pennies to produce. To me that is being a hypocrite. They are quick to tell you that they bring people to God and they do... But, they are not as quick to tell you about how much money they are making.
So, after rambling and getting off topic some. It comes down to a balance. We must study but we must not let studying get in the way of actually doing what Jesus wants. That is my goal. I don't want to go too... much either way. I want a balance and I may be wrong, But I think that is the best way for ( me ) to glorify God. By honoring his son. By honoring the gift of salvation. That is what my heart is telling is best. I prayed on this and even watched a sermon on how to pray and how to let God talk to you and a balance is what I believe in and I think that is what the world needs from us.
Thanks for the chance to let me share my thoughts.
Good post and it goes well with the pastor's last week.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is ( for me anyway ) that there has to balance. If we spend all of our time studying and then trying to analyze what we studied. We miss out trying serve others, love others and making disciples, as Jesus says we are to do. I watch things on TV or online sermons about the bible or Jesus or God. I have done this for years. I tend to learn better that way, over just reading. I see these people who are much more intelligent than I am, who are able to help explain things in very fine detail, however even as they trying to teach or in a lot of cases, just trying to earn the money they will make. There is not a lot of talk about serving other or loving others. That just does not seem right to me. Jesus was the ultimate in serving others, loving others and for sure, sacrificing for others.
I was telling pastor about some of the mega church preachers and how much money they make. All of the ones I researched, including some that are popular in our church. And, one that I like and try to watch as often as can. All of them are worth millions. Some have private plains and a bunch of houses. To me this is not sacrifice. I am not saying they should be living in the street, however you can feed a lot of people or shelter a lot of people with the money some of them have. And most of them try to get you to buy a book or DVD or just plain give them money. They should certainly not run their ministry in the hole and should be able to go to Texas roadhouse for a steak dinner when they want one, but to charge $25 dollars for DVD or a CD that only cost them a few pennies to produce. To me that is being a hypocrite. They are quick to tell you that they bring people to God and they do... But, they are not as quick to tell you about how much money they are making.
So, after rambling and getting off topic some. It comes down to a balance. We must study but we must not let studying get in the way of actually doing what Jesus wants. That is my goal. I don't want to go too... much either way. I want a balance and I may be wrong, But I think that is the best way for ( me ) to glorify God. By honoring his son. By honoring the gift of salvation. That is what my heart is telling is best. I prayed on this and even watched a sermon on how to pray and how to let God talk to you and a balance is what I believe in and I think that is what the world needs from us.
Thanks for the chance to let me share my thoughts.
You are absolutely right in that we need a balance. What I was saying is that back then I thought I was "ok" with God....but my heart knew better. I took a step back to re focus. I didn't stop serving all together......just I felt to be a good teacher I had to grow a little more. The Bible tells us that those that lead and teach are going to be held at a higher standard. I had to fix my relationship with my God for that purpose.
ReplyDeleteYou are right In that we can study all we want but if it doesn't change our life and make us love God and people better .....then we better get it in check again. This is where we have to yield to the Holy Spirit in how He wants us to use what we learn.
I feel that this can go the other way too.....I know some who rarely open a Bible yet serve a lot. When it comes to sharing and knowing how to defend the faith....they can't because they don't know what our God is about. They only know how to serve and think that is ok too.
So I agree that a balance is needed.
As far as pastors on TV......I rarely watch tv. I have come to a place where I have to focus on what I am doing for my God within the body. I can't worry with others and what they are doing for Him because in the end I will only answer for me. I will answer for how I conducted myself in the body of Zion. I will answer for what I did or didn't do for Jesus. So that is my perspective. Yes we need to watch and be on guard for false teaching.....always. And we have to know what the word says in order to know if a teaching is false or not. This is where knowing and learning us essential. If we don't know what the word says....then we will follow anyone at anytime. There is a verse about that somewhere, but I'm not too good with knowing right where to go. I have to look up a lot in the concordance.
You can always share....anytime. I appreciate your input and your perspective on God. We can all learn and grow together. But please know we do need a balance.....to be effective at making disciples we have to have a balance.
This is a good conversation.
ReplyDeleteI like the fact you said that we need to know the word in order to protect ourselves from false prophets. The is a great fact!! And you are right also in that we need to know the word to help protect it those who would attack it and there are those that like to attack it.
I try to care about others even those that use God's word to make a profit or false teachers, but i must admit i get frustrated with them, because it is hard enough to make disciples without having to deal with people that have had a bad experience with trying to know God. I truly do want everyone to go to heaven, as well as i truly want God to be glorified and the more people that praise him the more glorified he will be. So, as i mentioned i will try not to judge them and i will continue to pray for them as well.
I think it is a good idea to take a step back every now and then as well. I often ask Karen if i am taking my faith to far, because i don't want to burn out or turn people away because i may be to pushy or outspoken. Again that is where the balance comes in. I need to know the right mix of knowing the word so i can talk to people but be a person of service and love to others without driving them away. That is what i am working on now. I have been researching things and talking with others to try to figure out how to be the best follower of Jesus i can be. I want others to know just what an amazing thing it is when you see how much God loves you. When you can just bust because of that feeling of love and comfort and just overwhelming joy in knowing God. When he just says hey!! I love that much that i did all this for you... wow..
Ok, getting back to the conversation.... hopefully i can find the right balance to enjoy my walk with God and give hi the glory i should have been giving him for years. Hopefully that balance will let my Zion Church family grow. Hopefully that will let Jesus's church grow. And hopefully i will continue to grow himself and help others grow with me.
You are a big help in helping me grow and i hope i am returning the favor to you and as many others as i can.
You ask if you are taking your faith too far? I don't think that is possible. With God we can never take it too far....he is our destiny....our hope.....our salvation....and our eternity. Taking him too far is nothing you have to worry about.
ReplyDeleteNow....people will tell you that or think that about you, but pay no mind to them. You know what our God has for you to live a godly life. You know what he has placed on your heart to do for him. You know that you are building treasure in heaven.....not on earth. So.....Yield to the Holy Spirit. do as he leads. Love God....Read....study.....build relationships.....love people....make disciples.....it's a continuous circle.
My feeling on TV preachers? I don't watch much of that, but we have a real live pastor who preaches the truth every Sunday and we can ask questions to him anytime......that's way better than a preacher on TV. We also have real live elders to guide and pray for us. We don't have to worry about what others are doing for our God. We just have to focus.....focus on our God and what we do for Him to build up His church. Just my opinion.
Bruce.....you are very encouraging. You are helping me learn too. And you'll find a right balance. Don't try so hard to figure it all out cause our God already did all that. Be obedient to the word and you'll be fine.
Karen has told me the same thing about how i can never go to far with God. And maybe that is not the right way to phrase it. I don't want to get to the point where i am pushing people away instead of bringing them to God.
ReplyDeleteFinding the balance is the key. I have been praying that God help me with that and i am letting him take care of it. Although i worry about others. A friend told me one time that you can only care about others as much as they care for themselves. I can tell people about and can worry about false prophets but in the end i can only do so much. That is where i am now. I will focus on my relationship with God and trying to bring my little circle to God.
Thanks for the conversation and keep on making disciples and you are very encouraging as well.
All you can do is love people and establish a relationship with them. then they will see Jesus in you and be drawn to Him through you. When you are different than the world.....it will speak. So....I would worry about putting people off if you are crazy about God.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't worry period......God tells us it's sin when we worry.....so we have to not do it.
All you can do is plant seeds and let the Holy Spirit work in a heart. I am in the same boat as I want to be a light to so many....for people to see Jesus in me and realize they need him. I just pray I set a good example of Him to others. The biggest way people will know we belong to Jesus is when we can be kind and loving to those who have hurt us or aren't so nice to us. That speaks volumes to them and Jesus is glorified.
Yes....pray and let the spirit lead in how he wants you to make disciples. I've done a lot of research on disciple making if you want any info. Basically we love God....love people.....even the unlovely ones .....and help them grow.
I am going to keep trying to make disciples. I love where i am at in my walk with Jesus. I want others to feel the piece i feel. I look forward to going deeper into serving him.
ReplyDeleteI had an interesting talk with someone recently about the Holy Spirit and learned something. I pray everyday that the God lets the Holy Spirit touch all those that don't know God. I also pray that the Holy Spirit stays alive and grows in me ( that is selfish but it's the truth ), i don't want to lose what i have.
I am working on some things right now. I have some cd's that i am working on. They are about being a better man and being a better man in following Jesus and obeying God. But, in the future i may want to get some info from you on disciple making. Thanks for the offer. Hopefully when i retire i can do a lot more and even serve a lot more than what i can now. I know work should not be an excuse but it's a reality...
Work is work and we need it to survive,.....and earning an honest living is nothing to be ashamed of or question. When your heart is right with God we can be at peace. I love talking to my coworkers about Jesus.....I work with a lot of mature Christians and I ask them questions too. It's amazing how when we seek Gods will he puts all the right people and situations right in our path. Amen!
ReplyDeleteAnd Gods word tells us that he wants no one to perish. So having a desire to reach the lost is just what he wants from us. Compassion and love toward others.
I know you get this.....but when you are in your workplace and get called to a situation......do you ever wonder how or what caused the person to get to such a low point? Wonder where this life has take. Them to get where they are? I think about those things when I see my "regulars".....and can't help but feel sorry for them. That's just me......and I pray God can help me love them too in the way they need it at the moment.