The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count

The Rob Skinner Podcast will inspire you to: • Live a no-regrets life • Make this life count • Multiply disciples, leaders, and churches

293. What Do You Do with Bad People? Exposition of Matthew 13:24-43 10/03/2024

293. What Do You Do with Bad People? Exposition of Matthew 13:24-43 How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Have you ever felt the discouragement of a friend or family member walking away from Christ? Have you ever been frustrated by the apparent slowness of God’s Kingdom? Have you ever thought that the forces of evil seem to be gaining ground in this world and God doesn’t seem to be doing anything. These are the very questions and situations that Jesus addresses in this section of Matthew 13:24-43. Listen today as I continue my series on the book of Matthew. Transcript: Matthew Series Matthew 13:24-43 Introduction Recently there has been an uproar about the Olympic opening ceremonies. They were sacrilegious and worldly. Crossdressers reenacted the Lord’s Supper. Is that good? No! What should we do? Kill them? What do you do when there is obvious evil in the world, evil in the church, evil that mocks Jesus? Jesus addresses these things starting in verse 10 about the nature of Kingdom Growth in the parables of the weeds, the mustard seed and the yeast. Jesus describes · The reality of evil and good in the world · How great things start from insignificant beginnings and, · The patience needed in seeing God’s purposes fulfilled. 1. The Parable of the Weeds 24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’” 36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. · 24 Jesus told them or “set before them” a parable. The phrase is used of serving a meal before guests. Jesus won’t spoon feed people, he let’s them feed themselves. This is often explained as describing the church and there being good and bad people in the church, but it’s broader than that. Jesus says that the field is the “world” not just the church. He compares the parable not to the man who is sowing seed but the situation resulting from his scattering seed. · Jesus is warning against having naïve expectations that this world and the church should be perfect like what heaven will be like. We expect the church to be perfect and every person to be a saint. Satan is at work in planting bad seed. Where does evil come from? Why do bad things happen? Why does God allow evil in the world? Jesus doesn’t answer why, he simply states that there is a spiritual force of evil at work in this world. · Darnel is a weed that looks like wheat but has a poisonous head. Roman law prohibited people from scattering these weeds in a wheat field as acts of revenge. · The church has done the most damage when it has ignored this teaching. When we take the sword of judgment into our own hands, we make massive mistakes. o Think about the inquisition. Religious people tried to pull out the roots of those who differed from themselves. It stained Christianity. Jesus’ teaching is the exact opposite. Let God separate out true believers from false. Be patient. Focus on growing yourself and making it to heaven. o The Bible does say that we need to judge those inside the church. There is church discipline for those who are living in sin inside the church. They are put out of the fellowship, but not killed. The hope is that they will repent and come back to Christ. o Jesus finishes it by saying that people will either shine or burn. There will be a reward and punishment for every person. No one is going to “get away” with anything. 2. The Parables of the Mustard Seed 31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” · It’s important to remember the context that Jesus is speaking these parables in. The disciples and others were hoping for the messiah to make a bigger splash a more sudden change. However, Jesus’ ministry is not really taking off like many had hoped. There are a few followers and many opponents. The disciples were looking for a massive and sudden revival that would change everything quickly. Jesus is managing expectations (Tom Cruise) so that they understand that his Kingdom will start tiny and get huge. · Jesus is encouraging his disciples. What can we learn? o The Kingdom always starts small o The Kingdom has the power of life in it to make it grow o It becomes huge in time o It’s growth is beneficial to the entire world · We want amazing things to happen quickly. Jesus says that it takes time and it starts small. Technically, there are smaller seeds than the mustard, but it’s best not to get hung up on that. Jesus used hyperbole and exaggeration to teach. “Great oaks from little acorns grow.” In Zechariah 4:10 it says, “ “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?” · This small seed becomes a bush so big the birds of the air can sit in its branches. This is similar to Nebuchadnezzars vision in Daniel 4:12, 21. The birds are the subject nations. Jesus was making a passing reference to all nations being brought into his kingdom. All nations will benefit from the tree. o 11 The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed… 21 with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds— 22 Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth. · Acts 16:14-15 illustrates this concept. A woman named Lydia was the first known convert in present day Europe. The entire continent was changed starting with her conversion. o “14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.” · That’s why I love church plantings. God works through a few people to build something amazing. Show picture of mission team 3. The Parable of the Yeast 33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” 34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. 35 So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” · Jesus builds on his theme of a tiny beginning having a huge impact. Here he is explaining how a woman takes a small amount of dough with sourdough starter or active yeast in it and puts it into 60 pounds of flour. That’s enough flour to feed a small town of 100 people. The term mixed is also the word, “hid” which goes along with the theme of secrets, of the message being hidden from the wise and revealed to the simple. · Jesus reveals the means by which his kingdom would grow and spread. He wouldn’t be doing it by force but by stealth. Individuals would mix among the masses and slowly transform the entire world. The kingdom won’t tear down governments but will build up men and women who change the culture. Not with weapons or armies, but with lives that are transformed. · The kingdom of heaven may start insignificantly but it will pervade and transform the entire world. Yeast by it’s very nature will grow, multiply and spread by being in close connection with it’s host. We have to be connected and working with the people around us if we want to see change. · 34-35 These lines echo Jesus’ earlier teaching that parables reveal hidden truth and he typically taught in parables to the crowds. From these parables we learn that over time, enough people understand the meaning of his teaching Maand their change transforms the world around them. Jesus’ intention is that his teaching will ultimately change the world. We know from the benefit of hindsight that what he predicted is exactly what happened. The known world of that time was changed over the next three or four centuries. Next Steps · Accept the world as it is, fallen and filled with sin · Work on preparing yourself to face God, don’t worry about others · Have faith and mix with those who don’t know God. Be the yeast that transforms the flour. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/33318997

292. Tools for Multiplying Disciples 09/30/2024

292. Tools for Multiplying Disciples How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Today I’m talking about the tools you need to become a multiplying disciple. When you think of a mechanic, a home builder or a surgeon, you naturally think of the tools they need to accomplish their task. If you want to build the Kingdom, save lives for eternity and repair and supercharge your relationship with God, you will need to invest in tools that will help you get the job done. I’m going to share some of the tools that have helped me the most. Transcript for: The Tools of a Multiplying Disciple My 1997 Honda Civic needed a new clutch. It was slipping and my mechanic friend told me it was going to cost a couple of thousand dollars to replace. That was more than I had at the time and so I decided I would do it myself. I’ve never been much of a “shade tree mechanic.” I had changed the oil a few times and that was about it. I started asking around and a few people in the church encouraged me to try doing it myself and two older brothers said that would help me and offer advice. The problem was that I didn’t have any tools to work on a car. I was told to go to Harbor Freight Tool Store. Harbor Freight is like Toys “R” Us for men. It’s got every tool for every job you can imagine, painting, car repair, car body work, house repair. If you have a project, you need to go to Harbor Freight. My wife absolutely hates the store as much as I dislike walking into a Hobby Lobby home goods store or an Ulta cosmetics store. I walked into Harbor Freight and bought everything I needed to change the clutch, a floor jack, jack stands, a clutch pulling tool, a wheeled floor crawler for getting under the car and a 300-piece mechanics tool set with all the wrenches and sockets I needed for any car job. It took me about a week to change the clutch. With the advice of the two older brothers and hours of watching YouTube videos, I finally got it back together and back on the road. It was a fantastic feeling. Not just having an operating car again, but viewing myself as a person who is capable of fixing mechanical problems. All I needed was good advice and the right tools for the job. Becoming a multiplying disciple also demands the right tools if you want to be successful in walking with God and saving souls. The Apostle Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2 to, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” Timothy needed to prepare for the work he was called to do. He needed to have the right life, doctrine and tools necessary to get God’s will done. If you want to grow in your spiritual skills, you need to get the right tools for the job. Here are the ones that help me the most: · The first thing to buy when building your spiritual tool kit is a paper study Bible. God’s word is by far the most powerful tool on your tool belt. As I shared earlier, I started with a Zondervan Study Bible that had commentary notes embedded below the scriptures. It increased my comprehension of God’s word dramatically. You don’t need a combined commentary/Bible, but a large, easy to read Bible will provide you the space to take notes, highlight and dig into. · Good books and spiritual books. Look at how valuable books were to Paul in 1 Timothy 4:13, “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.” I already covered this in an earlier chapter, but a few classic books and biographies will inspire and equip you. · Bible App. The Bible App is a great free resource that combines in one location tools that in the past demanded multiple tools. It works as a great concordance so you can find scriptures. I use it when I don’t have my paper Bible with me. I probably use it the most for listening when I go for a walk in the morning. I like having the Bible read to me and that is the way most people in the past “read” the Bible. It also offers many other Bible study tools and series that I rarely use. · Gospel Study Series. I rarely leave the house without my Bible and “Disciple’s Handbook.” This is a book printed in the nineties that includes a gospel study series that covers the first principles of the faith. Whenever I lead a Bible study, I use it to guide my discussion. The version I have has a leather cover and was printed in the Philippines. If you want to multiply disciples, you need a tool for guiding a seeker from initial interest to belief, repentance, baptism and the first year of discipleship. There are also first principles apps that can be used. · One volume commentary. My friend, John Lusk, gave me a one-volume commentary when I was a younger Christian. It was incredibly helpful in getting deeper into God’s word and offered more insight than the study Bible I had. I would recommend one like the “New Bible Commentary” by Gordon J. Wenham. Instead of multiple volumes, it covers the entire Bible in one book. · Commentary set. Once you are ready to move on from a one-volume commentary and you are starting to prepare Bible discussions and sermons, you will need multi-volume commentaries. I have several that I used in preparing my Sunday sermons. The first one I start with is the Tyndale New Testament Commentary set. This series is inexpensive and basic, but it’s very readable and offers a great first approach to any New Testament passage. The second commentary I read after the Tyndale is The New International Commentary on the Old and New Testament. These commentaries are too expensive to buy in a set, so when I’m preparing to go through a series on Genesis or Matthew, I buy that specific volume that covers the book or letter I’m preaching on. It offers great insight and a modern writing style. The third commentary set I read in preparing for a sermon is the Pulpit Commentary Set. This set was written in the late 1800’s and it’s prose can be a little tough to read at times, but I love it because it is written for preachers in particular. It offers sermon outlines, ideas, illustrations and applications that are super handy for sermon preparation. Some of my friends don’t like this series because it’s a little more difficult to read, but it’s always my last reference before preaching a good sermon. Many times, it has helped me come up with outlining and providing subject headings for a particular passage. You can buy the entire series for a little over $400. I bought it in the early 90’s for $199. · Audible.com. Leaders are readers. Often the only way I can find the time to read the books I’m in is by listening to them. The best service I’ve found is Audible.com. I listen to great books while walking, working out or driving. Another benefit is that my family can share my audio library with me. · Journal. I’ve gone back and forth between paper journals and digital. Most recently I’ve kept a journal on a Microsoft Word document. I started it in 2017 and use the same file and just keep adding to it. This file has grown to over 700 pages I borrowed the following questions from Tim Ferris and expanded them a little. They serve as an outline and memory jogger: § I am grateful for: § Daily affirmations, I am… § Three amazing things that happened yesterday § How could I have made yesterday better? § Goals § What would make today great? § 10 ideas This takes me about five minutes and helps me keep track of where I’m trying to go in my life and what I can work on. My advice is to use whatever journaling tool that you will actually use and stick with. · Clipboard and yellow pad. I can’t really function without my clipboard and yellow lined pad. This is as “old school” as it gets. The reason I like it is that I’m a chronic list person. When I sit at my desk and meditate or pray, I keep it next to me with a pen and when the Spirit brings up an idea, I immediately write it down on my pad so I won’t forget it. I’m not a naturally organized person and without writing things down, I often forget what I need to get done. Studies show that writing things down by hand actually improves your memory and recall. A Chinese proberb says, “The faintest ink is more powerful than the strongest memory.” You can use your phone or phone app or something else, but whenever God gives you an idea, make sure you take that thought captive and put in on paper or somewhere you can recall it later. · G-2 pens. I’ve tried all sorts of different pens and have landed on the Pilot G-2 07 blue pen as my favorite. It’s inexpensive and super smooth flowing. I buy them in a large bundle from Amazon. · 3x5 cards. I absolutely love 3x5 cards. They can’t be beat for versatility and utility. I use them to keep track of the people I’m reaching out to. I don’t like putting people’s names into my phone until they get baptized because it’s so easy to get lost in my contacts. I write someone’s name down, their phone number and what I know about them and then every time I call, text or study with them I put the date. I have 3x5 cards from people I met, followed up with, studied with and baptized. It’s so encouraging. I also use them for memory scriptures and inspiring quotes. I use them often at our midweek gatherings when I ask for prayer requests or ideas for the ministry. They are super cheap, disposable and incredibly portable and helpful. · Invitation cards. Invitation cards make it much easier to share your faith. There is so much natural reluctance to reaching out that I can’t imagine going without this handy tool. I read a book on evangelism that compared it to handing out tickets to heaven. One card can change a life. Yet, without an invitation card, you are forced to rely on your natural conversational skill and inventiveness to get into a conversation and then steer it toward God. With a card it’s as simple as, “Hi, I go to a great church and I’d love for you to come!” If the person has any openness, they may take that first step. · Freedom. Freedom.to is a web blocking software that I use to increase my ability to focus. If I want to write a book, prepare a sermon or podcast, or do anything else that demands sustained attention, the first thing I do is turn on Freedom for 45 minutes and it keeps me from going to distracting or damaging websites. It’s a game-changer for me and one I’d recommend to anyone who wants to be able to concentrate on big projects. · Ear Plugs. I can’t live without Mack’s Ultra Soft earplugs. I started using these when my wife allowed our pug, FSBO “Fizbo”, to sleep on our bed at night. He had a nasty snore and I got into the habit of using earplugs. I found out they are also incredibly handy for screening out other noise when I’m working at my desk. I need tools that keep me focused on my work. They are very cheap and super handy. The only problem is that my new pug, “Rocky”, slips into my office and eats the ear plugs. I wonder where they all went and then I find them in my back yard after they have passed undigested through her GI tract! · Walking shoes. I’ve gotten into the habit recently of walking for three miles. It accomplishes three things at once. It’s good exercise and burns around 300 calories. I listen to the Bible on audio for the first thirty minutes and then I pray on the thirty minute return leg. You need good walking shoes. I’m currently using Hokas, but I also like any Nike running shoe brand. · Airbuds. Airbuds create time in your life that you didn’t know existed. Time while driving, working out, walking or working is time you can be learning or developing new skills. I rarely turn on my car without first plugging in my Airbuds and turning on a book on Audible. I recently finished a 130+ hour listen to “The Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire” by Edward Gibbon. There is no way I’d have time to read this 2,100 page monster if it were in book form, but I can fit it into the “cracks” in my life and benefit from great writing and excellent narrators. Prioritize reading over listening to music. · Purity accountability software. I use accountable2you.com software to provide “guard rails” against pornography on the internet. It sends a weekly report to a couple of friends showing my viewing habits. I wish I didn’t need accountability but here’s how God views the human heart, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.” Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT. I know God will hold me accountable. I need to hold myself accountable. · Private location. Every disciple needs a private place to meet with God. You need your own desk or chair that gives you the privacy and space to connect with God. I like a good desk and even enjoy having sidewalls that keep me focused on the work at hand. A cubicle style of desk assists in concentration. · A good desk that is organized. I can’t get anything done if my desk is dirty. I have to keep everything as organized as possible. · Spiritual and personal development conferences. In the summer of 2022, prior to our family of churches’ World Discipleship Summit in Orlando, I also attended a church leadership conference that was happening the week before. I learned some things and gained some fresh insights. Though theologically there are some differences, I want to learn from people who are growing and developing their skills. Pay the money and travel wherever needed to grow personally. You can learn from so many different people and sources. These are only some of the tools that I use to help me walk with God and seek and save the lost. Don’t be afraid of investing in yourself and your walk with God. I read somewhere that you should spend 3% of your income on tools for your personal development. Anything you spend on yourself to grow closer to God and save souls is an investment that has dividends reaching into eternity. Don’t hesitate to spend. I hope this will help you to invest in tools to help you grow. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/33240207

291. Why Don't More People Become Christians? Exposition of Matthew 13:1-23 09/27/2024

291. Why Don't More People Become Christians? Exposition of Matthew 13:1-23 How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Transcript of the Matthew Series The Parable of the Sower Matthew 13:1-23 Introduction · Have you ever wondered why more people don’t become Christians? If the good news is so “good,” why don’t people respond in greater numbers. This chapter answers that question. · The preceding chapters have been filled with a growing division between those who responded well and those who responded poorly to Jesus and his teaching. He had just been criticized and accused of healing through the power of Satan. What connects this chapter with the previous two is that it provides and explanation of why some people respond positively to Jesus’ teaching and some don’t. Jesus will teach a number of parables in this chapter and what ties them together is how people respond to the secrets of the Kingdom of God. Some are fruitful and some barren, some are good grain and some are weeds, some people are good fish and some bad and some respond radically when they stumble onto treasure or pearls and some don’t. This is the mystery of the Kingdom, why do some people “get it” and some don’t? Jesus teaches this chapter to help his disciples then and now not be so naïve in their expectations and to strengthen their resolve and conviction when people don’t respond or turn away from the good news. He also has just highlighted the privilege that disciples have in being part of the family of God. And when you are a part of the family, you share in the family secrets which he reveals in this chapter. 1. The Parable: Matthew 13:1-9 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.” · 13:1-2 That same day. This is the same day that Jesus was in massive conflict with the Pharisees and accused of being a tool of Satan. I would characterize that a “bad day.” I’d probably head home for a little “me time.” I’d whine to my wife and feel sorry for myself. What did Jesus do? He goes out and starts teaching them and his disciples! o What does it take to get you derailed from the mission? · I want you to imagine what this scene looked like. He draws so many people that he has to set up a way to separate himself from the crowds. He sits in a boat and teaches the crowds. You have the crowd of hundreds or more and then you have a small boat with Jesus and his 12 disciples. This picture illustrates the division that Jesus would go on to expound on. There were the crowds and then those few disciples who were in the know. It highlights the division in understanding and response that Jesus will go on to explain. 2. Why Use Parables? Matthew 13:10-17 10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’[] 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. · 13:10 Parables After finishing an extremely short sermon and offering no explanation, no application and no “Next Steps,” Jesus turns to the disciples in his boat and has a private conversation. This must have been an awkward transition. Can you imagine if I gave a complete sermon like that? I wouldn’t be here for long. He goes on to explain why he is using this unclear means of communication. From here on Jesus leans more heavily on these parables and only teaches the crowds using these parables. The disciples turn to him and basically say, “Why are you teaching this way? Why are you teaching in riddles? Why don’t you just spell it out for everybody? It was a great question. The word parable has not come up yet in the book of Matthew, although we’ve seen it mixed in with Jesus’ teaching. Parables is more than just a short story. It includes proverbs, maxims, riddles, allegories, wise sayings and other pithy quotes. We often define them as short stories that illustrate or make clear a spiritual concept. However, what Jesus is saying is that for every person who is helped by a parable another person is simply confused. In fact, parables hide things. Their design is to not reveal or explain everything. The listener is forced to bring something to the table. You have to wrestle with it, meditate on it. Parables offer a challenge to the listener. Many will not take the time or energy to understand the meaning. This is the point of what Jesus is saying. This is why Jesus calls the message a secret, not everyone gets it. That’s why some people respond and some don’t. · Matthew 13:11 The secrets of the kingdom of heaven. To know the message of the Kingdom is to know secrets. Remember the documentary, The Secret, that came out about twenty years ago? It talks about the law of attraction. The message of Jesus is a true secret, the Greek word is Mysterion. It’s the same word used in Daniel 2:18-19, 27-30 and 47 where Daniel is able to reveal the mystery of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream while all the other wise men and enchanters can’t do it. Jesus is pointing out that God reveals his secrets to those he chooses. We learn by revelation not by being “smart” or having personal insight. Jesus says the message is given to you, not to them. This points out the clear division of people into two groups. · Matthew 13:12 This saying is similar to “Success breeds Success” or “It takes money to make money” or “The richer get richer.” Jesus is saying those who understand God’s secrets start multiplying in their growth. Understanding brings more and better fruit and it causes a chain reaction of good things. On the other hand, those who reject the truth lose everything, even what little they think they have. If you’ve ever seen someone who walked away or rejected Jesus who once was loving, happy and growing and then see them after a number of years, you see the difference. o Example? · Matthew 13:13-15 Hard hearted or Rejected by God? Jesus goes on to quote from Isaiah. This passage reveals the problem that people have in receiving God’s word. Their hearts are hard. Most people can hear but only disciples can understand. However, the point of this section is that people’s response is both a fact of life and the purpose of God. Mark 4:11-12 phrases it this way, “…To those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving.’” Matthew states that Jesus teaches in parables because people’s hearts are hard and Mark points out that Jesus teaches in parables to harden people’s hearts. This emphasizes that Jesus teaches in parables to conceal the truth to some. That doesn’t sound encouraging does it? This is one of those mysteries between human will and God’s will. Do people not respond because their hearts are hard or because God doesn’t allow them to see the message? It’s like two sides of the same coin. In any case, it is hard to avoid the difficult truth that God has chosen some to respond and others to reject his truth. Parables reinforce this separation of response. People respond according to their capacity, some are receptive and some not and that is how God has intended it. You may not like it, but that’s the way it is. · The best way to understand that is with illustrations: o Pharaoh in Romans 9:16-18 16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. § The Bible says that God raise him up for the very purpose of highlighting God’s power and glory. Pharaoh’s stubborn heart triggered God’s plagues of power. However, Pharaoh was at fault for being hard hearted toward Moses’ words. o Butter and clay. When the sun shines on butter, it melts. When it shines on clay, it hardens. Is it the sun’s fault? No. It has to do with the response and makeup of the object. · Matthew 13:16-17 Blessed are your eyes. Jesus is pointing out how lucky, how blessed, how privileged any person is who has heard and understands the word of God. Why? Because that understanding is a gift of God. Without that revelation you would remain blind to God’s secret. o We take it our faith for granted. We neglect the Bible. We don’t appreciate what God has done in opening our eyes. We wonder why others don’t see what we see. We wonder if we are wrong in our understanding. You need to consider yourself the most blessed because God has opened your eyes to the truth. We need to be grateful that any people make it at all. 3. The Explanation: Matthew 13:18-23 18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” · 13:18 The parable of the sower. This title is a little misleading because the story and its interpretation has little to do with the sower himself. It has everything to do with way different soils respond to the secrets of God’s Kingdom. A better title would be, “The Parable of the Four Types of Ground.” It’s important to keep in mind that Jesus is using this to explain to his disciples why people had so many different responses to him and his teaching in the events from chapter 11 and 12. They were probably confused and a little shaken by the negative responses. Jesus is emphasizing that the fault is with the soil, not with the seed. · 13:19. Understanding. Understanding is not intellectual understanding, it is changing your life to respond to the message of God. It includes both a mental and physical response to God’s word. Just knowing the Bible without obedience is actually encouraged by Satan. Satan comes and takes away the word. Satan is actively at work in those who reject the Bible. o “I’m good!” o “I don’t like organized religion!” o “That’s good for you, not for me.” · 20-21. Joy and enthusiasm without commitment of time, energy and resources can’t last. That person dries up, burns out and falls away. How many of the people in these crowds were there when Jesus went to the cross. Not many. His disciples were there and even they struggled. When your enthusiasm is based on feelings, circumstances, other people’s enthusiasm and not your own conviction, you will fall away when tough times hit. o Share my testimony · 13:22 Third Soil. Worries, desires for other things and the deceitfulness of wealth chokes people out. When we are focused on possessions and money and not God and saving people we betray a focus on this world that is passing away. Some of us are choked out and not bearing fruit because our time, money, energy and attention is wholly focused on this world. o We don’t have time to study the Bible with people o We don’t pray or read the Bible because we are worried or preoccupied with something else. o We don’t tithe because our money goes to other desires o We don’t grow because we are too distracted by “other things.” § The only solution is to take the time to remove the weeds. I had a blackberry patch that I wanted to turn into a garden. Step one, buy some goatskin gloves and start cutting out the vines. Roll it all up like a bail. Pile it up and burn it. Rototill the ground and plant seeds. Voila, we had a garden! · 13:23 Many people don’t understand the secrets of God’s Kingdom, but some people understand and bear God’s fruit. This points to the fact that it’s not a problem with the message but with the listener. Some have ears, some don’t. The person who bears fruit or yields a crop is different than the previous soils: o They have internal conviction o They internalize the message o They change their priorities and behavior o They pull out the weeds that choke their lives. · This parable applies to both those outside the kingdom and those inside. There are different levels of fruitfulness, 30, 60 or 100 times. It all depends on the condition of your heart. It’s not a competition, but it is a challenge to be as fruitful as YOU can be. This entire story highlights the importance of producing good for Jesus. o A good life o a good character o the good fruit of souls saved · A fruitless hearer is like the fig tree cursed by Jesus. Jesus said in Matthew 7:19, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Conclusion Jesus explained why people had different responses to his teaching. He wanted to prepare his disciples to have the strength and conviction to preach the word in the face of resistance. We need to scatter the seed to all four soils, to every person. Some of us have given up. We haven’t passed out an invitation in months if not years. Why? Because we have told ourselves that people aren’t open, that it hurts too much when people turn away after initial enthusiasm. · We blame ourselves · We blame our presentation · We blame our study series · We blame the preaching · We blame the preacher · We blame the church · We blame the message itself. We think it’s not up to date with changes in society. The lesson of this parable is that there is nothing the matter with God’s word. The problem is with people’s hearts. Our job as disciples is simply to scatter the seed and apply God’s saving word to every person we know or meet. Share about Brad and Alisha Tamashiro Next Steps • Sink your roots into God’s word and build deep conviction. Study the Bible. • Cut out the choking weeds of this world. Bear fruit for God • Scatter the seed of God’s word, invite someone to church this week with a card. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/33240157

290. Best of RSP: Dinesh George's Near-Death Experience and What He Learned From It 09/23/2024

289. Raise Your Activity Level, Don't Lower Your Standards 09/16/2024

289. Raise Your Activity Level, Don't Lower Your Standards How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Transcript for "Raise your activity level, don’t lower your goals" I was looking forward to the final message of the evangelism conference. Christians from all over the world were gathered for a conference meant to inspire and unify our family of churches. The final speaker was someone I’ve always respected and is one of my favorite preachers. I was waiting for a massive call to action. A dream casting lesson that set our vision on winning this lost world. In past seminars and conferences, the final lesson is usually one of the best and is typically preached by one of the most gifted leaders. That slot summarizes the primary points from all the classes and channels them into a call for massive action on the part of the participants. As the speaker began, I was waiting for that call. Instead, I heard a lot of stories about family and parenting. It was a long, meandering lesson and what I heard from it was that we are not going to win the world in one generation, therefore let’s pass the torch on to our kids and let them do it. I left deflated. Instead of getting pumped up to return to my home church ready to change my city, I had seen a hero of my faith pull out the white flag of surrender and slowly wave it in front of the gathering of over ten thousand followers of Jesus. Looking back, I understand what he meant. We do need to pass on what we’ve learned, our convictions and passion for God and the lost people of this world. I recognize that there will be millions of lost people long after I’m past. I know that the work will continue on until Jesus returns. However, the tone of the lesson was, “It’s never gonna happen so let’s not stress about it and let’s just focus on the next generation.” It felt very much like a call to lower expectations and to get satisfied with maintaining what we had rather than multiply what God had given us. As people filed out on their way home, I sat there thinking to myself, “I’m not ready to surrender, settle or be satisfied yet. I’m not dead yet. Yes, I want to pass my faith on to my children, but as long as I have breath, I want to advance the Kingdom as far as I can.” Every generation has to decide how they will face the challenges God has placed before them. During the Exodus, Moses called the Israelites to explore the land they would enter and see what they were facing, both good and bad. In Numbers 13:17 it is written, 17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? 20 How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.) Twelve tribal leaders led the scouting expedition. Their evaluation is found in Numbers 13:26, “26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” Ten leaders saw the land and said, “We can’t.” Two leaders, Joshua and Caleb, said “We can.” Those two men were some of the few who made it into the promised land. The other ten were put to death by God for their lack of faith. The Israelites were condemned to wander for forty years for their lack of trust in God. All the leaders saw the same thing. The same land, the same fruit, the same enemies and the same challenges. The facts were identical, but the faith couldn’t have been more different. Every generation has the same command to obey, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19). We face open fields, difficult fields, persecution and blessings. This lost world has both opportunities and challenges for us individually and as a Christian family. However, we have to decide how we will respond. Will we say with Caleb, “We can!” or with the forgotten and doomed ten leaders, “We can’t.” If you want to be a multiplying Christian, you have to consciously decide that you will be a “We can!” Christian. It may be difficult, and there will be giants and fortresses to face down, but with God, we can. One of the biggest traps many Christians fall into is lowering their expectations to when faced with spiritual challenges. Instead of increasing activity, faith, intensity, focus, they begin to spout the language of those who say, “we can’t.” You can recognize it by: · Being satisfied with only a few people becoming Christians · Shifting focus from saving the lost to satisfying the saved · A critical spirit toward those bent on conquest · Jealousy and envy toward those who are making spiritual progress · Negative talk, gossip and slander toward those whose passion for the lost is still strong · A change of emphasis from building God’s kingdom to padding our retirement · Faithless language like: o “People aren’t open” o “Times have changed” o “I’ve tried but…” o “We don’t have the right song service, enough money, the right people, etc.” I was reading a book by Grant Cardone called “The 10x Rule.” He points out that so often when we don’t hit our goals, we lower our expectations and our efforts. We don’t want to experience the emotional pain of failing. Instead, he counsels people to increase your efforts ten times, or “10x.” This principle is applicable to the world of finance, business, relationships, family or spirituality. We all have a choice when faced with not achieving our ambitions, we can settle or we can set our minds on God and accept that our current level of faith, activity and love will need to grow to meet the challenge before us. The difference between the man who returned with 10 minas versus the one who simply returned the mina given him by his master (Luke 19:11-27) is that the multiplying servant raised his expectations and efforts to meet the challenge and multiply what God had given him. The wicked servant settled and became critical of the master and his expectations. “21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.” (Luke 11:21) He justified his inactivity by blaming his master for being hard and having too-high expectations. The apostle Paul faced difficulties in his ministry in Ephesus. Take a look at Acts 19:8-10, “8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.” When he faced opposition and a lack of openness, he didn’t lower expectations, he changed locations and raised his level of activity. He held daily discussions in a public location. The result was that he was able to multiply disciples, leaders and churches in western Asia Minor. I was reading this passage recently and challenged myself to increase my level of effort this fall. My goal is to hold 90 “discussions in 90 days. Anytime I am using a Bible with a non-Christian present I’m counting it as a “discussion.” Sermons, group discussions or personal Bible studies all count. If I’m going to reach the metropolitan area I live in, it has to start with greater activity on my part. Yesterday, I went sharing on campus and we shared with over 100 people. Then I led three Bible studies in the afternoon and evening. The last person I had a discussion with said he wants to get baptized right away. I was energized and fired up at the end of the day even though it was a packed day. I’d rather raise my intensity than lower my standards. I appreciate people like Kevin Miller, church leader from Boston. He has a passion to reach the lost in the Boston metro area. He could sit there and say that the church is too old, it’s been this size for too long or the membership is too old or set in their ways. Instead, he has a can-do attitude that won’t settle for survival. He wants to see the church grow, multiply and do better than it ever has. I love what Shawn Wooten is doing in Eastern Europe. He could call it a day and retire on all the inspiring experiences and stories he’s accumulated over the years. Instead, he’s driving on toward expansion of the gospel. Dr. John Oakes lifts my spirits. Like Caleb, he is an older man. He’s retired from teaching. However, he’s determined to advance the kingdom in central California. He planted a church in Merced, California in his late sixties. Instead of lowering expectations, he raised his levels of effort. He goes out on campus twice weekly to reach out and has grown his church of three Christians to over 25 in a little over a year. He is a “We can!” disciple. Take a look at yourself. Are you listening to the excuses and rationalizations that Satan and even well-meaning Christians are placing in your head? Satan’s lie is that when faced with difficult challenges, just lower your expectations, back off and don’t try so that you won’t experience disappointment, failure or defeat. For example, if you haven’t saved a soul in a while, you might be tempted to think, “I’m too old, too unrelatable, too isolated or too something…” Take captive that thought and instead raise your activity level. Start sharing your faith actively. Keep a prayer list of people you can pray for, serve, show hospitality to and invite to church. Increase your efforts ten times. If you raise your energy, efforts and faith, you will see things begin to change. Jesus said in Matthew 9:29, “According to your faith will it be done to you.” Just like with the exploration of the land, for every two faithful followers there will probably be ten cynical and faithless people. Don’t allow other people’s negativity or spiritual issues drag you down. If you want to do great things for God, you will get heat and reasons why it can’t be or shouldn’t be done. People will say your too “old school.” This often happens because the person is simply trying to justify their lives and low expectations. Ignore it and do God’s will. Become a multiplying disciple. Application: · In what areas have you surrendered or lowered your expectations? o Relationships o Evangelism o Finances o Purity · What could you do starting today to raise your level of faith and activity to see God work in that area? /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/33049552

288. Exposition of Matthew 14: 1-12, "Herod's Dilemma" 09/14/2024

288. Exposition of Matthew 14: 1-12, "Herod's Dilemma" How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Herod’s Dilemma Introduction How do airplane crashes happen? Malcolm Gladwell describes the 1997 crash of Korean Air Flight 801. The pilot was experienced and in good health. The aircraft was in perfect working order. As the flight approached Guam, the Ground Proximity Warning System alerted the pilot that the plane was within five hundred feet of the ground. Unable to see the runway in the rain, the first officer suggested aborting the landing and circling around for another attempt. The captain, however, was slow to respond. Before the plane could recover altitude, it hit the side of nearby Nimitz Hill, killing 228 of the 254 passengers. It’s not just plane crashes. How do… · People end up homeless on the street · End up in terrible disfunctional relationships · End up deeply in debt and in a terrible financial situation · End up slaves to alcohol, drugs or porn · End up in jail or prison This chapter offers insight in how we can end up in a situation we never dreamed could happen to us… 1. The Death of John the Baptist, 14:1-12 14 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet. 6 On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. · This is a sidebar in the narrative about Jesus. Its importance is in closing the loop on what happened to John and also to foreshadow what would happen to Jesus. Matthew 17:12, 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” · 1-3 John’s death is recounted in a “flashback” formula. Herod hears about Jesus and immediately connects Jesus to John whom he had murdered. Herod had hosted a feast, which contrasts with the feast Jesus provides in the following section. Herod is freaking out and imagining Jesus has reappeared. This happens today with people who have passed away, like sightings of Elvis. · Anatomy of a bad decision. o Herod and Herodias are like Ahab and Jezebel part two. Their marriage is a sham. John the Baptist had continually told Herod that it wasn’t right to marry this woman, but he did it anyway. This kind of stubbornness led to one of the worst decisions on record, murdering John the Baptist. John is the guy Jesus praised as the greatest prophet of all time. I don’t want to think about what happened to Herod when he faced Jesus. But I think this points out something that commonly happens today on a smaller scale. Now I want to talk specifically to guys today. o Guys are on the run. James Dobson highlighted this about twenty years ago in his book “Bringing Up Boys” when he titled a chapter, “Men “R” Dumb.” Society is going after guys. They are easy targets. Look at recent movies like Frozen, Twisters and others. Who is the hero? Is it the man? No! The man is often the bad guy or lovable loser. Go through the bookstore and pick out a bestseller. Chances are the hero is going to be a woman. This is a big shift. o Herod comes across as a fool in this story, why? Let’s take it apart: § He commits adultery. He marries his brothers wife while his brother is still alive. § He messes with the wrong woman. Herodias. She is the boss, she’s the one in charge, the one organizing the “hit.” Herod is simply a puppet in her hands. § He’s passive, he lets things happen. § Sexuality is involved § Alcohol is involved § Peer pressure is at play § He doesn’t control his words § Pride. He doesn’t back out when he’s made a mistake, he allows pride to guide him down the road of destruction. He should have said, this is stupid, I’m being manipulated. Instead, he does something so wrong, it’s impossible to take back. § The momentum and inertia from too many mistakes takes over. Malcolm Gladwell talks about this in one of his books. Most air disasters don’t happen after just one mistake. There is one mistake, then another and they slowly compile until something massive goes wrong and the plane goes down. · “In a typical crash, for example, the weather is poor—not terrible, necessarily, but bad enough that the pilot feels a little bit more stressed than usual. In an overwhelming number of crashes, the plane is behind schedule, so the pilots are hurrying. In 52 percent of crashes, the pilot at the time of the accident has been awake for twelve hours or more, meaning that he is tired and not thinking sharply. And 44 percent of the time, the two pilots have never flown together before, so they’re not comfortable with each other. Then the errors start—and it’s not just one error. The typical accident involves seven consecutive human errors. One of the pilots does something wrong that by itself is not a problem. Then one of them makes another error on top of that, which combined with the first error still does not amount to catastrophe. But then they make a third error on top of that, and then another and another and another and another, and it is the combination of all those errors that leads to disaster.” o For men today, we can end up following the same path: § We mess with the wrong woman. Instead of a godly woman, we start dating those who don’t follow Jesus passionately. Women are like Kryptonite to men. All the greats have been taken down by women: David, Soloman, Samson. § We are passive. We let the woman lead us instead of leading as God desires and designed. Go to many churches and who do you find? Women. Where are the guys? At home worshipping at St. Mattresses or St. Maddens. We don’t stand up and do what’s right. Slowly we are led to a place that we can’t get out of. § Sexuality. Porn, impurity, temptation weakens us. § Alcohol. Paul says “Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery.” Alcohol leads to bad decisions. § Peer pressure. Once we allow our friends or family to guide our decision making, it’s nearly impossible to make changes. § Rash words. We say things and make promises that are foolish. Then we get held to those stupid words. § Pride is the final nail in the coffin. Pride keeps us from making a change when we know we are way off course. Instead of backing out, we plunge into destruction. · Examples: I was counting the cost with a young man and asked him, “What do you see as the biggest challenge facing you? If Satan wanted to take you out spiritually, what would he do?” The man answered, “Send a woman into my life.” A few months later, this man started dating a woman and he abandoned his relationship with Christ.” He knew it in advance and still fell. · Challenge: o What situation are you caught in? Do you feel trapped, closed in, boxed in with limited options. That’s a sign you may be stuck in Herod’s dilemma. o Some of us are falling right into Herod’s dilemma. We are involved with the wrong woman or man. We are drifting away from God, passively allowing it to happen. Sexuality and alcohol may be contributing toward it. We’ve said things that were stupid and now we’re afraid of making a change and looking foolish. So we are stuck in a situation of our own making. o If you want to be strong, you have to stand up, step back and look at your situation with fresh eyes. Renounce the words you’ve spoken. Break up with the wrong woman and turn back toward God. o Get some help. Gladwell goes on to say, § “These seven errors, furthermore, are rarely problems of knowledge or flying skill. It’s not that the pilot has to negotiate some critical technical maneuver and fails. The kinds of errors that cause plane crashes are invariably errors of teamwork and communication. One pilot knows something important and somehow doesn’t tell the other pilot. One pilot does something wrong, and the other pilot doesn’t catch the error.” The copilot told the pilot they were too low, but the pilot refused to listen. § Herod had no one in his life. He didn’t have a copilot. If you are a disciple and you need help you can reach out for help. Unfortunately, when we get into bad situations, we often try to hide it and keep it from others. We get prideful That’s where discipling can make all the difference. One spiritual talk with another disciple can often make all the difference. Don’t be like Herod. Don’t get caught in Herod’s dilemma. Stubborn, isolated, compounding mistakes until he finally crashes and burns and commits the worst sin imaginable. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/33049577

287. How to Make More Time for Serving God 09/09/2024

287. How to Make More Time for Serving God How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Transcript: Watching the game of cornhole on tv fills me with many questions. Questions such as: · “Why?” · “Who are these people who are so good at this ‘sport’?” · “How many hours have they spent playing this game in order to keep getting that bean bag in the hole time after time?” · “How do these people support themselves?” These same questions arise when I hear of professional video game players. What really blew my mind was when I discovered someone in my church who enjoyed watching other people play video games on TV. God gives us great freedom as disciples. There are large areas that are “gray areas.” These are activities or behaviors that don’t neatly fall under the categories of right and wrong. You may not be able to point out a scripture that prohibits that particular past time. However, that doesn’t mean it’s something that you should pursue. What are some of these “gray areas” that aren’t discussed in the Bible directly? · Smoking cigarettes · Chewing tobacco · Cigars · Smoking marijuana · Video games · Online news addiction · TV binging · Hours of internet browsing and scrolling · Hobbies Moses and Jesus never taught a lesson on “spiritual views on smoking” or “Christ-like computer usage.” Instead, we are left with principles to follow that address how to view areas not covered in the Bible. Paul addresses some of these areas in 1 Corinthians: · “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 1 Corinthians 10:23 · 12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12 Paul was dealing with sexual immorality with prostitutes in a city that had three temples dedicated to the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite. He was also trying to give guidance about eating food that had been sacrificed to idols. The disciples in the church were pushing back against Paul and his authority and were saying, “I have the right to do anything.” Paul agreed but added that not everything is constructive or beneficial. He also advised to not do anything that may be allowed but could master a person or cause an addiction. He then added in 10:31-11:1, “ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. 1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” Paul explains that a mature and multiplying disciple looks at behaviors and activities and evaluates their worthiness not only on whether the Bible allows or condemns them explicitly but also by the following spiritual questions and filters: · Is this activity constructive? · Is it beneficial? Will it help me and others? · Will it master me? Can it become addictive? Will it choke me out and land me in the third soil? (Matthew 13:7, 22) · Will this behavior bring glory to God? Will it draw positive attention and praise to God? · Will this cause someone else to stumble, struggle or miss the way? · Am I imitating Jesus and Paul’s example of seeking the good of many? These are tougher questions that force us to evaluate our lives in light of God, other people and our influence in the world. My campus minister asked me to help mentor or “disciple” another Christian on campus at UC Berkeley. I was less than a year old spiritually. He was a friend of mine and so I planned our first time together to make it “special.” We walked down to Whelans Smoke Shop near the corner of Telegraph and Bancroft. We each bought a pack of cigarettes and then went to a nearby coffee shop. We drank our coffee, smoked our cigarettes and looked at scriptures together. Does the Bible say you can’t smoke cigarettes? No, but after that appointment I started thinking more deeply about it. Can smoking master me? Definitely. Is it beneficial? No. Will it cause someone else to stumble? Most likely. That was my last “Smokin’ D-time.” I threw away that pack of cigarettes. You might be hanging on to hobbies, habits or activities from your days when you were living in the world. All of us develop patterns that are not easy to change. At the same time, they are often not clearly “wrong.” If you want to be a multiplying disciple, you will need to take inventory of your life’s activities. Paul warns in Ephesians 5:15, “15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” You have to be very careful how you live. That means you will need to examine all of your current patterns and ask if they are beneficial or if they are low-value, or even harmful for you and others. Like the Corinthians, we can get defensive and claim our “right” to do anything we desire. However, that is often the behavior of an immature and unfruitful Christian. We are only thinking about us and what we want to do. We aren’t asking ourselves whether this is the highest and best use of our time. Think about it this way. If you were selected to join your country’s Olympic track team, what would you life and schedule look like? Would you be smoking cigarettes, noshing on Snickers bars, downing gallons of Coca Cola every day and spending hours and hours on video games? I don’t think so. Your time would likely be scheduled hour by hour and even minute by minute. Your aspiration to win a gold medal would force out low-value activities. Your diet would improve, you wouldn’t have time for hours of mindless TV and computer viewing and you would spend most of your time with those who share your high ambition. Low-value behaviors would be left behind. As Paul shares in 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” The context of the chapter is that Paul had a right to get paid and supported by the Corinthians, but in order to save more people and undercut his critics, he chose to support himself financially. He was very careful how he lived. He was willing to let go of what was rightfully his if it meant more people could be saved. This is the mature mindset of a multiplying disciple. Application: · Take stock of your low-value activities. What are you spending time on that may not have high value? · Evaluate your “gray areas.” Instead of asking whether it’s right or wrong, use the questions above to determine whether your life’s activities are beneficial or constructive. · “Beat your body.” Replace empty, fruitless behavior with action that will bear good fruit in your walk with God, your character and in saving souls. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32939187

286. Exposition of Matthew 12:38-50 09/06/2024

286. Exposition of Matthew 12:38-50 How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Transcript of Matthew 12:38-49 Introduction 1. The Demand for a Sign: 12:38 38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.” 39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here. Jesus makes a judgment on that generation. They were demanding a “sign from heaven” (Luke 11:16) in addition to the miracles he had been doing. Their request wasn’t based on faith but unbelief. If they aren’t convinced by now, what miracle can persuade them? Their motive wasn’t to confirm their faith but for some other reason. Jesus goes on to shame them with two examples of faithful responses by gentiles. First, the Ninevites who responded to Jonah’s preaching and then the Queen of the South who traveled so far to listen to Soloman’s wisdom. Jesus says that something greater than Jonah and Soloman is here. Along with his previous reference that something greater than the temple is here, there are three things he is building his authority on. The temple includes the priesthood, Jonah is representative of the prophets and Solomon represents the monarchy. These were the pillars of Israel’ nation and history. Jesus is greater than the temple and priesthood, the prophets and the kings or monarchy. Even non-Jews responded to these lesser people and now someone far greater is here and people won’t respond. Some of us are waiting on God to give us a custom sign that we should follow him. We want a “sign from heaven.” We downplay, discount or disregard the miracles he has already done in our life: · Life itself · The blessings he has poured into our life · The “coincidences” and minor miracles he has already done · The Word of God that reveals God’s will for us · The people God has put in our life at the right time · The times God has rescued us from disaster or from ourselves. We ignore all of these and ask God to do something more. What that is, we are often not sure. But it keeps us waiting and allows us to make no decision for God. Jesus says this behavior is that of a wicked and adulterous generation. Like an unfaithful wife or husband, you are always looking for something or someone else to make you happy. What’s it going to take for Jesus to persuade you? I studied the Bible with a student at Stanford University. He seemed to be waiting for something. Finally, I told him I ran out of scriptures. There was no point in still meeting together. That shook him up and he got baptized shortly afterwards. 2. Wandering Spirits: 12:43-45 43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” This story points out the danger of repentance without relationship. When you drive out an evil spirit, you must replace it with a good spirit. Repentance without Jesus leaves a vacuum. Many in that generation had repented at the preaching of John the Baptist, but they needed to replace that old sin with the presence of Jesus and discipleship to him. The Jews had come back from exile and had driven out idolatry. But when Jesus came along, they didn’t let him in. They didn’t fill that empty house with someone greater than their old sin and demons. If you aren’t positively for Jesus, you may end up against him. You may have recently become a Christian. You believed the gospel, turned away from sin and got your sins forgiven in baptism. That’s awesome! However, you need to fill your heart and mind with Jesus and love for him. Because if you don’t, those old sins and demons will come back stronger than before. As a young Christian, I was struggling with pride and impurity. A minister showed me this scripture and said I was focused on the wrong thing. I was focused on “not sinning.” I need to focus on loving Jesus. That was great advice and when I grew in my love, it forced out the demons that were knocking on my door. I want to talk to you young Christians. Now that you’ve turned from your old life, it’s time to add to your repentance a growing love for Jesus. You need to: · Read the Bible all the time, crave it · Pray · Fast · Spend time with disciples · Sing songs, listen to spiritual songs · Love the fellowship · Serve in the church What’s the goal? Do things that fill your heart with a greater love for Jesus. If you are just “white knuckling” it, trying to say no to old sin, you will have a hard time staying faithful to God. Why? You haven’t replaced the sin and demons that were in your life with good things and the fruit of the spirit, things like love, joy, peace patience, goodness and self-control (2 Peter 1). Jacob is a good example of this. He is engaged in the fellowship and devoted to growing. When you see people baptized and then after a short period of time they are gone, you realize that a clean and empty heart is a vacuum that attracts evil to return in even greater measure. 3. Physical and Spiritual Family: 12:46-50 46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” 48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Jesus puts into practice his teaching (10:37) that you need to love God more than your family. His physical family didn’t believe him until later. They had come to take charge of him because they thought he was out of his mind. Jesus explicitly points out what it takes to be part of his family. It takes practical obedience. “Whoever does the will of my father” is the same phrasing he uses back in Matthew 7:21 when he defines those who will be allowed into heaven. Just saying “Lord, Lord” won’t do it. Obedience will. If you want to be part of royalty, you have to be born into it. But if you want to be part of God’s family, something greater by far, you join it by practical obedience. Your actions or deeds determine the quality of your relationship with God. Obedience is what brings us together as a spiritual family. It was fantastic to join a Young Professionals gathering yesterday morning. This group of guys is getting stronger and stronger. Their bond is found in their relationship with God. They are spiritual brothers. Next Steps · Stop waiting for a “sign from heaven.” Believe, repent and get baptized · Do at least one thing or habit this week that increases your love for Jesus · Devote yourself to your spiritual family, get connected to Jesus’ family /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32939127

285. Plan Your Path 09/01/2024

285. Plan Your Path How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Transcript for "Plan Your Path" Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; 24 for riches do not endure forever, and a crown is not secure for all generations. Proverbs 27:22-24 My Dad was born in 1921. He grew up in the Great Depression and was a pilot in World War Two. He was part of the greatest generation and he raised his kids to be independent early. He taught my oldest brother to drive a farm tractor and pickup before the age of ten. He taught me to drive by letting me sit on his lap when I was six. One deer hunting season in the mid-seventies my Dad, older brother and I drove our 1957 GMC pickup to my Dad’s hometown of Jordan Valley, Oregon (Population 137). As we drove through the sagebrush desert of Eastern Oregon, my Dad turned to me and asked, “You ready to drive?” I was eleven years old. I said, “Sure!” We pulled over and I ran around to the driver’s side. I got in with my Dad next to me and my brother on the passenger side. It was a three-speed manual transmission and the truck had no power steering. In order to keep it on the road, you had to make constant adjustments to the steering wheel. It was more like herding than steering the truck. I was weaving down the road. I could see my older brother in my periphereal vision grabbing the dashboard, twisting his body and groaning as I make my way toward Jordan Valley. My Dad was completely relaxed and enjoyed the ride. All he told me was, “Just look way down the road. Don’t look at the sides of the road or the lane markers because wherever you look is where you will go.” Wherever you look is where you will go. This piece of advice had value not only for driving, but for life in general. Anything you concentrate on, you will naturally gravitate toward. This is the essence of many books that offer advice on the accumulation of money. When Jesus told his disciples, “Follow me,” he meant literally follow behind me. We grow spiritually when we keep our eyes on Jesus and his teachings. That is why it’s so important to keep in the word every day and to pray on a daily basis. Take a look at what you keep track of. What are you focused on? The digital revolution has diminished our capacity to keep one thing in mind consistently. It keeps us from bearing the good fruit God has in mind for us. To become a fruitful disciple, you have to consciously decide where you are looking. As Psalm 4 cautions: Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. 24 Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. 26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. 27 Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. Solomon says that you need to “fix your gaze” and “look straight ahead.” If we want to keep our hearts on the right path, we have to select what we are looking at and where we are going. Multibillion dollar companies are hiring the best talent in the world to get you to fix your gaze on them and their online content and products. It will take a firm decision to fix your gaze on your own path rather than the one that others would have you travel. Write down your goals. One of the most important habits to get into is waking up and choosing where your focus will land on that day. For example, if you want to win souls and persuade people, you will need to focus on reaching out to people. Every day, I wake up and read my goals and rewrite them. Write down your top ten goals over the next five years. Maybe you want to lose weight, save more souls, save more money or get married. Whatever it is right it down. Sometimes it helps to have a goal for each different role or responsibility in your life such as: · Relationships and family · Money · Soul-winning · Spirituality and peace of mind · Career · Fun and adventure · Health and fitness Write a goal down for each one of these areas. Keep it in a place you can look at it daily. Pray over it. Keep a log. Keep track of how you are doing. There are usually one or two key activities that needs to happen daily if you want to make progress toward your long-term goals. Keep track of those activities. That will keep you going toward your spiritual destination. Early in the planting of the Tucson Church, I wanted to see more people saved. I created a 90-day program to focus my attention on this goal. I made it my goal to lead 90 Bible study appointments in 90 days. I did that and we started baptizing more and more people. That was the most important thing to focus on if I wanted to save more people. It doesn’t have to be complicated. All you have to do is fix your gaze on the right thing. Practice: · Write down your goals daily over the next week. Write them down, pray over them and imagine how awesome it would be if they were to come true. This is the first step in seeing your dreams come true. · Keep a daily log that keeps you on track to see your goals materialize. Choose one daily activity that is essential in moving you toward your goals. Check the box when you complete the activity. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32853507

284. Best of the Rob Skinner Podcast: Shawn Wooten, Missionary to Eastern Europe and Leader of ReviveEE (From Episode 18) 08/26/2024

283. The Power of Patience 08/22/2024

283. The Power of Patience How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Transcript So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete. James 1:4, The Living Bible I started taking guitar lessons when I was fourteen. After playing a little, I asked my Mom for a better guitar. She bought me a used Ovation acoustic guitar with a built in electronic pick up. It was a beautiful guitar with a rounded back. I took lessons and Sanders Music in downtown Grass Valley, California. Jeff, my instructor was in a band, had long, curly hair that was obligatory for any musician in the late seventies and early eighties. He taught me the basics about chords and then started teaching some songs like “Lonely is the Night” by Billy Squier. I learned some parts of the songs, or “licks,” but I hit a plateau in my musical skill. I couldn’t seem to make any progress and develop the skills I admired in musicians I heard on the radio. I figured I just didn’t have what it took. I quit my lessons. I kept my guitar but remained stuck at that same level of musical skill for decades. Even now I can still play songs I learned forty years ago. My Mom would tell me wistfully over the years that Jeff, the guitar teacher, told her when I quit that I had the talent and ability to play guitar. Looking back forty years later, I no longer think I was missing any musical ability. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t see myself as a natural music prodigy like Mozart. However, I think I could have become a competent guitarist had I wanted to. The only thing missing at the time was patience. Had I stuck it out and worked through the pieces of music that frustrated me I know for sure I would have picked them up and learned them. I wish someone had pulled me aside and shared with me Ben Franklin’s words on the subject of becoming good or great at anything. He said, “Genius is nothing but a greater aptitude for patience.” What I needed was the patience to endure the boring process of going from an idealistic beginner to an experienced master guitarist. Great guitarists became that way by patient practice of difficult pieces. Eddie Van Halen, guitarist for the band, Van Halen learned to play through patience. When his brother and friends would go out on a Saturday night, he would stay home. They’d leave at 7:00 pm and when they came back at 3:00 am, he’d be sitting in the same spot on the edge of his bed practicing his licks. This principle applies to every area in which you want to excel whether it is a technical skill, work-related skill, relational ability or spiritual growth. It takes patience to become excellent at anything. So often we start off optimistically envisioning ourselves as doing amazing things, becoming great at something and then after learning a few easy lessons and making rapid improvement, we hit our first obstacle or barrier. We try hard and can’t seem to make improvement. At this point, we are often tempted to quit or turn our attention to another field or focus for our energies. I like what George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, has to say about this critical moment everyone faces on their path to mastery, “You have to find something that you love enough to be able to take risks, jump over the hurdles and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. If you don't have that kind of feeling for what it is you're doing, you'll stop at the first giant hurdle.” I love how he ties love to the fuel for patience is love. When you love something enough, you’ll be willing to push through the boredom, opposition and times of slow progress. Patience will keep you grinding through to the next breakthrough. If you want to become a fruitful, multiplying disciple there are a number of skills and disciplines that you must master to have maximum impact in this world. These are things like: · The discipline to connect with God first thing in the morning · Waking up early · The ability to sit quietly and pray and meditate for a set period of time · Knowledge of and fluency in the location and use of scriptures · The ability to teach the gospel or study series to a seeker from step one to being born again · The ability to speak and communicate effectively one on one, in small groups and in front of larger audiences · The ability to listen well and ask good questions · The ability to reconcile fractured relationships · The ability to “read people” and recognize non-verbal clues and body language · The strength to confess sin and come back from a spiritual setback · Fasting These and many other skills are the tools in the spiritual person’s toolbox. They are not easy and are developed only through patience. Many people start strong in their walk with God and then hit their first roadblock. They drop out of the fellowship because they are unwilling to do the tedious work that leads to spiritual abundance. I needed patience to write my first book. A book can’t be written in one sitting. It takes multiple hours and days of consistent effort. When writing my first book on church planting, I forced myself to sit down for three, forty-five minute sessions five days a week for a month. I knew I needed about 30,000 words to produce a book. That works out to 1500 words for the 20 days of that month. I would wake up in the morning, say a short prayer and set an egg timer on my desk for 45 minutes. I would write whatever came to mind during that time. When the alarm went off, I gave myself fifteen minutes to use the restroom, check my phone, get fresh coffee and anything else. Then I’d force myself to go for my second and third forty-five minute session. I didn’t worry about quality, mistakes, excellence during those sessions. All I expected was that I sat in my chair patiently for forty-five minutes. In thirty days, I had produced a book. That book is not War and Peace. But that book is my first book and fulfilled a life-long dream I had to write a book. It was a topic I had experience and enthusiasm for. It just took a little patience. While living in Oregon, I read a book by Brian Tracy. He recommended that I spend time every day, “going into the silence.” Sitting quietly and coming into contact with the “Super Conscious Mind.” I interpreted that as just another word for God. He claimed that if I did that for sixty minutes, I would start to see amazing results in my outward life. I was surprised to read this instruction in a business and personal development book. I was reading it for help in my real estate career. What he was talking about spilled over into my spiritual life and my work as a self-supporting minister. I thought it was a good idea and started to work on developing a deeper meditation and prayer life. As he mentions in the book, the first twenty minutes are pure torture. It’s not hard to understand what is needed. It’s hard to sit and do nothing at all. He predicted that I would be immediately tempted to get more coffee, check the time, check my phone and reshuffle papers on my desk. He was absolutely right. It took patience to force myself to resist those temptations and distractions and to sit quietly and think about God, visualize the future, be grateful for the blessings in my life or at very least simply concentrate on my breathing. After I broke through that initial period, I noticed that my breathing slowed, my heart rate slowed and new ideas started to float into my mind. God would casually drop ideas into my mind. I learned to keep a yellow pad nearby to record the ideas the “Super Conscious Mind” would offer me. The benefit for me has been less anxiety, greater peace, more appreciation of God and the ability to see beyond my immediate problems to focus on God’s power, love and greatness. Many people start meditation practices but soon discard them because of the distracted, crazy thoughts that get revealed when we sit quietly. As Blaise Pascal wrote long ago, ““All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” If you want to get deeper in your devotional life, in “practicing the presence of God,” it will take one thing above all, patience. You have to be able to force yourself to sit quietly for a set period of time no matter what you might be feeling, thinking or experiencing right at that moment. The victory is in the patient sitting. About five years ago, I dusted off my guitar after not playing it for decades. This time I decided to apply a little patience to my practice. I started lessons again. This time they were online. The difference this time is that when I hit pieces that I can’t master immediately, I force myself to simply keep repeating them until I get musical piece “under my fingers.” I’m not on track to dethrone Jimi Hendrix as the greatest guitarist of all time, but I’m growing, getting better and am able to play complete songs, serve on our church worship team and enjoy progress in my playing. As Axl Rose says, “…take it slow It'll work itself out fine All we need is just a little patience” Application What area of learning, skill or ability have you started and then abandoned? Was it, · Guitar · Piano · Drums · Programming · Computer usage · Martial arts · An Exercise regime · A foreign language · Reading the entire Bible · A deeper prayer life · Memory scripture? Whatever it is, ask yourself what role a lack of patience had in your quitting. Did you try until you hit a roadblock and then were too impatient to stick with it through the boring period of skill acquisition? There is power in concentrating on skill acquisition. As Bruce Lee said, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.” Before you get good or great at anything, you must go through the desert of repetition without immediate rewards. However, once you make it through, your patience will have rewarded you with a skill that very few others will have. This week pray about what area would you like to grow in. What one thing, if you could do it well, would make the biggest difference in your spiritual life, your relationships, your financial world and your work. Make a decision that you will patiently learn the skill for a set period of time without quitting and when you hit a roadblock, view it as a sign that you are on the road of true mastery. Let patience do its work. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32451062

282. Ask Great Questions 08/19/2024

282. Ask Great Questions How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Ask Great Questions: Transcript “They didn’t ask me a single question. They know absolutely nothing about me.” After having an older couple over for dinner recently, Pam and I talked about the evening. This is how we summarized the evening. Pam and I asked questions to get to know our guests while they talked on an on about themselves. However, the couple showed little interest in asking about our lives or interests. I wish I could say this was a rare occurrence. Unfortunately, it happens all the time. As a minister for a church, I’m in the people business. I talk to people all the time. When people ask me even simple questions like “how are you doing?” or “what’s going on in your life?” I’m actually shocked because it so rarely happens. In order to become a person who connects with and influences other people, you need to be able to get to know that person. As the scripture says in Proverbs 20:5, “ The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” A multiplying Christian is one who builds good relationships with others. He or she is a good communicator and listener. The first step is asking good questions that draw the person out. If you want a better marriage, a better position at work, closer relationships with your kids, better friendships, or the ability to guide others into a relationship with Jesus, it all starts with questions. I remember reading a Tony Robbins book thirty years ago when he wrote, “questions are the answer.” He was the first person who pointed out how important good questions are. He shared that whoever is asking questions is essentially in control or guiding the conversation. We have an inborn reflex that causes us to find the answers to questions presented to us. We can ask questions of ourselves or others and immediately we will start getting answers. That was a nugget of insight that I’ve prized since I first discovered it. Questions draw out of each one of us the deep waters within each one of us. If you really want to get to know what makes a person tick, start asking questions. Sooner or later, you will get to know that person well. Questions show love. I’m not the only person who is rarely asked questions. When someone shows interest in me by asking questions, I interpret that a loving gesture. I have a brother-in-law who consistently asks what is going on in my life. He will ask me about my church, my family and my hobbies. He is one of my favorite relatives for that very reason. He shows love by his curiosity about my life. Questions surface ways to help. You can’t help, guide or influence a person until you find out how to help. The only way to know how to help is by asking questions. What if you went to the doctor and she never asked you a question about how you are feeling or what symptoms you’ve been experiencing. You probably would never go back to that doctor. Why? Because they can’t help you if they don’t ask you how you are doing and what is wrong. If you are a disciple who desires to make more disciples, the same principle applies. You have to ask a person about their life, background and struggles if you hope to guide them to spiritual health. Questions crucify the self. Questions force you to take a back seat and listen. While a person answers your questions, your mind is feverishly working behind the scenes to come up with your own stories and comebacks that you are dying to share. Listening quietly forces you to say no to your ego and pride and let the desire to shine or outshine people fade away. Questions place the attention spotlight on the person you are talking to. They take that spotlight away from you and leave you in the shadows. That’s not a bad place to be. In fact this ability to treat people like we are treated is an application of the second most important command in the Bible. Jesus himself said in Mark 12:33 that “to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” The fact that you can sense yourself dying to share a story or answer your own question while listening to another talk tells you that you are loving that person exactly as you would want to be treated. When you put yourself on “the bench” and let someone else into the game is a practical way to crucify self. Ask open-ended questions. When talking to people ask them questions that enable them to open up about their lives. Ask questions such as: How’d you become a Christian? Why did you do that? Why do you say that? Why did you go into that field of study or business? Who’s been the most influential person in your life? Where do you come from? Where’d you go to school? How do you mean? This is a good follow up question when you’d like more explanation. Another way to dig deeper into a statement is to simply ask the last few words of what they said to you in a question form. For example: Them: “That’s when I finally got of the hospital.” You: “Hospital?” Them: “Yeah, I was on a bike, got hit by a truck and spent three months in a hospital…” Ask awkward questions. If you want to help people, there will be times when you need to ask difficult questions. You will need to ask about what is happening in their private lives, what issues they are struggling with and what is preventing them from growing spiritually, professionally or relationally. Too often, fear keeps us from asking the questions that matter the most. This needs to be done with extreme care, sensitivity and gentleness, but it needs to be done. I recently had a teeth cleaning. April, my dental hygienist, started using her wand to scrape away the tartar accumulated since my last visit. As she jammed that pick into the gap between my gums and molars, I felt a shock wave that seemed to lift me out of the dentist’s chair. Recently, Pam and I were having dinner with a couple that we had met and invited to church. They had been coming to church for months, but we hadn’t broached the subject of how they felt about their relationship with God or studying the gospel more deeply. They were spiritual people who loved church and who are extremely successful in their personal and business lives. I made a decision before our dinner that I was going to ask the awkward question. After we talked and chatted for about forty-five minutes, I said, “Do you mind if I change the subject?” They said, “No problem.” I asked, “Would you be interested in studying the Bible with Pam and me? If it’s okay with you, we could get together and look at some scriptures and make sure your spiritual foundation is solid. You are an amazing couple, but I don’t want to make any assumptions about how you are doing spiritually.” They were quiet for what seemed like a long time. Finally, the husband said, “You know what, we’ve wanted to study the Bible for a long time, but we’ve always felt awkward asking for help. We go to Bible discussions and never know how ask for help. We’d love that!” I was so fired up to hear their response and now the door is open for us to help them become strong Christians. It all starts with forcing yourself to ask the awkward or meaningful questions. These are questions that count. It’s so easy to cruise along on the surface and never get deeper into people’s lives. Ask the questions that matter. If you aren’t used to asking questions that count, here are some ways that may help you get to a deeper level with people. Use phrases that prepare people to shift gears into a deeper level of conversation. · Do you mind if I asked you a personal question? · Would you mind If I changed the subject? · Do you feel like you’re at a point in your life, where you are ready to make some changes? Questions like these get people ready for a deeper discussion. It enables them to opt out if they aren’t ready to “go there.” People love to talk about themselves and it’s very rare to find people whom they can talk about the issues, situations and challenges that are making the biggest difference in their lives. When you ask good questions about people’s lives, they often will appreciate that you care enough to listen to them and what matters most to them. Ask good questions. Application Next time you are in a social setting at work, school, church or with friends practice asking good questions. Ask one more question than you are used to and see if you can’t take your relationship to a new level. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32420677

281. "Just Sayin'" Exposition of Matthew 12:22-37 08/15/2024

281. "Just Sayin'" Exposition of Matthew 12:22-37 How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Transcript of Matthew Series Matthew 12:22-37 “Just Sayin’” Introduction We continue our series on Matthew in chapter 12. 1. Wicked Words 22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” 25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. The people were amazed, again, but they posed a question because Jesus did many of the things that the Messiah or Son of David was supposed to do except rally an army. He seemed to fit the picture of the Messiah they were looking for except for a few qualities. The Pharisees saw this positive response and felt threatened. In order to steer people away from Jesus, they attributed his power to Satan. Jesus responds to the charge by using common sense. He highlights that Satan has his own kingdom. How can Satan’s kingdom stand if it’s disunified? He then goes on to apply the same logic to his accusers who drove out demons, were they doing it by Satan’s power? He then points to the fact that he is stronger than Satan and his kingdom. He then launches into an attack on the words that the Pharisees were using against him… 2. Unforgivable Words 30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. Jesus here returns to the unforgiveable sin. People have often wondered if they have committed a sin that can’t be forgiven. Jesus has said in other passages, “I solemnly declare that any sin of man can be forgiven, even blasphemy against me” Mark 3:28 TLB. The Pharisees were speaking against the good works done by the Holy Spirit. All sin can be forgiven, but a mindset that is determined to remain opposed to God in spite of his goodness and obvious presence puts that person out of reach of God’s grace. They are rejecting God’s offer of forgiveness and mercy. What sins can be forgiven? · Adultery · Murder · Lying · Cheating What sins can’t be forgiven? · A person who refuses to submit themselves to Jesus. Who sees his greatness and rejects him any way. 3. Words Matter 33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” What Words Reveal The Pharisees were saying Jesus had a demon or was demon-possessed. They were claiming that he was a tool of Satan. These words, so far from the truth, revealed something evil about the Pharisees. Their words were like X-Rays revealing a massive growth of cancer in the Jews’ soul. They focused on the outward appearance and Jesus was pointing to what their words were revealing about their heart, their minds and their character. You will hear from time to time a phrase thrown into a conversation, “Just Sayin!” It’s usually a negative comment that’s hidden under a funny phrase. “It’s used when saying something negative or something that other people might not like or might find unusual, without trying to defend or give reasons for what you say: I don't want to insult anybody, but I'm just saying ...” "You are witless, stupid and immoral, and I wouldn't let you near my tropical fish for fear you would contaminate them with your depravity. Just sayin'!" We say it to slip some criticism into the conversation without it being too harsh. We also say it to avoid taking responsibility for our words. We think we can say something terrible without being held responsible for it. Jesus says that no matter how you package it, your words reveal something beneath the surface. · Swear words · Fearful words · Critical words · Lying words · Exaggerating words · Negative words · Constantly seeing the downside of every situation 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check…5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. James 3:2-7 How Words Are Judged Accountable for every word? I think whenever you interpret the Bible you need to interpret it in the context you are pulling it from. The Pharisees were speaking “empty” words. Some translations say, “Careless, idle, empty, useless or not important.” Their words tore down and assassinated character. That’s different than playful banter. I don’t think the Bible is shutting down playful conversation. You don’t need to be a “mister sourpuss.” At the same time, you do need to examine the tone of your language and ask how much you talk about positive things. Is your language coarse, dirty, sexually based? Is it filled with inuendo and double meanings? Or is it simple, clear and kind? Not only that, do you speak the truth in love, taking time to help people when they need guidance or correction? Words matter. They reveal what’s happening inside your heart and they will be judged by Jesus. Pay attention and be careful what you say. Conclusion How are you responding to Jesus? Are you astonished at him, amazed at him or are you opposed to him? Have you shut your mind and heart against him? Be careful of the decisions you are making. Jesus honors your decisions. He can forgive any sin in your life, but you are the one who has to choose to follow, love and serve Jesus. Don’t commit the unforgivable sin of looking at the son of God and rejecting him purposefully. Word Check. How’s your language? What’s coming out of your mouth? That’s one gauge of the condition of your heart. Are you pouring out dirty, negative, sinful talk? That’s like a check-engine light going on in your car. You might keep going for a while, but you’re headed for a breakdown. Words can bring life. Romans 10:9 says, “9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” When you say the right thing and believe it, it can literally save your life. Two people today have chosen to speak words of life. Gus Barragan and Azavius Perry believe in Jesus and are going to declare, “Jesus is LORD” today. They have repented of their sins and are going to get baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. Words matter. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32451147

280. How to Become a Great Communicator 08/12/2024

280. How to Become a Great Communicator How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Transcript of "How to Become a Great Communicator" When I got that call and saw who it was, I couldn’t pick up the phone. I had a heavy feeling of fear deep in my gut. I let it go to voicemail. When I listened to it later, I didn’t call back for a week. The voicemail message said, “Hey Rob, this is Bruce Williams. I was calling to see if you and Pam would be interested in planting a new church in Tucson, Arizona. Call me back when you get a chance.” The mixture of fear and confusion I felt paralyzed me into inaction. I was living in Oregon at the time working a full-time job as a Realtor and leading a church full-time as a self-supporting minister. Pam and I had been talking about returning to the full-time ministry. The pressure to run a growing church and support a family through the great recession and housing collapse was intense. I didn’t know how long I could keep it up. However, the thought of change, upheaval and leaving my extended family while my kids were in high school worried me. So, I just didn’t call back. I didn’t know what to do. Fear keeps us shuttered in our homes, afraid of what might happen. It shows up when we avoid people, avoid contacts, ghost people who text us or call us and ignore emails sent to us. These behaviors are symptoms of fear. For some reason, we are afraid of what might happen, what might be said, what might be found out, what might be asked of us and we run from the conversation. As Solomon wrote in Proverbs 28:1, “The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” We can downplay it or rationalize it for as long as we like, but this type of avoidance behavior is grounded in fear. When we avoid people, we are fleeing from a conversation or a confrontation that often needs to happen. God often works by sending the right person into our life at just the right time. That phone call, text, email, WhatsApp or DM (Direct Message) might be a message from God. If you have ever invited someone to church, followed up with them and then got ghosted you know the frustration and sadness you feel. Why? Because your invitation to them was really a ticket to heaven, a pass to eternal life. Why do people run away from God? It’s been happening since the Garden of Eden. John explains this behavior in John 3:19-20, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.” People ghost Christians because they are afraid of the light. They are fleeing God because their deeds are evil. They don’t want anyone to know what they’ve been doing with their lives. Even after we become Christians God sends people into our lives. That’s why it’s so important to maintain and preserve connections with people and make ourselves available both to those we know and those we don’t know yet. You never know when God is tapping your shoulder for something new and amazing. God called Jonah to lead one of the most miraculous revivals in the Bible, the repentance of Nineveh. Jonah refused to answer God’s call, he ghosted him in Jonah 1:1-3. “The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.’ 3But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.” God was patient with Jonah and pursued him until he got his man. Jonah almost missed the greatest opportunity of his life because of fear, racism and prejudice. God called to him a second time and this time, Jonah was there to take the call. He responded and went to Nineveh. The whole city repented from the King down to the lowliest citizen. When I called Bruce Williams back, I made profuse apologies for my slow reply. He explained the offer of planting a new church. A new planting, financial support for several years, a full-time salary, an amazing city and university and anything else I needed to be successful. I told him no. I wasn’t ready to make that move even though I felt like I was caught in a vise-grip of time and financial pressure. He was patient. He had another friend, John Lusk, call me a few weeks later and invited me to come and pray over the city of Tucson, Arizona all expenses paid. I gradually started to realize that maybe this was God directing me and offering me a new start. I went and prayed over the city. I spoke with Bruce and told him then that I still wasn’t ready to make a decision. I came back home, prayed and fasted. One day after work, I walked into our master bedroom to take off my suit, shirt and tie and put on my casual clothes. Pam was still in bed. I asked, “Are you sick?” She said, “No.” I asked, “Why were you in bed all day?” She said, “Because I think we need to move to Tucson.” That’s the moment when I realized God was definitely calling us and I needed to be bold as a lion and stop fleeing from God’s call. I called Bruce and told him that we would go to Tucson. It turned out to be a great decision. The church planting blossomed from zero to one hundred members in two years and my kids were able to all graduate from the University of Arizona. Another church was able to get off the ground and many souls have been saved. It all started with a phone call and a voicemail. If you want to be a multiplying Christian, take a look at how you handle communications. Are you easy to reach? Do you call or text people back quickly. I think 24 hours is the maximum for voicemail, texts or emails. I don’t think it has to be the same day. Sometimes you need to sleep on it and consider how you’re going to respond. There are times that I can sense my anger is bubbling up. That’s the worst time to call or text back. Better to give it a night to lose the heat and regain emotional control than to say, text or type something you’ll regret and have to apologize for later. Practicals: · Stop making excuses for ignoring, delaying and avoiding people when they are trying to communicate with you. · Ask yourself, what is causing me to practice this behavior? Is it fear, shame, lack of faith? Whatever it is, deal with the reason for the avoidance behavior. · Decide to be a quick responder. Set a 24-hour limit on your responses if not sooner. You can say your not ready to decide, but at least make the connection. You never know when God is opening a door for you. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32389887

279. Exposition of Matthew 12:1-21 08/08/2024

279. Exposition of Matthew 12:1-21 How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Transcript of Exposition of Matthew 12:1-21 This section connects to and highlights what Jesus meant when he said in Matthew 11:28-30, 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Jesus offers rest which is the express purpose of the sabbath. He says his yoke is easy and his burden is light. This is in contrast to the legalism of the Pharisees. They had develop 39 laws that explained what you couldn’t do on a day of rest. 39 categories of activity that could be classified as work. They claimed to “put up a fence around the law” so you would be careful not to break the law. Here are twenty of the thirty-nine categories of work: 1. Carrying 2. Burning 3. Extinguishing 4. Finishing 5. Writing 6. Erasing 7. Cooking 8. Washing 9. Sewing 10. Tearing 11. Knotting 12. Untying 13. Shaping 14. Plowing 15. Planting 16. Reaping 17. Harvesting 18. Threshing 19. Winnowing 20. Selecting Jesus addresses these by appealing to his inherent authority and the priority of the spirit of the law over the letter of the law. Jesus, LORD of the Sabbath At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” 3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[] you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Jesus had offered rest in the previous chapter which was the purpose of the sabbath: 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The Pharisees made sabbath keeping a chore: You could not spit on the Sabbath because it would disturb the dirt and you would be guilty of plowing. You could not swat a fly on the Sabbath because you would be guilty of hunting. A woman could not look at her reflection because she might see a gray hair and pluck it out, which would be doing work. They created loopholes to get around some laws. If your house was burning down on a Sabbath, you could not carry clothes out of it. However, you were allowed to put on several layers of clothes as the house was burning down. You could leave without breaking the law because you were wearing them instead of carrying them. 12:1-2 Picking grain could fall under the category of reaping, while getting the grain out of the husks could be considered threshing, both of which were prohibited by the Pharisees. Keep in mind that this is happening on a Saturday and must have been close enough to town to not break the distance rule of about a half mile of walking allowed. The Pharisees were circling Jesus and his disciples, looking for any breaking of their laws. Jesus argues against the Pharisees using three levels of authority he carries because of who he is as God: Jesus is greater than King David Jesus is greater than the temple Jesus is greater than the Law or Old Testament Writings 12:3-4 Jesus asks, “Haven’t you read…?” This was a subtle dig to the Pharisees who prided themselves on their knowledge and memorization of scripture. He points out that David, their hero and king, broke their law by eating bread only allowed to the priests. It was his authority as king that superceded the law. Jesus is saying, how much more is it lawful for the king of the world to supercede any regulation. Not only that, they were both hungry. He’s not saying that because the law was broken once, it could be broken again, but it does matter who is doing it. 12:5-6 Jesus builds on this theme of authority when he talks about how the priests “work” on the sabbath in doing their normal duties at the temple. Then he says something shocking. He says, “something greater than the temple is here.” To the Jew, what could be greater than the temple? This was the house of God, where God lived. The temple was the focus of Israel’s worship, it’s national center, the destination for all pilgrimages and the essence of its national identity. Jesus is saying that he himself is the center of all future worship. This is what got Jesus killed. His cleansing of the temple, his claim that he would rebuild the temple in three days was the final straw that confirmed in the Jews’ minds that Jesus deserved death. Jesus was saying that in serving him and eating while working, his disciples were serving the greater presence and residence of God, Jesus himself. They were exempt from these lesser regulations. Jesus and the church he started were greater than the temple. His role as mediator, prophet, priest and king is greater than the temple of Moses time. That’s one of the significances of the temple curtain being torn when Jesus died. 12:7 Jesus again points out his operating theology drawn from Hosea 6:6, love matters more than ritual or rules. It’s always better to err on the side of love over laws. He also highlights the error of their human traditions that led them to people who were innocent in the sight of God. 12:8 Jesus drives the sword even deeper in calling himself the LORD of the sabbath. The sabbath is a defining feature of the Jewish religion. They and a few other groups are known as “sabbath-keepers.” The sabbath originates all the way back when God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:3) and was instituted in the ten commandments. In Exodus 31:13 God calls it “My Sabbath.” As the creator of the world and author of the law, Jesus had unique authority to interpret it as he chose. For Jesus to say, I am the Lord of the Sabbath was heresy in the ears of the Pharisees. He was saying, “I, not you, know how to interpret the sabbath law and its application. I wrote the law, you didn’t.” This was a direct attack on the Pharisees’ religious authority and it’s what made them so mad. The healing of man with the shriveled hand 9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” 11 He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. 11-12 He appeals to common sense that the average person would understand when he says, “If any of you has a sheep…” Jesus again stresses how much more valuable people are than animals. Jesus also points out the inconsistency of the Pharisees’ own teaching. They would do “work” if it meant preserving their own property. Jesus’ interpretation puts responsibility on each one of us to figure out what is good or positive to do in interpreting any action. The Pharisees had a fundamentally negative focus on what couldn’t be done. Jesus points to a higher method of asking yourself, “how can I do good in this situation?” 12:13-14 Jesus goes on to heal the man’s hand publicly. It was a public embarrassment and shaming of the Jews. He embarrassed them in “their synagogue” (12:9). He beat them on their home field. Their authority was damaged, their motives were exposed and their hatred was inflamed. The Jews want to kill Jesus. Jesus said it’s lawful to do good on the Sabbath. The Pharisees wanted to kill on the sabbath! Turtle Illustration This is a touching video, viewed over two million times. How much more powerful when we help people turn their “upside down” lives right side up. That fires Jesus up! God’s Servant 15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. 16 He warned them not to tell others about him. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations. 19 He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. 21 In his name the nations will put their hope.”[] 12:15-16 What does Jesus do? He doesn’t go on the attack. He withdraws. He puts into practice what he had taught his disciples in Matthew 10:14 and 10:23. When people don’t accept your teaching, shake the dust off and go somewhere else. Be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. Jesus just leaves and continues his work of preaching and healing. Why does he do this? Why doesn’t he have a massive showdown with the Pharisees right then and there. It gets revealed in verses 18-21 as another fulfillment of Old Testament prophesy about the Messiah’s character and method. 12:18-21 Again Jesus defines himself by what he “doesn’t” do. Unlike John and others’ expectations that he would judge, condemn, blow away, destroy Roman rule, Jesus reveals himself as gentle and lowly or humble. He will not quarrel or cry out. He touts a more non-confrontational manner, an avoidance of publicity and a patient, encouraging type of ministry. He won’t argue with the Pharisees, he won’t shout at them or deliberately embarrass them. Bruised reeds and smoldering wicks. A reed was used as a light walking stick, a musical instrument or a way to measure things. Once it was bruised, it was typically discarded. A smoldering wick was made of linen and if it smoked, would fill the whole house with smoke. It too was immediately replaced. The ministry of the messiah is one in which he won’t break the reed or snuff out the wick. Jesus is patient and kind with people who are bruised and who’s fire has dimmed. He is patient with the Pharisees who were deeply damaged and he is incredibly patient with people who have experienced trauma, trouble, difficulties and trials. Think about the bleeding woman, the man with the shriveled hand, the lepers. These were all bruised reeds. · You might be a bruised reed. Life has bruised you. You’ve taken your hits. Guess what, Jesus is loving and patient with you. He won’t break you. He won’t say, “I’m done with you!” He is patient, gentle and lowly and is willing to work with all of us in our bruised and battered condition. All he asks is that you come to him. Look to him for healing. Don’t count yourself out. Stop tearing yourself down. Go to Jesus. o Share about recent appointment · You might be a smoldering wick. Maybe your fire was higher in the past. Maybe you used to light up the room when you walked into church, your home, your classroom or your workplace. Now all you can muster is a barely burning flame and lots of smoke. People know when you’re coming and when you’re around. You’re not what you once were. Guess what, Jesus won’t snuff you out. He’s willing to work with you and help you get your fire going again. All you have to do is go to him and work with him. Don’t quit on him. Ask for help. Jesus offers rest and a light burden for all bruised reeds and smoldering wicks. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32389827

278. Live a Transparent Life 08/05/2024

278. Live a Transparent Life How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Live a Transparent Life, Transcript I decided to lay it all out on the table with my Mom. I told her my whole story. All the dirt, all the secrets and everything I’d never told her before. She was lying in a hospital bed in a rehabilitation facility in Medford, Oregon. She was in her mid-90’s and would pass within a couple of years. I didn’t know at that time whether she would recover from her current illness. I was hoping she would become a Christian. So I decided it was time to “open the kimono” and share my complete conversion story. She always had treated me special as her golden boy. I knew I needed to let her know what I was really like. We went back in time together to the eighties. I shared about my sin, my immorality, my drug use, drunkenness, my selfishness, the shameful events that led me to Jesus. I shared about the broken relationships, personal failures and disappointments. After I talked for about fifteen minutes, I apologized for the raw and unedited story of my life. I said, “I’m sorry for my “R” rated story, Mom.” She said, “Honey, everyone’s got an “R” rated story.” I don’t know what I was expecting. But when I saw how unphased and unchanged she was when I shared details about my failings, I realized how being open or transparent with our lives draws people closer to us. This is why it’s so important to be an open book as a person and especially if you want to be a multiplying disciple. Transparency is one of the most powerful human traits we can develop. The apostle John shares about this in 1 John 1:5-10, “ This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” Why be Open? Why should we work to be transparent with our strengths and weaknesses? John says first of all that we should do this because God is that way. He is light, there is no darkness in him at all. God reveals himself to us through his Word, the natural world and through Jesus himself. His nature is to reveal himself to us and invite us into his life. He doesn’t have sin to hide like we do, but he loves to open up his life to us. We need to imitate God’s character and holiness. Secondly, if we are hiding our sin and weaknesses we’re living a lie and are not living out the truth. Jesus came to die for our sin. When we hide our sin, we are living a fictional life that isn’t real. The third reason it’s important to be vulnerable about our failings is that when we do share vulnerably, “we have fellowship with one another.” I get the most responses from my lessons when I share a setback or mistake I’ve made. People love to hear that others have flaws as well. Transparency opens the door to real relationships. Another massively important reason to be an open book is that Jesus’ blood “purifies us from all sin” when we walk in the light. I want Jesus’ forgiveness. The way to a continual purification is through confession and openness. I remember Ed Townsend preaching a lesson on this passage and saying, God doesn’t expect perfection, he expects honesty. What a relief! I can’t be perfect, but I certainly can be honest. John goes on in verse eight to warn against living a self-deceived life in which we are filled lies and not the truth. Again in verse nine, he hammers again on the power of a transparent life. When we are open and confess our sin, we receive forgiveness and purification of all unrighteousness. Not just a few of our sins, all our sins are forgiven and purified. That includes the sins before conversion and the sins of our current lives. Confession is like walking under a waterfall of purification. Everything gets cancelled, forgiven and forgotten. The final reason John gives for living an honest life is that when we puff ourselves up and put on a front of perfection, we are making God out to be a liar. We are denying God’s word that says “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We are claiming that Jesus is wrong about his estimation of us when he calls us evil in Luke 11:13 and Matthew 7:11, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” How to Get Open 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. James 5:16 There are strong reasons to live a transparent life, closer relationships with people, closer relationship with God, forgiveness, purification, a more godly character, alignment of our lives with God’s word and more. However, there are also strong reasons for not being open, fear, embarrassment, worry, pride, ego and arrogance. Our default mode is to remain living in the darkness. You will have to make a strong decision to push past embarrassment to get into the light. Here’s how: Find a prayer partner or spiritual friend. You need to identify at least one person that you can let down around and talk at a deeper level. This person needs to be stable, steady, spiritual and caring. This person can listen to you without freaking out. Ask God for a person to talk to. He will surface a worthy person. Ask the awkward question. Here’s what you need to ask: “May I confess some sin to you?” This might be the toughest sentence you’ll ever pronounce and yet I’ve never had a person say no. Every person I’ve talked to made time right on the spot and was incredibly kind and respectful. Be direct. Don’t hedge, explain or “paint the picture” about your sin. It’s easy to minimize our sin by going into a long backstory about how tired we were, how hard we’ve been working, how much we’ve been doing for God, how challenging its’ been at home with wife and kids, how tough work has been etc. We bring these things up to rationalize our diving into sin. We want to blame our circumstances for our sin but Jesus says in Mark 7:20-22 that sin is an inside job. “He went on: ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.’” Explanation and excuses aren’t necessary. Just say it: · I yelled at my wife yesterday. · I looked at porn last night. · I swore this morning · I drank too much While it’s important to be direct, you don’t need to go into graphic detail. Don’t make your brother or sister struggle by sharing every single thing you saw or thought. Protect the hearts of people around you. Being honest doesn’t mean giving too much information. Name the sin, name the situation and leave it at that. When is the best time to get open? As soon as you sin. Don’t wait. Don’t allow sin to harden your heart. Don’t live in fear and embarrassment. Bring it into the light. Talk about it now. Don’t let weeks pass by without confession. Paul offers good advice when he warns against taking communion without examining ourselves first. Some churches demand confession before taking communion. The principle is solid, don’t allow a week to go by without self-examination and confession. Where is the best place to get open with your life. Find a quiet place, free from distraction. Don’t mention it in passing. Don’t text or email your confession. You don’t want your sin to resurface on the internet later. Keep it verbal. I’ve never felt closer to God and to people than when I’ve opened up about my life. No hiding, no pretending, just real life. I remember walking to a college devotional on the UC Berkeley campus. I was a student and a baby Christian. As I walked I talked to God about the sin I had committed that day. I still remember the feeling I felt when I realized that God loved me anyway in spite of my sin. Even though the Bible talks about this forgiveness, on that day I felt the forgiveness and love of God at the deepest level of my being. It was awesome to know I was forgiven and purified of all unrighteousness. Practicals · Examine yourself. What sins have you allowed to remain in the recesses of your life? · Bring them in to the light. Call someone or next time you are in a church setting, pull someone aside and ask the most important question, “Can I confess some sin to you?” Get specific. Get to it. Share your sin without backstory, rationalization or excusemaking. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32420662

277. Exposition of Matthew 11:20-30 08/01/2024

277. Exposition of Matthew 11:20-30 How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Transcript of Exposition on Matthew 11:20-30 Introduction Last week we covered the first half of chapter eleven and the responses of John, Jesus and the Generation of People around them. Now we turn to look at Jesus’ judgment of and invitation to all people. Rejection of Jesus is one theme of these two chapters 11 and 12. 1. Greater Light Means Greater Responsibility: 11:20-24 20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” Jesus had denounced the generation he lived in for wanting John and Jesus to dance to their tune. Now he gets even more specific in preaching against those towns he had lived in and preached to. Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum were larger towns on the banks of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had done miracles there. He was met initially with enthusiasm, but that had not led to repentance. He compares them to Tyre, Sidon and Sodom. The amount of time spent, sermons preached, and miracles done increased their guilt in comparison with these other cities. Even though John and Jesus had different “styles,” their message and expectation was the same: In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 3:1-2 17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17 Imagine being around Jesus for months and even years. Seeing him raise from the dead and yet not changing your life. He offered them forgiveness, but they refused his offer and felt no need to make a change. Capernaum was Jesus’ home base. The principle is clear, when you’ve received more light, you are more responsible and will be held accountable. It’s been said that “Only the rejection of forgiveness is unforgivable.” A number of us have grown up in Christian homes, been around church and church people for years. We feel comfortable around Jesus and his people. That doesn’t mean our lives have really changed. If you take pride in your spiritual background, be aware that you will be held more responsible for the knowledge you carry. Example: Negative and Positive 2. The Humble Respond to Jesus: 11:25-27 25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. 27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 11:25-26 This section is very similar to Luke 10:21-22, which marks the return of the disciples from their limited commission. “17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name...”21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.” Jesus offers up a prayer to God. This is the first prayer of his that is recorded. He addresses him as “Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth.” Jesus points out that the religious leaders were missing their opportunity while the simple and poor were responding. This is a common theme in the gospel. God reverses the values and expectations of this world. The wise can’t see the gospel, while the foolish respond to it. Isaiah 29:14 says, “Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.” This points out God’s election. God’s purpose and his will is at work in our lives. He reveals himself to those who turn to him like little children, who are receptive and trusting. Everything that happens on earth falls under the power of God’s will. 11:27 Jesus reveals the nature of his relationship with his Father. This is a Christological high point in this gospel. No one really knows Jesus except his Father. No one really knows the Father except his only son. This term “know” is not intellectual knowledge but relational intimacy. If you want real happiness in life, it comes from knowing God. Not facts but having a relationship with him. Jesus, the gatekeeper Jesus goes on to say that no one can know God the Father unless Jesus reveals the Father to that person. This is similar to what he says in John 14:6, “6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” If you want to get to know God, you will have to go through Jesus. There is no other way. You can’t make a workaround Jesus. 3. Jesus Calls All, Matthew 11:28-30 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Carrying a yoke of sin is burdensome. Everyone carries a yoke. What makes a difference is which master you are serving. Guilt, shame, worry, anxiety, lack of peace, the chase for money, status and power. Jesus calls us to exchange that yoke for his yoke. The yoke he is talking about is probably a human yoke as opposed to an animal yoke. The human yoke is designed to make carrying burdens easier. He offers peace, forgiveness, love, joy and sonship. His burden is light because of who he is, he is gentle and humble in heart. The yoke of Jesus is a yoke built from love and kindness. It takes gentleness and humility to take on Jesus’ yoke. You are entering into a relationship with a God who is gentle, kind, humble and loving. Jesus invites everyone to take his yoke on them. You have to recognize your need and be willing to submit to his yoke. You have to come to him, it takes effort on your part. The prodigal son would never have restored his relationship with his father if he had stayed in his pig pen. He invites all, but few take him up on the offer. “Many are invited but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14. Jesus talks about this concept many times. Jesus talks about how the sower scatters seed all over, but only a few soils are receptive and bear fruit. Three of four of the different soils are not conducive to receiving God’s word. God wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth, but every person has to have a heart that is receptive to his message. It depends on your character, not your circumstances. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32316337

276. The Power of Intuition 07/29/2024

276. The Power of Intuition How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Transcript “The primary wisdom is intuition. In that deep force, the last fact behind which analysis cannot go, all things find their origin.” Ralph Waldo Emerson I need to take more showers. It has nothing to do with how dirty I am but how many ideas come to while in the shower. I need a waterproof writing pad in the shower because so many ideas float to the surface of my mind while I space out in the warm water. Shaving also seems somehow connected to coming up with amazing ideas. I have wondered to myself if the shower and my bathroom sink are holy ground. I have looked up and wondered if there is some type of spiritual portal between earth and heaven on that very spot. All because I get so many ideas, intuitive thoughts and nudges by God’s Spirit. How does God communicate with us? We can’t see him. We can’t touch him. We can’t hear his physical voice. We know he talks to us through his Word and we talk to him through prayer. I believe God also talks to us through our intuition. He taps our shoulder through the Spirit living in us when a unique thought pops into our mind either once or repeatedly. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. John 14:26 You are a spiritual being. Jesus gave each disciple his Spirit to guide us, teach us and lead us. How does the Spirit do those things? I think he has many tools to get our attention. The Word, coincidence, conscience, powerful preaching and intuition. God spoke to the prophets in dreams and visions. He guided Paul through his dream of a man from Macedonia. I think God guides us through our intuition or inner sight. We may have an idea that seems crazy, but keeps coming to us over and over. Shortly after becoming a Christian, I went home for Christmas to my hometown, Ashland, Oregon. I went out for a prayer walk and prayed and cried that some day there would be a strong church in that small town of 20,000 people. Eighteen years later, after I had been overseas for ten years and returned to the US, a thought came to my mind: “plant a church in your hometown.” It came with increasing frequency. I started to notice it. I would put it aside and tell myself why it was a crazy thought. I gradually connected my prayer from 18 years earlier to my current situation. God was using me to answer my own prayer. I sat down and told my wife Pam, “I want to plant a church in Ashland.” Three months later, we had our two moving trucks stuffed to the rafters and were on our way to plant a church there. A mission team of two adults and three kids. I believe that the Spirit uses our thoughts, ideas and intuition to guide us if we will listen, pay attention and act on those promptings. Spiritual Guidance or Satanic Whisper? Not every thought comes from God. We have to be clear that we are bombarded with thousands of random thoughts every day. Satan introduced a thought to the mind of Eve and brought down the whole world. So how do we screen out thoughts introduced by Satan and those originating in God’s will? I think it starts by asking ourselves simple questions: · Does this idea fit with what the Bible tells me? · Does this thought lead toward sin? · Does this thought appeal to my sinful nature or to my higher, spiritual nature? · If I act on this, will it advance God’s Kingdom? · Will it help me and others if I choose to do it? We get cued or triggered daily to lust, to proud thoughts, to sarcastic comebacks and other evil thoughts and actions. All it takes is a moment to take captive that thought, bring it to the forefront of our mind and either reject it or make it obedient to Christ and his will. As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:5, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Evil temptations and triggers can be relatively easy to spot if we are looking carefully. What is more difficult is evaluating thoughts that are neither right nor wrong. These ideas may be new, they may appear “crazy” or unprecedented. They may not fit with your current life and comfortable situation. For example, you may have the following thoughts pop into your head: · I’d like to go overseas and do missionary work · I’d like to go to _______ and join or start a new church · I’d like to change jobs so that I can be more effective spiritually · I’d like to retire and move here to preach the word · I’d like to try out the full time ministry When thoughts like these arise, it’s important not to simply bat them away and tell yourself why you can’t do it or why it won’t work. The Spirit may be teeing up an idea for you to drive down the course. Instead, look for more evidence that God may be trying to get your attention: · The thought or idea keeps returning unbidden. · Weird coincidences happen that make the thought come to mind or make the idea more realistic · Someone else mentions the idea out of the blue · You read something in the Bible that points to that thought · You hear a sermon that convicts you about the very thing you were considering · You hear of someone else doing or attempting the very thing you’d like to do · Circumstances change that make what you previously considered impossible a possibility In 2003 my church went through a shakeup that changed the way my church and related churches were guided. All of a sudden, there was no longer a master plan for future plantings and development. It seemed like there was no one in charge any longer. That change of circumstance provided the opportunity for me to plant a church in a town that wasn’t on anyone’s master plan previously. When circumstances changed, I realized that God had opened a door to see my prayer realized. Take action immediately I would guess that there are at least one or two ideas that have rolled around in the back of your mind for months, years and even decades. That idea keeps making an appearance and then gets shot down by your rational, reasoning, careful, protective thought process. We treat the promptings of the Spirit like a child that wants us to come play with him or her. We tell the child we’ll do it later, not now, it’s not a good time, we’re too busy or some other excuse. At some point that child will stop asking. At that point, it’ll be too late, we’ll be too old to act on a dream God has placed in our mind. As Emerson writes in “Self Reliance,” A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the lustre of the firmament of bards and sages. Yet he dismisses without notice his thought, because it is his. In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts: they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty. Great works of art have no more affecting lesson for us than this. They teach us to abide by our spontaneous impression with good-humored inflexibility then most when the whole cry of voices is on the other side. Else, to-morrow a stranger will say with masterly good sense precisely what we have thought and felt all the time, and we shall be forced to take with shame our own opinion from another. He is reminding us how important it is to pay attention to the Spirit’s prompting within us. We tend to discount our own thoughts and ideas as less valuable than others. If we keep on ignoring our intuition, we’ll hear about our idea or achievement spoken of or accomplished by another person and we’ll kick ourselves. We’ll scold ourselves saying, “I could have done that, I could have said that, I could have accomplished that. I had that idea long ago.” You had intuition, but you didn’t act on it. I think this is what Paul means when he writes in 1 Thessalonians 5: 19, “19 Do not quench the Spirit.” Merriam Webster defines “quench” as “To put out the light or fire of something. To cool or to cause to lose heat or warmth, to terminate by or as if by destroying.” God is always trying to light a fire in us to fulfill his amazing purpose for our lives. He is trying to bring passion, zeal and heat through his spirit into our lives. Unfortunately, when we ignore, suppress and disregard the Spirit’s promptings we are effectively quenching the Spirit, cooling our zeal and terminating the amazing plans God has for us. Take action immediately As long as you’re alive, there’s time to “fan into flame the gift of God.” (2 Timothy 1:6). How do you do that? Take action on the Spirit’s promptings. Write down what the Spirit is putting on your heart. What thought or idea has been nagging at you for years? What would you like to do that you’ve put off for too long. Write it down and then write down three things you could do today to move you in that direction. Don’t worry about having a complete plan, just move in the Spirit’s direction. You’ll be guided if it’s God’s will. “I want to raise $5,000 for charity this year.” I wrote this down as one of my goals on News Year’s Day while living in Japan. A though popped immediately into my mind, “How could I raise not $5,000 but $50,000?” I wrote down some ideas and then thought, “I’d have to do a charity run or something.” That was the beginning of the Run for HOPE that raised $50,000+ that year and in it’s third year raised $150,000+ for charity. It all started with an idea, intuition and the Spirit’s prompting. I remember sitting in a chair in Ron and Nancy Markham’s house when we celebrated the first Run for HOPE. I remember the feeling of complete peace and satisfaction at having listened to the Spirit’s prompting to do something that helped so many people. It was and remains a high point for me. I’m glad I took action on that idea. Now it’s your turn. Practicals: · Write down what your intuition is point you to do. · Write down three actions steps you can take this week to move you in that direction · Start praying that God brings that idea to fruition /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32316327

275. Exposition of Matthew 11:1-19, "Ears to Hear" 07/26/2024

275. Exposition of Matthew 11:1-19, "Ears to Hear" How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: I’m going through the book of Matthew this year at the church I lead in Tucson, Arizona. Today, I’m covering Matthew 11:1-19, entitled “Ears to Hear.” You’ll learn what to do when you have doubts, why encouraging words are so important and what to do when you are shopping around for a different church, job or environment. Transcript: After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. Matthew 11:1 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. Jesus finishes his preparation of his disciples and continues his personal ministry. The disciples’ short-term or limited commission isn’t described. Chapter 11 and 12 describe the varied responses people had to John and especially Jesus. 1. John’s response to Jesus: 11:2-6 2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” John doubts After at least six months in a dungeon, John isn’t the man he once was. John is disappointed, disillusioned, doubting, discouraged and depressed. Why? Jesus doesn’t follow his pattern of fasting and instead eats and drinks with sinners. John has taken offence or has been “tripped up” by Jesus’ approach. Another thing that may have bothered John is that Jesus didn’t immediately declare, “I’m the Messiah!” John had predicted that Jesus was going to baptize with “fire.” He may have had in his mind that Jesus was going to blow people away in massive judgment. Elijah struggled when, after calling down fire from heaven, there was still opposition from Jezebel. John may have felt like Jesus’ didn’t come through as he expected. Jesus’ “low-key” ministry of preaching, eating and drinking with shady people wasn’t matching his expectations. He was looking for something more “messianic” and judgmental. The good thing about John is that he goes to Jesus with his doubts and fears. He doesn’t ghost Jesus, drop out or cut off communication. He doesn’t pretend or hide his worries. He goes to Jesus himself. Did you know you can go to church without going to Christ? You can spend years in church and still have doubts about your faith. That’s when you need to get into the word and start praying to Jesus to help you build a solid foundation. Jesus reminded him of all the scriptures he WAS fulfilling in 11:4-5, but apparently this was not enough for John, he wanted to see fire falling from heaven. John’s struggle shows how personal troubles and hardships can affect our walk with God. Jesus gives John a mild rebuke in 11:6. He cautions him about getting tripped up spiritually because his expectations aren’t being met. It may have been because Jesus was bringing in a new era and a Kingdom that John only knew from afar. He wasn’t part of it. He offers a beatitude that shows the importance of being willing to elevate Jesus over and above our own expectations and feelings. There are times when we have been super strong in the past spiritually, but then things can “trip us up.” · Physical problems · Health issues · Losing people to death · Different church styles · Things changing in church · Things not being the way they are “supposed” to be · People doing things differently This is where it takes spiritually conviction and flexibility to go to Jesus and remember he, not any method or circumstance is the source of your faith. Things are going to change. You will lose your health, your friends, your family. The question is will that damage or strengthen your relationship with God. 2. Jesus’ Response to John: 11:7-15 7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’[] 11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,[] and violent people have been raiding it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 Whoever has ears, let them hear. Jesus asks three times, what did you go out to see? What were you expecting? Not a reed swaying in the wind. John wasn’t flexible, sensitive or tactful. It is not surprising that he got thrown into prison for challenging the king about marrying his brother’s wife. He wasn’t the kind of guy who was going to spin things or overlook things. Jesus highlights this. That’s what you’d expect from a prophet. The Greatest Jesus considers John the greatest of men and prophets up until that time. He is not just a prophet, but the prophet who is predicted in Malachi 3:1 and 4:5-6. 3 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. Malachi 3:1 5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” Malachi 4:5-6 Imagine being a regular person who is predicted and highlighted in the Bible! He is the last Old Testament Prophet. He was great as a man, a prophet and a herald announcing God’s arrival on the planet. What an encourager Jesus is! He knew everything he said was going to get back to John. So he takes time to really build up John and encourage him in his distress. He verbally builds him up. Are you an encourager? Are you a person who not only recognizes the good points in other people, but talks about it, verbalizes it and praises that person both in their presence and when they aren’t there? Praise gets back to people. It is a loving currency in the kingdom of God. Who have you praised recently? Who have you written a card to? Recently, I received a card of praise from Lena Valenzuela. It made me choke up. I put it up on my refrigerator so my family and friends could read it. It carried me for about a week. Today, take some time, not to gossip and tear down, but to praise and build up with your words. The Kingdom of Heaven At the same time, John is outside of the Kingdom of heaven. Jesus came to build his church. The church is like an embassy from heaven. In this world but belonging to heaven and filled with citizens of heaven. John is on the hinge of history between the Old and New Testament. Just as Moses was an amazing prophet and leader and yet never got into the promised land himself, John led the people right up to the gates of God’s Kingdom but wasn’t a part of it himself. John was a servant to the law, Jesus revealed the sonship of the gospel. John’s message was about repentance and reformation, Jesus’ was about repentance and regeneration. Just like Moses, they are in heaven because of their faith, but they never were part of God’s Kingdom on earth. 11:12: Forceful men. This is one of the most controversial scriptures in the Bible. Is it forceful men who grab hold of it or is it subject to violence. In the past it was interpreted as saying you needed to be forceful to enter or grab hold of the kingdom of God. I lean toward the second explanation because both John and Jesus were victims of violence as they announced the Kingdom of God. 11:14 John=Elijah. This is the only reference in the New Testament where Jesus makes the connection clear that John is the “Elijah” who was to come. He looked like it, wearing the uniform of the prophet Elijah with a leather belt wrapped around him. He preached like it. He had a similar hardline temperament. He experienced super highs and popularity and super lows and isolation. 11:15 Whoever has ears, let them hear. Jesus often used this to invite people to concentrate and think deeply on what he is really trying to say. This is why you can grow up in church for years hearing the Bible preached and yet one day, you finally “hear” the message for the first time. How do you know if you are really hearing God’s message? You can feel it. You can feel it in your body. You get goosebumps or the hair on your arm stands up. You lean forward, you get focused. You start thinking about it after church. You come up with ideas to put it into practice. You think, “That guy’s talking about me!” These are signs that you have ears to hear God’s message to you and that should encourage you. Many people go their whole lives hearing, but they aren’t really listening. Pray that God opens your eyes and ears to really see and hear his message for you. 3. People’s Response to John and Jesus: 11:16-19 16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 17 “‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” 11:16-17 People of Jesus’ time were unresponsive to both John and Jesus. John and Jesus had two different ministry styles or approaches, but like a child that refuses to stop sulking, nothing could make the crowds happy. John’s method was appropriate for the work that God gave him, calling to repentance, getting your heart and life ready to come into God’s presence. He was single-minded, intense and strong. Jesus’ approach was perfectly suited to show another side of God, loving, seeking, reaching out, wanting to be with people. There was no pleasing them the crowds. John was too intense, hardline and strict. Jesus was too loosy-goosy, indulgent and social. He finishes by saying the “proof of the pudding is in the eating.” We can make the mistake of getting more wrapped up in “style” rather than “substance.” This is especially true if you have been around church for a while. We are looking for the right delivery, the right feeling, the right package rather than the right message. John and Jesus were both right for what they had to accomplish. They got God’s will done. Many rejected them because they were hard to please. They should have focused on the message rather than the man or the manner. You might be just like the people in these crowds. People like the Pharisees, Saducees and Teachers of the law. You see flaws in every church, church members and church leaders. You can pick apart, dissect, scoff at all the failings of various approaches. This often leads to church-hopping. You never settle in to one spiritual family. You are looking for the “just-right” church of Christ.” This one is hard to find because it mirrors your desires, strengths and weaknesses. The problem with this response is that you never engage spiritually, you always have a reason for not following Christ closely because no one can bring you the experience you say you are looking for. I was interviewing Dr. Sean St. Jean on my podcast recently. He wrote a book about spiritual trauma and talked about how people come to him who are looking to go to different churches because they aren’t happy with __________. He tells them “choose your dysfunction.” Every family and every spiritual family has its own flavor of dysfunction. You may not spot it until you’ve been there a few months, but don’t worry, you’ll find it. And at that point you’ll pick up and go looking for the perfect church that has: · The right kids kingdom · The right music · The right teaching · The right length of worship · The right time of worship · The right kind of people o Same race o Wealthy o “Put together” o People your age o People you can date and marry · The right kind of parking Unfortunately, after a few years like this, people often get so frustrated that they can’t get what they want that they disconnect entirely. They look down on all churches and disconnect from Jesus’ body. They opt for a religion created in their mind. Just them and Jesus. If you’ve been playing your pipe trying to get churches to dance the way you want, maybe the problem is with you, not with Jesus or his church. Next Steps · Don’t let troubles trip you up. Go to Jesus and ask him for the help you need in trials. · Encourage someone today and this week. Praise people in front of them and in their absence. · Find a church and stick with it. Connect to Jesus through his body and grow. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32268177

274. Seek Strong Relationships from How to Become a Multiplying Christian 07/23/2024

274. Seek Strong Relationships from How to Become a Multiplying Christian How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: Today, you’ll learn one of the secrets that enables billionaires and fruitful Christians become even more productive by seeking strong relationships. : Nearly every day I go through my “Power Pack.” This is a collection of scriptures and quotes that fire me up, encourage me and challenge me to grow, get closer to God and have greater faith. I pulled one out the other day and it was a card on which I had written decisions made after a spiritual conference I went to. I don’t know which one it was, but it had to be at least ten years ago. It read: 1. Conference Decisions a. Build a sharing habit b. Build relationships with strong leaders c. Build the church on small groups d. Raise the standards and confront difficult situations directly e. Concentrate on training leadership i. Build a training program: Interviews ii. Write book on small church planting I can see how I followed through with a number of those decisions. I wrote a book on church planting, I developed a sharing habit, I have worked on training leadership with my young guns group and have forced myself to confront difficult situations directly. However, of all of these, building relationships with strong leaders has probably done more to help me grow than all of the other ones. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 13:20, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Aesop said, “A man is known by the company he keeps.” Jim Rohn said, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” All of these maxims point to the same conclusion, you maximize or diminish your life based on the quality of your friends. I can quickly point to those men who have made a powerful difference in my life through their friendship, example and advice, Dick Gee, Doug Baity, Ed Townsend, Preston Shepherd, Frank Kim and Bruce Williams. Their influence on my life transformed me from a worldly kid into a spiritual man. All of them shared their life and friendship with me. They mentored me and made time to walk with me, teach me and correct me at times. They were patient when I struggled and weren’t afraid to call me higher when I was coasting. My nature is to remain isolated and to try to tackle things on my own. I’ve had to deliberately choose to allow people into my life so that I can “air out” my sin and weaknesses in an environment that fostered growth. It’s way to easy for me to tell myself that I have to do it all by myself and should be able to do it without outside support. Nothing could be farther from the truth. I’m reminded again of Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 4:5-6, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. My pride and fear would often keep me from seeking friendships with men who were as strong or stronger than me in the areas I was looking to grow in. I had to realize that two are better than one. I need someone in my life who can pick me up when I fall down. My marriage is certainly one of those relationships, but that alone is not enough. I need a number of trusted friends who can help me be a multiplying disciple and “have a good return” for my labor. I’ve been watching a series on TV called, “Undercover Billionaire.” They drop three well-known multi-millionaires into a city they are not familiar with. They give each contestant $100 cash, an old truck, a new name and identity, and a cell phone with no contacts in it. The challenge for each contestant is to take their $100 and multiply into a $1,000,000 business in 90 days. What I found most interesting and surprising about each of these three people is that the first thing they did was make friends with influential people in their new community. They build their business by building relationships with strong characters in their area. If I had been dropped off in the same challenge, it wouldn’t have been the first thing I focused on. Jesus created a similar “reality show” challenge two thousand years ago when he sent his disciples off on the “limited commission” in Matthew 10 and Luke 10. The hidden and yet essential key to victory is found in this passage in Matthew 10, 9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. In Luke 10, Jesus echoes this direction by saying find a “man of peace.” They were told to find a worthy person, a quality friend and concentrate on building a relationship with them. Why? Because they would be able to reach far more people through that worthy persons network of relationships. Good things happen when we build relationships with strong leaders. Take a look at your friendships around you. Step one is to determine if you have some good friendships. Don’t be like the man “all alone” with no one to help him up. If that describes you, it’s time to start looking around for at least one good friend. Secondly, start building the number of spiritual, quality relationships. Ideally, you want five or more friends that you can turn to when tough times hit. You need people who can offer you advice, encourage you and keep you on track. Satan loves it when he can isolate someone and take them out like a lion takes out a wounded or young animal. One reason I started the Rob Skinner Podcast was to build more relationships with strong leaders. By calling to interview my spiritual heroes I have been able to build relationships with people I respect and honor. I have learned from them and have grown from the relationship. The number of my friendships has grown exponentially especially during a time of isolation caused by the COVID pandemic. I recently had dinner with Brock and Anne Roby, who lead a church in the San Francisco Bay Area. I asked them if they would be willing to have a discipling relationship with each other. They jumped at it. We talk every couple of weeks, encouraging each other and doing our best to call the best out of each other. Let me leave you with some practical steps: 1. Repent of the pride and reject the fear that keeps you from building good friendships. 2. Stop listening to and making excuses for why you can’t be surrounded by good friends. The only thing stopping you is you and your empty rationalizations. 3. Realize that you deserve good friends and you have a lot to offer others. 4. What can you do to build your circle of friendships? How can you find a “worthy person?” Find a meetup, join a club, have someone over, start a podcast, contribute articles to an organization you enjoy. Get involved and find your worthy person. 5. Make a call this week and set up a time to have fun and start building a friendship. Text, call email but whatever you do, don’t let another week go by without asking for help /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32267202

273. Multiply Your Talents to Become a Multiplying Disciple 07/15/2024

273. Multiply Your Talents to Become a Multiplying Disciple How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: I’m Rob Skinner and this is the Rob Skinner Podcast. Today I’m talking about how to become a multiplying disciple. Specifically, how you need to multiply your talents in order to multiply disciples and your impact in your spiritual, financial and personal life. Reach Rob at [email protected] Transcript Multiply Your Talents to Become a Multiplying Disciple “Skinner, you’re a jack of all trades and a master of none.” My friend, Chris Bishop, gave me a rough evaluation that later proved to be right on target. He was describing my interest in so many different areas and at the same time, I wasn’t great at any one thing. In the fall I had tried soccer and dropped out. In the winter, I got cut from the freshman basketball team. I placed my hopes in making the spring freshman baseball team. If there was one sport I thought I was good at, I thought baseball would be the one. I bought brand new Adidas cleats. I tried my best at the tryout. Jeff Martinez laughed at me after the sprints and said, “Skinner, how’d you get so slow?” The coach told us that our names would be posted on the coaches’ office window if we made the team. I waited all day, sitting in classes visualizing the name, “Rob Skinner” on that roster. When the final bell rang, I ran to the gym locker room where the coaches’ office was. I looked down the list of names. I thought I must be reading it to quickly. I read each name again, slowly. · Todd Newman · Shawn Huff · Jeff Martinez · Chris Bishop… All my friends were listed, my name wasn’t. I looked one more time and raced to my Mom’s office in room E-5 of the English department. She was an English teacher and department head. She said, “What’s wrong?” I said, “I didn’t make the team!” I kneeled down and sobbed and sobbed on her lap. On top of the humiliation of getting cut, someone stole my new cleats. I guess I wouldn’t need them anyway. I’ve never been great at any one sport. I’ve been passable at a large number of sports and activities. I love to surf, scuba, play frisbee and ultimate. I’ve run a marathon in Tokyo. I love to backpack. I enjoy clubs and activities and served as the president of the International club and Senior Class President in high school. I like to write and was the editor of my high school newspaper. I always thought this lack of focused greatness was a weakness until I became a disciple of Jesus. Then I realized the gift I had been given. God’s Kingdom is filled with every type of person. Every race, age, class, language, height, gender, interest, skill and occupation is represented in his church. When I became a true disciple and joined the fellowship of believers I felt like a fish back in water. I was able to connect with so many people. My varied background allowed me to make connections with people from all over the world. Scott Adams talks about the importance of developing a broad array of talents in his book, “How to fail at almost everything and still win big.” He calls it “Talent Stacking.” He writes that it’s much better and more achievable to be in the top 25% in two or three or more skill or talent areas than it is to become the top 1% in any one field. He himself was a cartoonist with a background in computers and added writing, public speaking and hypnotism to his talent stack. The uniqueness of his talent stack makes him a unique and wealthy individual. He claims that for every person genetically gifted to master a particular field like LeBron James, there are thousands who can combine reasonably good skills from a variety of fields and excel. Paul talks about this very thing in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, “ Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” Although Paul was a hardcore Jewish Pharisee by birth and training, he realized the necessity of adaptability if he was going to reach the people God had called him to reach in Acts 9:15-16, “But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.’” Gentiles, kings and Jews were all part of God’s purpose for Paul. Paul, who had surpassed all his peers in devotion to his Old Testament training, realized that he would have to add to his skills if he was going to be able to connect with the many who didn’t share his gifts, pedigree or background. If you want to be a multiplying disciple, build your “talent stack.” The people God wants you to reach very likely will be different than you. It’s also important to keep expanding your skills because our economy and world is changing so quickly. If you want to be able to support yourself while reaching the lost, you will need to stay in a permanent state of learning new skills. What kind of skills do you need to develop? Here are a few: Spiritual Skills 1. Knowledge of the Bible. Read the entire Bible. 2. Ability to teach someone else the gospel. Know how to guide a seeker from initial interest to salvation. 3. Prayer. Ability to sit quietly and pray and meditate for thirty minutes straight 4. Fellowship. Ability to make new friends, set up Bible studies, encourage others and connect with people unlike yourself. 5. Speaking. Learn how to lead a small group discussion, speak in front of a church audience, teach a Bible class and preach a short lesson using scripture, stories and applications. Life Skills 1. Money. Learn how to save and invest money. Refuse to live paycheck to paycheck. 2. Computer skills. Keep learning new skills. Never make the excuse that you’re too old or no good at technical stuff. Memorize this scripture in Philippians 4:13 (Jerusalem Bible), “There is nothing I cannot master with the help of the One who gives me strength.” 3. Entrepreneurship. Learn how to start a new business or side hustle. It can be real estate, window washing, dog walking or options. Keep looking for ways to be a “tent maker” like Paul was. He always had a way to support himself when church support dried up. 4. People skills. This is what I would consider to be the most important skill that often gets overlooked. Read the book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People.” Your way with people makes all the difference in your success or failure as a fruitful and effective disciple. This unique gift of having a number of good, not great skills came in handy when I moved to Tokyo, Japan. I was asked to develop an International Ministry. This was anyone in Japan who wasn’t native Japanese. We started with a handful of “Gai-Jin” or foreigners and in a few years we had over 200 disciples from all over the world, Africa, Polynesia, Australia, England, The US, Canada, South America, China, Korea, Asia and Continental Europe. I think my interest in a broad array of people, things and interests, enabled God to use me to reach people from all over. If you are a “unicorn,” a person gifted with a singular gift like Mozart or Einstein, congratulations and may God continue to bless you. If you are like the rest of us, having moderate or average gifting, take heart. You can live an amazing life. Cobble together your best skills and learn new ones to add to your collection. This set of talents unique to you only will set you apart and define you as fruitful and multiplying disciple. Application · What one new skill, if you learned it in the next six months, would make the biggest difference in your life? · Take a first step toward learning that skill. Read a book, watch a YouTube video or go to a seminar to learn how to do it. · What are your top three best skills currently? How can God use that “cocktail” of talents to build his kingdom? /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/32132132

272. Ben and Susan Borland, Mission Update, Montevideo, Uruguay 07/08/2024

271. Budi and Listiana Hartono, Jakarta, Indonesia. They Helped the Churches in Indonesia grow from a few to 7,000+ disciples. 07/01/2024

270. How to Be A Multiplying Christian, Seek Help, Don't Run From It 06/24/2024

270. How to Be A Multiplying Christian, Seek Help, Don't Run From It How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: In this episode, I continue my series on becoming a multiplying disciple. I talk about resisting the natural tendency to run from getting help when we need it the most. I talk about why we do this and how we can seek help instead of run from it. Transcript I remember listening to a lesson at the 1995 world missions seminar in Johannesburg, South Africa. The speaker was sharing about good news around the world. One church was lifted up for baptizing hundreds of people and becoming a church of thousands. Over the next few years I heard conflicting reports from that same church. Then I heard the church’s leader had been removed. It seems the actual membership was hundreds of people short of what had been reported. When I heard that I thought, what happened? How could that happen? How could people not know how many people were in the church? I’m sure there were a number of reasons for that leadership failure, but I would guess that primary among them would be that the leader or leadership team didn’t seek help early enough and may have run from getting the help it needed before the problem became so severe. “Where are you?” This failure to seek help goes back to the garden. 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:6-9 When offered that first temptation, centuries of misery could have been avoided by asking for help and advice from God before chomping into the apple. Once the sin was committed, shame, pride and fear kept them from turning to the one being who could help them. God had to ask, “Where are you?” This is why we struggle to get the help we need from God and others so that we can grow and get back on our feet after a set back. Shame, pride, embarrassment, laziness and the distorted thinking that comes from these problems forces us into isolation. We delude ourselves into thinking that if we run from the problem, from God and from other people, the problem will disappear. It rarely does. In the case of that first sin, it quickly compounded and affects us today, thousands of years later. During finals week of my first semester at UC Berkeley if faced five finals in two days. On the second day I arrived at my statistics final after little sleep. The previous day I had rear-ended a car on the way to campus, showed up to the wrong building for my first test, ran out of gas on the way home from campus and spent two hours waiting for the tow truck. It seems God had designed this two-day gauntlet to humble me and prepare me to become a Christian. The first half of the statistics final was closed book. I had difficulty answering the questions. My only solace was that the second half of the test was open books and open notes. When the professor said “start!” for the second half, I dug through my backpack for my book and notes. They weren’t there. I had forgotten them in my dorm room. I struggled through that 45 minutes as I watched those around me find the answers they needed in their notes and books. At the end of the test I went up to the professor and told him I had forgotten my notes. In his heavily accented, Eastern European English, he said, “Why didn’t you ask me for help? I would have given you my notes and my book!” After he said that, I felt even worse. On top of my massive failure was the knowledge that I could have avoided it by simply asking for help rather than sitting quietly in my shame, embarrassment and self-hatred. Unfortunately, too many of us repeat my mistake in a multitude of situations. We kick ourselves later for not asking for assistance when it could have made all the difference. Growing disciples grow because they push past the fear, shame and embarrassment to ask for help. Here are some simple things you can do to accelerate your spiritual growth. First, laugh at failures. View them as simply part of the process of growing. Everyone faces little and big setbacks. Satan wants you to continue thinking that you shouldn’t be making mistakes and that “you should know better by now.” That kind of thinking will keep you isolated and cut off from life-giving help. Don’t place others on a pedestal. In addition to thinking we shouldn’t be making mistakes is the equally mistaken assumption that others don’t struggle with weaknesses like we do. Have you every talked to an older person in the fellowship, and felt like you couldn’t talk to them about struggles you might be facing like lust, anger or coarse language. It’s hard to conceive of that kindly older person ever having an impure thought. And yet, they were young once and faced the exact same trials you are going through. Go to seminars and conferences. Whatever you want to grow in, there is a conference that will help you get there. It might be a live conference or an online webinar, but there is a way to learn from others. One growth expert I read recommends that we spend 3% of our income on personal development and seminars. Too often I see people staying home, stuck in their rut because they don’t want to spend the money on their growth. What a waste! You don’t know what you’re missing. I started a podcast in 2020 and recorded over 250 podcasts. Earlier this year, I felt like I needed to take my skills to a new level. I saw my listenership decline and I didn’t know why? I went to a podcasting conference in Los Angeles. What I learned there blew me away. The first thing I learned was that everyone else had seen their listening downloads decline by as much as 60% and it had nothing to do with the podcaster’s performance. The decline was due to an algorithm adjustment Apple had made on their podcast platform. I was so happy and relieved to know that I wasn’t just tanking because of doing a bad job. Prior to going to the conference I had thoughts of shutting down the podcast. On top of that, the classes that were taught gave me at least five great ideas for taking my podcast to the next level. I never would have known those things by sitting at home feeling sorry for myself. Face down your weak areas. I’ve worked out in a gym since college. Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of my inspirations. However, I’m still not much stronger than I was 20 or thirty years ago. Then I asked for help from a physical trainer. I shared my faith with him and then asked him to train me. I’ve seen tons of progress in the past 5 months. Why? He is making me do things in the gym that either I didn’t know to do or that I didn’t want to do. He helps me break mental and physical barriers. Prior to hiring him, I would follow the same comfortable routine I had followed for decades. He shattered that cozy pattern. If you want to grow in any area, take a look at your weak areas and get help on them. Any area that you have experienced a plateau or lack of progress is an area that could benefit from outside help. Read books. I’ve said it before and will repeat it till I die. Learn from others how they overcame the challenges you are facing right now. Whatever you are facing has most likely been written about, talked about or discussed in detail. I love the story of how Elon Musk started his rocket company, SpaceX. With no prior knowledge or rocket science, Musk started reading books on the subject and asked questions of the rocket scientists he hired to start his company. It only took him two years to become an expert in the field and get his company off the ground. There is nothing you can’t grow in, become or achieve. All you need is the willingness to ask for help, suppress Satan’s attempts to shame you into silence, and read, watch or listen to those willing to help you get where you want to be, a multiplying disciple. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/31563957

269. Exposition of Matthew 10:26-42 06/21/2024

269. Exposition of Matthew 10:26-42 How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: In this episode I share from a series on Matthew that I’m going through on Sundays. Please enjoy this exposition of Matthew 10. Transcript is below. Feel free to use as needed. Matthew 10: 26-42 Matthew Series Sunday, June 9th, 2024 Introduction This section of Jesus’s instructions to his disciples goes beyond practical training into deeper waters. He starts talking about what drives us, what we will face once we start actively following Jesus. He talks about two motives that can control or inspire us, fear and love. These forces are incredibly powerful and if left unchecked, fear will keep us living small, meaningless lives. The only power greater than fear is love. As the Apostle John says in 1 John 4:17-19, “17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.” There is no fear in love. Jesus talks about fear and then he talks about a greater motivation, love. When our love grows, fear shrivels. 1. Fear 26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. Fear is the key word of this section. When we share Jesus, invite people to listen to his word and face opposition we are going to experience fear. There is no getting around the mission in order to avoid fear. Jesus says that everything Jesus whispers, everything you hear in a Bible study or sermon, needs to be shouted from the rooftops. Jewish homes had flat roofs and were used for sleeping, prayer and were great platforms for preaching to a crowd. We can’t escape fear, but we can choose who to be afraid of. We can live our lives afraid of what people think about us or say to us or we can live our lives in fear of God. Fear of man is based on self-interest and self-preservation, it’s just plain cowardice. Fear of God, however, is something that’s praised throughout the Bible. I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:[ There is no fear of God before their eyes. Psalm 36:1 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7 8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.” Job 1:8 When we don’t fear God, the Bible calls us a fool. When Jesus says that folly comes from within the hearts of man, in Mark 7:22, he is referring to the sin of not taking God into account. This person thinks he doesn’t need God, have to deal with God or factor God into his plans. God is highlighting Job as an ideal follower or believer, characterized by the fear of God and avoidance of evil. He values these characteristics today. Why should we fear God and not people? People can destroy our bodies, but God has the capacity to destroy our bodies and our soul in hell. We don’t know what will happen in hell, but each one of us has the opportunity for eternal life with God. God has power to bring us into his eternal kingdom or destroy our souls. This brings up an interesting thought, does God destroy non-believing souls once they die or let them live on separated from him? Does God annihilate the soul or let it go on in regret that they lived their lives rebelling against God. In any case, you don’t want to fall into the hands of a God who controls your life now and after death. What does fearing people look like? Some of us puff up and say, “I don’t care what people think or do!” Really? So did Peter at the last supper. He said, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” (Matthew 26:33) Fear of man shows up every day. It’s when we walk through a checkout line and don’t offer an invitation to church because we don’t want to look funny to the people in line behind us. It’s when someone brings up a spiritual subject and we remain quiet. It’s when we decide to stay home when there is an opportunity to go sharing in the community. It’s how busy we suddenly get when there is a Bible study and we just can’t seem to make the time to join. It’s revealed when years pass without us sharing, meeting, teaching or bringing people nearer to God. We say, “I don’t care what people think!” Then why do all the people around you remain unchanged and unconverted? Why else should we not fear people? Jesus offers a reassuring reason, the same God who has the power to destroy in hell also takes time and attention to care for the smallest sparrow. They were the cheapest birds sold for food in Jesus’ time. This is an argument from the lesser to the greater. “You are worth more than many sparrows.” In contrast to certain people who claim that the life of an animal is equal to that of a human, Jesus says you are worth far more. If he cares for the sparrow, how much more will he take care of you. He even knows how many hairs are on your head. The average person has between 90,000 to 150,000 hairs on their head. God knows your exact number. Jesus knows what you are going through. Your life and death have his attention. You are extremely important to God. You don’t need to fear that God isn’t with you or is forgetting you in times of trial. What’s worse than being ridiculed, gossiped about or excluded by the people around you? Being disowned by Jesus on the last day. Here is where our day-to-day behavior connects to our eternal destiny. When you are unashamed and proud of Jesus, that’s how he will treat you. When you deny, disown, hide, are embarrassed of Jesus, that’s exactly how you will be treated when you appear before Jesus when you die. How are you doing at work, at school, with your mom’s group, your club, your old friends? How you honor or dishonor Jesus in that setting is a mirror of how you will be treated when Jesus presents you to his father. You choose who you’re going to stand with. The people around you in this life or Jesus when he presents you to his father. As a baby Christian, I would have quiet times in the Doe undergraduate library at UC Berkeley and read passages like this from Isaiah 51:7-8, “Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have taken my instruction to heart: Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults. 8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations.” Passages like these would give me the perspective to understand how much greater God is than any person I’d meet on campus. People are as shortlived and temporary as clothing that a moth can eat holes in. Scriptures like this taught me to fear God, not the people I’d reach out to. This choice takes up the rest of the chapter. 2. Love 34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36 a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. Jesus clears up a misconception we often have about God and his gospel. We often think that the gospel will unite, bring peace and harmony between people. We think Jesus’ purpose was to bring peace. Jesus contradicts that and says he didn’t come to bring peace but a sword. A sword is a symbol for conflict and violence. His message is peace for those who accept it. Peace with God and peace with others who follow God wholeheartedly. However, Jesus’ teaching brings division between those who accept it and those who don’t. He doesn’t compromise. His teaching will turn people against each other. Family members will hate each other, stop talking to each other, kill each other over the gospel. Middle eastern families are extremely close. Your identity is bound up in your family. I was talking to a young man, Fadi Alhinn, on my podcast and he talked about how his family in Jordan is incredibly close and how growing up it forms the basis for your identity along with your religion. Jesus says your love for him must be greater than even your closest family members. In Luke 14:26 he says the same thing using a semitic or Jewish saying, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” If you don’t love Jesus more than your family, you’re not worthy of him. We might say, “you don’t have what it takes” to be a disciple of Jesus. How does that show up today? When we won’t follow Jesus because our parents or siblings disapprove. When they try to get us to calm down and we listen to them. When those we love try to substitute a dead, sterile, fruitless form of religion in place of true discipleship. When they beg us to return to our old lives, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Many can’t or won’t make that sacrifice. They look for a middle ground. Empty religion, compromise with sin, outward observance covering hidden sin. Jesus will never accept second place in your affections. He knows your heart and he knows if you love him first. He then goes on to mention the cross for the first time. It’s hard to recreate the fear and gut level reaction the disciples must have had when he drops that bomb into this conversation. This was the epitome of embarrassment, humiliation, social disgrace, suffering and pain wrapped up into one image. They had no idea at this point that Jesus would literally carry a cross for their sin and ours. It points to the fact that Jesus won’t compromise. If you want to be a disciple, you are signing away your rights to a comfortable, quiet life where everyone thinks you are a nice person. We are all left with some tough decisions. Which life are we going to live for? This one or eternal life. Who are we going to stand in solidarity with? The crowd, coworkers, family or Jesus himself? Jesus offers public disgrace and the possibility of a savage death, he also holds out eternal life with him. To borrow from a soccer coach, Bill Shankly, Discipleship is “not a matter of life and death, it is much more serious than that.” 3. Reward 40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” Jesus closes this section by revealing how closely he identifies with his disciples. When people treat us well, they are actually treating Jesus well. They will be rewarded. They will be honored. Conclusion: Remember Jesus said in chapter 7:14, “14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Here is why that road is so narrow and hard to find and choose. If you are struggling with your decision to follow Jesus, it shows you understand the level of sacrifice he calls for every disciple. Next Steps · Repent of fear and people-pleasing, share your faith this week, stop living as a secret disciple. · Grow your love for Jesus, choose Jesus and his kingdom over friends, family and your own life. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/31843717

268. View Your LIfe as An Experiment. A New Episode in the Series, How to Become a Multiplying Christian 06/17/2024

268. View Your LIfe as An Experiment. A New Episode in the Series, How to Become a Multiplying Christian How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here: In this episode I continue my series on how to become a multiplying disciple. I talk about the need to experiment with new things and to view your life as an experiment. Transcript “We won’t be meeting for live church services for the time being,” I told my church members in March of 2020. Little did I know it would be well over a year before we started hesitantly meeting back together after Covid. I thought to myself, how can I help people during this time when I can’t preach to them in a live setting. I stumbled onto the idea of a podcast. The only problem was I had no idea how to start one and had little confidence in the area of electronics or computer hardware. In any case I decided to get started and step by step figured out how to start one. I read a book on starting a podcast, I listened to books on it, I came up with my target audience and the reason why I was doing it. There were many times I thought I couldn’t do it, I’m too old, I’m no good at technical stuff and no one would listen. I chose to ignore those voices in my mind. Within a month I had cobbled together seven episodes to launch the show with. Through experimentation, I was a podcaster. The reason we often don’t see the spiritual progress we are looking for is that we are naturally attached to the person we are right now. Our habits, our thinking, our belief system, our inclinations have a form of inertia to them. Once set in a certain way, it takes a lot of effort to get them moving in a different direction. Jesus points this out in Luke 5:37-39, “And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’” We get used to certain foods, certain drinks and it keeps us from trying something new that God wants us to try. This is one of the reasons Jesus ran into so much opposition from the Pharisees and Saducees and even from his allies such as the disciples of his cousin John the Baptist. Jesus was bringing something new and most people preferred the old and refused to experiment with change. It is incredibly helpful to maintain a flexible and adaptable mindset when trying to grow as a disciple. One of the best ways to do that is to view life as a series of experiments. I love Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote, “Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little coarse and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice? Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble.” When you experiment with anything, you are accepting up front that some of your experiments are going to fail. Most may fail. However, if you keep experimenting enough with new habits, techniques and skills, you will stumble onto breakthroughs in your life. You will find things that multiply your growth, influence and fruitfulness. Viewing life in this way gives you permission to fail without fear and the shame associated with failure. No one doing cancer research quits or gets discouraged when one attempt at a cure doesn’t pan out. In the same way, in order for you to grow and make a difference in this life, you will have to pick up and try many new habits and skills that may or may not take you where you want to go. In 2004, I decided to plant a new church in my hometown of Ashland, Oregon. I didn’t have any outside funding. I didn’t have a team to support me. I didn’t have an existing church to pay me. I didn’t have a career I was stepping into. I had to start a new career in real estate to pay my bills and support my family. I chose to view this church planting as an experiment. I remember thinking to myself and telling Pam, my wife, “This may not work.” We may only be there a short time and then we’ll have to go somewhere else. I deliberately didn’t ask anyone to go with me, because of the high risk of failure. I didn’t want to responsibility of taking care of other people when I didn’t have the resources to support myself. If I had waited to plant the church with full funding, a large team and a clear plan, the church wouldn’t be there today. People that I love wouldn’t be Christians today. It was a risky experiment that paid off. If you are reading this book, you probably have big dreams for your future. You want your life to count and you want to do big things for God. You may want to: · Go overseas on mission · Learn a foreign language · Start a new church · Work as a pastor or minister · Start a new business · Learn a new instrument · Find a great life partner Whatever you are dreaming of, go ahead and take that first step. View it as an experiment. Expect and anticipate setbacks and failures. Just keep going until you find the right path out of the many start down. Here are some ideas to develop an experimental mindset: · Read a book on an area you are considering growing in. · Write down three things you could do immediately to go in the direction of your dreams. · Give yourself 90 days to experiment with your venture. Allow yourself to bail out if after 90 days, you don’t want to keep going. · Talk to someone who has done or is doing what you want to do. Ask them how to start. · Give yourself full permission to fail, flop and fall flat on your face. · Reduce the risk by not including anyone else in what you are trying to do. Limit your exposure. · Think about and fix in your mind others who have tried and succeeded in what you want. · Pretend that you are good at what you are trying to do. Experiment with seeing yourself as more skilled than you currently are. When I launched the Rob Skinner Podcast, I had no idea what would happen. I only hoped that I could inspire people to make this life count, live a no-regrets life and multiply disciples, leaders and churches. I started podcasting into a great big dark empty void. I wondered at times if anyone was listening. I started receiving letters from people thanking me for the podcast and sharing how it had helped them. Two years after the podcast started, Pam and I went to a large Christian conference in Orlando, Florida. I got approached so many times by listeners thanking me for the podcast and for helping them grow and make this life count. I’m so glad I chose to experiment with something new. · Practical Application o What is one thing you’ve wanted to do, achieve or grow in that you’ve hesitated to start. o Give yourself permission to fail and to experiment with your desire. o Write down three things you can do this week to start your experiment. /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/31563857

267. Fadi Alhinn Talks about Growing up in Jordan, Losing His Father and Being a Missionary in the US 06/10/2024

266. How to Be Prosperous and Successful. Meditate on God's Word. A New Episode in My Series: How to Become a Multiplying Disciple 06/03/2024

266. How to Be Prosperous and Successful. Meditate on God's Word. A New Episode in My Series: How to Become a Multiplying Disciple Would you like to be “prosperous and successful?” God gives clear direction to his people on how to enjoy that very thing. He tells Joshua the secret to prosperity in Joshua 1:8, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” In this episode I’ll be talking about how to: · Kindle or rekindle your passion for God’s Word · How to meditate on scripture · Ways to see old scriptures in new ways and… · How to develop “greatest hits” collection of your favorite scriptures How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast. Click Here: Transcript How to Become a Multiplying Disciple: Meditate on God's Word 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8 Joshua was handed the unenviable job of following in Moses’ footsteps. The same Moses who faced down Pharaoh, who raised his staff to part the Red Sea, who kept his nation fed for forty years in a desert and who brought down the tablets of the Law from Mt. Sinai. Imagine the pressure Joshua must have felt in trying to follow in the footsteps of this man for all generations. Not only that, but Moses had left Joshua with the massive challenge of crossing the Jordan, taking on the fortress of Jericho and conquering all of the promised land. God assures Joshua in this chapter that he is with him and that he will give him the land and he hands him the key to success and prosperity, meditate on God’s word, the book of the law. It’s interesting what God doesn’t give him. He doesn’t give him a pep talk talking about how great Joshua is or how much God believes in him. He doesn’t give him a buddy like he gave Aaron to Moses. He doesn’t give him advice on his time management or speaking skills. Instead he tells Joshua to devote himself to reading and meditating on the words of God. That one habit will bring success and prosperity to his leadership. Joshua must have taken this to heart because unlike most other Old Testament figures, Joshua lives a nearly perfect life. He parts the Jordan, levels Jericho, divides and conquers the promised land, allots all of the tribal territories and successfully leads his new nation until his death. The only failure he faces is when he forgets to pray when the Gibeonites scam him into making a treaty with them. He is truly a worthy predecessor to his descendant who shares his same name, Jesus. Are you looking for success and prosperity in your life? The formula for success hasn’t changed in three thousand years. Keep God’s word on your lips, meditate on it and do everything written in it. Your devotion and application of God’s word will establish the level of fruitfulness, effectiveness and impact of your life. Many turn toward God in times of difficulty, become followers and then attempt the long period of marching daily toward Zion. Some fall by the wayside or settle for an unsatisfying and unfruitful existence with little “success and prosperity” to speak of. They don’t become multiplying disciples, they often settle for spiritual barrenness, emotional distance from God and a sin-compromised existence. That doesn’t have to be your life. Determine today that you will follow in the footsteps of Joshua. Here’s how you can do that. Get excited about the Bible I walked into the Christian bookstore in Berkeley, California a few days after my baptism. I scanned the Bibles for sale and settled on a Zondervan Study Bible. It had commentary notes below each page. It was massive with a bonded leather cover. I put the small paperback Bible my neighbor had given me into my backpack and used my new Bible for Bible study in my dorm room. I remember opening the box, pulling it out and tearing open the mylar covering around the Bible. I flipped through the pages and smelled the brand new book smell. I loved how the gold gilding around the pages stuck together initially and how the pages were shining white without a flaw on any page. I sensed something awesome and new was happening in my life with the opening of this new Bible. I wore that Bible out. If someone handed you a goose that laid a one-ounce golden egg every morning, how would you care for and tend to that animal? Would you be excited? Would you take good care of it? Absolutely! How much more for a book that will bring you success and prosperity all the days of your life. Get excited about the Bible. Look at it with new eyes. Whether you have it on your phone or have a paper Bible, treasure it. Here are some things you can do to refresh your excitement about God’s word. Go out and buy a brand new Bible. Sometimes it helps to buy a new Bible. There are so many variations on the Bible that can stimulate your approach to God’s word. Try a study Bible or chronological Bible. A Bible that offers space in the margins for notes can help. Figure out what works for you to bring a new passion to God’s word. Buy a new translation every year. Reading the same translation year after year can bring a comfortable feeling of familiarity to your Bible study. It can also turn your active mind off and set you into mental cruise control as you read through page after page without remembering what you just read. A new translation can often force your mind out of a mental rut and cause you to start consciously thinking about what you are actually reading. New translations are coming out every year. Try a new one to stimulate your excitement. Read through the Bible every year. This is one of the best practices that keeps your interest in God’s word burning hot. Download a PDF file that will guide you through the Bible in one year. This will keep you from the “flip and find” method of random scripture study. It will broaden your love and knowledge of God’s word and the background to Jesus’ arrival. One of the easiest ways to do this is to look up how many pages there are in your Bible, divide it by the number of days in the year, 365 and that will tell you how many pages to read each day. Keep a post it note or bookmark handy to keep track of your location. The only downside of this method is that it can be difficult slogging through the entire Old Testament before reaching the New Testament in the last quarter of the year. One way to fix that is to alternate readings every day or for every two pages of the Old Testament, read one of the New. This year I’m following the 52 Week Bible Reading Plan by Michael Coley. Every day I read a passage from a different genre of the Bible such as letters, law, history, Psalms, poetry, prophecy and gospels. You can find the link below. Carve out time every day God told Joshua, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night.” Joshua was commanded forcefully to make the Bible a daily habit of his life. One of the best and most important ways to do this is to read your Bible first thing in the morning. Do it before you check your phone or schedule. Try doing it before you get out of bed. Satan’s plan is to drown you in trivial details and get you to forget your devotion to God’s word. You have to KEEP it on your lips. Read or listen to at least a chapter a day of God’s word. Those who experience growth in their spiritual lives prioritize the consumption of God’s word. I force myself to get into God’s word as soon as I sit down to my desk after getting a cup of coffee in the morning. Keep it on your lips I think God is telling Joshua to use the Bible in his daily conversation and normal activities of life. Memorization of important passages is powerful in times of trouble, temptation and transition. I keep a stack of 3x5 cards that are lined and whenever I run into a passage that physically impacts me, I write it out on the card. I have a stack of cards that I started thirty years ago. When I travel, I will bring them with me and pull them out. It’s like having a “greatest hits” album with you at all times. I know that each scripture I look at will be one of my favorites and deeply impacting. I’ve also use the Navigator’s memorization system to memorize scriptures. They print and sell powerful scriptures from the Bible and can really help in keeping God’s word on your lips. The impact of this practice reveals itself in two ways. When you are facing challenges, you can call up scriptures from within that can help you with whatever you are facing. You don’t need to flip through the Bible to find them. Secondly, when you are talking to others, you can drop in scriptures into your conversation that can counsel and encourage others. The power of your conversation intensifies based on the power and wisdom of God’s word. Meditate of God’s Word Day and Night Meditating on God’s word is simply ruminating or thinking deeply about God’s word. Meditation is integral to eastern religions and yet not limited to them. God was calling his people to use meditation to deepen their walk with him three thousand years ago. How can we do this? Take time to think about what you just read. Read long enough that your mind gets in sync with what you are reading about. Sometimes it takes 10 minutes or longer before your mind settles down and starts really connecting with a passage. That’s why as a younger Christian I recommend reading for volume as opposed to isolating single passages for deeper study. If you are less than a year old as a Christian, your first assignment should be to first read through the entire New Testament and then read through the Old Testament. A broad view of God’s word and his dealings with men will allow you to think more deeply and give you the context to drill down and understand better any singular passage. Keeping notes or a journal of what you are reading can help you meditate on the meaning. I like to read and then meditate on what I just read. I kneel on my prayer bench and think about what God was trying to communicate to me that morning. Don’t turn from it to the right or left Reading, knowing, meditating and memorizing God’s word is important but incomplete. God’s intention is that we are so influenced by his commands that it affects our daily behavior. This is what made Joshua one of the greatest generals and leaders of all time. And that is what we will cover in the next chapter. https://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf /episode/index/show/robskinner/id/31438407

265. Mission Team to Rome with David Hedrick, Mission Leader. "Rome Expedition" and plans for 2025 planting 05/27/2024

264. Amul and Rita in Ballari, India. A couple in their fifties leaves their business, home & family and grows a church from 30 to 135 through COVID. 05/20/2024

The Rob Skinner Podcast: Helping You Make This Life Count

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