TheLife Blog

WAIT.

I realize this is just one of thousands of messages that will be thrown at you today.

BUT STOP.

Stop for a few seconds.  Take a deep breath.  In… then out.   I’m serious.  Try it.

BREATHE (again.)

Try to clear your brain of all the to-dos and projects and mental conversations you’ve been going over.

PRAY.

Say hello to God.  Invite Him into this moment, right now.  Tell him you’re ready to listen.

WATCH THIS VIDEO.

It’s only 3 minutes and 49 seconds long.  It will be worth it.

REMEMBER.

Read Romans 8:28-34.

Know that  if you let Him, God will make you just like Jesus.  And on the way, no matter what bad habit you can’t conquer or fear that trips you up or laziness that slows you down – nothing will ever change how much you are loved by Jesus.

LET IT GO.

Whatever is getting in the way, wouldn’t you rather  be the new creation you could be?  Tell God you’re ready.  Thank Him.  Do it even if you think God is getting tired of hearing this same prayer again and again.  He never gets tired of this prayer.

SHARE.

That took you six minutes.  To be thrilled once again by God’s relentless grace.  It will take you ten seconds to pass it along to someone else.  Starting now.

Serving together,
Leonard Buhler

I love Carolyn’s story.  She describes a time in her life when her neighbors were actually knocking on her door and asking, “How can I have a relationship with God?”  Thankfully, Carolyn knew exactly what to do next. She invited her neighbor in and used a gospel tool to share Christ with her.  Not long after, her neighbor was ready to accept Jesus! Watch the video

That neighbor’s journey to Jesus wasn’t as quick as it sounds. When people become Christians, they tend to move through five predictable stages or spiritual thresholds. Some people move through each stage very quickly, others get stuck at one threshold for a long time. The five stages go like this:

Why does it help to know these five thresholds?

Because knowing where your non-Christian friends are on their spiritual journey will help you know what to do next.

Maybe you just met someone new.  Your first goal is to make sure that person knows you’re someone who can be trusted (whatever they may have heard about Christians).  Spend time together!  Show your friend that you’re just like her.

When your new friend starts to become curious about what you believe, you can be ready to answer those questions.  Better yet, you can get the conversation going by asking them lots of questions about what they believe and listening to the answers with interest and respect.  (Watch Crave: The Documentary to see how this is done.)

The next threshold your friend needs to cross is opening up to change in her own life.  This is where you can share honestly with your friend about how Jesus makes a difference to you. (Watch Patrick’s story to see how one person did this.)  Hopefully, she will begin to ask herself whether there’s something missing, and whether Jesus might be who she needs.

When your friend decides it’s time to stop wandering around spiritually and begin to seek God, you can be ready to answer her questions about the gospel, and what it means to be a Christian.

Next you can guide and support your friend  as she chooses to invite Jesus into her life.  Offer to pray with her.  Then celebrate with her!

Action Steps:

1. Write down the names of three non-Christians in your life, then try to figure out what spiritual threshold they may be at.
2. Pray that God will guide you in helping your friends to move one step closer to Jesus.  Ask Him what you should do next with each of those three friends!
3. If you’re feeling stuck, email one of our online coaches to ask for advice.

Serving together,
Leonard Buhler

When you look at a disciple, you’re supposed to see a mirror image of their Rabbi – the one they are following and learning from.  That’s how New Testament expert Joe Amaral puts it.

You might find that statement incredibly inspiring.  Imagine if, when people looked at you, they could see Jesus!  Imagine how naturally people would be drawn to God, if they sensed Jesus-like compassion, grace, and love when they were around you.  Isn’t that an amazing thought?

You might find that statement incredibly discouraging.  Me?  A mirror image of Jesus?  Yeah, right.  How is that even possible?  Did you catch what Joe said about how a true disciple follows his rabbi so closely, he chokes on the dust from his sandals?  You don’t become a mirror image of Jesus by trying really hard.  You become a mirror image of Jesus because you hang around him so much.  This is what John 15:5-6 is getting at:   ”I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing.” (The Message)

Action Steps:

1. Make it a special point this week to ‘hang around Jesus.’  Connect with him by reading the Scriptures and praying.  Ask Him how you could become a better mirror image of Him, and invite Him to grow incredible fruit in your life.
2. Start a conversation about discipleship.  Share Joe Amaral’s video with your friends.  See what they think of his definition of discipleship.  Ask them if the video encouraged or challenged them in any way.

Serving together,
Leonard Buhler

Don’t forget to confess.

I have a confession to make.  I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have done that.  Please forgive me.  Do you ever say words like that to the people in your life?  What about to God?

Admitting that you’ve done something wrong is not easy.  It can be awkward, scary, and humbling.  A few months ago, I experienced this first-hand in my own life, and wrote about it in a blog post called “It’s Only Snow.”  What that experience taught me is that confession may be horribly difficult at times, but it’s also enormously important.  It’s only when I’m confessing my mistakes and my sin that I get to enjoy the grace, forgiveness, and freedom that God wants to give me.  And it’s only when I’m enjoying grace and freedom in my own life that I have something powerful and real that I can share with others.  The gospel will only become real to the people around me if they see it at work in me.

Do you remember how the apostle John put it?  “If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (1 John 1:8-9) Confession may take us to uncomfortable places, but then it leads us into joy and truth, and from there into amazing adventures with God.

Action Steps:

1. Read “It’s Only Snow.”  Is there any sin piling up in your life?  Spend time talking to God about it, and receiving His forgiveness.  Ask Him if you need to seek forgiveness from anybody else for this sin, and ask Him for the courage and humility to apologize to that person.
2. Learn more about how to practice the habit of confession by working through this powerful online lesson on confession.

Serving together,
Leonard Buhler

It’s not easy to know what to do when someone you care about is struggling.  What do you say to your colleague who’s just lost a parent?  How do you respond to your friend whose spouse has just been diagnosed with a terminal illness, or to your classmate who’s shared a painful story from the past?  Being faced with pain, loss, and confusion can make us feel overwhelmed and helpless.  Sometimes, we avoid the person because we just don’t know what to do or say.

Crisis is an incredible opportunity to share the love of Christ with someone who’s not a believer.  Instead of running away, ask God to make it clear how you can show His love in the situation.  One of the best ways to love someone in crisis is just to be there – to show up, tell your friend you’re sorry for what they’re going through, and offer to listen.  When you do that, you may notice your friend is asking new questions about life, meaning, and God.  This could be a great opportunity to offer to pray for your friend, or to share how Jesus helps you through crisis.  Even if you don’t have the opportunity for a spiritual conversation, you can show Jesus’ love by taking action: showing up with take-out, offering to drive them to the hospital, or helping them get yard work done.  Make no mistake: your love-in-action will make an impact in your friend’s life.  If and when spiritual issues do come up, your friend will be intrigued to know what motivates your love and support.

Action Steps:

1. When Bad Things Happen to Good People is a powerful video featuring Dawson McAllister, who shares his own pain following the car accident that left his son in a coma.  Consider sharing this video with a friend who’s going through a difficult time.  You may also want to use some of Dawson McAllister’s insights on suffering as you engage people in spiritual conversations.
2. Think about the people in your life who are going through a difficult time.  Are any of them non-Christians?  Ask God to guide you in showing them His love.  Choose at least one thing you’re your friend would find helpful or encouraging, and do it this week.

Serving together,
Leonard Buhler

Do you ever feel like giving up?  Taking the easy road?  Putting yourself first for a while?  Jesus did too.  That night so many years ago in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus pleaded with His Father.  “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you.  Take this cup from me.”  You’re in charge of the universe, Father.  Isn’t there some other way?  Don’t make me do this.

When we think of that scene in the Garden, we tend to focus on Jesus’ final decision, the one that led him to the cross: “Yet not what I will, but what you will.”  Sometimes we forget that Jesus didn’t arrive at that decision easily.  “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” Jesus said (Mark 14:34).  He struggled with the sacrifice he was being asked to make.  The same way we all struggle.

You’ve made The Life commitment.  That doesn’t mean you’re always going to feel great about cooperating with what God is asking you to do.  Don’t be discouraged if some days are harder than others.  Be like Jesus, and take your frustrations and struggles to God.  He’ll give you the strength you need to stay on the right road.

Action Steps:

1. Need a little encouragement?  Read this article by Sean McDowell about how hard – and how rewarding – it can feel to follow Jesus. Then share it with a friend.
2. Remember that you shouldn’t try to do this alone.  Have you asked anyone to be your accountability partner for The Life?  An accountability partner is someone who prays for you, encourages you, and gives you a gentle nudge now and then.  A partner can help you keep going when you feel like giving in or giving up.

Serving together,
Leonard Buhler

Ask me to explain how social media works, and I will give you a confused look.  I’m not an expert: I’m still trying to figure out how to use the ‘Retweet’ function.  (And what is a hashtag, anyway?) But one thing I do know beyond a doubt is that social media is an incredibly powerful tool that no Christian can afford to ignore.  You tap a few keys, click a few icons, and you’ve communicated with an audience of hundreds of people, most of whom ‘friended’ or ‘followed’ you, which means they’re at least somewhat interested in what you say and do.  You have a tremendous reach, and tremendous potential for impact!

There are different ways you can reach out on the Internet.  If you want to be direct, you can post thought-provoking videos or images.  You might type out a verse you love.  You could choose to be transparent in your status updates and give people a window into your relationship with God:  “Went for a walk by the ocean – such a great chance to be still and remember that God’s in charge.”

There are other less direct but equally powerful ways to reflect Jesus online.  Do your level best to stay away from negativity – it’s easy to use status updates as a vehicle for complaints.  It may be a little old-fashioned, but the reminder to ask yourself “Is it kind?  Is it necessary?  Is it true?”  before you post something is a good one.  You want people to associate your online self with hope, joy, and love, not loud opinions and frustrated rants.  I also know people who use social media as an encouragement tool:  every chance they get, they are visiting the pages of friends who are having a rough time and posting words of affirmation and love.  What about you?  What can you do to build people up online?

Take Action:

1. Did you know April 29 is Internet Evangelism Day?  Read “Sharing Your Faith Online” .  Then take action: visit your favorite social media site and post something that will point the people in your life to God.
2. Aim to be like Jesus when you’re online.  If you’re a regular social media user, I encourage you to revisit your last month of posts and interactions.  How are you doing with reflecting the character of Jesus when you’re online?  Think of one or two things you can do to grow in this area.

Serving Jesus together,
Leonard Buhler