I recently asked some young people what they thought of when they heard the word “discipline.”One of them said “hard work.” Another said: “when you get in trouble you get disciplined.” A third said “self-control.”They had good insights. I was impressed.Self-control is definitely closely related to discipline. Self-control is listed as a fruit of the … Continue reading What does it mean to be disciplined?
Author: Matthew Ruttan
Know you are loved
We’ve been talking about religious hypocrisy—in ourselves. This isn’t about being ourselves up, but about honest self-evaluation as we strive to grow and become more like Jesus.But that’s just what can happen. We beat ourselves up. The more we examine ourselves to see our sin, the more sin we see! It can be discouraging.The apostle … Continue reading Know you are loved
Being mentally present
“You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused…” (Matthew 13:14-15).Jesus often speaks against hypocrisy. It is giving lip service to faith. It is pretending, or simply going through the religious motions.So how do we guard against hypocrisy in our own … Continue reading Being mentally present
Humility and hypocrisy
The opposite of religious hypocrisy is faithful sincerity. With God’s help we want to move from the first category to the second. Not only do we want to say we believe in Jesus, but to think and act like we believe in Jesus.An important ingredient is humility.In Mark 7 Jesus speaks with a Gentile woman. … Continue reading Humility and hypocrisy
Closing the gaps
Hypocrite.It’s a heavy, negative word. It means “pretender”—someone who says and does things which aren’t harmonious with what they say they believe. Richard Baxter says: “As fencers upon a stage differ from soldiers fighting for their lives, so hypocrites differ from serious Christians.”*In Mark 7:6 (ESV) Jesus took issue with some Pharisees who were criticizing his … Continue reading Closing the gaps
Praying on the fly
The early Christians prayed. A lot.In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Paul famously says to “pray continuously.” Does he mean that we should never stop uttering words to God? What about when we’re sleeping or eating? His point, of course, is that we should make a regular habit of prayer. Some have argued that many of the early … Continue reading Praying on the fly
What is the Devil trying to do?
C. Peter Wagner writes: “The chief end of humans is to glorify God and the chief end of Satan is to prevent God from being glorified.”*There’s a lot in that statement so let’s take a few moments to unpack it.When he says that the “chief end of humans is to glorify God” he’s referring to … Continue reading What is the Devil trying to do?
Time for you is also time for others
In Mark 6 Jesus taught and fed thousands upon thousands of people. Afterward he sought some alone time with his heavenly Father. That makes sense. He had a big day and was also preparing for the next task. “And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray” (Mark … Continue reading Time for you is also time for others
He will never allow us utterly to fail
Some things are so obvious we almost miss them.One of them is found in Mark 6. The disciples have been walking and talking with Jesus himself. What an amazing opportunity! They have seen him preach and teach, heal people, cast out demons, calm a storm, and raise a dead child back to life. As if … Continue reading He will never allow us utterly to fail
Proximity to Jesus
Proximity. According to my online dictionary it means this: “nearness in place, time, order, occurrence, or relation; closeness.” Being in close proximity to the right things or people changes how you think and feel. Example 1: You’re alone in the forest at dusk and a shadowy figure approaches. You’re afraid. But what if you are … Continue reading Proximity to Jesus
