by Stephen Rodgers
This is the hub post for Stephen Rodgers’ four-part series on the person of the Apostle Thomas. From this page, you can easily find and refer to all posts in this series.
All posts in the The Apostle Thomas series:
Monthly Archives: December 2008
Flexing Some Muscle
by Pastor Patrick Cho
It’s been three weeks since the pastoral staff has been working out together on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Honestly, I didn’t think I would ever get to a point where I would actually enjoy that time, but strangely, I now look forward to it. It has been easier getting myself ready and out the door. The one part of it that I particularly dreaded was the treadmill. (I can’t express how much I abhor running.) But honestly, that part of it really isn’t that bad anymore either. It’s not that it’s easier. I still have a looong way to go before I get anywhere near being healthy. =) It’s just that I’ve gotten used to it and the workout wouldn’t be the same without it.
At first, working out in the mornings would drain me physically for the rest of the day. My body would be sore and achy all week. Now, I think my body has grown accustomed to it, and I actually feel like I have more strength and energy each day. It’s amazing how a little bit of discipline can go a long way.
One other interesting observation is that it seems when I am doing well physically, my spiritual life comes on board and improves as well. I know bodily discipline is of little profitable and that I should discipline myself for the purpose of godliness, but being disciplined in general affects my life as a whole. I eat better, I sleep better, and I spend better time with the Lord. Perhaps it is because my mindset is to be disciplined. When I don’t have this discipline in my life, my spiritual walk tends to be more sporadic and inconsistent.
I’m so thankful for the accountability that John and J.R. bring each week. I’m sure it’s not always going to be easy for us to keep this going, but knowing that I’m the one with the key to the gym gets me up. If I’m late, I affect everyone. =)
Please pray for the pastoral staff in this regard. We understand the importance of exercising regularly because we need the energy that comes with it. We don’t want to be a bunch of sluggish sacks of fat. I heard once that Eric Alexander characterized American preachers that way. He said that he could always tell who was a lazy pastor because they were fat. Pastoral ministry is difficult enough without our bodies slowing us down unnecessarily. Please pray for this discipline that we might be more effective for God’s kingdom as a result. And maybe, just maybe, one day J.R. won’t make me and John look so bad!
Getting Back to Basics – Part 1
by Pastor Patrick Cho
Pastors struggle, too. For some, this may be difficult to understand because they consider that it is the pastor’s job to be in God’s Word. It’s part of pastoral ministry to be praying for people and showing godly kindness to them. Even though these things are true, the pastor can struggle spiritually. There have been times when on the way to Bible study I didn’t feel like teaching. There are times when I don’t feel like opening up God’s Word. There are times when I am not in the mood to counsel others or pray for them.
Pastors are not impervious to spiritual sluggishness. That really is what it boils down to. We can be lazy, too. Oftentimes, it seems like the hardest thing to do is to crack my Bible open to have my daily reading. There are seasons when I am really inconsistent in my times with the Lord. And really, if I’m honest, it comes down to a lack of discipline in my life. I’d rather do the things that I want to do rather than doing the things I know I need to do.
It’s times like this when I’m tempted to think up clever schemes to get myself back on track. I’ll go out and buy a new journal (I can’t tell you how many journals I’ve started and never completed!) or start a jogging routine because I seem to do better spiritually when I’m more disciplined physically (you can imagine how long that lasts!).
The truth is that clever schemes aren’t the solution for spiritual sluggishness. What is necessary is repentance. I need to be honest with God and confess that laziness is ultimately a sin against Him. I need to ask His forgiveness and direct my life towards Him. This requires that I turn from my sin, and that requires discipline. It isn’t about coming up with clever schemes. It’s about getting back to basics.
First, I need to make time for God’s Word. I say “make time” because finding time doesn’t always work. I am resigned to the fact that I will always be busy. It’s not very hard to fill my day with stuff, but it’s amazing how busyness doesn’t always amount to productivity. In order to be disciplined with God’s Word, I simply need to carve out time in my day and stay committed to it. Certainly, this assumes that I am not just in it, but prayerfully in it. Devotionally in it. Joyfully in it. That takes time. I need to pray that God would bless me through what I read. I need to pray like the Psalmist that God would open my eyes to see wonderful things in His law. With time and patience, God will make time in His Word sweet.
There is a woman I know in Argentina who spends time in God’s Word each morning. Her son says that she weeps over the pages as she considers what the Lord is teaching her. This sort of devotion does not come overnight. It comes from putting in the time to go deeper and deeper in one’s relationship with Him. It comes from coming to the Word over and over as if it is the food you eat and the water you drink, understanding that without it you would die. It requires that you allow God’s Word to fill your heart and mind.
Second, I need to pray. Prayer gives me the opportunity to express thankfulness to God and gets my heart in a worshipful state. It also puts me in the right position of depending on the Lord instead of on myself. When I don’t pray, it becomes easier and easier to fall into the error of thinking that prayer doesn’t accomplish much. But when my life is full of prayer, I experience how God hears, answers, and honors my prayers.
OK, this entry is starting to get kind of long, so I’ll end here and pick up next time.