Episode 49

 Tales From the Scrypt – the Road to the First Easter

Most of this episode features me reading the scripts I wrote for the short form radio show I do on KLPZ, 1380 AM (found online at 1380am.com). I won’t put all my scripts here in show notes, but want to share with you what I said at the end of the show.

Because God loves us He chose to end our separation and reconcile us to Himself by sending His Son Jesus to be the one perfect sacrifice for sin. He came to earth as God in human flesh, lived a perfect life, died on the cross to forgive our sins, was buried and then rose from the dead conquering both death and hell and now lives forever more. He offers everyone salvation by accepting the gift of salvation that He died to provide.

BASIS is how we respond to the Gospel of Jesus. First I must BELIEVE that Jesus is my Savior and that he saves my by His grace. Then I must ACCEPT Him as my personal Lord, this is where I begin to give my life to Him and live according to His commands. This submitting to Christ continues when I SWITCH or repent. This means I turn away from sin and self and turn to follow Jesus and His word. This is the real engine of change in the believer’s life. This is not a onetime only event but a regular activity as I continually turn away from all sin and selfishness that I discover in my life. Next I INFORM others of my choice both verbally, by telling others about my decision to follow Jesus and by the way I’m now living. Finally I SUBMERGE myself in Christ through water baptism and by seeking to be in Christ every moment of every day. This is the essence of the Living Free Movement, to live fully submerged in Jesus, faithfully following Him no matter how difficult or painful His way might be.

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Episode 48

Disciple Up # 49
The Cruel Curse of Christian Cliches
By Louie Marsh, 3-21-2018

What’s coming up –

THIS EPISODE -The Cruel Curse of Christian Clichés

49 – 3-28- Tales From the Scrypt – The Easter Story

55 – 5-9- 1st Anniversary!

Don’t know what I’ll do – if you want to say anything about the impact of this podcast on your life in it’s first year e-mail, put it on FaceBook, etc.

NEW SEGMENT – WOULDA-COULDA-SHOULDA

 Thoughts on last week’s topic that I missed including.

I probably didn’t stress enough that being transparent with others starts with being transparent with yourself! This is why it’s such a boost to our spiritual and emotional growth and our overall growth as a person.

The Disciple Up Low Down On Why Clichés Matter.

THE CLICHES:

“God needed another angel.”

God doesn’t NEED anything – because He’s God! See my sermon from 2-25-2018

“When God closes a door, He opens a window.”

But if God closes a door in your life, there’s no guarantee He’ll open a window. He may not open anything. He may want you to realize you have the wrong address.

6  And they went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7  And when they had come up to Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them. 8  So, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas. 9  And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10  And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:6-10 (ESV)

“The greatest distance in the universe is the eighteen inches between your head and your heart.”

This isn’t Biblical and displays the anti-intellectual strain in large parts of fundamentalism. It’s bad – God designed your heart and mind to work together!

“You’re never more safe than when you’re in God’s will.”

Jesus seems to disagree:

 16  You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. 17  You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. 18  But not a hair of your head will perish. Luke 21:16-18 (ESV)

Look at all the Christian martyrs including all the Apostles except John!

Justin Martyr (AD 100–165) was almost certainly reflecting on this passage when he said, “They can kill us but they cannot harm us.”

“God will not give you more than you can handle.”

The problem, though, is that God will give you more than you can handle. He’ll do it to make you lean on Him. He’ll do it because He loves you.

8  For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9  Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10  He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11  You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 (ESV)

John Newton (1725–1807), the former slave trader who penned “Amazing Grace.” Wrote this in a letter:

“Though our frames and perceptions may vary, the report of faith concerning [the time of death] is the same. The Lord usually reserves dying strength for a dying hour … When the time shall arrive which he has appointed for your dismissal, I make no doubt but that he will overpower all your fears, silence all your enemies, and give you a comfortable, triumphant entrance into his kingdom. You have nothing to fear from death; for Jesus, by dying, has disarmed it of its sting, has perfumed the grave, and opened the gates of glory for his believing people.”

“God helps those who help themselves.”

Ever hear of the Gospel? Salvation by Grace?  This isn’t all false but reflects a mind set upon earning God’s approval by works.

“Let go and let God.”

As J. I. Packer once put it, “The Christian’s motto should not be ‘Let go and let God’ but ‘Trust God and get going.'”

“Everything happens for a reason.”

Yes, that scientifically true but that doesn’t mean it’s a good reason or a healthy one or that God intended it to happen.

“God said it. I believe it. That settles it”

True BUT – that shouldn’t discount struggles

“Sowing a seed” when you mean give money

 That’s “My Truth”

The Christian Side Hug

Really? We can’t just hug people naturally?

Christian Cliché video

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Episode 47

Disciple Up # 47
Transparent Discipleship
By Louie Marsh, 3-14-2018

What’s coming up –

48 – 3-21-The Cruel Curse of Christian Clichés

49 – 3-28- Tales From the Scrypt – The Easter Story

55 – 5-9- 1st Anniversary!

Don’t know what I’ll do – if you want to say anything about the impact of this podcast on your life in it’s first year e-mail, put it on FaceBook, etc.

My book Getting Real is all about this – from the Psalms which is if not the most then one of the most real books in the Bible.

The Disciple Up Low Down on the Importance of Transparency

Biblical Basis for Transparency

Throughout the Bible, the heroes of faith are presented as men subject to like passions as we are (Jas. 5:17) with strengths and weaknesses. For example, it not only portrays Abraham as a friend of God but also as a liar who jeopardized his wife’s virtue.

  1. The Lord Jesus

2) The Psalms – as real as you can get!

Hindrances to Transparency

There is a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) transparency about the characters in the Bible. But many of us go around wearing a mask. Why are we afraid to let others know who we really are?

We are afraid to be transparent because we fear others may not like what they see and reject us. Worse, your words or actions may be misinterpreted and gossip, like wild fire, may spread to many others. Another hindrance to transparency is the “living by faith” extreme of denying our feeling.

Therefore, we put up this “I-Must-Always-Be-Strong” facade such that nothing can go out and nothing can come in. It becomes impossible to “connect” (build close relationships) with others.

Quotes:

Jennie Allen

“We are all hiding from each other with big fig leaves, but God says, “You could stop because I am a way better covering. I have an actual payment for all the sin you are hiding. But it will take coming out from behind your leaves. It will take humility to see that you need me”

Joni Eareckson Tada

Gut-wrenching questions honor God. Despair directed at God is a way of encountering him, opening ourselves up to the One and only Someone who can actually do something about our plight.

Madeleine L’Engle

When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown-up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability… To be alive is to be vulnerable.

Henri J.M. Nouwen

I always try to turn my personal struggles into something helpful for others.

Henri J. M. Nouwen

Maybe we wonder if God can take all that goes on in our mind and heart. Maybe we simply want to hold on to our own pleasurable imaginings, afraid that in showing them to our Lord, we may have to give them up. Thus, we are constantly tempted to fall back…out of fear or out of greed, and to keep from our God what often is the most in need of His healing touch.

Juliana of Norwich

It is very great pleasure to [Christ] when a simple soul comes to him nakedly, plainly and unpretentiously.

How To Build A Foundation For Transparency

  1. We cannot hide anything from God  You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Psa 139:3
  2. We can tell God anything and everything.

1  How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? 2  How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? 3  Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, Psalm 13:1-3 (ESV)

Paul was not afraid to allow others to see him as he was.  15  The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16  But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17  To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:15-17 (ESV)

Benefits of Transparency

  1. People will see you as a real human being.
  2. Your transparency lets people into you life and creates a real healthy relationship.
  3. Transparency creates transparency. It will draw your disciples out to reveal their hearts to you. This in turn will enable you to know where the applications of God’s word are to be made in their lives.
  4. Your transparency gives others the freedom to hurt, permission to fail, and the confidence to  trust in the Grace of God

 Potential Problems with Transparency

  1. To be transparent isn’t telling everyone everything about everything.
    29  Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)

6  Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. Colossians 4:6 (ESV)

    1. Don’t harm people by sharing things they can’t handle and will hurt them.
    2. Always make sure whatever you say that you point people to Christ.

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Episode 46

Disciple Up Show Notes # 46
Dealing with Failure
By Louie Marsh, 3-7-2017

Intro.

Support the Disciple Empowering podcast!!!

What we’re going to do on the show today.

Examples of Failures in the Bible:

The prophet Elijah’s breakdown

 Intro to the Disciple Up SmackDown – history of Disciple Up Low Down and how this developed. Decided today to do this off an outline not a script like the Low Down so they’ll have very different styles and identities.

The Disciple Up SmackDown on Admitting I Failed

When discussing failure with most modern Americans and sadly that includes Christians you’ll almost always get the lecture if you dare to say anything like, “I failed.”

There’s a huge difference between admitting something you’ve done has failed and saying you are a failure.

What is this so called “positivity?” It’s a determined and deliberate denial of reality. I believe Disciples of Jesus believe, speak and live the truth. So when you’ve sinned you admit it, and when you’ve failed you admit it.

Quotes:

“Failure means I dared try.”

– Jack Hyles

“It is better to make a thousand failures than to be too cowardly to ever undertake anything.”

– Clovis G. Chappell

“And seldom if ever do I leave the pulpit without a sense of partial failure, a mood of penitence, a cry to God for forgiveness, and a resolve to look to Him for grace to do better in the future.”

– John Stott

“Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.”

C.S. Lewis

“Sum up the life of Jesus by any other standard than God’s, and it is an anticlimax of failure.”

– Oswald Chambers

“What is God’s remedy for dejection at apparent failure in our labors? This – the assurance that God’s purpose cannot fail, that God’s plans cannot miscarry, that God’s will must be done. Our labors are not intended to bring about that which God has not decreed.”

– A. W. Pink

“To dwell on the past simply causes failure in the present. While you are sitting down and bemoaning the past and regretting all the things you have not done, you are crippling yourself and preventing yourself from working in the present. Is that Christianity? Of course it is not.”

– Martyn Lloyd-Jones

“One who faces his own failures is steadily advancing on the pilgrim’s way.”

– William Temple

John Mark’s desertion

Peter’s denial of Christ

 Failures who didn’t recover:

Saul

 Judas

 Samson (sort of)

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