The following is the text from my bulletin insert. I am designing a series of weekly inserts to help me better explain the Wesleyan Way of Discipleship. You can download a pdf of this insert at the end of blog. Provoking Question of the Week: This week, you are encouraged to ask a church member the following: “Can you tell me something that gets in the way of you having a complete focus on Jesus?” We live in a world that, some would say, is defined by multi-tasking. That is the ability to do more than one thing at a time. It brings to my mind a juggler trying to keep several balls moving through the air without dropping any of them. Multi-tasking is great, if you are able to do it. Some people say, it’s not possible but only an illusion. I bring it up because I want us to consider our relationship with Jesus. In the Wesleyan Way of Discipleship, we begin by putting Jesus on the throne of our hearts. We also have to learn to let nothing come between us and the relationship that grows out of putting him at the center of our lives. Therein, lies the problem that we face as maturing disciples. Sometimes, it is quite easy to get distracted from the main and most important thing. Sometimes, it is difficult to keep our focus upon Jesus and what it is that he wants us to do. The multi-tasking that so predominates in our day to day earthly lives quite easily makes its way into our spiritual lives. We have lost the ability to focus on the most important thing and get sidetracked by so many things that pull us away from Jesus. It becomes more and more difficult to hear the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit when our minds are cluttered with so many different things pulling us in so many different directions. We need to take a step back and truly examine our lives in relation to Christ’s call. Are we hearing His voice? Are we going where He tells us to go? Are we seeing the world as Christ sees it? Are we aware of the hurt and pain that surrounds us? Are we able to focus on the main thing—Jesus Christ? As you go forth into the week, I need for you to consider the following questions: -- Is there something that regularly gets between me and my relationship with Jesus? -- Is there some situation in which I regularly find myself that draws me away from Christ’s presence and more toward the world? -- What do I do to foster a deeper relationship with Jesus on a regular basis? -- What could I do to be drawn closer to Jesus and put him squarely on the throne of my heart? -- What is the most important thing in my life? Does it keep me from knowing Jesus more clearly and following him more obediently? Am I willing to give this thing up so that I can deepen my relationship with God? -- If I were to ask a close friend what they thought of my closeness to Jesus, what do I think their answer might be? ![]()
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4/24/2017 07:49:33 am
I am certainly what I consider to be a multitasker...the problem is that multitasking usually ends up with me taking on more things at once than I can handle. There is my biggest distraction that gets between me and Jesus. Often times it's work related, but many times it's son-related. I am working to quit trying to fix everything. It's hard to do though, especially when I get it in my mind that I have to do this. God is working on this p art of my life and hopefully I will be obedient to Him to allow Him control and trust Him enough to let Him be in the midst of their lives and lead them to Him in their own personal ways. This is a very large stumbling block for me...I have to pray about it daily, often more times than once.
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AuthorI am just a simple United Methodist pastor. I am an elder in the Holston Annual Conference. This blog is my attempt to share the insights that I have gathered from John Wesley's writings and from others more knowledgable than myself in regards to Wesley. I am not a scholar. Perhaps you could best think of me as a practical theologian. Archives
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