Your ID and His Plan

Tony Twist, the president of TCM International , a teaching and discipling ministry to Eastern Europe wrote a neat article I wanted to share with you.

What to do? Powerless to change anything. Going in wrong directions. Corrupt government on the brink of destruction. Feeling abandoned.

People all over the world are feeling this way. And we always have. Just like the disciples hearing the Great Commission in the first century. This was exactly their circumstance! Betrayed by authorities, unable to change things, and not knowing what to do that would make a difference. In fact, just a few years later, their entire country was destroyed by Caesar.

But in His final words to us, Jesus gives the answer. It may seem counter-intuitive. But actually it’s brilliant. We simply forget that His command in the commission was given to keep us focused on what makes the difference. What has the power to turn our world right-side up.

Make Disciples of all the nations.

Why? Because International Disciplers are His PLAN. That’s it. And it’s brilliant! Because it is the only way to be part of real, lasting change. God knows that circumstances will not change if people don’t. But when people commit to His family PLAN, deep lasting change can result. ID’s Pray like Him, Live like Him, Allocate resources as He taught, and Network as He did.

When we reclaim our true ID (international disciplers), we “re-member” whose we are. In His power and presence, we are emboldened to join with brothers and sisters everywhere to honor our family name and promote our family values. Shuch a family brings order out of chaos by radically lighting up our world together with Him. When a family is so grounded, death can’t even stop it. In 2009, TCM committed to a vision for the future that focuses on develoing disciple makers to make a global impact by more effectively influencing churches, cultures, and countries for Christ. Now, in 2010, we want to be part of a global movement to call all of us back to this simple, powerful imperative. It’s time to reclaim our true ID. This is what we must do.

Guys, What do you think about that? Is your true identity ID an International Discipler, or at least an Indiana Discipler? What do you think of this description of the PLAN: Pray like Him, Live like Him, Allocate resources as He taught, and Network as He did.? Have you seen Networking for Christ as your duty?

You need a heart transplant!

“You got a bad ticker, and if you don’t get a new one, you’re gonna be a dead man. In fact for all practical purposes, you’re a walking dead man right now.”

How would you like to hear that rather frank diagnosis the next time you go into your doctor for a routine physical?

The Bible says that if we have not accepted Jesus Christ as our personal savior and lord, that we are spiritually DEAD! It also says that from a Hebrew concept, we have a bad heart, the heart being our real selves, our center, our soul, not the muscle that pumps blood around. Here is some interesting information and bible verses on “The Heart:”

Ancient Hebrew Word Meanings Heart ~ lev By Jeff A. Benner

Here is an example of our modern western culture still using a concrete object to express an abstract idea. We often associate the heart with emotions such as love and kindness as in "He has a good heart". This is also true with the Hebrews who saw the heart as the seat of emotion. But unlike us they also saw the heart as the seat of thought whereas we see the brain as the seat of thought. To the ancient Hebrews the heart was the mind including all thoughts including emotions. When we are told to love God with all our heart (Deut 6:5) it is not speaking of an emotional love but to keep our emotions and all our thoughts working for him. The first picture in this Hebrew word is a shepherd staff and represents authority as the shepherd has authority over his flock. The second letter is the picture of the floor plan of the nomadic tent and represents the idea of being inside as the family resides within the tent. When combined they mean "the authority within".

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Psalm 44:21 Would not God find this out: For He knows the secrets of the heart.

Luke 16:15 And He (Jesus) said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.”

Ezekiel 36:26 Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.

Heart (Easton’s 1897 Bible Dictionary)

According to the Bible, the heart is the centre not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. "Heart" and "soul" are often used interchangeably (Deut. 6:5; 26:16; comp. Matt. 22:37; Mark 12:30, 33), but this is not generally the case. (The real you, your personhood)sb

The heart is the "home of the personal life," and hence a man is designated, according to his heart, wise (1 Kings 3:12, etc.), pure (Ps. 24:4; Matt. 5:8, etc.), upright and righteous (Gen. 20:5, 6; Ps. 11:2; 78:72), pious and good (Luke 8:15), etc. In these and such passages the word "soul" could not be substituted for "heart."

The heart is also the seat of the conscience (Rom. 2:15). It is naturally wicked (Gen. 8:21), and hence it contaminates the whole life and character (Matt. 12:34; 15:18; comp. Eccl. 8:11; Ps. 73:7). Hence the heart must be changed, regenerated (Ezek. 36:26; 11:19; Ps. 51:10-14), before a man can willingly obey God.

The process of salvation begins in the heart by the believing reception of the testimony of God, while the rejection of that testimony hardens the heart (Ps. 95:8; Prov. 28:14; 2 Chr. 36:13). "Hardness of heart evidences itself by light views of sin; partial acknowledgment and confession of it; pride and conceit; ingratitude; unconcern about the word and ordinances of God; inattention to divine providences; stifling convictions of conscience; shunning reproof; presumption, and general ignorance of divine things."