Cru Jacksonville

11/19/2019

Give to help fulfill academic needs at Wolfson by choosing a dollar amount ($1-$100) and donating using the LEARN MORE button on the FOW page.

11/19/2019

We see you, paw numbers 3, 11, 19, 22, 29, 50 and 54. Thanks to those who have given. Claim your paw today and Back the Pack!
(Last year’s campaign funded these new video cameras for the IB Film Program)

08/17/2016

Here's another home run from my friend Dale Tedder.

Tongue-Tied for Jesus

Exodus 4:11-12 – The Lord said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? [12] Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”

Luke 12:11-12 – “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, [12] for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

God’s Mouthpiece

In Exodus 4, God called Moses to be his mouthpiece. Moses would represent God to both the Egyptians as well as the Israelites. Moses would speak on God’s behalf and utter the very message God told him to pass on. Some believe that, when Moses first declined God's offer, he was practicing false humility, common in his day. Others believe he wasn't very eloquent and was simply scared. Who knows? Whatever the reason, it seems plausible he may have been a bit overwhelmed at the prospect of speaking to Pharaoh. Who wouldn’t?

I’ve been there. Such fear comes from relying too much upon myself and not enough on God. God says as much with these words,

“Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? (verse 11)

God’s the sovereign One in the equation, not me. Our Lord made a similar point in Luke 12 when he told his disciples they would be persecuted for following him. How would they respond when they were caught and tried by the authorities? How would they reply to the charges? Just think of the pressure and stress. Would fear overcome them? Or would they find the right words at the right moment?

Jesus told them not to worry about such things. He said,

“When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, (verse 11)

Our Default Excuse

The number of people who have told me they do not share their faith because they are “afraid they won’t know what to say” is higher than I can count. How often have we remained silent when we could and should have lovingly confronted a friend or family member for a particular sin in their lives? How many times have we avoided offering counsel to someone making a major life-decision because the pressure was simply too great? We’re afraid we’ll get tongue-tied for Jesus.

Those, and other examples, are often the result of leaning too heavily upon our own abilities (or fearing our inabilities) rather than trusting God and his Spirit to speak through us. But notice the reasons both
God the Father in Exodus and Jesus in Luke’s Gospel give for placing our trust in God:

Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.” (verse12)

for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.” (verse 12)

Trust God and Speak

You see, God never requires anything from us for which he does not also equip us. God wants us to witness to unbelievers as well as to minister to fellow believers. We are his hands and feet. More than that, we are his voice. We are not called to share our own opinions, however, but his words and counsel. Of course, as a seminary professor once reminded me, God seldom fills empty heads. If we aren’t listening to God through prayer and the study of his Word, then it is indeed doubtful we will have much to offer anyone.

And yet, as we dig into his Word and meditate upon what he has revealed to us, we will hear not only what he is saying to us, but also what he wants us to share with others. And that’s more than worth our effort.

Walking Points

Have you ever frozen in fear of what to say to someone who asked you why you are a Christian? Or have you not known how to counsel a friend who asked you for advice concerning a tough life-situation? Did either of those experiences make you more or less likely to “speak for God” when future opportunities presented themselves? Do you think you were leaning too heavily upon yourself? Your abilities? What are three things you can start doing today to prepare yourself to communicate God’s truth to another person when the next opportunity presents itself?

07/28/2016

Here's a recent blog from a friend of mine, Dale Tedder. Hope you are encouraged as I was.

The Struggle of the Two Ditches

A Tale of Two Ditches

Not too long ago a friend shared with me his struggle to faithfully teach grace to the folks he disciples. I certainly share that struggle. Faithful discipleship is a narrow path between the two ditches of legalism and licentiousness.

I didn’t come up with that distinction. The Apostle Paul dealt with the same issues. On the one hand he had to warn the Galatian Christians about the ditch of legalism espoused by the Judaizers. These were folks who claimed Jesus was great, but you still had to obey the Law of Moses to be saved. On the other hand, he had to give an emphatic “NO” to those in the other ditch whose philosophy was, “Let’s sin up a storm so we can experience more of God’s grace.” In their view, Christians don’t have to worry about obeying God, because they’re under God’s grace.

The path between the two ditches is hard and narrow indeed and Christian history is littered with examples of how individuals, (as well as groups of people), have fallen into one ditch or the other. Regardless of which ditch you fall into, you still end up dirty and smelly.

Dangerous Grace

To my struggling friend, and as a reminder to myself, I offer some counsel I once heard. Take comfort in the struggle of the narrow path because the Apostle Paul experienced the same. Grace is a dangerous thing. If we faithfully and accurately teach the biblical doctrine of grace, there will always be the risk someone might distort it in a libertine direction, just as a faithful and accurate teaching of obedience might lead some into the legalistic ditch. We are called to be faithful in our message of grace, even though we can’t control what people will do with it.

Those who take the ministry of discipleship seriously will always struggle with this. However, we can use this struggle between the two ditches, the journey of the narrow path, to motivate us to be careful, loving, grace-filled, and faithful in our teaching, discipling, counseling, correcting, etc.

Remembering My Own Struggle

I know that walking the narrow path is hard for me, and I’ve been at it for some time now. I can still remember the early days of my walk with Christ. I often caught myself walking a little too closely to one side of the path or the other. Sadly, I sometimes found myself having to climb out of one ditch or the other. But in God’s goodness, he cleaned me up, disciplined me, and sent me along my way.

This reminder of my own history will hopefully encourage me (and you) to be patient with those whom I disciple, especially those who are just beginning their own way down the narrow path. Thank God for his ever-present grace!

Walking Points

Do you remember when you first became a Christian? Which ditch did you find yourself falling into in your early days? Now that you’ve been a Christian for a while, which tendency (or, ditch) do you find yourself struggling with? Why do you think Christians, regardless of how long they’ve been walking with Christ, find themselves struggling along the narrow path? Why do they get too close to one ditch or the other? What are three things you can begin doing today, with God’s wisdom and power, to help you stay on the straight and narrow?

Grace and Truth,
Dale

07/18/2016

Here's a recent post from my friend David Hall.

Isn't easy to get wrapped up in being good? From a young age you've been told it's important to be a good young boy. Our behavior has huge rewards or consequences. Somewhere in Britain there's a kid that was told," If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding. How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat." That one was never used on me. We try and act good, especially when we're at church. We feel like God is watching us and keeping track of our good and bad deeds. Kind of like that other guy that is keeping a list and checking it twice so he can determine who is naughty or nice and then breaks into your house at night and sees you when you're sleeping. That's actually really creepy. Maybe Santa is a mentally deranged stalker. I fall into a trap of constantly judging myself by my good or bad behavior. Today was a good day. I didn't have too many sinful thoughts or
I didn't say anything hurtful or harmful today. The other side are the days when I royally mess it up (not sure why it's always royally). Even so, on most days I am better than most of the other people I come into contact. The reality is that although works are important, and the Bible tells us this in several places that they are, MY works have no part in the equation of my salvation. For me to guage MY righteousness by whether I was a good boy today is contrary to what the Bible teaches. Isaiah 64:6 puts it like this, " we are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like Autumn Leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind." The first step is for us to understanding the depth of our sin compared to a holy God. The next is to deal with our own pride which makes us think that apart from God we are
good people. Romans 7:18 says it best, "I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature." The only thing that makes us good is Jesus living inside of us.

08/16/2013

Colossians 1:28-29. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

What an awesome privilege and responsibility we have been given. Oh, that each of us would endeavor to engage our coworkers, bosses, employees, neighbors and friends to this end. What can you change in your weekly routine to help achieve the goal of presenting everyone Maude in Christ?

06/10/2013

Theodore Roosevelt is credited as saying, "Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."

Are you working hard at work worth doing? Yes, If you are working a unto The Lord. If not, you shouldn't be surprised that you feel unfulfilled and are lacking the prize.

06/07/2013

At the end of his life Newton said to a friend, "My memory is nearly gone; but I remember two things: that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior."
-John Newton- Slave Trader, Captain of a slave ship, Customs Officer, Poet, and Pastor

Let is not forget this for ourselves, and preach the Gospel to yourself, daily.

05/03/2013

In Acts 10 Cornelius is led by God to seek out Peter because he is told Peter has a message from God for him. While Cornelius is a devout, godly man there is still something he lacks. So God tells him to whom to go to gain the knowledge he lacks. During Cornelius encounter Peter boldly shares the Gospel of Jesus and many are saved and filled with the Holy Spirit.

As you read and reflect on this encounter ask yourself a few questions.

1. Are you prepared to share the Gospel with someone the Lord directs to you?

2. If not, how do you need to equip yourself to be prepared to give an account of the hope you have?

3. Who in your workplace do you need to share the Gospel?

04/22/2013

You don't have to go to another neighborhood or state or far away country to be on mission. As you work at your cubicle, home or corner office today, look around you. Your boss, your peers, your neighbors and your employees, these are the people to whom The Lord would have you minister. Pray for them. Build a relationship with them. Serve them. Share the Gospel with them.

04/17/2013

Do you have a sense of destiny in your life? Do you feel you were created for some specific purpose, racecar driver, attorney, gardener, code writer, carpenter, gandy dancer, etc? Your vocation is a holy calling. Like Adam as he tended (cultivated) the Garden, you are cultivating God's Creation through your labors. "So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God"

04/16/2013

A local businessman recently shared that his business was not as God-centered as it had been at this same time last year. After some probing it seemed that his own relationship with Christ was on the wane. Often it is true that the attitude of the one in authority pervades an entire organization.

In Paul's letter the the Galatian churches he confronts a similar situation. "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”

Perhaps you find yourself in this same situation. What has caused you to take your eye of Christ? What are you willing to do to make the necessary changes?

A little later in the letter Paul encourages the Galatian Christians, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." You need to ask yourself, in who's power am I living, The Holy Spirit or my own? If you discover your living in your own power you need to confess it and by faith pray to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Remember, change has not occurred until change has occurred.

For more information on the Spirit Filled Life, check out this link:
http://cru.org/spirit/

Cru helps people in every segment of society -- from students to athletes to families to business professionals -- truly follow Jesus Christ.