Discipleship

If I want God do to something in my life He has never done before, I must be willing to pray something that I have never  prayed before. This is a story about faith and fearlessness, or at least the journey that led me to discover how to exercise and operate in these divine inheritances (Romans 12:3. 2 Timothy 1:7). In this three part saga, I revisit the miraculous series of events that led me and my wife to Free Chapel. 

I’m thankful for sandpaper people. They are the ones who speak a word of correction into my life whether I like it or not. They get my attention when I’m distracted and point me to Jesus. It was after a recent encounter with one of these sandy friends that I began to ask God, “Have I been like sandpaper to someone? And if so, what kind of sandpaper person and I? Most importantly, what kind of sandpaper person do You want me to be?”

We are all born innocent but into a sinful world. As children, when we know right from wrong and choose wrong, we eat our first seed of pride. Once that seed is allowed to germinate within our spirit, it begins to solidify through a network of iniquitous roots like unforgiveness, bitterness, fear, anger, and offenses of every kind. Learn how to let go.

Although God does not cause the hardships we experience in life, there are times when He allows us to endure challenging circumstances for His glory and our benefit. Through trials and tribulations, He is refining our character to be more like His. James encourages us to gain a positive, even joyful perspective through it all because the testing of our faith produces patience, maturity, and trustworthiness. However, just because I learned my lesson does not mean I passed the test. James gives us a secret key to graduating with honors and enjoying the view from God’s perspective. So, let’s unpack this powerful scripture. The following message was inspired by Free Chapel’s School of Discipleship.