Author: Jimmy Gunn

Re:Verse passage – 2 Thessalonians 2:13–17; Hebrews 5:11–13; Romans 16:17–18 day three) 

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. (Hebrews 5:12-13)

I had a coach who had a mantra that he would remind us of every day…we should strive to be 1% better today than we were yesterday. It was a reminder for our growth in baseball and school, but more importantly, he reminded us that we should be growing in our faith and relationship with the Lord every day. We should be closer to the Lord than we were yesterday, last week, last month, last year, and so on. Now, I am reminded of that saying almost daily and am grateful for men like Dan Heefner who have encouraged me and helped me grow. We need people encouraging us to grow and discipling us to not regress “back to milk.”

It is nearly impossible for a Christian to “stand pat” in their faith or to stay still. We either progress or regress, going forward or backward. The writer of Hebrews points this out in his letter, reminding his readers that they should be progressing. Sometimes we progress and sometimes we regress because it takes work and is not always easy. But God has called us to progress and grow, encouraging others to do the same along the way. Are you closer to Him today than you were yesterday or last week? Who do you have that can encourage you to grow and disciple you along the way?

Re:Verse passage – John 15:6–10; Hebrews 12:10; Acts 13:2–3; Colossians 4:2–4 (day three)

By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. (John 15:8)

The history of the vanilla bean is a fascinating story. The vanilla orchid flower that produces vanilla beans is native to Mexico and grows there best because a certain type of bee pollinates the flowers. That certain bee (the Meilpona bee or Euglossine bee) lives only in that area of Mexico. Horticulturists tried for over 300 years to grow them in other parts of the world, but it wasn’t until a twelve-year-old boy, living on an island in the Indian Ocean, figured out a technique for pollinating the vanilla orchids without these bees. After that, growers all over the world were able to help their vanilla orchids produce the fruit they so longed for!

Discipleship can be like that. If we don’t know how to produce fruit, we won’t. When we abide in Jesus, He helps us produce the kind of fruit that glorifies the Lord. In abiding in Him, we also can help others grow in their knowledge and understanding of the Lord, thus helping to produce fruit in them also. The actual process of growing in Him and producing fruit is not a mystery though. Jesus told us exactly how we produce fruit. Are you abiding in Him? Are you growing in Him? What fruit is being produced by your relationship with Jesus?

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 5:21–6:4; Matthew 12:46–50; 19:27–30  (day three)

“For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:50)

As I write this blog, I am sitting in my bunk at Kids’ Camp during one of our daily quiet times. It has been a blast! We have 20 boys, 15 girls, and 17 sponsors with us this week at Camp Zephyr. Though I have had fun, I am grateful for these quiet times so I (and everyone else) can recharge to make it through the rest of the day! Our theme this week has centered on the parables of Luke 15, and each day we have talked with the kids about what Jesus meant by being lost and found in these parables.

Our Re:Verse passage this week has reminded me often of the joy in following the Lord and being in community with others who love Him. Camp week is one of my favorite weeks of the year because I so enjoy being surrounded by my brothers and sisters in Christ, helping kids (and adults) know the breadth and width of the Father’s great love for them. As I read Jesus’ words, I get the feeling that He is excited as he shares this truth. Being surrounded by believers, sharing the truth of God’s salvation through Jesus, and watching kids being filled with the joy of camp and God is an exciting thing!

Let me encourage you today to find a way to serve and to disciple others. Jesus reminds us of the joy of being in community with our brothers and sisters, doing the will of the Father. It doesn’t have to be at camp, but it sure is a lot of fun!

Re:Verse passage – Colossians 1:9–11, 28B–29; 4:2–4; Ephesians 4:11–16; James 1:2–4 (day three)

And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:4)

When you read these verses together, you can pick up on how discipleship is constant or steadfast “work.” Look at it this way:

• We have not ceased to pray… (Col. 1:9)
• {We have not ceased to} ask... (Col. 1:9)
• For this purpose also I labor… (Col. 1:29)
• Devote yourselves to pray, keeping alert in it… (Col 4:2)
• We are to grow up into all aspects of Him… (Eph. 4:15)

Growing in Christ and discipling others to grow in Christ is a continual, never-ending work. Paul encourages us to take this seriously. Following Jesus should permeate every aspect of our lives. If you took an honest look at your efforts to follow the Lord (and to lead all others to a joyful life with Him), would you say that you could describe it the way Paul describes his own efforts in following the Lord? I know I struggle with it at times.

There is a cost to following the Lord. It is not easy. But we can rest assured that it is worth it. James reminds us of this in his letter. The trials we go through, the work we put in, the difficulties we face, the time spent in prayer and petition, and anything else we do for the Lord is all worth it and is used to grow us more into being “little Christs,” perfect and complete. May you be steadfast this week as you grow in Jesus and disciple others. I will be praying for you!

Re:Verse passage – 2 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18 (day three)

18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (2 Peter 3:18)

I have had the privilege to be at this church long enough to watch several grades of children grow from preschoolers and graduate from high school. It has been a joy to watch! I am always a little shocked when I see the senior grade come through, and I am reminded of how quickly the kids grow up. But growth is expected! It is what God made us to do. My hope and prayer for all the kids that come through or “graduate” out of our Kids’ Ministry is that they grow in wisdom, stature, and in favor with God and man, just as Jesus did (Luke 2:52).

Peter closes out his letter with this perfectly summed up line. Through his whole letter, he tells readers to be on guard and to be ready for Jesus’ return. Then he sums it all up with verse 18 where he implored everyone to keep growing in their faith. We are not meant to become followers of Christ and then plateau in our knowledge and understanding of the love of God. Growth in Christ is expected. It is what God commands us to do. Discipleship helps us in this. We are reminded of the importance of good, sound discipleship throughout the Bible. As I teach kids, I try to help them understand that we can be disciples of anyone or anything, and that not all things help us grow up in our relationship with the Lord. We either grow in the Lord or grow in something else. May they grow in Christ and not follow another!

Is your relationship with Him today different than it was last year? Have you “grown up” in your relationship with Him? Is there someone else that you are helping “grow up” in their relationship with the Lord?

• Re:Verse passage – Mark 1:4-5, 9-11; Acts 8:9-13, 34-39 (day three)

⁹ But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 

Here in this Re:Verse section of Acts, we find a man (Simon) that thinks very highly of himself. The man was, no doubt, a very popular man and had followers (disciples) of his own. The people that followed him and observed him even compared him to the power of God. Luke tells us that Simon heard Philip’s preaching and observed his miracles; and he believed and was baptized. But then Luke keys us in on how the man followed Philip, constantly being amazed by the great works that were done.

Did Simon truly believe in God or was he more enthralled with the power on display by Philip? He obviously was drawn to power as he called himself a great man. We are not told if Simon praised the Lord after converting. But Luke is quick to point out later in this chapter that the Ethiopian eunuch went on praising the Lord even after Philip was whisked away by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus alluded to this kind of belief in John 2:23-25. Many people saw Jesus perform miraculous signs and wonders and trusted in Him. But Jesus also knew that many of those same people were not true believers because He knew what was in their hearts. They were amazed at the things Jesus could do, but were unchanged in their own lives because of what they observed. Take a survey of your heart with the Lord right now. Why are you following Him? Why do you trust Him? Are you changed by the Lord, or are you merely following an idea of Him? Do you fall in more with Simon or with the Ethiopian man?

Re:Verse passage – John 3:1-9  (day three)

⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

In this after-dark conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus draws a figurative line in the sand. On one side of the line are true believers. On the other side are those that choose not to follow and love God. There is no area in between the two sides. You are either fully in or fully out. We are either born of the flesh (seeking to lift ourselves up) or born of the spirit (seeking to lift God up).

We know that, at this point in his life, Nicodemus knew everything there was to know about being a devout religious person. He could recite the scriptures, point out the ways to follow the Law, tell others what sacrifices were needed, and knew a myriad other things, but he did not know Jesus as his Lord. Jesus addressed this with Nicodemus. Head knowledge lands us on the side of the flesh. We can know all the right things to say at church. We can know all the ways to act to look like good followers. We can lie to ourselves and think we are doing okay. We can even believe the things we hear and read in the Bible but miss the main point of salvation and living for Jesus (even Satan believes Jesus died and rose from the grave, but he is not born again!).

So where does that leave you? For us to disciple others, we must first understand which side we are on. Which side of the line are you on? If you find yourself on the side of the flesh, do you have someone you can ask questions of like Nicodemus did? If you find yourself on the side of the spirit, do you have someone you are discipling to that side?

Re:Verse passage – 1 Corinthians 16:15–18; Acts 18:1–8; 11:22–26 (day three)

 ²⁴ for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And large numbers of people were added to the Lord. (Acts 11:24)

I think we can all say we would like to be remembered in the way that Luke remembered Barnabas. Luke writes specifically that he was a good man, but he expounds on why he was a good man. This world is full of “good” people that do not love the Lord. It is Barnabas’ faith and the Holy Spirit that leads him to be used by the Lord. It is the Holy Spirit and faith that produces much fruit for the Lord. Without this, Barnabas’ actions and life would simply be described as, “He was a good man.” Throughout history, countless spirit-filled Christians have gone about their lives making disciples just as Jesus said, but they may have died without somebody writing about how God used them. God tells us in Acts about Barnabas so we have an example of what He does with ordinary people when we are diligent in following Him and growing in our faith. To be used most effectively by Him, we should be growing in Him to be full of the Holy spirit and faith.

How would your life be described? Would people say you are merely a good person? Would they expound on that? Are you growing in your relationship with Him? Are you following the Lord the way you should so more disciples can be encouraged to follow?

Re:Verse passage – Luke 14:25-35 (day three)

³³ So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.

Does this sound familiar? We recently finished a study on stewardship where we took a deep look at how God wants us to view our possessions. Here, in Matthew, Jesus is pointing that out again. I do not think that Jesus meant that we cannot be a disciple if we own anything. His point is more on our hearts. Considering this verse in terms of stewardship, we do not truly own anything here on this earth anyway. Everything belongs to God, and He has given us all we have to be good stewards and use well. So, when we hold too tightly to our possessions, they stand in the way of us following God with our whole hearts. Jesus’ point in this passage is that we cannot be half-in on following Him. Ask the Lord today to search your heart and reveal if there is anything standing in the way of you being fully invested in your relationship with Him.

On a side note, today is Day 4 of VBS! Thank you for praying for this week and all that God is doing. We have had an increase in both kids and volunteers this year and God is at work! Tonight, the kids will learn about Jesus’ death and resurrection. Tomorrow, our lesson is on God’s plan for forgiveness. Please continue to pray for the kids (and leaders!) to hear what they need to hear and that God would move in their hearts as they hear the Good News!

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 28:16-20  (day three)

¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

It is an incredible and awe-inspiring thing to look back through Church history and see how God spread the Gospel to all nations. I am so grateful for the obedience of all the men and women who have gone before me that spread the Gospel and took to heart what Jesus commanded to make more disciples. We are part of a chain reaction to this moment in history when Jesus said, “Go.” There had been moments before this where the number of Jesus’ followers had grown, but this is really where Jesus opens the gates wide and tells the disciples to begin. From there, generations of believers were told of His goodness and salvation and then learned of Jesus’ command to spread it. And here we are, some two thousand years later, as another generation of believers continuing to follow this command. It’s amazing!

This past Sunday, we celebrated all that the Lord has done through the missions groups during this past year. During our evening celebration, we heard another generation of believers (our first through fifth grade RAs and GAs) proclaiming the Good News and taking to heart the command that Jesus gave to us. We also heard of accounts from all over the world where more disciples were made this year. It was all still part of that chain reaction of the first disciples making more disciples. I hope you were there with us and that you were encouraged to “Go!” It was an incredible Sunday. Now it’s our turn. Who are you telling? Where are you going? Are you sharing the Gospel and following Jesus’ command for us to “Go”?