Today I traveled from Fort Worth to College Station to meet Michael Hindes and other World Racers and alumni at the World Race for Missions at LifeChurch. Worship was phenomenal! And Michael shared an impactful sermon “A Call to Discipleship.” The following is what I learned from his sermon.
There are four expectations in discipleship:
1) Expect to be moved by a Cause that is bigger than you. The Cause: the Kingdom’s Cause. What to expect? God’s goodness poured out.
2) Expect to be around people who are stronger than you. This accounts for accountability. The older should teach the younger and the younger should learn from the older.
3) Expect the need to help people who are less fortunate than you. Give yourself to those people. (We will always have the poor among us).
4) God wants my character, not my ministry, not my comforts, not my gifts, nor my issues. Expect my eyes to turn completely off me and completely on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of my faith. Pray for others when I am weak and He will make me strong. What I sow, I will reap.
Michael talked about a neurological component that I think is definitely worth mentioning. The Reticular Activity System (RAS) is located in the brainstem between the medulla oblangata and midbrain, and is responsible for maintaining consciousness. From what I learned today, the RAS hones in to a particular noise (i.e., with RAS, a mother can tell if her child is crying in a room filled with noisy children) and also filters noise (i.e., in a noisy restaurant, RAS allows a person to listen intently to a friend’s or spouse’s conversation). A challenge was made: Am I using the RAS to listen intently for God’s gentle whisper?
God won’t relent until He has it all!
Below is a song we sang in worship but has stuck with me.
This song reminds me of the Call to Discipleship and Michael’s RAS challenge.
You Won’t Relent
Misty Edwards
Misty Edwards
