Skills for Following Jesus

Skills and tools for following Jesus and discipling others.

Sharing Christ with others

How to Live Well amid Turmoil

by ·

The COVID shutdown, the election, and social unrest have fomented fear, hatred, division, anger, hostility, deception, distrust, manipulation, and… the list goes on. It’s all unsettling and distracting to say the least. So how should we as Christ followers live amid such turmoil?

The Apostle Peter’s second letter is especially relevant and offers encouragement and clear direction for us in answer to that question.

In his letter, Peter explains he wrote “as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking” – and “wholesome thinking” is something that appears to be in short supply these days!

Then, a few verses later, Peter begins with the words, “Above all….” This should catch our attention! We want to sit up and take notice: “Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this “coming” He promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.’” (2 Peter 3:3-4)

“Above all” or “Most importantly” we must not let anyone or anything distract us from the fact that Jesus is coming back again and that the day of judgment on this evil world is coming. Then, Peter explains, “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, no wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (vs. 9)

Wow! The Lord has been putting off His return so that more and more people might be saved. But the eye-catcher in verse nine is that He is being patient with us—His followers. Why? Because He is depending on us to share the Gospel with others.

In verses 10-12, Peter continues: “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”

In view of the present turmoil, we ought to live holy and godly lives as we look forward to Christ’s return and “speed its coming.”

How do we speed the coming of the Lord? He has already told us. We speed His coming by telling others about Jesus, because He doesn’t want anyone to perish, but all to come to repentance. Jesus said essentially the same thing in Matthew 24:14, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Evangelism, living holy and godly lives, and eagerly looking forward to Jesus’ return all go hand-in-hand. Peter said, however, that God is being patient with “us”—not with the world—but with us His followers. He’s being patient with us because we often allow ourselves to become distracted from what He has left us here to do: tell others about Jesus, live holy, godly lives, and look for His return.

Peter ends this letter, “Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”

By the grace of God and in the power of His Spirit, will you join with me in telling others about Jesus, living holy and godly lives, and looking forward to Jesus’ return?

Can You Please Help Me Get the Word Out?

by ·

A little over a year ago, a friend of mine, who is a board member of a mission agency, shared some disturbing news with me. Their mission group serves over 80 remote churches. The pastors and elders of these churches were lamenting to the director of the mission that they did not know how to disciple people. I’ve heard this often from other churches and Christians as well.

But this news really hit me hard! Excitedly, I told my friend, “Making disciples is not rocket science! But we’ve complicated it so many ways that many Christians feel like it’s out of their grasp.” My friend and I discussed the simplicity of disciple-making for the next hour.

When I got home after that meeting, I couldn’t let this issue rest. So, I started writing and over the next few days wrote the little book, The Simplicity of Disciple-Making and 7 Ways We’ve Complicated It!

In this short book, I offer a simple, biblical definition of disciple-making and discuss the ways we’ve complicated it. Then I give very practical solutions and methods for making disciples of Jesus Christ. I believe anyone who calls Jesus “Lord” possesses all they need to lead others to Christ and help them grow in Him.

But the Lord continued challenging me about disciple-making. In prayer one day, I distinctly heard Him ask me to trust Him to mobilize and equip one million disciple-makers. Since that day, I’ve prayed daily that God would bring this about.

I also established a website: www.skillsforfollowingjesus.com in which I offer a BIG Challenge to followers of Jesus to disciple others. As of this writing (July 5, 2020) 4,742 people have accepted the challenge to disciple others. This is extremely encouraging, but we still have a long way to go.

Jesus is coming again soon! I’m sure of it. But my heart aches for the sinful state of our country (and the rest of the world). For this reason, I’ve joined thousands of other followers of Jesus who are praying daily for spiritual awakening. We desperately need to turn to Jesus Christ as a nation and it needs to start with those of us who know Him.

In order to put feet to our prayers, I want to get a copy of The Simplicity of Disciple-Making and 7 Ways We’ve Complicated It! into the hands of a million people. The book is so short and simple you can read it in a couple of hours. I’ve had so many followers of Jesus tell me how its message resonates with them and gives them the tools and courage to disciple others.

If you have any ideas for helping me get this book in front of other followers of Jesus, please let me know by leaving a comment associated with this blog post. And please pray with me for spiritual awakening and that the Lord would help us mobilize and equip one million disciple-makers. The Lord is coming soon!

Thank you, Rob Fischer

The Legacy of a Father

by ·

(I originally wrote this piece in 2009 and thought I’d republish it today in honor of Father’s Day.)

I attended a funeral of a man today who passed away in his sleep last Wednesday. His five children officiated at the funeral service. Each one shared with the guests how their dad loved the Lord, their mother, them, and others deeply and sacrificially. Many tears were shed, and many joyful memories retold.

This man had five children—four boys and a girl—all of whom are happily married and walking with Jesus because of their dad’s example. Additionally, this man left 21 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, all of whom either know Jesus or are seeing their parents demonstrate how a Christ-follower lives. His kids and their spouses all love each other and enjoy spending time with each other—a rare phenomenon these days.

The man passionately loved people. In his eleven-year tenure as credit manager of a large metropolitan hospital, he led countless patients, their loved ones, and his co-workers to living faith in Jesus Christ. As an accomplished musician and entertainer, he offered free concerts annually to benefit the hospital.

Later in life, this man became a pastor in a small rural town in Idaho (population 186). During the fourteen years he served there, he held weekly services in three nursing homes in towns nearby. He sang, preached, visited with, and prayed for the residents. His wife kept track of all those who gave their lives to Christ during those weekly visits—over 450 in fourteen years!

In that small town, he knew and called on every family. He also served the community as an emergency medical technician and volunteer fireman. Many in that town came to know Christ through this man’s life and witness. His church swelled to over 100, more than half the town’s population.

One of the most remarkable characteristics of this man was his undying love for his wife. Just a few years into their marriage, he gave up a blossoming career out of love for his wife. He never looked back, and he never held her responsible for his loss. She meant more to him than any career could possibly offer. When she contracted ovarian cancer, he set everything else aside to nurse her and keep her company.

He loved his wife faithfully, tenderly, and strongly until she passed in 1991. Even before her death, he would longingly speak of Christ’s return. And now that his wife had gone home to be with the Lord, he spoke with even greater yearning to be with the Lord and be reunited with his wife. Because this was his deepest desire, it was fitting that he passed away on the 60th anniversary of the day that he and his wife had met. What a joyous reunion and homecoming that must have been with Jesus and his wife last Wednesday!

I want to live and love largely as this man did, for he was my dad. Thank you, Dad, for being such a godly example to us kids! We love you and miss you!

An Alien Mindset

by ·

In recent months it’s been easy to get caught up in the mire of political controversy, corruption, and hostility. It seems lately that every conversation inevitably turns to grousing about our government and pontificating about the way things should have been handled. I get swept up in these debates too with my own strong views. But I find it all very distracting and discouraging.

My wife reminded me also that engaging in such controversial debates polarizes our society and destroys relationships. Perhaps not since the Civil War has our country been so divided in its views and stand on issues. To bring this down to a personal level, when we argue and draw a line in the sand with friends and family who disagree with us, we damage those relationships and cause divisions.

Yesterday, the Lord reminded me of something that challenged me in this regard. I spent seven years of my adult life living in foreign countries (both Germany and Austria). While we were living overseas, I was keenly aware of the fact that I was living there as a guest rather than a citizen. And this awareness changed the way I viewed what was going on around me and how I reacted to it.

Much like here, citizens of my host countries were caught up in their political controversies too. They argued and debated, and lines of separation were drawn. However, since I had no vote in those countries, and since I knew that my citizenship resided elsewhere, I simply didn’t allow myself to get involved in those controversies and arguments. It was very freeing!

Staying clear of these debates saved me from having to take sides, which would have alienated me from many. It also lifted a heavy burden of stress off my shoulders. In this way, I was free to give my full attention to the purpose for which we were there—namely, to win people for Christ and help them deepen their relationship with Him. And by God’s grace, we were able to see people come to Christ and helped establish two churches in Austria that the Lord is still blessing today.

It’s very interesting to me that while Paul was in prison in Rome (and even though he was a Roman citizen), he wrote Philippians, one of the most joy-filled and positive letters in the New Testament. In chapter three he encourages his readers:

“Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. There mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.” (Philippians 3:17-21)

Under the circumstances, if anyone had the right to grouse about injustice and the way he was being treated by the government, it was Paul. Yet, we see that he considered himself an alien. He was content in the fact that his citizenship was in heaven.

As a result, Paul was keenly focused on advancing the Gospel (1:12-14); exalting Christ in his body (1:20); helping others progress in their walk with Christ (1:25); being like-minded and loving others (2:2); knowing Christ more deeply (3:10); eagerly awaiting the coming of Christ (3:20); rejoicing in the Lord always and in all circumstances (4:4); not being anxious about anything (4:6); and being content in any and every circumstance (4:11).

And I think that one thing that helped him keep his attention so sharply focused on those noble goals was the fact that he recognized his citizenship was in heaven, not here on earth.

Paul wasn’t the only one who recognized this truth. Peter wrote, “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.” (1 Peter 2:11-12) (Check out Hebrews 11:13-16 too!)

How about it? What if we lived here like aliens and strangers, foreigners and exiles, knowing that our true citizenship is in heaven? What if we lived every day in anticipation of our coming King Jesus Christ? How would this alien-mindset change the way we live and speak? Let’s join too in following Paul’s example!

What it Means to Enjoy God

by ·

I must confess that for most of my life I had no concept of what it means to enjoy God. Fearing God, worshiping Him, loving Him, glorifying Him, serving Him—yes; but enjoying Him?

Then, nearly 20 years ago, I picked up the little book by John Piper, The Dangerous Duty of Delight. In it he demonstrates from Scripture that the enjoyment of God, or “pursuing pleasure in God is our highest calling.” He also made a profound observation that I cling to, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”

The idea of enjoying God is not some new twist or the latest fad. Nearly 400 years ago, the writers of the Westminster Catechism stated, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” But the enjoyment of God didn’t originate there either.

I’ve loved the Psalms and have been drawn to them since I was a child. I’ve often read five Psalms and a Proverb a day as part of my quiet time with the Lord. Because of my familiarity with the Psalms, it didn’t take much effort to recognize that the enjoyment of God is central to its message. Here are just a few examples:

Psalm 32:11, “Rejoice in the Lord and be glad…”

Psalm 34:1, “I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.”

Psalm 37:4, “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

Psalm 42:2, “My soul thirsts for God…”

Psalm 63:5, “I will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise You.”

Psalm 73:25, “Whom have I in heaven but You? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”

“Enjoy” is a verb that means to find pleasure or delight in someone, an experience, or an object. We might talk about enjoying a movie or a restaurant. The problem is we view those enjoyments as matters of personal taste and based on our mood. We might enjoy one type of food one night, yet not on another. Such “enjoyment” is fickle and subjective.

When we talk about enjoying God, neither our personal taste nor our mood comes into play. As different personalities, we may express our enjoyment of God in various ways, but our personality or mood should not determine whether we enjoy Him.

“Joy” is a noun and describes the sense of pleasure or delight we find in someone or something when we enjoy them. Regarding our enjoyment of God, Peter wrote, “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.” (1 Peter 1:8)

In Matthew 13, Jesus told the parable of the hidden treasure, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.” Jesus Christ is that hidden treasure over which we rejoice! We treasure or enjoy Him above all else!

So many people have such a heavy, burdensome view of God that taints their relationship with Him. Have you ever heard someone say, “The Bible says I have to love you, but it doesn’t mean I have to like you!” I think some even see their love for God in this way as obligatory, instead of welling up in joy as the above Psalms proclaim.

We know that He loves us and wants us to love Him. But God isn’t glorified by some cheap form of obligatory love. Enjoying Him is one of the most genuine forms of expressing love toward Him, or anyone else for that matter.

Enjoying God also draws others to Him and is central to the message of the Gospel. When we’ve enjoyed a great movie or the delicacies at a new restaurant, we can’t help but tell others. Through our joy and enthusiasm such expressions “go viral.” So it is when we express to others our enjoyment of God, or they simply observe our enjoyment of God in the way we live.

When the angel appeared to the shepherds the night Jesus was born, he declared, “I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” (Luke 2:10)

And when Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Philippi, I believe it was through their prayers and praise to God that the jailer even knew to ask, “What must I do to be saved?” And after hearing the Gospel, “The jailer… was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.” (Acts 16:25-34)

Our enjoyment of God also impacts the way we view eternity. Again, many have a boring view of what heaven will be like sitting around on clouds strumming harps! That’s not at all what eternity with our Lord will be like. Instead, here’s how David portrayed it:

“No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” (Psalm 16:9-11)

A friend of ours hearing for the first time that God urges us to enjoy Him, blurted out, “This changes everything!” Learning to enjoy God, finding our joy in Him, and being fully satisfied in Him is lifechanging.

Our enjoyment of God changes the way we interact with Him. Enjoying Him results in praise and adoration and powerfully impacts our own joy. The writers of the Westminster Catechism were right: God designed us to enjoy Him!

“I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.” (Isaiah 61:10)

Get Skills for Following Jesus in your inbox!