AuthorTerry R Baughman is Lead Pastor for LifeChurch in Gilbert, AZ. See his complete bio at trbaughman.com Archives
March 2025
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Submitted to the Call1/25/2020  Submitted to the Call
Your new beginning! Terry R. Baughman “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14). The Call of God is essential to initiating discipleship. If our decision to follow Christ is merely social, there will be new trends and fads that will arise and distract us from following Christ. If we have been influenced or pressured to follow Christ by family or friends, if we follow out of obligation or compulsion, then we will eventually be persuaded to follow them elsewhere. If we commit to become a Christian based on anything other than the word of God who calls, “Come, follow me,” then we will lose resolve when opposition arises and resolve fades. The preaching of the Gospel is a declaration of the call of God. It is a challenge to personally identify with Jesus Christ, to experience His death through our repentance, to be buried with Him by baptism in water, and to be raised in victorious resurrection by the power of the Holy Spirit being birthed in our hearts. When Nicodemus came to visit the Lord one night Jesus simply declared, “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). The birth of the water and the Spirit constitutes the New Birth and are the initial steps in response to Christ’s call. Pursuing the calling of God is a lifelong journey. The call is not just a one-time experience or a checkmark on life’s bucket list. The call of Christ is a transforming experience. It is an appeal for an altered direction resulting in a lifelong impact. In every decision and every major life event there is a reminder of the “high calling of God” in our lives that must be considered. God’s will and purpose is supremely important for the committed follower of Christ. The discipleship journey begins with the call to be saints. Believers in both Corinth and Rome were reminded that they were called to be saints. (See Romans 1:7 & 1 Corinthians 1:2.) We should not think of the Catholic tradition of the elevation of individuals to the place of sainthood by working of miracles and many good works, but rather the understanding that all believers are to be “holy ones,” followers of Jesus Christ. It is not that we are holy, but our calling is holy and we serve a holy God. Paul explained that it is God, “Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:9). Being a saint is not just for super Christians or those who are outstanding in their volunteer involvement in charitable activities. All followers of Christ are called to holiness and godliness. We are called to be like Christ, to model His character! Peter appealed to believers to, “Be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble” (2 Peter 1:10). Obviously, followers of Christ, even when modeling many good characteristics, will make mistakes and often fall short of expectations, but the call of Christ through His grace reassures us of His love and affirms our efforts to pursue right living. He provides forgiveness to overcome sin and encourages us to embrace the opportunity to continue in our calling toward Christian discipleship. We can live surrendered to His Will and submitted to His Call. Theme passage: “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them” (Isaiah 42:9 NKJV).
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Devoted to Discipleship1/19/2020  Devoted to Discipleship
Your new beginning! Terry R. Baughman “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it’” (Mark 8:34–35). The pattern was repeated for several of the disciples as they became the original followers of Jesus. His call was simple and straight-forward, “Come, follow me.” Peter, Andrew, James, and John left their nets and fishing boats in the care of others and sought only to follow the One who called. Matthew forsook his occupation as a tax collector and followed Him. Phillip followed the call and invited Nathanael to meet the One who inspired their devotion. All left their various obligations to pursue a dream given by an unorthodox rabbi who walked into their life and called them with a vision, “I will make you ….” Each dreamed of becoming something more, fulfilling a purpose greater than anything they previously dared to imagine. The bar was set higher. The expectation was clear. They could do it, but it would not be easy. It was attainable, but it would require effort. Discipleship demands a response and consistently requires greater devotion. Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). The very foundation of discipleship is devotion to service and a steadfast resolve to live a disciplined life of commitment to Christ’s calling. Discipleship is more than a membership card, a social association, or a self-help pledge. It necessitates abandonment of personal aspirations, forsaking of a life of leisure, and it constrains us to commitment. Discipleship requires devotion, and devotion is demonstrated by service. Our service is more than casual church involvement or an occasional Sunday attendance, it is a covenant of conviction and a consistent commitment to a lifestyle of Christian character. Discipleship demands a reassignment of priorities, the firm persuasion of total surrender to Christ’s calling. Family is important but discipleship takes precedence. Jesus said, “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life” (Matthew 19:29 NIV). It sounds harsh and uncaring, especially in the light of the Decalogue which commands us, “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12). Jesus did not come to destroy the law, but His calling draws us to the altar of sacrifice and the cross of commitment. The calling becomes more important than any other authority in life, our allegiance to discipleship more vital than our loyalty to relatives. The disciplines of discipleship compel us to forsake all to follow Him. At the beginning of the year or in the face of any fresh start there must be a commitment to change and a devotion to discipleship. It is more than self-improvement resolutions. It is a resolve to accountability, a pledge to the one who knows our weaknesses, our faults, and our propensity to failure. He has called us to a path of righteousness and a life of service. It is time to make that decision for Him! Theme passage: “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them” (Isaiah 42:9 NKJV).
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Committed to Faith1/12/2020  Committed to Faith
Your new beginning! Terry R. Baughman “… Continue to advance in faith, assured of a firm foundation to grow upon. Never be shaken from the hope of the gospel you have believed in” (Colossians 1:23 TPT). Our faith is what sustains us and enables us to continue the journey of Christ’s calling. Faith is also the expression of our convictions and the embodiment of our belief system. Faith is the means of our salvation and the substance of our relationship with an invisible God. The writer of Hebrews said, “Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen.” He goes on to say, “And without faith living within us it would be impossible to please God. For we come to God in faith knowing that he is real and that he rewards the faith of those who give all their passion and strength into seeking him” (Hebrews 11:1, 6 TPT). Through faith we can please God, have access to all He provides, and can be assured of the enduring quality of our relationship with Him. Faith not only brings us to the knowledge of God, but provides a lifelong compass to grow into the person God has designed us to become. Paul instructed Timothy, his son in the gospel, “Continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:14–16 NIV). We must be committed to the Word of God and our faith in Him. Faith that is based on the Word and rooted in a genuine relationship with God will endure the onslaught of every test of our faith. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:1–2). From the abundance of biblical references it becomes apparent that we can expect opposition and increasing godlessness in our culture. There is a spiritual battle going on and the war of the ages has already begun. The conflict is between the kingdom of righteousness and the ruler of darkness of this world who casts his doom of darkness over the eyes of all who refuse to believe in truth. Never has the contrast been more obvious. The darkness of this world seeks to suppress all illumination of righteousness. Paul said we live as, “Children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life” (Philippians 2:15-16). Hold on to righteousness and be firmly committed to faith. We have the promise of a positive outcome. “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 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, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:6–9 NIV). In your new beginning know that the end result of your faith is the salvation of your soul. Be encouraged to persevere and endure to the end. Commit to faith and know the One in whom you have believed! Theme passage: “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them” (Isaiah 42:9 NKJV).
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Resolved to Follow1/5/2020  Resolved to Follow
Your new beginning! Terry R. Baughman “Jesus said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him” (Mark 1:17–18). Jesus only asked for us to follow. His calling was simple and His commission was clear. Those who answer His calling and resolve to follow Him will find an inner strength to obey and the ability to become more than we ever imagined possible. Let us make the resolution to follow Christ above all things. Among some, the idea of committed Christians seems to inspire visions of lofty leadership by confident people who never question their calling or waiver in faith. However, in reality all who become disciples are simply required to follow Him in spite of failures in their Christian disciplines and nagging questions of faith. God has not called us to leadership; He has called us to discipleship. Disciples merely follow the footsteps of their Lord while leaders chart a new course and mark the trail for those who come behind. While the idea of leadership sparks courage to aggressively pursue more independence and to display stalwart resolve in the face of every challenge, true leaders are simply vulnerable disciples seeking to find their way through life in pursuit of God’s calling, sometimes stumbling along, intent on hearing His voice. Most would agree that the apostle Paul was a successful leader in the early church, but he was always careful to point others to Christ. His fear was that people would become his disciples rather than Christ-followers. He encouraged followers to only do those things that bring glory and honor to the Lord. Paul explained, “I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:33 –11:1 NIV). The implication was clear. Only follow me as I follow Christ. If he was no longer following Christ then none should persist in following Paul. In another setting believers were boastfully identifying with their mentors, “One of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas’; still another, ‘I follow Christ’.” Paul said, “I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, so no one can say that you were baptized in my name” (1 Corinthians 1:12, 14–15 NIV). It seems like a natural thing for people to glorify others who accomplish great feats or inspire others to positive attributes. People want a hero, a champion that they can brag on and someone after whom they can pattern their lives. True disciples are called to service and to glory only in the Cross of Christ. Paul concluded, “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV). Resist the temptation to relish in fame and accept the accolades of others who admire your Christian service. In the process of being a disciple we will find that there are those who choose to follow our example. Encourage them to continue in their discipleship, but to redirect their vision to the only one worthy of emulation; follow Jesus. Commit to follow God and make a fresh start to become His disciple. Resolve to be a follower and you will become a servant leader. Theme passage: “Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them” (Isaiah 42:9 NKJV). |
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