DISCIPLE

Donald L. Norbie When a ship comes into port it must be kept from drifting. The tides ebb and flow, causing a ship to drift. A storm may drive a ship onto the beach, causing extensive damage. A ship may moor to a pier and be secure. Or the captain may order the anchor lowered to keep the ship from drifting.     Religions emphasize emotion as an indication of spirituality. Then, leaders will seek to whip up emotion. This may be done through ritual, singing, shouting or meditation. At times repetition of a phrase will work up a crowd’s emotions. Even an Islamic crowd can become intensely emotional, shouting the praises of Allah. A man here once said to me, ‘I love to go to that church to get high on Jesus’. But emotions come and go. It is impossible to sustain a ‘high’ indefinitely.     How can one know that he is right with God? How can one be sure of forgiveness and of God’s commitment to him? A Christian who is relying on his emotions for sat...

   by Donald Norbie After a meeting in Korea, a woman said to me, ‘You are a holy man, a man of God’. I felt embarrassed, humbled, and speechless. Me? A holy man? A man of God? But should we not all be holy men and women, men and women of God? What does it mean to be holy, a man or woman of God? When the tabernacle was completed there were ceremonies to consecrate it to the service of God, with all of its furniture and vessels. There was also a solemn service to consecrate the priests to their holy work. ‘And you shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it; and you shall hallow it and all its utensils, and it shall be holy’, Ex. 40. 9. The priests had been consecrated previously. ‘And this what you shall do to them to hallow them for ministering to Me as priests’, Ex. 29. 1. Aaron and his sons became holy men, set apart to serve God as priests. Who are the priests today, hallowed for ministry to God? Peter emphasizes that all b...