Discipleship Unveiled

Ok, you find yourself in another philosophical discussion with someone and you are sharing details of your belief system and they are sharing about theirs. It can quickly become difficult to track on all the rabbit trails that can occur as well as the vocabulary challenges. Sometimes we are using common words that mean something different to others. An expert communicator is acutely aware that this happens in nearly every philosophical discussion. The idea is to minimize misunderstandings and clarify thoughts. It works both ways, too. Have you ever been in an argument with someone and realized that you were actually making the same case? It's funny but things like that can be preempted by summarizing as you go.  Test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. - 1 Thessalonians 5:21 NLT Summarizing has its greatest effect when you start early in the conversation. We don't want to assume what someone means when engaged in a thoughtful conversation. The detai...

Many times when we are having a difficult discussion with someone we are being sensitive to not only what to say, but what not to say. We get the feeling that if we "bottom line it" or say something that is generally against common assumptions, we're going to exacerbate an already uncomfortable interaction. It could be something politically incorrect or it may go against a misunderstanding in science or challenge a preconceived idea. It could be about a bad behavior or maybe the boss making a bad decision that hurts you or someone else. We've all had these uncomfortable conversations where we need to speak up and say something that may anger someone. We want to be respectful and think about how we will deal with the situation. We want to follow the scriptures that tell us to be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove but this may mean something else, as well. We may find that the best way to address the subject is to simply say the things that need to be sai...

We have discussed that it's ok to be wrong when we find ourselves in a discussion about the Lord, philosophy, politics or anything else for that matter! We also understand that it's ok to be right , as well. Yet, what if we just don't know? Easy! Just say, "I don't know!" because it's ok to not know everything. Most of the time when we are debating/discussing/persuading, the person we're engaged with doesn't know either. We may feel like we are conceding a point if we can't come up with something on the spot. We are not conceding anything! We want to always be seeking the truth. This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth. - 1 Timothy 2:3-4 NLT Ponder, Meditate, Contemplate If we are in the cool zone we aren't looking to win arguments. We're looking to win hearts and for us to do that we want to seek the truth. Therefore, if you don't know, then say it! A season...

~~~~~~~ Take Action! A savior is born! It wasn't an accident or happenstance. It was expected! What do the scriptures say?  For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven's Armies will make this happen! - Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT The Book of Isaiah was written between 701 and 681 B.C.! God has a plan. Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, 'My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,' - Isaiah 46:9-10 NKJV  Praise the Lord! :-) Please, add your thought...

When we engage people with the Gospel, doctrine, philosophy, politics, etc. it can be fun and it can also be a little intimidating if we feel we don't have all the details locked down. Some people avoid those discussions all together. Yet, religion (i.e. any belief system) and politics are where the ideas come from, that move the world forward. Here at In The Cool Zone we want to provide a strategy to discuss these types of topics with a calm, cool and thoughtful demeanor.  We even want to do this to the point of helping others remain calm and thoughtful as well. Many of those ideas and techniques are found at ITCZ 101 . In the article, It's Ok To Be Wrong , we showed how one can eradicate the fear of being wrong. Especially, if we are engaging in conversations that have the potential to go sideways. With that, we also want to reinforce the idea that it's ok to be right, as well. Yes! It's Ok To Be Right As Christians we have so much material to read, stu...

One of the reasons we may not engage others with the Gospel or biblical wisdom is a fear of being wrong about some detail. That fear of being embarrassed or humiliated in front of a group can completely shut a Christian down from sharing their faith. There is however, an antidote to this fear. Wrap your mind around this idea... "It's ok to be wrong!" As we go about our day, as Christians we should be ready to tell others what the Lord has done for us.  There is nothing to fear, especially if you prepare yourself. If you're not ready, you can be! Focus on Coming to the Truth If we get wrapped up in a philosophical question and we realize that we have wandered off on some tangent that is more, "uniformed opinion," than truth, do this... acknowledge it! Now, that's not hard is it? Step one is to acknowledge to ourselves that we are wrong. Step two , we want to have a mindset of always seeking the truth. If we know our goal and are committed...

Everything we are looking for in our relationship with the Lord is found on the other side of a renewed mind. A renewed mind ushers us to walk in obedience. The result is an amazing relationship with the Lord. Bearing fruit, understanding the scriptures or walking in the Spirit, these things come only after we have been renewed in the mind and take action. A renewed mind is a mind that thinks like Jesus thinks. It draws us to obedience. This is where we bear fruit and grow in a close and intimate relationship with the Lord. There isn't another way to grow. Can we enter an extreme phase of obedience? Possibly. How is your thinking? Do you understand you are going to live forever? If that's so, then how does that change how you think? For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. -  1 Peter 1:23 NLT

Paul taught us that we are transformed by the renewing of our mind. We see that the process of our sanctification occurs in the mind and specific to not only "what" we think, but "how" we think. So how do we establish our thoughts? In the book of Proverbs we have a wonderful command from the Lord teaching us a great way to do this. If we commit our works to the Lord, then our thoughts will be established. - Proverbs 16:3 NLT We want our thoughts and our thought process to be like the Lords. There is a way of thinking that is very different from the thinking we learned in this world. This a pretty straight forward action step to get us there. The idea is to commit our work to the Lord and the result is thinking like Jesus thinks.

We can become more effective delivering the Gospel and teaching the scriptures if we use compelling strategies. Although we can win arguments and be correct about the truth of the scriptures, that alone is generally not effective. So let's discuss an important strategy. Activate thinking for the win. If we want to be  In The Cool Zone  and effective, we will not be focused on looking for agreement when we present the scriptures. We want to focus on activating the thinking process in others. If we can do that, then those we are trying to reach can begin to evaluate the merits of a scripture or salvation in Christ. The reason for this is, the mind is where transformation occurs. So if we can get someone to think then we essentially are helping them to truly listen. Then he said, "Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand." - Mark 4:9 NLT The mechanism for growing in the Lord is being transformed by the renewing of our mind. We need to begin to thin...

Remember when you first heard the definition of love in the scriptures? A great way to understand love is understanding this; there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. Jesus said it Himself! When we think of laying down our life we have a tendency to think in terms of jumping on a grenade or some similiar great sacrifice ending in our death. We sacrifice our life so that others may live. That truly is love. A single act of selflessness, demonstrates love and engenders a deep sense of gratitude and new found purpose in those who were preserved... i.e. loved. Our Lord and Savior did exactly that. He was on a mission to give His life so that all could be saved. Again, true love, and we are motivate through gratitude that could not be gained any other way. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. - 2 Corinthians 5:15 NLT...