4 REASON'S WHY CHRISTIANS SHOULD KEEP OUT OF WORLDLY PURSUITS!

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As fully devoted followers of Christ we need to give careful attention to what things we pursue in life! Why? Because they can either help us grow in our devotion to Christ or hinder us. A Godly goal is a good thing but a worldly pursuit is not.

In this post I want to share with you 4 reasons why God’s people should at all cost avoid pursuing worldly goals and in particular keep themselves from getting entangled in the love of money. The Love of Money, by the way, according to the Bible is one particular way Christian quite often get caught up in the things of the world.

To accomplish I will be sharing 3 Pitfalls that come with choosing worldly goals and what happens to those who stumble into those pitfalls. These pitfall’s are found in 1 Timothy 6:9-10:

“But those who want to get rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires. , which plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” ((CSB)

These pitfalls are:

PITFALL #1:

It Makes You susceptible To Temptation: When our heart longs for the things of this world we become more vulnerable to the wiles and schemes of the devil. Temptations in and of themselves are not sins but they are the doorway that leads a person to sin. The primary reason a person commits a sin is because they have some kind of worldly desire they are trying to satisfy. And that unmet satisfaction cause people to look for its fulfillment in ways that God says is sinful. Therefore, the cure is not to continually fight off the temptation but to root out the evil and sinful desires and replace them with God honoring desires. So, if your sincere desire is to live a life that pleases God then you need to make sure that your hearts desires are on the things of Heaven and off the things of this world.

PITFALL #2:

It’s a trap that will ensnare you. Traps have been used throughout the ages by hunters who are want to catch unsuspecting animals. They are usually camouflage so the animal will not see it and step into it. And this is the way it is with the goals of this world and especially the love of money. The true intent of these longings are hidden and dressed up to look like things that are good. After all, what could be wrong with being rich if it allows me to give more money to help the poor? What’s wrong with having a nicer and bigger home for my family to live in? Shouldn’t they be able to live in a nice place? You see the issue isn’t what you can do with the money but what you are willing to do to get the money or your true motivation for getting the money.

PITFALL #3:

It Ignites Feelings That You Shouldn’t Have: The problem with the love of money or the desire to have the things of the world is that it doesn’t stay satisfied with the fulfillment of those desires. As a result of pursing them newer and more harmful desires start to grow. There are some feelings that we were never intended to have or experience. The “Love of Money” is described as a “root”. If temptation is the seed then the love of money (materialism) is the root that is form from that seed and it in turns grows into a blooming plant of all kinds of other evil and more harmful desires. If you think that you can control your love for money and keep it contained then you are only fooling yourself. The only way to keep yourself from growth of all kinds of evil in your life is to uproot the love of the world and replace it with a root that exclusively loves God.

Now let me share a little bit about what the end result will be if you fall into one or all of these pitfalls and fail to uproot and guard agains the love of this world and the pursuit of worldly goals. Quite simple it is exactly what the Bible says,

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10 (CSB)

2 End Results:

#1: Wandering From The Faith:

In Luke chapter 8 Jesus tells a parable about a person who went sowing seed on different types of ground and then He explains the spiritual significance for each group. Here’s how Jesus describes the seed that feel on the ground filled with thorns and thistles.

“As for the seed that fell among the thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life and produce no mature fruit.” Luke 8:14 (CSB)

This is quite a visible picture, from Jesus, on what happens to people who have their hearts set on the things of this world and not on Christ. The riches and pleasures of life of life choke out or we could also, are more valuable to people than Christ is, and as a result they walk away. Another way of saying it is that people who hear the Gospel of Christ and are excited with the forgiveness of sins that come from following Christ but once they hear that they need to leave everything (including their riches) in order to follow Christ, they walk away sad because they love their money more than they do Jesus.

#2: They Stab Themselves With Lots of Grief:

Notice that verse 10 uses the word pierce and not prick. Why? Because the word pierce suggest a knife or sword stabbing. It is a life threatening wound. It’s not a little poke that might draw some blood but a wound that in most cases lead to death.

Also, notice that this is a self-inflicted wound. This is something you caused yourself and not something someone did to you. You’re the one who sets you life goal, you are the one who decides who your heart will be devoted to. To choose the world over Christ is your chose and the result is a harm that you brought on yourself. It is avoidable if you choose wisely but it is also unavoidable if you don’t choose wisely.

So many people suffer horribly simply because they have chosen to go after the things of this world, to give their heart over to what this world says is important. The pain is real but the pain was and is avoidable.

By simply choosing to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength you will avoid all three of these pitfalls and the consequences that follow. So who will you give your heart to? Will it be God through Jesus Christ or will it be the world.

How To Have God Guide You!

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight." 

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NAS)

In this short but powerful verse we are given specific instructions on how to allow God to guide our lives!  The Bible tells us: What To Do; What Not To Do; and To Claim A Promise!  In other words there are three conditions (what to do and what not to do) that when fulfilled, God will keep His promise. 

FIRST CONDITION: What To Do!

TRUST IN THE LORD WITH ALL YOUR HEART!

In other words, we are to have faith in God.  Trust is just another way of saying Faith! Throughout scripture, expressing faith in God is always essential to seeing God work in and through our lives. The Bible even says that faith is essential in pleasing God.

"Without faith it is impossible to please God" Hebrews 11:6

You have to have faith in God!  You have to be trusting in God to work in you, through you and in the circumstances you find yourself in.  ARE YOU TRUSTING GOD?

But we're not only to trust Him!  We are to trust Him with all our hearts.  Not some of our heart, not part of our heart but ALL of our heart.  When it comes to trusting in God there should be absolutely no doubt or concern whatsoever.  Our full trust and confidence in Him is what God expects of us, if we are expecting him to keep His promise!

SECOND CONDITIONS: What Not To Do!

DON'T RELY ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING!

This verse is very clear that we are not to lean or stand ourselves up on our own abilities to reason things out.  Often, when God tells us what to do, it won't make a bit of sense.  

I don't think it made much sense to Moses when the Children of Israel needed water and God told him to hit the rock with his staff!  And then on a different occasion God tells him to speak to the rock to get water.  Are you serious?  Hit and speak to a rock! That doesn't make sense. 

I don't think it made a bit of sense to Jesus' disciples when Jesus told them to feed 5,000 men plus women and children with only 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes!  And if I was Peter it would have made no sense to me at all for Jesus to tell me to go out to a lake, grab a fish, open its mouth and there inside find money and then go pay the temple tax.  Really! Feeding a large group of people with just a little bit of fun and finding money in the mouth of a fish to pay my taxes, just doesn't make sense!

But for God it isn't a requirement for it to make sense to us on how these crazy things that He tell us to do work out!  We Don't Need To Understand!

The only requirement that God expects is obedience.  Obedience is Jesus' LOVE LANGUAGE.  

Jesus speaking, "If you love me keep my commandments." John 15:10

THIRD CONDITION: What To Do!

IN ALL YOUR LIFE MAKE GOD KNOWN!

Throughout you entire life there is always one common denominator!  What is it?

GOD!

It was God who fashioned you, formed you, saved you and maintains you.  Without God and Christ we would be helplessly and hopelessly drowning in our sea of sin!  God has loved us with an everlasting love. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God! NOTHING! 

So, why shouldn't we in all our ways acknowledge God?  Why shouldn't we make Him known to the whole world?  How can we help but speak of the great and mighty things that God has done in the past and in our own lives.  

When we are acknowledging God in all our ways, we are shining the Light of Christ brightly in our part of this dark world!  We are making this world a brighter place to live. 

THE ONE PROMISE: What God Will Do For Us!

HE WILL GUIDE US AND DIRECT US!

After all, why wouldn't God direct us and lead us if we are putting our faith in him, making Him known to all the world and not leaning on our own understanding?  Of course He will!  

You fulfill those conditions and you can take this promise that God has made to you, to the bank and cash it in. 

THAT'S PROMISE THAT GOD WILL HONOR AND KEEP!

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5 Things To Be Clear About For Powerful Missional Living

When it comes to living a powerful missional life that brightly shines the Light of Christ there are some things one needs to be absolutely clear about! Today we are going to look at 5 of them.  We will be looking at Joshua 1:1-9 with the call of Joshua to join God on His mission and the 5 things God made perfectly clear for him so that he would be able to accomplish the task he was being assigned.

I. You Need A Clear Word From God! (v. 1-2)

"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 'Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites."

Here we see God coming to Joshua explaining to him the situation about the death of Moses, about how He was appointing Joshua to become the new leader and commanding him to get the people ready to cross over into the Promised Land! Basically God is telling Joshua to GET READY - GET THE PEOPLE READY - YOU'RE HEADING OUT!

In this passage there is no indication that Joshua was confused about who it was that was talking to him.  Joshua knew it was God!

There is also know indication that Joshua was confused about what God was telling him to do.  Joshua knew exactly what God was telling him to do!

To be effective in missional living we need to tune our heart, mind and spirit to be able to recognize when God is speaking to us and to understand what God is telling us to do. There can't be any confusion on either point.  We are following Jesus on His mission and as such we need to be able to understand when God is shifting gears or making course correction.  WE NEED TO HAVE A CLEAR WORD FROM GOD!

II.  You Need To Claim God's Clear Promises! (v. 3)

"I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses."

Did you catch the fact that God was giving Joshua a "Clear Promise"!  God used the phrase, "I will"!  It didn't say, "I might" or "It's more than likely" but it was a very definite, " I will".  He gave the same promise to Joshua that He gave to Moses.

The Bible tells us in 2 Cor 1:20 that all the promises of God are "Yes" for those that are in Christ.  When we know and by faith hold onto God and His promises we can claim those promises for living a powerful missional life. Knowing God's promises and knowing that God has said "yes" to those promises for us who are in Christ is powerful when shining the Light of Christ. 

III.  You Need To Receive A Clear Vision From God! (v. 4)

"Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west."

Did you notice how clear and specific God's explanation of what the Promised Land consists of?  God gave Joshua the exact boundaries that the Promised Land would reside in.  

When God assigns a mission He imparts a vision that is very specific!  When God told Noah to build an ark, God was specific in the exact way he wanted it to be built. God's vision is always clear and specific.

What has God clearly called you to do? What does it look like? What things need to happen and take place for it to be done?

IV.  You Need To Rest On God's Clear Assurances (v. 5)

"No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you."

In this passage God give two assurances that Joshua could hold on to:

1. No one will able to stand against you all the days of your life;

2. God presence would never leave him.

In Matthew 28:18-20 we have what has come to be known as Christ's Great Commission.  In it Jesus gives us, who are on mission with Him, 2 assurances.  These two assurances are:

1. That Jesus has the authority to assign us this mission.  We are on a mission under the authority of God himself.

2. And that His presence would be with us always!

Once you clearly internalize the reality that you are on a mission under the authority of Christ himself, who has all authority in both Heaven and earth, and that Christ himself, through the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit goes with us that's the makings of a powerful missional life!

V.  You Need To Hold On To God's Clear Guarantee For Success (v. 6-9)

"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid;do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

3 different times we hear God telling Joshua to be strong and courageous. These 3 reminders was to emphasize God's guaranteed success!

Verse 6: tells Joshua to be strong and courageous because "He will lead them to inherit the land". There's no if's, and's or but's - Joshua would accomplish this mission.

Verses 7-8: tells Joshua to be strong and very courageous because obedience to the Law of Moses guarantees success.

Verse 9: Reminds Joshua to be strong and courageous - don't tremble or be dismayed because God is with him wherever he goes and because of God's presence success is guaranteed.  

We too can be confident of our success to the mission that Christ has called us to because Christ is the Sovereign Lord of all creation.  HIs will must be done!

Missional Living: How To Know God's Dream For Your Life!

Today in our Missional Living Devotional we are going to look at the need for having a dream if we are going to achieve great things as we live a missional life.  But the question that needs to be raised is, “Where does that dream come from?”  Do we create our own dream? Some people do. Do we allow some other person to tell us what our dream should be?  Some people do! 

 Today I am going to suggest that as Followers of Christ we should allow God to give us the dreams that we pursue and not allow them to come from man.  Why? To answer that let's take a look at what the Bible says 1 Cor. 2:9

 “However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived" -- the things God has prepared for those who love him”

Why should let God be the one to determine the dreams we pursue? Because no human being can dream up a dream big enough that can please God.  When you allow God to give you your dreams for you to pursue you will be blow away. 

Today we are going to use Jesus as our example.  Allowing God the Father to reveal His dreams and purposes was Jesus’ way for knowing what he was to pursue while here on earth. 

 “Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.”  John 5:19-25

 I.  God’s Dream For Us Always Relates To What He Is Already Doing! 

 “ …the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing”  (v. 19)

 A.    God is already and always at His work! You don’t have get God working – He’s already working.

 “In his defense Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working." John 5:7

 B.  God isn’t sitting up in Heaven twittling his thumbs waiting for us to ask him to do something.  God is already busy about his work.

 ·       The Call Of Moses (God said, "I have come down to … therefore I’m sending you.")

·       The Call Of Noah (I have come down to destroy the earth but saving you … therefore build a boat)

This is not a work we do for God but it's a work we do with God.  It’s His work that he’s already doing and will do it through us.

II.  God Reveals His Dream For Us And Invites Us To Join Him! (v. 20)

 ·       God’s dream for you life isn’t discovered but revealed to you by God.  You don't hunt after God's will as if it was hidden somewhere - God shows you what His will is.

·       How did Moses know he would deliver the Children of Israel from Egypt?  God told him.

·       How did Noah know he was to build a boat?  God told him.

·       How did Abraham know He would have a son in his old age?  God told him.

·       How did Joshua know how to defeat the city of Jericho and that the wall would come crashing down? God told him.

·       How will you know what God’s dream for you is?  God will tell you!

Two Important principles to remember: 

1. Whenever God spoke to someone they all knew it was God speaking to them.
2. Whenever God spoke to someone they all knew exactly what He was saying. 

Take A Look At The Prophet Jonah: He knew it was God talking to him; he knew what God wanted but he just didn’t want to do it.  Even after he did it and the people repented he griped and complained because he knew that if they repented he would forgive them.

III.  God Invites Us To Join Him Because He Has A Relationship With Us! (v. 20)

 It’s A Love Relationship:

1.       It’s out of his love for us that He doesn’t leave us in the dark what is happening or what is going to happen.

2.       It’s out of His love for us that he give us an eternal sense of purpose for life.

It’s A Friendship Relationship:

 “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” John 15:15-16

 1.       Did you notice that Jesus refers to His disciples (that includes us) as His friends!  How amazing is that?  What better friend can you have than Jesus? And what great compliment can you be given than for Christ to think of you as His friend?

2.       Did you notice how much Jesus makes known to us from God the Father?  EVERYTHING!

In other words Jesus holds nothing back!  When it comes to a “Need to know basis” you’re in the need to know group!

 IV.  What Do You Need To Do To Get God To Reveal His Dream?

 “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.” James 1:5-6 (NIV)

 JUST ASK IN FAITH!

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6 Principles For Overcoming Temptations

Temptations isn't something you'll ever grow out of as a Follower in Christ. At least not during this life time.  Everyday, from the moment you get up until the time you lie your head back down to sleep you can be tempted to sin against God and people.  

Temptation in and of itself isn't a sin. According to the Bible Jesus was tempted but didn't sin! If the most perfect person who has ever lived but did so being tempted, we should expect that we too will be tempted.  The Bible does teaches that Christ's Followers can overcome temptation. We don't have to feel helpless and hopeless when it comes to temptation. Christ has made sure that we have all that we need to overcome it. 

So today we are going to look at 6 Biblical principles that will aid us in our ability to identify and overcome temptation.

#1:  Anticipate Temptations!

"Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."  Matthew 26:41 (NASB)

In this passage Jesus is warning Peter, James and John to be watching and praying as a strategy to overcome temptation.  Jesus says this the night he is to be arrested and while he is in the garden praying for his upcoming arrest. Jesus has already told Peter that before the rooster crows he will deny him three times.  An hour earlier Jesus had asked Peter, James and John to pray with him during this time of struggle but when Jesus comes back where he left them to pray he found them instead asleep.  Jesus was warning Peter that a time of temptation was headed his way and he needed to be prepared. That preparation was to watch and pray.

How often during the day are you looking around to see if you can see the activities of the enemy and ready to anticipate Satan's temptations?  If you're not anticipating that temptation will be coming how can you be ready for it when it does come?  In boxing there's a saying, "It's not the hardest punch that knocks you out but the punch you don't see coming."  Likewise, it's not the severest temptation that will make you fall but the temptation you see coming!  And why don't you see it coming? Because you weren't anticipating it!

#2:  Understand Where Temptations Will Attack You!

"But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived , it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death."  James 1:14-15 (NASB)

Where will temptations attack you?  Where you are weakest! Notice what that verse says! We are tempted when we are carried away by our own lusts.  I'm not carried away by someone else's lust. Satan will always attack us at our weakest point.  He is looking for the chink in our armor and when he finds it that's where he will attack.  If you have a weakness for gossiping - then Satan is going to give you temptation opportunities to to gossip!  If your weakness is in drugs then Satan is going to hit those triggers that will cause you to want to get some drugs.  It is in the area of your weakness Satan will tempt you to sin!

#3:  Cry Out To God!

"Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you and you will honor Me."  Psalm 50:15

What should you do in your day of trouble - in your day of temptation?  Call upon God! When we are being tempted and I mean right in the midst of temptation, we need to learn to cry out to God for help! We need to do it right then and there before Satan's temptation gets a strong hold on us.  

Did you hear God's promise? He says that if we cry out to him in our day of trouble HE WILL RESCUE US!  It's not a may rescue you; or you should be rescued but he said he will rescue you.  When we cry out for help, as His children, He will show up to help us. When God shows up to help us Satan flees and runs away.  Bam! You're Then Rescued!

#4: Find An Accountability Partner

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed.  The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much."  James 5:16 (NASB)

Who do you have that you can call when you are going through a really difficult temptation? What Godly person do you know you can trust will not only can keep your confidence but also pray for your deliverance? Having that kind of person in your life will make the temptation experiences less daunting.  Having someone you can call immediately when you are being tempted is such a great resource to getting through that time of testing.

#5:  Run! Don't Resist!

"A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil. But a fool is arrogant and careless."  Proverbs 14:16 (NASB)

Notice the wise man is the one who turns away from the evil or from the temptation to do evil.  He leaves the situation but the foolish man is the one who is arrogant and careless.  

First I want us to look at the foolish and arrogant person. Why are they foolish and arrogant? Because they think that they don't need any help to overcome temptation! They feel they can stand in the midst of the temptation and resist it.  Understand this the Bible never tells us to resist temptation.  It does say to resist Satan but never temptation.  Why? Because the longer you stand in the temptation situation telling yourself you're going to resist it the only thing you are thinking about is the temptation.  YOU CAN'T RESIST IT!  Instead you need to RUN FROM IT!

"I Thought about the wrong direction in which I was headed and turned around an came running back to you."  Ps. 119:59 (LB)

Once you realize that you are in tempting situation you need to run away from that situation. Don't walk! Don't saunter away! No! You need to RUN! Get yourself out of that situation! Get yourself away from that temptation as quickly as possible.  And where do you run to?  TO GOD! The best place to be to overcome temptation is in the presence of our Lord God! Why? Because that's one place Satan would never dare to try and tempt you.  God is your refuge of safety! He is the Rock of your salvation! He is your high and mighty tower where you can find safety for your soul.  

#6:  Look For God's Escape!

"No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."  1 Cor. 10:13 (NASB)

Did you read the part where the scripture says that God will always make sure that every temptation you experience there is a way of escape!  The question isn't whether there's a way to escape - the question is are we looking for the escape that God has promised!

Take a few moments and share a comment below and let's us know what you have found to be helpful in overcoming temptation!

Missional Living Is Having A Faith In God That Encourages Others!

Through an event in the life of Paul we are going to learn that part of a powerful Missional Life is having the kind of faith in God that can encourage others! When people look at us, hear us speak and listen to what we say about Jesus Christ do they find encouragement?

Remember your faith in Christ might be the only source of faith for someone else!

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Also, take a few moments and share a time when someone else's faith was the encouragement you needed.  Share as a comment below!

What Exactly Is Faith?

So what exactly is faith?  I mean we have all heard the Biblical definition of faith from Hebrews 11:1,
 

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."  

And I would agree that this is by far the most meaningful and beneficial definition that any person can hold to.  But in order to help us begin to view Biblical faith in God differently but in total agreement with what Hebrews says I would like to offer the following:

It's Obeying What God Says Even When It Doesn't Make Sense!

"By faith, Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going."  Hebrews 11:8

Can you imagine that conversation between Abraham and God?  Think about it for a second and imagine with me if you would how that conversation went:

• God: 'Abraham.' 
• Abraham, 'Yes God I'm listening.'   
• God, 'Abraham I want to pack up your bags and get ready to move.'  
• Abraham, 'O.k. God, sure. When will I be leaving?'  
• God, 'I'll tell when it's time to leave but for now just make sure that you, your family and all your servants are packed and ready to go when I tell you.' 
• Abraham, 'Sure God if you say so. That's no problem.  So where exactly are we going?'
• God, 'That's not for you to know right now but once I tell you to leave I will also tell you what direction to go and when you get there.'  
• Abraham, 'Well I guess that's alright.  How long will it take for us to get there?'  
• God, 'Not for you to know.  You just keep on going until I tell you to stop.'  
• Abraham, 'Well if you say so I guess I can do that but let me make sure I understand you clearly. You want me, my family and all of my servants to pack up and get ready to relocate to a place that's an unknown destination, I'm not sure when we will be leaving exactly and I don't know how long it will take to get there.  Is that correct God?'  
• God, "Yes that's exactly correct. Do you have a problem with that?'  Abraham, 'No, not at all. I was just checking."

So let me ask you from our human perspective does it make a bit of sense to pack up for a journey that you are going to take at some unknown point in your life, to go on that journey without any idea how long it will take to get there and without any map or instructions on how to get there? 

NO!  IT MAKES NO BIT OF SENSE!

But that's faith in God.  He tells us to do something but it doesn't make a bit of sense to us but we do it anyhow!  Why? Because we trust God and we trust that he can do anything even if it doesn't make sense to us. 

I don't think that it made a bit of sense to Gideon to engage in a battle with his enemy numbering 10,000 soldiers when his army army had been downsized by God to only 300 men.

"So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others.Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands.If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore. Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.” His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash,the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.” When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’ Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled. When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.”  Judges 7:5-24 (NIV)

Really does that make any human sense?  Does it make sense to downsize your army to 300 men and tell them to shout, blow horns and reveal some light from lamps that each man was holding and then as a result then enemy would run around and kill themselves.

Not unless it's God who is doing it.

You see Gideon had faith in God just like Abraham to believe that God would do exactly what he said he would do even when what it didn't make a bit of sense. 

So, how well are you following God's instructions?  Do you ever get a word from the Lord and then try to redefine it because what you understood from God doesn't make sense?  Why do you think that God gives us instruction that don't make sense and shouldn't work at all?  Why?

Because God is doing something that will prove that he really does exist and can do anything!  That's why!

3 Principles For Worshipping God!

While worshipping God will include more than these 3 principles, it will definitely include these three.  I chose them because they are often forgotten and not mentioned. These 3 seem to reside underneath the covers hiding away from most of our attentions. However, they are important reminders that if our worship is going to remain unadulterated and pure before a Holy Righteous God they need to be kept in check.

PRINCIPLE #1:  We're To Worship God Who Needs Nothing!

How many times have we praise people for their work and effort for the purpose of encouraging them. Praise in that sense is done because we think the person needs it.  But God doesn't need our praise. God doesn't get discouraged that causes him to need others to build him up.  God doesn't need us to boost His ego.

We don't worship God because he needs it. We worship Him because He DESERVES IT!  

Our motivation for worshipping God doesn't come from a sense of God's need but out of a sense of God's worth.

"Because your love is better than life,  my lips will glorify you." Ps 63:3 

PRINCIPLE #2:  We're To Worship God Even Though We Don't Feel Like It!

Listen to the words of Job after his family was killed and property was stolen.

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,  and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.” Job 1:21 (NIV)

What was Job doing?

• First he makes a declaration of truth
• and then Job begins to praise God - he begins to worship God!  

Let me ask you a question! At that moment, after hearing about the murder of his children and all his property being stolen, do you think Job "FELT" like worshipping God?  Of course NOT!  But he did it any how!  

Do you think that King David felt like worshipping God after the death of his baby with Bathsheba?  Of course not! But that's exactly what he did. He bathed, he changed cloths and he went to the temple to worship God.  Do we truly think that Paul and Silas after being beaten and thrown into jail in Philippi felt like worship God while chained in stocks?  Of course NOT! But that's what they were doing.

Worship isn't intended to praise God for the wonderful and great things that He has done for us exclusively. It is also intended to worship him even when we are morning and saddened by the events of life. 

We worship God not because we feel like it but we worship Him because He is worthy of it!

"In a loud voice they were saying:  'Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,  to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength  and honor and glory and praise!” Revelation 5:12 (NIV)

PRINCIPLE #3:  Worship Of God Includes Meeting Other People's Need!

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."  Hebrews 13:15-16 (NIV)

Did you read what are the sacrifices we're to bring to God for worship that will please Him?  

• It is doing good
• and sharing with others who are in need. 

 It's not just our songs we sing and the prayers we make but it also includes how we treat people and how we look out after them by meeting their needs.

"I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God." Phil 4:18 (NIV)

The Apostle Paul considered the gifts of support he received as being a fragrant offering and an acceptable sacrifice that is pleasing to God. 

After you leave your fancy church buildings and go out for lunch do you even give a consideration the homeless person in the park that may or may not get a meal that day?  Do we really think that God is please with our songs when we ignore the needs of others around us?

Let us worship God but lets worship him the way He wants to be worship and for the right reason!

Lessons On Christ's Mission

In the Gospel of John 20:21-22 we read,

"Then Jesus said to them again, 'Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.' And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

This is really an amazing thing. Here we see the entire God-Head: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, all completely involved in this Divine Mission:

• It is God the Father who is the originator of this mission. It is a mission that flows from the very heart of God. It is not some human idea or concept but one that came from God himself from the very foundations of the earth.
• But then we also see Jesus, the Son of God, as the implementor of this mission. The Father entrusted this mission into no other hands but that of his own Son. He did not entrust it to angels or anyone else but he gave it to the only perfectly qualified to get it started in the right direction. He gives it to none other than His very own Son. For there was a part that Jesus needed to play in the fulfillment of the mission that no one else could do. He alone could become the perfect sacrifice, the redemption, that buys back the souls of those whom God loves from the chains of sin. He was to offer up his own life and shed his own blood so that atonement for sin could be made and the perfect law of God would be satisfied. Jesus began the movement. He gathered a few disciples taught them what they needed to know and exemplified how this mission was to be carried out.
• And then we see the Holy Spirit being imparted. Without the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the ordinary christian this mission would be an impossible task to fulfill but in Acts chapter one starting with verse four we read,

"And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, 'which,' He said,'you have heard from Me; for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now ... But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Acts 1:8

It is through the working of the Holy Spirit that the power that is needed to fulfill the mission is provided. Yes, the entire Godhead had a vested interest in the success and completion of this mission.

As amazing as it is to see the entire Godhead at play in this mission it is also equally humbling to think that God has allowed us, those of us who are his followers, to also play a vital role in this mission. Jesus said,

"As the Father has sent me, so send I you." 

That's what Jesus said. Jesus received his instruction for carrying out his part of the mission straight from the Father but now he hands the fulfillment of this mission off to us who are his disciples.

He gives this mission to ordinary christians.  He didn't have to do that! He didn't have to make us part of this redemption story but He did. It was from his good pleasure and for his glory that he has done so. As Ordinary Christians the fulfillment of this mission should be our purpose, focus and priority in life! Our only reason for existence in this life is to see this mission fulfilled.

If we live for money, for personal success, for fame or for any other reason we have missed our reason and purpose for living. The only reason why God has left us here on earth after our salvation is for us to carry out this mission for His praise and His glory. All the rest of life should be viewed through this lens. It should color all the rest of our activities in life. It should not be one of the things that we do in life but everything we do in life, in some way, should help us fulfill this God given mission and that we bring praise and glory to God our Father and our Lord Jesus through accomplishing of it.

What will you do? What will be your mission in life? Are you ready as an ordinary christian to surrender your dreams, priorities and and vision to that of God and to his mission that He has already given us?

As you begin to live a missional life that brings glory to God I would like to encourage you.  I invite you to join my mailing list and allow me to send you weekly encouragement through the MISSIONAL LIVING DEVOTIONAL that I email out.  As a member of the this list I also send you information about other FREE trainings that made available and about other resources you can get.  All this is to help you better fulfill the mission that Jesus himself has commissioned us to perform.  Your can sign up now by CLICKING HERE AT: MISSIONAL LIVNG DEVOTIONAL. 

TAKE CARE AND REMEMBER TO GO SHINE THE LIGHT OF CHRIST!

6 Descriptions For Biblical Missional Living Faith

1.   Faith Is Stretching Your Imagination To Match God’s Plan!

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to his power that is at work within us ..” Eph 3:20 (NIV)

More often than not God is going to call you to join Him in His work that will absolutely blow your mind away! You will see no possible way for you to do it, so you will need to believe that God can accomplish His plan through you even though you know you can’t do it by yourself.

2.   Faith Is Believing What Christ Says He Will Do!

 “While He was still speaking, they came from the house of the synagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?”  But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.”  Mark 5: 35,36 (NIV) 

Like Jairus there will come time in your life when you will have to choose whom to believe. Will you believe all the people who are telling you that hope is dead so just stop bothering God with your prayers or will you hear and believe the voice of Christ who says, “… only believe.”?

3.   Faith Is Risking Failure To Be Obedient To Christ!

“Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”  2 Cor. 5:6-8 (NIV) 

So many times Christ tells His people things that He is going to do and accomplish but there is no evidence of it at all except for what He has said and God is also telling you to drop everything you have going on to join Him in that work.  For those who look at life without the lens of faith to join God looks like failure. But faith knows that God will accomplish all that He says He will do even though the circumstances look different.

4.   Faith Is Waiting For God's Answer To Our Need!

“I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.” Ps. 40:1 (NIV)

Faith knows that God is going to answer your prayers but He is going to answer it according to His timing and not ours.  Faith is often a process of waiting and waiting and waiting. But according to this verse it’s not just waiting but waiting patiently! That patient waiting is the full assurance that God’s timing is always the best timing and not just for us but for all who is concerned.

5. Faith Is Following Instructions Even When It Doesn't Make Sense!

“By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later received as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”

Hebrews 11:8 (NIV)

Let me ask you a question! Are you willing to obey God even when the instructions don’t make a bit of sense to you?  That’s exactly what Abraham did! He was told to get up and start walking to a new home that God was giving Him but God didn’t give any map. God just said “Go” and Abraham “Went” believing that when he arrived God would say “Stop”.  He obeyed the only instruction that God gave him, which was to go. 

6.   Faith Is Being Persistent And Never Quitting!

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”  Gal 6:7-9

Faith says, “I will not quit, I will not stop and I will keep pressing on until God accomplishes what he has promised to do.  I love this verse because it’s telling us not to stop the work that God has given us, to keep plowing that field, to keep being faithful to the work God has given us knowing that the harvest is coming. But we can’t give up!

So, do you have Biblical faith? Are you persistently following God’s instructions, as he stretches your imagination while patiently waiting for God to answer your cry’s and willing to risk failure as you believe in what Christ has told you?  Where does you faith need to grow?