Encouraging, Empowering & Equipping Ordinary Christians To Live Powerful Missional Lives!
Don’t allow worry and anxiety keep up from enjoying the life that Christ has for you or from joining Christ on His mission. Here are 4 Biblical activities that you can implement into your normal daily life that will disrobe the worry that haunts you.
Spend Time With Jesus & Watch The Worry Melt Away!
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:38-42
In this Bible story we see a pretty clear picture of most of us when it comes to worry through Martha’s experience. So often, we are so busy doing this thing and doing that thing, that we become overwhelmed and possible overextended.
Martha was busy and distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. I think it’s interesting that the story clearly says that she was distracted! But, distracted from what? What were all of her busy preparations keeping her from that she should have been doing? Once we can answer that question, we also reveal the 1 absolutely essential activity for a worry free life!
The story also reveals that Martha was worried and upset about many things! If the truth of the matter is made clear most people don’t worry about just one or two things. Worry for most people, including Christians, have become a lifestyle. Throughout life we have learned to worry about most things. We’ve watched our parents worry over this or that; we’ve seen our friends grip by worry; and the uncertainty of life has taught us that worry is the proper emotion to have. Through a worldly perspective it appears that most of life is filled with things to worry about.
But not only did the story tell us that she worried about also upset about many things. Being upset and worrying actually go together! When we are worried about something, its because that something is out of our control. We can’t beat it into submission. And when we can’t control something and worry begins to grip our hearts and mind, then we become angry at situations and in this people, Martha’s sister, Mary. Martha was upset with her sister because Mary wasn’t doing what Martha thought she should be doing. What was that? Helping her with the preparations.
So what is the one absolutely essential activity for experiencing a life without worry? It was what Mary was doing! Read again what Jesus says,
“… but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Jesus starts off telling Martha that she’s a worry wart and that her sister helping her isn’t the solution to her worry. Not only was Mary not the solution to Martha’s worry but she actually was doing and being the example on how to get rid of that worry!
What was Mary doing? According to the story Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to everything Jesus was saying. Mary was spending time with Jesus; she was learning from Jesus; she was soaking in all that Christ had to offer and as a result Mary would be filled with peace and contentment and not worry or anxiety. So, what is that one essential activity to get rid of worry?
When you do then all your worries will begin to melt away!
Here’s the lyrics to a great chorus that shares this message wonderfully:
“One thing is needful O my Father
One thing is needful O my God
That I sit at Your feet
And pour out my love
This thing is needful O my Lord
(REPEAT)
Verse 2
I sit and worship You my Father
I sit and worship You my God
Lord I sit at Your feet
And pour out my love
I sit and worship You my King
(REPEAT)
Verse 3
I lift my hands to You my Father
I lift my hands to You my God
Lord I sit at Your feet
And pour out my love
I lift my hands to You my Lord”
For more information on how to live a powerful worry free life, check out this powerful book that was ranked as an Amazon #2 Best Seller in the categories of Missions/Missionary Work and Pastoral Counseling/Recovery. It is called LIVING ON MISSION IN SPITE OF MY WORRY: Biblical Advice On Relieving An Anxious Heart.
6 Biblical principles
and 5 Biblical practices that will lead you into a life without worry.
I just have to tell you that I am so very excited to share this next endorsement with you about my book LIVING ON MISSION IN SPITE OF MY WORRY!
Why? Because it is from a person who make up the audience I am trying to reach and encourage to be on mission. That target audience are those that I like to call Ordinary Christians.
What Do I Mean By Ordinary Christian? First let me say that I am not trying to demean anybody by using that title. I do believe that all of who come to faith in Christ are now somebody very important. Not because of our own goodness but because of the grace of God.
When I say ordinary christians, I mean people who are just your everyday follower of Christ, who loves Jesus and wants to be obedient. They don't have any special Bible education from a Christian college or seminary but they do love studying the Bible and staying close to Jesus in prayer.
However, they may worry about joining Christ on His mission for one reason or another. This book is written to encourage and equip them to live a worry free life while being on mission with Christ.
Janet Howard is such a Christian. She loves Jesus with all her heart; she wants to be obedient to Him as an expression of her love for him; she want to share the love of Christ with others but has suffer with some worry over it.
I had her read this book so as to see if I had accomplished my goal for writing the book, which is to help people overcome their worry and join in God's mission. Read what she says and see for yourself if I accomplished it or not.
"This book, LIVING ON MISSION IN SPITE OF MY WORRY, is just as the title suggests. The beginning chapters give us foundational biblical reasons why we should not allow worry hinder the mission that God is calling all believers into. The remaining chapters give clear practical advice and steps to take to move forward in that mission without worry. It will be a great book for group studies to encourage and equip ordinary believers live out their mission. As I read through the book I was challenged in my own personal responsibility to not allow worry overtake the need to love people into the kingdom. It's a very worthwhile book to read.”
Janet Howard
An Ordinary Christian
Tucson, Az
My very good friend Pastor Billy Galloska has taken the time out of his busy schedule to write me a very wonderful but honest endorsement for my new book LIVING ON MISSION IN SPITE OF MY WORRY.
Pastor Billy is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Glenns Ferry, Idaho. I love the way he works with his congregation to intentionally equip them live powerful missional lives that brightly shines the Light of Christ in their part of this dark world through making disciples for Jesus Christ. He and his wife, December, have a powerful testimony of God's transforming power. Billy understands the needs of ordinary christians and what it takes to empower them to share Christ. I greatly value his endorsement and what he has to say about my new book, LIVING ON MISSION IN SPITE OF MY WORRY.
Take a few seconds and read what he has to say about it.
"Worry is a part of every life. Even as ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ we can experience worry that sometimes cripples our work. It is no wonder then that ordinary Christians find themselves in the midst of worry that cripples them from sharing God's love in their part of this dark world.
Author Jay Moore uses Living on Mission in Spite Of My Worry to show that even in our worry God can and does empower us to inspire and connect with people in our part of this dark world to share the good news of Jesus when we seek His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
Jay has not only hit the mark with this book, he has driven it home. If you have become crippled by worry, whether you are an ordinary Christian or you are a minister, this book is a must-read that will not only keep you reading but make you want to hit the neighborhood halfway through!"
Pastor Billy Galloska
First Baptist Church
Glenns Ferry, Idaho
“I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize the Lord is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine. It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than for me; for in the easiest positions He must give me His grace, and in the most difficult, His grace is sufficient.” – Hudson Taylor
The previous principle of actualizing a worry free life that I shared was to have faith in Sovereignty of God. It was designed to help us understand and believe that God is able to do anything, through anybody, including each of us. If God is truly God then nothing is impossible for Him and all things that He wills can and will be done. In other words, there’s no force or authority above Him or beside Him.
God most definitely is in control.
But trusting and believing that God is in control, when left by itself, does provide insurance that we won’t be filled with worry and anxiety. As a matter of fact, it is quite possible for a person to be actively doing God’s will and still have no peace about it! People can be in service to God, doing exactly what He has asked them to do, with full assurance that God will accomplish His task and still be worry and anxious about it! That sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But it’s true.
Let me give you an example using the prophet Jonah. You know the story of Jonah. Jonah is commanded by God to go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their disgusting wickedness had come up to God. Jonah however, didn’t want to obey God so he ran away and hopped on a boat headed for Tarshish. While on the ship God sent a hug storm to come up against them and almost sink the ship and everyone on it.
Jonah then convinced the other men of the ship that the only way to save the ship from God’s wrath was for them to throw him overboard. While floating around in the water, God caused a whale to come and swallowed him up. However, this whale swallowing experience wasn’t intended to kill Jonah but for God to get his attention and compliance. As Jonah was sitting in the belly of the whale, He cried out to God, committed to obeying Him by going to Nineveh, and preach against the city. Then after being burped up onto shore Jonah did go to Nineveh, he did preach against the city but once the king of Nineveh heard the message, on his own initiative, he got the whole city to repent and beg God for mercy.
As God heard the sincere cry of repentance from the people of the whole city, He did show mercy on them and pulled back His wrath. This, however, was not what Jonah wanted to happen. Jonah didn’t want mercy to be shown them but instead he wanted the judgment of God to fall on them. Jonah then begins to act like a spoiled little brat and throws a temper tantrum. Listen to what the Bible records Jonah saying once he realizes that God had shown the people of Nineveh mercy.
“But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, ‘isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God; slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Jonah 4:1-3 (NIV)
While there are lots of lesson that we can learn from those first 4 chapters of Jonah, the one I want us to understand and meditate on today is this:
Just because you’re doing God’s will doesn’t mean you’ll experience God’s peace and be free from anxiety. Just because you’re being obedient doesn’t mean you won’t have worry in your life!
Why? Because a Christian who wishes to experience a worry free life not only needs to trust in the Sovereignty of God but they also need to surrender to the will of God in their attitude as well as in their action. If our attitude is wrong, even when doing what is right, we still won’t have a life filled with peace.
Jonah went and did what God wanted but he went and did it with a bad attitude. Even, though his actions were right – his heart was wrong. Jonah didn’t want the people of Nineveh to be forgiven – he wanted them to be judged and condemned! Jonah knew, from his understanding of the nature of God that “if” the people of Nineveh repented God would forgive them and because of this understanding of God, Jonah worried that God would forgive them and show them mercy if they repented.
The worry free life that we all are seeking always will come from both right actions and right attitudes. Jonah obviously didn’t have the right attitude. Jonah desired something that was contrary to what God wanted and as a result, even though He was obedient, Jonah neither had peace about the assignment or joy about the outcome.
Now with this as the backdrop, let’s once again take a look at part of Hudson Taylor’s quote.
It’s that last part of the sentence I want us to focus on,
Hudson Taylor had come to a place in his daily life where he could honestly say that he not only sought to do God’s will but also that it was his sincere hearts desire to see God’s will accomplished, regardless of what it was.
So here is the third principle for a worry free life. We can experience a life free of worry by:
What I mean by that statement is that when we get our hearts to desire that which God desires; that we want what God actually wants; that we have no desires of our own but only to do the will of God then we can be freed from worry.
Jesus, after talking to the sinful woman at the well described his desire to do the will of God in the following manner,
In other words, Jesus was so desirous to do the will of His Father that it was being hungry and thirsty. It was only through complete obedience that Jesus was able to satisfy that desire.
Think about a time when you were so hungry or thirsty! How did you feel? Wasn’t getting something to eat and something to drink an all consuming desire and thought for you? Of course it was!
Nothing else will satisfy. Satisfaction only comes when we obey!
There’s an old gospel hymn that perfectly describes this principle of conforming our attitude and desire to match that of Christ’s.
WHEREVER HE LEADS I’LL GO
Wherever He leads I’ll go,
Wherever He leads I’ll go,
I’ll follow my Christ who loves me so,
Wherever He leads I’ll go.
He drew me closer to His side,
I sought His will to know,
And in that will I now abide,
Wherever He leads I’ll go.
My heart, my life, my all I bring
To Christ who loves me so;
He is my Master, Lord, and King,
Wherever He leads Ill go.
(Alan Jackson)
A true worry free life comes when we 1). Abide in God’s will; 2). Surrender our heart, our life and our all to Christ regardless of where He leads us.
In order to experience the worry free life we must be willing to exchange our will to that of God’s will.
We believe that ordinary christians are God primary choice for doing His extraordinary work. Throughout scripture we see God choosing to use everyday people to join Him on His mission of raising up, training up and unleashing them to become rapidly reproducing disciple makers. The Ordinary Christians intends to join God in that pursuit.
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