Safetypinlove

Simon Peter & Andrew were doing what they knew best how to do, and probably what their father had done before them, and his father before him. So when this stranger approached them and said, “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” they totally understood what He was saying. And nothing has changed…as Believers we too should be actively seeking after the lost by casting the net of the Good News of the Gospel Message wherever we go. But have we, the Church, become too comfortable in our cushy surroundings to the point that we’ve become “keepers of the aquarium” rather than fishers of men? Concerned more that the fish tank of the Church is neat & tidy rather than attempting to bring new fish in? Jesus met Simon Peter & Andrew where they were at and used their unique talents & expertise for the glory of God…and He wants to do the same with you today.

When that deep moan of pain, grief, or anguish escapes from our mouth because our world has been turned upside down, it’s better to have 1000 unspoken words of prayer in our hearts, than to have a long lengthy prayer with no heart involved. We constantly are made aware of our weaknesses in the area of prayer…especially in how to pray for ourselves in the face of things like a devastating & grave diagnosis, a fatal car accident of a family member, or the suicide of a close friend. We find ourselves at a loss with no words to pray. But this longing to somehow express that chaos & helplessness is really an indication that the Holy Spirit is already at work interceding in our hearts…making requests before our Heavenly Father that will most definitely be heard. And we can rest in that, assured that God’s Will be done in our life & the lives of others.

Instead of cultivating a fruitful & right relationship with God, Israel had planted, reaped, and eaten wickedness & dishonesty. This idea is repeated by Paul in his letter to the Galatians, “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.” (Galatians 6:7-8) The bottom line is this…the one who purses godlessness & morally wrong behavior & actions will eventually be destroyed by it…period. But if we sow righteousness, truth, & goodness, we will most surely reap a lasting reward of great value…whether it’s material or Spiritual.

In John 13:18 Jesus tells us that He has chosen us unto eternal Salvation, and that its outcome is our bearing fruit that abides. Thus our direction in Christian service to others as we, “bear fruit in every good work” (Colossians 1:10), is first and foremost evangelism, that results in eternal significance in people’s lives. But sharing the Gospel Message with others is only a part of God’s plan. For the proper perspective of this position as a servant of God is marching along in God’s Army, taking orders without question, and willing to do all grunt work necessary. But when we’re asked to do mundane or menial tasks that we feel are beneath us or aren’t exciting enough, we miss the chance to see some of God’s greatest accomplishments happen…simply because we’re too proud. Fruit that remains is good fruit that has grown slowly in the fertile soil of God’s ultimate plan & purpose for each one of us…watered carefully by the Master Gardener in both the mundane & the marvelous good works we do for our good and His glory.

The Cross…the revealed truth of God’s judgment on sin. But don’t mistake it for martyrdom, but instead, the supreme triumph over death & the grave, and the quaking of the very foundations of Hell. The Cross made it possible for us to be brought back into a right relationship with God – bridging the chasm between this broken world and our Heavenly Father. But no way is the Cross something that just happened to Jesus & that He had no control over – for His sole purpose coming to earth was to redeem us from Hell as our sin-bearer. But neither is the Cross the cross of man, rather it’s the Cross of God…and try as we might, we will never be fully able to comprehend its power this side of Heaven. Finally, the Cross is God’s manifested heart for Salvation…made easy to obtain because it cost Jesus so very much.

Do you ever think back fondly at a particular season of your life when God used you mightily, and wish you could go back? Maybe it was a time of personal Ministry, or public outreach when God was moving in awesome ways…and you were in the middle of it, serving with a joyful heart. But seasons change and so do we…and we can get caught up in the “what was” rather than in the “what is to be”. One of my favorite quotes from Oswald Chambers is, “Beware of paying attention or going back to what you once were, when God wants you to be something that you have never been.” God is always forward focused, and our Spiritual growth needs to be geared that way too. Growing in the knowledge of God is an ever-deepening experience of Christ…of understanding His Truth…and should characterize every Believer’s course of life. We can’t continue to grow in the Lord if we keep looking back & reminiscing about the “good ole days”, for they’ll never return. And besides, the Lord has far more important work for us to do in the future.

Even though the righteous are often blessed of God this side of glory, many times there will be situations when health, wealth, & prosperity are not forthcoming, and we will have to wait upon the Lord. And with this waiting will come the call to stand firm…a persevering of our faith in view of unsurmountable odds…of being immovable, but not inactive. For as Isaiah wrote, there is hope in the waiting and through that hope our faith is transformed…infusing us with His strength to persevere…and giving us the courage to wait patiently. Granted, the waiting can be long, and you may wake up one morning and realize you’ve been waiting for 5, 10, or even 20 years for the situation to change. But in this waiting something has changed…and it’s you. Sure, the problem may still be there, but God now has given you His perspective to view it through His eyes. Yes, you may be still traveling through the Valley of the Shadow of Death…but you now have that deep down assurance that the Lord is walking every minute right beside you, His arm holding you close & guiding your feet as you traverse the unknown. For the longer we stand firm & wait, our patience grows & grows…not only for the Lord to work, but internally, for ourselves. And this patience is then manifested in compassion, grace & mercy towards others as we continue to stand firm & wait.

Paul saw the misinformed conscience of the unbeliever or “weak” person here as a real shortcoming. And he emphasized the responsibility of the strong (Those strong in the Lord) to be patient with the weak. Thus, this left no room for petty egos, prideful boasts, or haughty behavior to rule over & possibly ruin the relationships. But neither is Paul saying that we need to modify the Gospel Message just in order to please people. (Galatians 1:10) Using Jesus as an example, Paul quotes Psalm 69:9, where Christ’s willingness to deny Himself & suffer for the benefit of others should be our goal…for it’s in love, humility, & edification that we can reach the lost.

Job’s friends were brought back to God through his intercessory prayer on their behalf. We even see intercession on the Cross when Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) But how often are we stepping outside of our selfish & self-serving requests to pray on behalf of others…or even taking our eyes off our bellybuttons to look up & beyond to pray for a hurting world? We are called to pray for others…to stand in the gap on behalf of another before our Heavenly Father, praying for His Divine Will, regardless of the circumstances. And pleading that they would recognize & fully understand that God loves them & desires only the very best in their situation.

When friends talk about not growing in the Lord, I use the acronym GROW to help them determine what areas of their walk with the Lord needs attention.

G. Go to a Bible believing & preaching Church. A Church where the infallible Word of God is proclaimed not political/social issues, and the Pastor preaches from the Bible & not some book written by man. Go to a Church where Jesus is honored as the Son of God & Savior of the world, and not just some good man who lived a long time ago. Finally, if you are already part of a Bible believing Church… get involved in some type of Ministry within the Church. Stop being just a consumer on Sundays.

R. Read the Bible daily. As Paul prayed in Colossians, the Word fills you with the knowledge of His Will and understanding so that you may grow in Him. Or as Psalm 119:105 says, ” Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” You can’t expect to grow if the only time you hear God’s Word is on Sunday morning…that’s because you’re only hearing about Him, not experiencing God as you yourself read His Word.

O. Obey God in everything. James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the Word, and deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Or as II John 6 tells us, “We are to walk in obedience to His commands.” And obedience in everything means just that…everything! No picking & choosing or hiding things in the closet we don’t want to give Him.

W. Witness and tell others about Jesus. Sharing the Gospel with others can be scary, I know…but the Great Commission to go and tell others about the Good News of Jesus is something every Christian needs to do. Paul told the Church in Romans 15:14-21 that he felt they were more than competent to instruct others in the Gospel Message and then quoted Isaiah 52:15, “Those who were not told about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” Sharing Jesus with others is obeying His Word…but think of this possibility, your obedience in witnessing to someone may be the the first & only time they will ever hear about Jesus.