The desire of every leader in the Body of Christ is for you to grow. It may seem like we are preaching the Law, lots of do's and don'ts but that is not our intention. We simply desire to help you avoid common pitfalls and to grow into the fullness of Jesus. There are so many traps, so many distractions, so many things the enemy uses to tear you away from Christ. Even leaders are vulnerable and need accountability.
Perhaps the words of the apostle Paul best describe how we see our desire for you:
But I’m afraid that your minds might be seduced in the same way as the snake deceived Eve with his devious tricks. You might be unable to focus completely on a genuine and innocent commitment to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3)
We see the relationship Jesus intended for you to have with him and the Father. It is the reason he sent us the Spirit so we could be joined with them, have rich fellowship and to enable the transformation process to continue. Everything that is contrary to the character of Jesus works like acid against this intended relationship.
It is more than just understanding what pleases and displeases Yahweh, we have to desire to want to live to please him, to desire to reject everything he rejects and to lift up everything he considers important. It is the reason Scripture points out that even if everything were permitable not everything is beneficial. If activities in our lives are not moving us toward Jesus then we should be glad to get rid of them to make room for what does benefit us.
The enemy has been seducing the children of God for a long time and he is very good at it. He knows what works and what doesn't work. It is the reason the Scriptures tell us to stay alert because he is light a prowling lion looking for the weak to destroy them.
It is the reason Yahweh left no room for anything else when he told us to love him with our all, and Jesus told us that this one command is greater than anything else. That is what we should be spending our days learning to do. If we did we wouldn't be so concerned about a list of do's and don'ts because it is on the tender hearts that the Spirit is able to write the Law. Then we would never desire to do what is contrary to Jesus.
Love is not an abstract feeling, it is a concrete substance with tangible actions. Jesus said, if we loved him, truly loved him, our desire would not be to find loopholes to do what we want, but instead our desire would be to obey him, no matter the cost. This is the reason your pastor and elders spend their days keeping a watchful eye on you, desiring to train you in the way you should go. Next time you see them, thank them.
Showing posts with label distractions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label distractions. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
Too Polluted To Care
There is a huge difference between serving the Lord in our strength and desire, and serving him according to his direction. Too many of us fail to understand the difference and fall short of our potential in the Lord but think we are doing great. Part of our problem is not being able to hear the Lord through all the noise pollution that we surround ourselves with. So to get where we need to in our relationship with him we need to start tuning things out and tuning in to him. We have a great example of this in Daniel.
Daniel chose not to be distracted by the extravagance of the king. He and his friends kept it simple. The results were spectacular:
And God gave knowledge, mastery of all literature, and wisdom to these four men. Daniel himself gained understanding of every type of vision and dream. (Daniel 1:17)
Unlike others, I don't think it was the result of the type of diet but the simple act of concentrating on the Lord, of fasting the distractions to hear clearly. During this time the Lord equipped them for how he would use them in the coming years in this land of captivity. They would be his voice, his representatives to a people he had used to bring correction to his people:
When the time came to review the young men as the king had ordered, the chief official brought them before Nebuchadnezzar. When the king spoke with them, he found no one as good as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they took their place in the king’s service. (1:18-19)
Jesus also made it clear that to be useful servants in this foreign land we would have to avoid distraction. He told us that our love for him must be superior to any other. He told us that once our hand is to the plow not to be looking back. He told us to trust Father for provision as we concentrate on the things of the Kingdom. He told us that the only way we could follow his example is to deny ourselves and take up our cross. He said we cannot serve two masters.
So are we living up to our potential in the Lord or have we allowed the "king's" rich food to distract us? It is a rather easy question to answer but the real question is what to do about it. I gain awareness of my distractions, allow correction to come in, respond and then slowly get distracted again. Those who keep their focus are the ones who understand of the relationship, fast the distractions, live the importance of their mission and responsibility, and maintain their love for the Lord. Is Jesus, our mission and responsibility important enough for us to deny the distractions, to deny ourselves and follow him? Consider what is polluting you.
Daniel chose not to be distracted by the extravagance of the king. He and his friends kept it simple. The results were spectacular:
And God gave knowledge, mastery of all literature, and wisdom to these four men. Daniel himself gained understanding of every type of vision and dream. (Daniel 1:17)
Unlike others, I don't think it was the result of the type of diet but the simple act of concentrating on the Lord, of fasting the distractions to hear clearly. During this time the Lord equipped them for how he would use them in the coming years in this land of captivity. They would be his voice, his representatives to a people he had used to bring correction to his people:
When the time came to review the young men as the king had ordered, the chief official brought them before Nebuchadnezzar. When the king spoke with them, he found no one as good as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they took their place in the king’s service. (1:18-19)
Jesus also made it clear that to be useful servants in this foreign land we would have to avoid distraction. He told us that our love for him must be superior to any other. He told us that once our hand is to the plow not to be looking back. He told us to trust Father for provision as we concentrate on the things of the Kingdom. He told us that the only way we could follow his example is to deny ourselves and take up our cross. He said we cannot serve two masters.
So are we living up to our potential in the Lord or have we allowed the "king's" rich food to distract us? It is a rather easy question to answer but the real question is what to do about it. I gain awareness of my distractions, allow correction to come in, respond and then slowly get distracted again. Those who keep their focus are the ones who understand of the relationship, fast the distractions, live the importance of their mission and responsibility, and maintain their love for the Lord. Is Jesus, our mission and responsibility important enough for us to deny the distractions, to deny ourselves and follow him? Consider what is polluting you.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Don't Be Like Them
Being a follower of Jesus, should we live according to our opinion or the instructions of Jesus? Should we be directed by our society or the commandments of the one who we claim as King? Sometimes it seems that somewhere along our walk we get disconnected from the implications of the decision we freely made to follow Jesus. It was our choice. It was our choice to allow him to transform our life. It was our choice to experience the second birth. Yet, somewhere, somehow, many of us have left off our desire to live like Jesus and now desire for ourselves.
We aren't losing ground because our churches aren't big enough or that we don't have enough programs. It isn't because our youth rallies aren't cool enough or our pastors not entertaining enough. It is because we no longer pursue a desire to live for Jesus but instead chase after the priorities of our world. Let's isolate one verse while keeping it in it's context. Jesus said:
Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask. (Matthew 6:8)
The words of Jesus. A message for every age but especially for today. Don't be like them. Don't be like the rest of the world. Don't be like those who make life all about survival, possessions, working themselves to death. Don't be like those who store away treasures that they will never get to spend. Don't be like those who search for escape in the distractions of this world. Don't be like those who seek purpose in things that will have no value in eternity.
Jesus told us not to be like them but instead to spend our days seeking the things of the Kingdom. As citizens of this Kingdom, as children of our Father, we are to pursue and discover the priorities of our God, the things he considers to be important. If this does not attract you or have any interest for you, you should understand that you are not where you need to be with Jesus.
It's easy to get to that wrong place. It only takes a neglect of our relationship with Jesus, a neglect of God's Word, a neglect of prayer, a neglect of worship, a neglect of church. For a while we feel okay and everything seems fine and then we even start to lie to ourselves. But decide to be honest for a moment. Is Jesus still the greatest love of your life? Is your eternity the greatest priority? Is your love for people and concern for their salvation your greatest interest? Is your life about yourself or others? Are you distracted by the things of our society?
Don't be like them!
Now is not the time to faint and fall away. Now is not the time to sit and rest for a while. Now is not the time to become distracted. Time is short. Know the Father's heart and pursue those things.
We aren't losing ground because our churches aren't big enough or that we don't have enough programs. It isn't because our youth rallies aren't cool enough or our pastors not entertaining enough. It is because we no longer pursue a desire to live for Jesus but instead chase after the priorities of our world. Let's isolate one verse while keeping it in it's context. Jesus said:
Don’t be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask. (Matthew 6:8)
The words of Jesus. A message for every age but especially for today. Don't be like them. Don't be like the rest of the world. Don't be like those who make life all about survival, possessions, working themselves to death. Don't be like those who store away treasures that they will never get to spend. Don't be like those who search for escape in the distractions of this world. Don't be like those who seek purpose in things that will have no value in eternity.
Jesus told us not to be like them but instead to spend our days seeking the things of the Kingdom. As citizens of this Kingdom, as children of our Father, we are to pursue and discover the priorities of our God, the things he considers to be important. If this does not attract you or have any interest for you, you should understand that you are not where you need to be with Jesus.
It's easy to get to that wrong place. It only takes a neglect of our relationship with Jesus, a neglect of God's Word, a neglect of prayer, a neglect of worship, a neglect of church. For a while we feel okay and everything seems fine and then we even start to lie to ourselves. But decide to be honest for a moment. Is Jesus still the greatest love of your life? Is your eternity the greatest priority? Is your love for people and concern for their salvation your greatest interest? Is your life about yourself or others? Are you distracted by the things of our society?
Don't be like them!
Now is not the time to faint and fall away. Now is not the time to sit and rest for a while. Now is not the time to become distracted. Time is short. Know the Father's heart and pursue those things.
Monday, June 9, 2014
Jesus Deserves More Than being Fit Into The Cracks Of Your Day
How's your day shaping up? Lots of stuff to do? Another busy one? Maybe not. Maybe it is just the opposite for you. Maybe you have nothing to do. Or maybe you do have something to do but you are avoiding it by reading this? Most likely the third one, right? Life is busy. We have lots of things to organize, plan and do. On top of that, as a Christian, you need to fit in all the God-stuff. Hmmmm, have you ever stopped to think we have it backwards?
What were we created for? What did Jesus die on the cross for? Was it not for fellowship, friendship with Yahweh? So you would think that we would want to fill our day, not the cracks, with him. If that is our purpose, fellowship with Yahweh, should we not be trying to fit everything else in around him? There's a thought for you to chew for a bit.
Jesus has a way of turning everything on its head for us. He takes things from the surface and goes to the depth of understanding with it. So it shouldn't surprise us to know that this is what Jesus taught about life:
Don’t spend all of your time thinking about eating or drinking or worrying about life. If you do, the final day will suddenly catch you like a trap. That day will surprise everyone on earth. (Luke 21:34-35)
It feels like that sometimes, doesn't it, like you are caught in a trap? It is an activity trap, time crunch, schedule controlled life. It is horrible because we have not been designed or wired this way. We have been created and saved to be filled with Yahweh. We are surrounded by him. Scripture says that Christ is in us, and we are in him. He is in and all around us all the time so that we can have the pleasure of rich fellowship with him.
Jesus also taught us not to be worried over the basics of life but instead to put Kingdom things first. He said when we do this Father will provide all the other stuff. Put Yahweh first and everything else will come into place. He told us this for a reason; we get distracted very easily. It is like the whole human race has ADD. We get distracted from Jesus with the least little thing. Jesus warned us that it is a serious matter. He said if we get distracted by these lesser things, the final day will be on us without us noticing. He told us to pay attention:
Watch out and keep praying that you can escape all that is going to happen and that the Son of Man will be pleased with you. (v. 36)
Watch and pray, not be distracted and play. Life has become a thing of working so we can afford to play. It has become entertainment. It has become self pleasure. It is anything the enemy can use to distract us from our purpose and mission. If he can't use pleasure he will use worry or fear. There will always be something to distract us. But if we can turn it upside down and see the day belonging to the Lord for the purpose of fellowship then we will ask him for the wisdom to get everything else done.
It is a matter of choice. Relationship must always come before works. Jesus wants and deserves our time and attention. He says it is also for our good, so we can be sensitive to the spiritual realm and see what's coming. Considering how many times he warned us about this, I take it to mean it is a bad thing for us not to be paying attention. Sort of like someone living in Louisiana not listening to the radio, not watching the news, not talking to a neighbour, not having a clue of an approaching hurricane. Everyone else is putting away the things from their yard, boarding up windows, taking shelter while but that one person is blissfully living out their life unaware and unprepared.
The storm is approaching. Are you paying attention?
What were we created for? What did Jesus die on the cross for? Was it not for fellowship, friendship with Yahweh? So you would think that we would want to fill our day, not the cracks, with him. If that is our purpose, fellowship with Yahweh, should we not be trying to fit everything else in around him? There's a thought for you to chew for a bit.
Jesus has a way of turning everything on its head for us. He takes things from the surface and goes to the depth of understanding with it. So it shouldn't surprise us to know that this is what Jesus taught about life:
Don’t spend all of your time thinking about eating or drinking or worrying about life. If you do, the final day will suddenly catch you like a trap. That day will surprise everyone on earth. (Luke 21:34-35)
It feels like that sometimes, doesn't it, like you are caught in a trap? It is an activity trap, time crunch, schedule controlled life. It is horrible because we have not been designed or wired this way. We have been created and saved to be filled with Yahweh. We are surrounded by him. Scripture says that Christ is in us, and we are in him. He is in and all around us all the time so that we can have the pleasure of rich fellowship with him.
Jesus also taught us not to be worried over the basics of life but instead to put Kingdom things first. He said when we do this Father will provide all the other stuff. Put Yahweh first and everything else will come into place. He told us this for a reason; we get distracted very easily. It is like the whole human race has ADD. We get distracted from Jesus with the least little thing. Jesus warned us that it is a serious matter. He said if we get distracted by these lesser things, the final day will be on us without us noticing. He told us to pay attention:
Watch out and keep praying that you can escape all that is going to happen and that the Son of Man will be pleased with you. (v. 36)
Watch and pray, not be distracted and play. Life has become a thing of working so we can afford to play. It has become entertainment. It has become self pleasure. It is anything the enemy can use to distract us from our purpose and mission. If he can't use pleasure he will use worry or fear. There will always be something to distract us. But if we can turn it upside down and see the day belonging to the Lord for the purpose of fellowship then we will ask him for the wisdom to get everything else done.
It is a matter of choice. Relationship must always come before works. Jesus wants and deserves our time and attention. He says it is also for our good, so we can be sensitive to the spiritual realm and see what's coming. Considering how many times he warned us about this, I take it to mean it is a bad thing for us not to be paying attention. Sort of like someone living in Louisiana not listening to the radio, not watching the news, not talking to a neighbour, not having a clue of an approaching hurricane. Everyone else is putting away the things from their yard, boarding up windows, taking shelter while but that one person is blissfully living out their life unaware and unprepared.
The storm is approaching. Are you paying attention?
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Why Do We Spend Money On What Does Not Satisfy?
As much as I want to believe we are capable of doing good, unless we are concentrating on Jesus, we will always be sucked into what satisfies our flesh. We have to purposefully seek the face of Jesus every day in order to walk in the Spirit instead of our flesh. We have to be totally consumed by his love every day in order for us to keep our eyes on things above instead of what we see around us. We hear the invitation:
Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1)
But we don't always respond. We can easily ask ourselves on certain days:
Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy? (v. 2a)
Good question. Why do we put any value in the system of this world? Just because we have to live and serve here does not mean we need to be in love with this place, the system or the values. Our pleasure is found in Jesus and our love is for the people trapped in the limited vision of this world, not the world system itself. So each day we hear the Spirit calling:
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance. (v. 2b)
Each day, as we seek Jesus and make ourselves open to the awareness of his presence in us, we are reminded of our mission. We are reminded that our King did not leave us in this place for our own entertainment. He gives us purpose every day and it goes beyond worship. Worship is what we do in everything we do but our purpose is to make disciples. We speak the words of his invitation to those who are passing into death:
Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near. (v. 6)
The King's message is one of hope and mercy. It is an invitation to love. It is fantastic news to those who are hungry and thirsty. It is fantastic news for those who are restless, unable to find satisfaction in this place. We speak this message of mercy and grace with all who will hear:
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon. (v. 7)
We tell them of the love found on the cross, the life through the empty grave, and the presence and power through the giving of the Spirit. We care not for their current condition or situation. We care not about the nature of their sin. We only care that they would hear, receive and be forgiven all things, being welcomed into the family of Father. We let go our our blood lust for justice and are empowered by the love, mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. We recognize that while under the power of sin our thinking was crooked and depraved. We hear Yahweh's sweet reminder:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts." (v. 8-9)
Oh what a Saviour. Oh what a King. And this seen through the eyes of a prophet who had yet to see Jesus, who had yet to hear of the mercies of the cross and the victory over the grave. If he could see so clearly from a distance why do we struggle in the shadow of the cross?
Come my brothers and sisters, let us set aside the things that distract, the things that consume our life, the things that possess mere temporary importance and let us run our race, the one set out before us. Let us fix our eyes on the prize, on our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us set our heart and mind on the things above and allow the things of this world to diminish in importance. Let us be consumed with our mission, conveying the love of Jesus for those who are lost in rebellion, as we once were. Let us love with Jesus' love which does not hold back but pours itself out recklessly upon his enemies.
Oh, what a Saviour!
Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price. (Isaiah 55:1)
But we don't always respond. We can easily ask ourselves on certain days:
Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy? (v. 2a)
Good question. Why do we put any value in the system of this world? Just because we have to live and serve here does not mean we need to be in love with this place, the system or the values. Our pleasure is found in Jesus and our love is for the people trapped in the limited vision of this world, not the world system itself. So each day we hear the Spirit calling:
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good,
And let your soul delight itself in abundance. (v. 2b)
Each day, as we seek Jesus and make ourselves open to the awareness of his presence in us, we are reminded of our mission. We are reminded that our King did not leave us in this place for our own entertainment. He gives us purpose every day and it goes beyond worship. Worship is what we do in everything we do but our purpose is to make disciples. We speak the words of his invitation to those who are passing into death:
Seek the Lord while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near. (v. 6)
The King's message is one of hope and mercy. It is an invitation to love. It is fantastic news to those who are hungry and thirsty. It is fantastic news for those who are restless, unable to find satisfaction in this place. We speak this message of mercy and grace with all who will hear:
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the Lord,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon. (v. 7)
We tell them of the love found on the cross, the life through the empty grave, and the presence and power through the giving of the Spirit. We care not for their current condition or situation. We care not about the nature of their sin. We only care that they would hear, receive and be forgiven all things, being welcomed into the family of Father. We let go our our blood lust for justice and are empowered by the love, mercy and grace of Jesus Christ. We recognize that while under the power of sin our thinking was crooked and depraved. We hear Yahweh's sweet reminder:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts." (v. 8-9)
Oh what a Saviour. Oh what a King. And this seen through the eyes of a prophet who had yet to see Jesus, who had yet to hear of the mercies of the cross and the victory over the grave. If he could see so clearly from a distance why do we struggle in the shadow of the cross?
Come my brothers and sisters, let us set aside the things that distract, the things that consume our life, the things that possess mere temporary importance and let us run our race, the one set out before us. Let us fix our eyes on the prize, on our Lord Jesus Christ. Let us set our heart and mind on the things above and allow the things of this world to diminish in importance. Let us be consumed with our mission, conveying the love of Jesus for those who are lost in rebellion, as we once were. Let us love with Jesus' love which does not hold back but pours itself out recklessly upon his enemies.
Oh, what a Saviour!
Monday, March 11, 2013
It's Time To Get Our Hands Dirty
If God needed a prophet in Iraq would you go? If he needed a martyr in China would you do it? If he needed a preacher in Nigeria would you volunteer? A lot of people would throw up their hands to volunteer without hesitation whereas others would take time to consider the cost. But what if Jesus simply asked you to represent him in your school or work place? What if he simply wanted to use you as his agent right where you are? Would you be willing to face the consequences, to carry the cost no matter the price?
To be sold out for Jesus is more than just being willing to enter into a relationship with him. To get on board with Jesus is to also get on board with his mission. Too many of us miss that point. Jesus wants much more than worshipers; he wants disciples. He wants people who will do what he did, obey what he has commanded, who are willing to do more than just live a moral life and are willing to live by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We do not get to choose when and how we will be used. Our responsibility is simply to be available and obedient. There may be hardships involved but our perspective is such that nothing we go through here is comparable to what has been prepared for us. Our reward is not here. The blessings we receive are for the purpose of the work. We are not here for a long time or a good time but for serving time. That is not to say it is joyless because serving the Lord has a joy that goes beyond any pleasure on this earth. That joy is to sustain, strengthen and encourage us: "The joy of the Lord is my strength".
Jesus will use us exactly where we are but sometimes he has to arrange to get us to certain places because he needs someone there. It may mean he has to remove things from us or add to us. He may need to have one job end so another can begin. Sometimes it may be as extreme as what Paul experienced:
"This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal." (2 Timothy 2:8-9)
Unfortunately too many of us put the emphasis on how circumstances affect us instead of seeing what God is doing. There is a very self-centered gospel being preached these days and people are eagerly eating it up so that when they begin suffering for the gospel the become very confused and start acting like a victim. We are not victims in this place but through Jesus we are victorious. No matter what we face and what we experience we are not victims but ministers of the gospel. Paul knew that even in his circumstances of being "chained" God's Word was not:
"But God's word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect." (vv. 9-10)
I don't know what else to do to help people other than come against the false self-centered gospel that puts our comfort above the salvation of this world. We have to realize that as warriors of the Kingdom we have a responsibility to join in this battle for the lost. Our comfort here is of no importance and we must be willing and available for whatever the King calls upon us to do, no matter where he places us.
No matter our circumstances, nothing can "chain" the Word of God. Nothing can prevent the Spirit from convicting the hearts of the lost. Nothing can stop Jesus from using whoever he wants, for whatever he wants, wherever he wants. Are you willing to be used? Are you available? Enough of this false gospel. It's time to get our hands dirty according to the will and direction of our God. It's time to set aside the distractions and start concentrating on the commands of the King.
To be sold out for Jesus is more than just being willing to enter into a relationship with him. To get on board with Jesus is to also get on board with his mission. Too many of us miss that point. Jesus wants much more than worshipers; he wants disciples. He wants people who will do what he did, obey what he has commanded, who are willing to do more than just live a moral life and are willing to live by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We do not get to choose when and how we will be used. Our responsibility is simply to be available and obedient. There may be hardships involved but our perspective is such that nothing we go through here is comparable to what has been prepared for us. Our reward is not here. The blessings we receive are for the purpose of the work. We are not here for a long time or a good time but for serving time. That is not to say it is joyless because serving the Lord has a joy that goes beyond any pleasure on this earth. That joy is to sustain, strengthen and encourage us: "The joy of the Lord is my strength".
Jesus will use us exactly where we are but sometimes he has to arrange to get us to certain places because he needs someone there. It may mean he has to remove things from us or add to us. He may need to have one job end so another can begin. Sometimes it may be as extreme as what Paul experienced:
"This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal." (2 Timothy 2:8-9)
Unfortunately too many of us put the emphasis on how circumstances affect us instead of seeing what God is doing. There is a very self-centered gospel being preached these days and people are eagerly eating it up so that when they begin suffering for the gospel the become very confused and start acting like a victim. We are not victims in this place but through Jesus we are victorious. No matter what we face and what we experience we are not victims but ministers of the gospel. Paul knew that even in his circumstances of being "chained" God's Word was not:
"But God's word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect." (vv. 9-10)
I don't know what else to do to help people other than come against the false self-centered gospel that puts our comfort above the salvation of this world. We have to realize that as warriors of the Kingdom we have a responsibility to join in this battle for the lost. Our comfort here is of no importance and we must be willing and available for whatever the King calls upon us to do, no matter where he places us.
No matter our circumstances, nothing can "chain" the Word of God. Nothing can prevent the Spirit from convicting the hearts of the lost. Nothing can stop Jesus from using whoever he wants, for whatever he wants, wherever he wants. Are you willing to be used? Are you available? Enough of this false gospel. It's time to get our hands dirty according to the will and direction of our God. It's time to set aside the distractions and start concentrating on the commands of the King.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Slipping Away
A student once decided to get very serious about his studies. It was his last year of High School and he knew he would have to get his grades up if he hoped to get into the college of his choice. He decided he would face this challenge no matter the cost and set upon eliminating anything that was not part of his goals.
He packed up his gaming gear and put it in storage. He went through his computer and removed any apps that were a distraction, that did not add to his goal. He did the same with his phone. He spoke to his friends and told them how serious he was and that he would not be participating in many of their usual activities, instead putting his time into his studies. He went through his room and removed anything that he thought would rob him of his time, and he organized everything to its maximum efficiency.
His effort paid off.
Half way through the year his marks had jumped significantly. His teachers were all pleased with his improvement and the guidance counselor was helping him get his applications together. Things were looking great but it did not come without a cost. Several of his friends had developed other friendships. They were still friendly enough but since he had less time for them the bonds were not there any more. He had also lost touch with his favorite shows and had missed several block buster movies, and he loved movies. He had also missed the release of the new editions to his favorite games. Life had become pretty routine and he was starting to get tired of the routine.
One day he decided to take a break.
As a reward for his hard work he decided to watch an episode of one of his favorite shows. At the end of it he was left with several questions not knowing how the story had evolved to this point. At first he tried to read up on the show but then decided to download the six months he had missed. Without realizing it, he ended up staying up all night catching up. However, he aced the two tests he had the following day. He felt pretty good, so a week later he decided to get caught up on a couple of other shows. A month later the gaming gear came out and he borrowed the new versions of his favorite games just to try them out. Within two months his grades had dropped and his hopes for his choice of colleges slipped away.
What's the point? Simply this: we have to decide what is important and stick to it. No distractions. No rewarding ourselves. No down time. If Jesus Christ is our all then anything that distracts us from this purpose must be eliminated. It is not a matter of balance. It is all or nothing. Paul wrote to Timothy:
No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. (2 Timothy 2:4)
You can't have a divided heart. You can't have the best of both worlds. You can't serve two masters:
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:24)
God is consistent throughout the Word, "Love the Lord your God with all your ...". The important part here is the "all". There are no excuses for anything less than our all. None.
So take a look at your life, a real close look, and ask yourself if it matches your words. Is it a reflection of your purpose, your goal? Or have you fallen asleep? Have you allowed things to distract you? Are you taking a break, rewarding yourself for doing so well? Are you slipping away thinking you are okay? Let the Spirit speak to you today and follow his direction.
He packed up his gaming gear and put it in storage. He went through his computer and removed any apps that were a distraction, that did not add to his goal. He did the same with his phone. He spoke to his friends and told them how serious he was and that he would not be participating in many of their usual activities, instead putting his time into his studies. He went through his room and removed anything that he thought would rob him of his time, and he organized everything to its maximum efficiency.
His effort paid off.
Half way through the year his marks had jumped significantly. His teachers were all pleased with his improvement and the guidance counselor was helping him get his applications together. Things were looking great but it did not come without a cost. Several of his friends had developed other friendships. They were still friendly enough but since he had less time for them the bonds were not there any more. He had also lost touch with his favorite shows and had missed several block buster movies, and he loved movies. He had also missed the release of the new editions to his favorite games. Life had become pretty routine and he was starting to get tired of the routine.
One day he decided to take a break.
As a reward for his hard work he decided to watch an episode of one of his favorite shows. At the end of it he was left with several questions not knowing how the story had evolved to this point. At first he tried to read up on the show but then decided to download the six months he had missed. Without realizing it, he ended up staying up all night catching up. However, he aced the two tests he had the following day. He felt pretty good, so a week later he decided to get caught up on a couple of other shows. A month later the gaming gear came out and he borrowed the new versions of his favorite games just to try them out. Within two months his grades had dropped and his hopes for his choice of colleges slipped away.
What's the point? Simply this: we have to decide what is important and stick to it. No distractions. No rewarding ourselves. No down time. If Jesus Christ is our all then anything that distracts us from this purpose must be eliminated. It is not a matter of balance. It is all or nothing. Paul wrote to Timothy:
No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. (2 Timothy 2:4)
You can't have a divided heart. You can't have the best of both worlds. You can't serve two masters:
No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:24)
God is consistent throughout the Word, "Love the Lord your God with all your ...". The important part here is the "all". There are no excuses for anything less than our all. None.
So take a look at your life, a real close look, and ask yourself if it matches your words. Is it a reflection of your purpose, your goal? Or have you fallen asleep? Have you allowed things to distract you? Are you taking a break, rewarding yourself for doing so well? Are you slipping away thinking you are okay? Let the Spirit speak to you today and follow his direction.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
The Solution To The Distracted Life
Have you ever gotten distracted? I see it happen to students all the time. They have a research project to do so they faithfully and diligently turn to their computers to begin. About fifteen minutes into the research they come across a related article, video, perhaps game and they check it out. This leads to another link and then another. About three hours later they realize they haven't accomplished anything on their project. I also know a lot of adults who can relate to this.
Distractions happen when we don't keep our goal in mind or in front of us. If I have ten days to drive across Canada but keep stopping at every interesting site or turning off to go on some grand adventure, I am either going to arrive much later or not at all. Deadlines help a little bit to keep us on track but the goal itself, the destination, the importance of the final product will be the true motivation. If we forget the purpose of the journey then we will probably become distracted.
However, the level of the importance of our goal is also a determining factor for staying on target. If your school project is not worth anything but is only a learning exercise you may have a different attitude toward it than if it was worth 75% of your term. If I have 30 days to complete my trip across Canada with no real importance to completing it I will have a different attitude than if I have 7 days to get to a relatives wedding. Unfortunately some of us on our Christian walk act more like a person on vacation than people who are attending a wedding.
Too many of us have a laid back attitude about the resurrection and our eternity. We act as if it is a second rate goal, something we do not need to keep in front of us, and because that is our attitude we keep getting distracted. We keep allowing other things to pull us off the trail. We wander around aimlessly for a while, realize our mistake, get back on the path and then get distracted again. Can I tell you, our resurrection is a big deal. The shedding of these mortal bodies for the immortal will be a great highlight in our eternity. Entering into God's glory and beginning our real life, one that will surpass all the pleasures of this life by a billion percent, is something we should always keep in front of us. We have a grand destination. Scripture tells us that keeping this in mind, remembering it is our destination should be a motivation to keep on keeping on:
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
This life we are living (our journey) is not without purpose or destination. It is not a matter of "eat and drink for tomorrow we die". In fact, this is just a precursor, a small journey we must take before we step into the full extent of God's reality. There is a lot to do along the way on this beautiful journey but we need to stand firm in what we know and in the tasks we have been given. We can't let anything distract us or persuade us to take a detour. We have to fix our eyes on Jesus as he bids us move forward.
The destination is the most important thing but the journey itself is also full of purpose. We have been given work to do along the way by our Lord Jesus. We are told to give ourselves fully to it. This means 100% concentration on the task at hand so we can reach that destination. Unfortunately we are far too distracted. The Lord's work is a hobby, something we work at in our spare time. We have weighed ourselves down with so many things but the Spirit is calling us back to renewal. He is showing us how to get out of the detour and back on the path. He is wanting to lighten the baggage that we have been carrying that slows us down. He wants us to travel light, to not get connected to anything here, to bring along as many people as we can, to send ahead our treasures of good works, kindnesses, acts of love. He wants us to arrive in style, where our Lord will welcome us with a "Well done my good and faithful servant, enter into my rest".
I urge you, examine your journey. Do you have the destination in mind? Do you know what work has been given to you to do? Have you gotten distracted at all? Is there anything that has become more important to you than Jesus himself? What has your attention? What are your priorities? Do they reflect your work, your journey, your destination? Stand form my friends, let nothing move you.
Distractions happen when we don't keep our goal in mind or in front of us. If I have ten days to drive across Canada but keep stopping at every interesting site or turning off to go on some grand adventure, I am either going to arrive much later or not at all. Deadlines help a little bit to keep us on track but the goal itself, the destination, the importance of the final product will be the true motivation. If we forget the purpose of the journey then we will probably become distracted.
However, the level of the importance of our goal is also a determining factor for staying on target. If your school project is not worth anything but is only a learning exercise you may have a different attitude toward it than if it was worth 75% of your term. If I have 30 days to complete my trip across Canada with no real importance to completing it I will have a different attitude than if I have 7 days to get to a relatives wedding. Unfortunately some of us on our Christian walk act more like a person on vacation than people who are attending a wedding.
Too many of us have a laid back attitude about the resurrection and our eternity. We act as if it is a second rate goal, something we do not need to keep in front of us, and because that is our attitude we keep getting distracted. We keep allowing other things to pull us off the trail. We wander around aimlessly for a while, realize our mistake, get back on the path and then get distracted again. Can I tell you, our resurrection is a big deal. The shedding of these mortal bodies for the immortal will be a great highlight in our eternity. Entering into God's glory and beginning our real life, one that will surpass all the pleasures of this life by a billion percent, is something we should always keep in front of us. We have a grand destination. Scripture tells us that keeping this in mind, remembering it is our destination should be a motivation to keep on keeping on:
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:58)
This life we are living (our journey) is not without purpose or destination. It is not a matter of "eat and drink for tomorrow we die". In fact, this is just a precursor, a small journey we must take before we step into the full extent of God's reality. There is a lot to do along the way on this beautiful journey but we need to stand firm in what we know and in the tasks we have been given. We can't let anything distract us or persuade us to take a detour. We have to fix our eyes on Jesus as he bids us move forward.
The destination is the most important thing but the journey itself is also full of purpose. We have been given work to do along the way by our Lord Jesus. We are told to give ourselves fully to it. This means 100% concentration on the task at hand so we can reach that destination. Unfortunately we are far too distracted. The Lord's work is a hobby, something we work at in our spare time. We have weighed ourselves down with so many things but the Spirit is calling us back to renewal. He is showing us how to get out of the detour and back on the path. He is wanting to lighten the baggage that we have been carrying that slows us down. He wants us to travel light, to not get connected to anything here, to bring along as many people as we can, to send ahead our treasures of good works, kindnesses, acts of love. He wants us to arrive in style, where our Lord will welcome us with a "Well done my good and faithful servant, enter into my rest".
I urge you, examine your journey. Do you have the destination in mind? Do you know what work has been given to you to do? Have you gotten distracted at all? Is there anything that has become more important to you than Jesus himself? What has your attention? What are your priorities? Do they reflect your work, your journey, your destination? Stand form my friends, let nothing move you.
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