For 19 days now, I've been asking God what he is saying to me through these passages and what he has next for me. If you are like me, this one was almost too clear.
It hinges on a simple concept: God is interested in using me to change someone's life. More specifically (and more importantly!) he might even use me to change someone's eternal destiny. Sharing Jesus with people outside the church is a precious opportunity...make the most of it!
Pray. Pray. Pray. Why do I skip this essential part of sharing my faith with people when this short passage mentions it 3 times? But when I pray "that God may open a door for our message" It really works...that's probably both because God is opening up opportunities AND because I'm much more aware of the opportunities around me after I have prayed.
I'm stopping to pray for that right now (will you right now too?).
I'm also praying that when the opportunity does come, I won't mess it up. I fear I will, don't you? But this is part of letting God speak through me with a clarity I can't muster on my own. The times I've done this, God has always come through. Always.
If Prayer give me the words to say, it is apparently my tone and sensitivity that will really make the message either appealing or repulsive. So we need to "be wise how we act" and make sure our words are "grace-filled". No arrogance. No judgement. No selfishness. No hellfire. No brimstone. No self-righteousness. No sales job. No bait and switch. No pressure.
Instead...love, grace, acceptance, authenticity...so they might experience the transforming per of Jesus.
I have some conversations to engage in today.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Ephesians 4:7, 11-16
Everyone is on one side of this or the other, right. I'll say it simply...either you're an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher or you're one of God's people being prepared for service. This is not our choice, it is His gracious choice (vs7).
Biblically I wrestled with being a pastor because I know me. I know I am no more special than anyone I am serving with or anyone I teach or anyone I lead. But, we do have different job descriptions. This has taken me a while to come to, but I believe God wants me to prepare His people for works of service. My greatest "success" is seeing others succeed. To help someone learn to play piano gives me as much joy as playing it myself.
I remember my first ministry in Cincinnati. I certainly don't want to cast the entire ministry in a negative light, but this was an area to grow in: they had assumed they had hired someone to do the work for them. After all, they were getting older and needed someone to carry out their decisions day-to-day. So I busily went about doing what everyone was asking me to do. But I wrestled...God asks me to be a pastor and teacher. If I am a pastor and teacher, this is my job description: to prepare God's people for works of service. This is what God wants from me. And what does God want from you? According to Ephesians 4...to be prepared and to do works of service that build the body of Christ until we reach unity and become mature.
Biblically I wrestled with being a pastor because I know me. I know I am no more special than anyone I am serving with or anyone I teach or anyone I lead. But, we do have different job descriptions. This has taken me a while to come to, but I believe God wants me to prepare His people for works of service. My greatest "success" is seeing others succeed. To help someone learn to play piano gives me as much joy as playing it myself.
I remember my first ministry in Cincinnati. I certainly don't want to cast the entire ministry in a negative light, but this was an area to grow in: they had assumed they had hired someone to do the work for them. After all, they were getting older and needed someone to carry out their decisions day-to-day. So I busily went about doing what everyone was asking me to do. But I wrestled...God asks me to be a pastor and teacher. If I am a pastor and teacher, this is my job description: to prepare God's people for works of service. This is what God wants from me. And what does God want from you? According to Ephesians 4...to be prepared and to do works of service that build the body of Christ until we reach unity and become mature.
God, thank You for giving all of us purpose and mission. Help us as each part does our work to grow and be built up in love. Amen
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Day 17 - Ephesians 2:10
Today's post was written by Sue Hertzfeldt:
I love how that verse speaks to all of us as Christ-followers. God is working in all of us and he's "prepared in advance" what we're going to be doing!
I often ask myself the following little check list:
A. Why did God have me work 20+ years in a restaurant setting and teaching preschool?
B. Why did God bring around people to "speak the truth" into my life and invest heavily into me with tons of prayer?
C. How did Suncrest begin as an outpost of hope, as the "St John Project" and petition me to come "on board" to lead the charge in Children's ministry?
Boy, I sure didn't know, but God did!
Preparing in advance: God's always moving, working, flowing within the lives of Christ-followers.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Day 16 – Galatians 5:13
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.” NIV
Freedom…a state in which somebody is able to act and live as he or she chooses, without being subject to any undue restraints or restrictions.
In this verse, Paul is writing to the churches in Galatia because many of the new believers here are Gentiles who are heavily influenced by Jewish church leaders. The Jewish leaders themselves struggle between growing up as strict followers of the law, and the liberty they have found with faith in Jesus. Now they love Jesus, and accept his teachings, but boy is it hard to let go of that legalistic training! How can these Gentiles be welcomed into this faith without having to go through all the red tape we’ve already endured? Why shouldn’t they have to suffer like we did? The message in this letter from Paul is that we all are free from trying to earn God’s favor through following rituals, or obeying a set of rules. He wrote to refute the Jewish leaders and move them back to the pure gospel – that salvation is by God’s grace through faith in Jesus and nothing else.
However, Paul says pretty clearly that we are not to use this newfound freedom to do as we please. “Well, I’ve got Jesus, it’s all good. I can do whatever I want…sin, not sin, doesn’t matter anymore because I’m free.” We are given this gift of freedom for a purpose – to glorify God by loving service to others.
Our freedom includes not only releasing us from the impossible task of following the law as prescribed by the Jewish leaders, but in a broader perspective, we have a freedom from the DESIRE to sin. If I am a Christ-follower, I am a new creation, the Holy Spirit lives in me and actively works at decreasing my desire to sin. That’s freedom!
I pray the Holy Spirit guards our hearts and keep us from being legalistic (high in truth, low in love). Help us to not be judgmental. Rather, bless us with unending opportunities to serve others so that we may glorify God!
Freedom…a state in which somebody is able to act and live as he or she chooses, without being subject to any undue restraints or restrictions.
In this verse, Paul is writing to the churches in Galatia because many of the new believers here are Gentiles who are heavily influenced by Jewish church leaders. The Jewish leaders themselves struggle between growing up as strict followers of the law, and the liberty they have found with faith in Jesus. Now they love Jesus, and accept his teachings, but boy is it hard to let go of that legalistic training! How can these Gentiles be welcomed into this faith without having to go through all the red tape we’ve already endured? Why shouldn’t they have to suffer like we did? The message in this letter from Paul is that we all are free from trying to earn God’s favor through following rituals, or obeying a set of rules. He wrote to refute the Jewish leaders and move them back to the pure gospel – that salvation is by God’s grace through faith in Jesus and nothing else.
However, Paul says pretty clearly that we are not to use this newfound freedom to do as we please. “Well, I’ve got Jesus, it’s all good. I can do whatever I want…sin, not sin, doesn’t matter anymore because I’m free.” We are given this gift of freedom for a purpose – to glorify God by loving service to others.
Our freedom includes not only releasing us from the impossible task of following the law as prescribed by the Jewish leaders, but in a broader perspective, we have a freedom from the DESIRE to sin. If I am a Christ-follower, I am a new creation, the Holy Spirit lives in me and actively works at decreasing my desire to sin. That’s freedom!
I pray the Holy Spirit guards our hearts and keep us from being legalistic (high in truth, low in love). Help us to not be judgmental. Rather, bless us with unending opportunities to serve others so that we may glorify God!
Monday, February 25, 2008
Day 15 - 1 Corinthians 9:22-23
Essentially Paul says that he will do anything short of sin to reach the lost. I want that to be a theme of my life.
This is a toughy for some because it means letting go of tradition to gain a hearing for truth; to choose people over programs. To create ministries and ministry tools that are new and different in order to reach new and different people.
I personally have never have had a problem letting go of an older paradigm in order to make room for a new one if it is effective. When I read 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 though, I have to ask how this applies to me personally. I think it means I put myself in uncomfortable situations in order to build relationships. I think it means I sacrifice "my time" in order to meet people. I think it means I prioritize evangelism in my life.
This is near and dear to my heart because I want to do this for the community I live in. As I lead the launch of the East Campus, I realize more and more how important it is for me to be an integral part of the community we want to reach.
This is a toughy for some because it means letting go of tradition to gain a hearing for truth; to choose people over programs. To create ministries and ministry tools that are new and different in order to reach new and different people.
I personally have never have had a problem letting go of an older paradigm in order to make room for a new one if it is effective. When I read 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 though, I have to ask how this applies to me personally. I think it means I put myself in uncomfortable situations in order to build relationships. I think it means I sacrifice "my time" in order to meet people. I think it means I prioritize evangelism in my life.
This is near and dear to my heart because I want to do this for the community I live in. As I lead the launch of the East Campus, I realize more and more how important it is for me to be an integral part of the community we want to reach.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Day 14 - Romans 12.9-16
Marks of the True Christian 9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. 11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
Last week I got to watch one of my favorite movies, Sargent York. One thing I love about the movie is Alvin York's crisis of faith that brought him to the place of becoming a true Christ-follower. In fact, at a later spot in the movie his pastor tells him that he has the "livin' kind of faith, not just the readin' kind" due to the fact that Alvin was going to take a stand against the government concerning his draft status because he would have to go to war (WW I), and killing was "agin the book". Of course he did decide to accept his draft into the army during WW I and the rest is literal history.
This short passage in Romans tells us about the "livin" kind of faith. How God expects us to live with other Christ-followers and with those that do not have a relationship with him yet. This reminds me of a few people I have known who zealously strive to follow all of these instructions. I am in awe of them, of their faith, their grace, their generosity and their love. Love for others, love for God, and love for all things good and true. They are truly humble but they draw others to themselves simply by their passion for following Christ and doing His Word.
I want to emulate them, to act in ways that please God. But then someone says something I don't like. Or someone persecutes me, and instead of blessing them as the passage says, I think of ways to get even. And who can be patient in tribulation???
I can. I can if I seek His grace, His love, His patience. It seems impossible for me. If you knew me well you might think the same thing. But God does the coolest things if you let Him.
God, please help me to be a model of you. To do those things you ask in this passage. Help me to be patient and loving, and constant in prayer.
This short passage in Romans tells us about the "livin" kind of faith. How God expects us to live with other Christ-followers and with those that do not have a relationship with him yet. This reminds me of a few people I have known who zealously strive to follow all of these instructions. I am in awe of them, of their faith, their grace, their generosity and their love. Love for others, love for God, and love for all things good and true. They are truly humble but they draw others to themselves simply by their passion for following Christ and doing His Word.
I want to emulate them, to act in ways that please God. But then someone says something I don't like. Or someone persecutes me, and instead of blessing them as the passage says, I think of ways to get even. And who can be patient in tribulation???
I can. I can if I seek His grace, His love, His patience. It seems impossible for me. If you knew me well you might think the same thing. But God does the coolest things if you let Him.
God, please help me to be a model of you. To do those things you ask in this passage. Help me to be patient and loving, and constant in prayer.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Day 13 - Romans 12:6-8
Wow, this really is a powerhouse chapter of the Bible- Romans 12 has so much to say (starting with the passage Jared blogged about yesterday)! Today's text reads:
Here we have a passage in which God says to me, "of course you're going to act differently, and have different passions than the people around you-- I made you different from them for a reason!" I'm so glad to be part of a church family that encourages each other to find and use their strengths to make a difference in the lives of those around us. My mind drifts to the launch of the east campus this fall... not only is it a chance to show God's love to a whole new area, it is a chance for many who have felt God's love to use their gifts, how He created them, in His service. And that's a great thing!
God, help me understand my uniqueness better, and how my gifts can best be used to do your work in this world!
"We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."We have such a tendency to categorize ourselves in our culture; in our jobs, our social circles, everywhere, we know exactly what rung of the "ladder" we're on. Certain careers, traits, even hobbies are looked on as superior or inferior to others- some have "it", others don't. How the life of a Christ-follower stands in contrast to that!
Here we have a passage in which God says to me, "of course you're going to act differently, and have different passions than the people around you-- I made you different from them for a reason!" I'm so glad to be part of a church family that encourages each other to find and use their strengths to make a difference in the lives of those around us. My mind drifts to the launch of the east campus this fall... not only is it a chance to show God's love to a whole new area, it is a chance for many who have felt God's love to use their gifts, how He created them, in His service. And that's a great thing!
God, help me understand my uniqueness better, and how my gifts can best be used to do your work in this world!
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