Having a Mission

  I consider myself a person with a lot of time.  Well, let's face it, I do.  But I, like so many others, waste that time chasing our own interests and wants.  We don't even stop to think of what God wants.  He goes past us, beyond us.  We should use the time we have "having a mission".  We, as Christians, can't waste our time on ourselves.  I'm not saying that we can't ever focus on our goals, but we should put, what I call the "Goal of God", past our own goals.  I once heard someone say, "For you and me, today is all we have.  Tomorrow is a mirage that may not become real."
  So, we must take the time we have, and make the most of what God gives us.  He gives us a mission.  It's called the Great Commission(Matthew 28:19-20).Matthew 28:19-20 says,"Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." While I say that we shouldn't waste time on just our goals, I also believe we should concentrate on dreams, if we are showing the difference Christ has made in our lives at the same time.

Finding God's Will in All that You Do

  We often wonder if God has a will, or plan, for our life.  The answer is yes.  But we MUST LISTEN for it.  That is how you find it.  "If you cling to your own life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."(Matthew 10:39)  I find it highly intriguing that we ask God for His will, and then we don't listen for it or try to find it.  We often ask, "God, will you show me your plans for the near future?", and then we don't listen for it.  It's ironic, honestly.  Instead of asking God, "God, will you answer me?", you should ask, "God, am I listening?"  He will make it clear to you in His answer, very clear.  If you SEEK, you will FIND.  God promises that.  But we mut be willing to seek it or listen for it.  "And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately.  Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind.  For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought.  If you seek him, you will find him.  But if you forsake him,  he will reject you forever.  So take this seriously.  The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary.  Be strong, and do the work."(1 Chronicles 28:9-10)  God will tell us His will if we are willing to ask, wait, and listen for it, all at the right times.  Paul SEEKED God's will, and He found God's will through these steps.  Christ, while on the earth, seeked to "save that which was lost", and He saved many.  Christ has set the standard.  Let's follow it. 
  "For everyone who asks, receives.  Everyone who seeks, finds.  And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."(Luke 11:10)  People often don't ask for God to reveal His will for their life.  But whenever they DO ask,  they don't wait or listen; they JUST ask.  There is our problem.  It's not the asking, but the waiting and listening.  God reveals in His own time.  Since we know He is the perfect God, His timing is also perfect.

  Four Reasons to Find God's Will in All that You Do:

   1. Christ has set the standard(Luke 19:10)

   2.  It is impossible to please God without seeking and finding His will.(Hebrews 11:6)

   3.  We WILL find His plan for us if we seek it.(Luke 11:10)
 
   4.  We will never find it on our own.(Matthew 10:39)

To Change, to Seek: Boldness: What Today's American Churches Need

To Change, to Seek: Boldness: What Today's American Churches Need: "bold(adj)- fearless before danger; self-assured, confident; prominent What is boldness? It's being a Christian, to put it simply, or th..."

Boldness: What Today's American Churches Need

bold(adj)- fearless before danger; self-assured, confident; prominent

  What is boldness?  It's being a Christian, to put it simply, or that's how it should be.  Christians should be bold.  But we're not.  Christians don't pray because it's maybe uncool or not what you do in public.  But this is what the believers did:  "And now, hear their threats, O Lord, and give us, your servants, great boldness in teaching your word."(Acts 4:29)This is what every Christian should do.  Pray for boldness to teach God's Word.  Here's another encouragement about about being bold enough to share your faith: "For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow."(James 1:3)
  To be bold also means not to be ashamed.  In Philippians 1:20, Paul says this:"For I fully expect and hope that i will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to live for Christ, as I have in the past.  And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or I die."(for further reading, look up Philippians 1:21-26)  We, as Christians, should live life with boldness in preaching God's Word.  This is what so many churches are afraid to do.  Pastors a're afraid that people will leave if they start telling their congregation the things the congregation needs to hear.  I encourage you to live your Christian walk with boldness.  If you do, you will bring much glory and honor to God, and He, in return, will do the same for you.

The Afters - Lift Me Up - Lyrics

When the World Falls: Seeking God's Will in All that You Do

When the World Falls: Seeking God's Will in All that You Do: "Me, me, me; my, my, my; I, I, I; how many times do we hear those words every day? I don't kow about you, but I hear them a lot. God says w..."

When the World Falls: Seeking God's Will in All that You Do

When the World Falls: Seeking God's Will in All that You Do: "Me, me, me; my, my, my; I, I, I; how many times do we hear those words every day? I don't kow about you, but I hear them a lot. God says w..."

Seeking God's Will in All that You Do

Me, me, me; my, my, my; I, I, I; how many times do we hear those words every day?  I don't kow about you, but I hear them a lot.  God says we are sinners, so our planning is also faulty.  We focus so much on what WE want and NOT on what GOD wants.  This is a fatal flaw.  We should work to find His way. We should SEEK God's way.  This is what Paul says in Hebrews 11:6: "And it is impossible to please God without faith.  Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him."  In this passage of Scripture, we are told that we must seek God to gain His favor.  Another example of guaranteeing reward for those who seek Him is found in Proverbs 3:6.  This is what Solomon wrote: "Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take."  Here He promises wisdom.  After all, Jesus came to SEEK and to save that which was lost(Luke 19:10).  So, why shouldn't we SEEK?  In John 8:12, Christ spoke these words:"I am the light of the world.  If you follow me, you won't have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life."  This is , what I believe, another request to follow and seek His will.  This is what Zephaniah says in Zephaniah 2:3:"Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow his commands.  Seek to do what is right and to live humbly.  Perhaps even yet the Lord will protect you-protect you from his anger on that day of destruction."  This is yet another call to seek God's way and NOT our OWN ways.  How MANY times must God TELL us to do something before we actually DO it?  I want to know. You hear personal pronouns when someone describes a kind of plan.  We should not hear this: "What are MY plans tonight?"  Instead, we should ask, "What are GOD's plans?"  That's all we have to do: ask what God wants us to do.  He says if you seek, you will find. 

When the World Falls: Turning Worry into Worship

When the World Falls: Turning Worry into Worship: " Today's society worries about so many things: finances, government, family, friends, and so on. But we, as Christians, should do the exac..."

Turning Worry into Worship

  Today's society worries about so many things: finances, government, family, friends, and so on.  But we, as Christians, should do the exact opposite: We should take our worries captive, and give them to God.  This is exactly what Peter says in ! Peter 5:7.  He says this: "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." Most in today's world do the exact opposite of what Peter says.  This will cause worry to build.  But we, as Christians are COMMANDED to give our worries to the Lord. We HAVE to turn our worry into worship.  The reason for this is in Philippians 4:6-7.  This is what Paul said:  "Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."
  Imagine yourself in a perfect world with nothing wrong with it.  Now do the opposite.  Which world is easier to worship God in?  Naturally, you would say the perfect world over the corrupt world.  It's true.  But, since we are Christians, we don't have to worry about which world we worship in.  Here's why. In John 4:24, Christ says, "For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth."  My interpretation of this piece of Scripture is that it doesn't matter what kind of world you praise Him in as long as it's sincere and to Him only.  Here's a question you might ask: "Why can we worship in a corrupt world?  Wouldn't God rather us worship Him perfectly?"  The answer to the first question is in Hebrews 9:14.  This is what it says: "Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God.  For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins." We can worship in a corrupt world because Christ has purified us.  In answer to the second question, yes, He would want us to worship in a perfect world, but we have broken that seal. 
  So how do we turn our worry into worship?  We take our thoughts and our worries captive, and give them to God for Him to handle.  We also worship in spirit and in truth.  The phrase, "in spirit", to me, means that we worship sincerely.  The phrase, "in truth", to me, means only to the Truth, or Christ.

When the World Falls: Turning Trials into Triumphs

When the World Falls: Turning Trials into Triumphs: " Do you ever wonder what trials are for? I know I do. But then, I looked at 1 Peter 1:7, and here's what Peter had to say. He says this:..."

Turning Trials into Triumphs

  Do you ever wonder what trials are for?  I know I do.  But then, I looked at 1 Peter 1:7, and here's what Peter had to say.  He says this:"These trials will show your faith is genuine.  It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold-though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.  So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day Jesus Christ is revealed to the world."
  I believe what this verse in Scripture says is very plain:Face your trials,keeping faith that God is with you no matter what the circumstance.  Don't blame God.  If you do this, you will be blessed on the day Jesus Christ returns.  This is what I believe you do when the world falls.