Well, my friends, it has certainly been fun sharing these thoughts with you. I hope I’ve at least stimulated you with this small manual to go out there and seek more information. I hope you can see how the gifts God gave, the interests you have, the culture you engage in, and the time and treasures God has blessed you with can all be used in service toward our loving Father, for whom we owe everything. It’s a joy to be able to do His will. It’s an honor that God will use us to tell His message of love and salvation to others who have yet to believe.
Remember to have fun, too. God wants good things for our life. God wants everyone to come to know and believe in Him and share in His warm and loving embrace. It’s just this darn sin that gets in the way in the form of selfishness, stubborn pride, greed, laziness, and the list goes on. While you will have some challenges, no doubt, some trials and setbacks perhaps, you will also experience love, joy, and peace that passes all understanding in knowing, really knowing, you are fulfilling your purpose in this world. Big or small, it all counts in God’s book.
Go at your pace, too. If you are excited and all revved up to go and share your witness – great! Be purpose driven. Just don’t let your drive burn out your purpose. All that means is simply share your witness as you feel called. Don’t think you have to witness to X number of people per day and that if you don’t you are some how failing God. Get started, yes, but don’t torment yourself by setting some unrealistic goal. There are no set numbers of people you need to witness to. Sure, everyone you meet is a potential person to share with but at the same time don’t beat yourself up and become discouraged if you don’t witness to every person you meet. I want to encourage, yes. I want to get you started, yes. But I don’t want to burn you out either. Again, simply go at your own pace.
So go and serve the Lord in joy and gladness, my friends. And I’ll see you at the movies (or a concert, or an art gallery, or a...you get the picture) with Bible in hand and a prayer in my heart.
We started with the Great Commission. That’s where it is for all of us. Our purpose. Our life. Don’t forget. Let’s repeat it again, shall we?
Jesus says to us: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the 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.”
Amen.
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Your Utility Belt (Planting Seeds - 18)
Like Batman, you’ll have many pop culture tools in your utility belt to witness to the world. But what are the core, solid, and basic tools you’ll need to “go the distance?” And when you’ve opened the door with a person through engaging them in a current film or piece of music, what are you going to say from there? As I said earlier in this book, I’m not here to give you the words. The Holy Spirit can do that just fine, thank you very much. But I am going to give you a few reminders (and you know I like reminders) of stuff you already know (“Duh,” again) – but lets face it, we all need reminders. The world pulls at us in so many different directions, and you know the Devil is on the prowl to pull us away, distract us, and confound us any time he can, (“Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8) that we need to be reminded and refreshed about how to maintain, keep focused, and...“go the distance.”
So here is your own utility belt of items to keep, practices to do daily, habits to get into. You know these things but ask yourself if you really KNOW them and practice them. Know and practice them so well that they become part of your identity, part of who you are so that you cannot function properly without them.
They are that important.
1) Read the Bible daily
The key word here folks is DAILY. You say, “I know, I know.” You may even have good intentions. My friends, intentions are bunk. Remember our pal Yoda who said, “There is no try. There is only do.” Remember our Nike slogan. “Just do it.” I’m pounding these things over and over because we don’t do it. And we have to. The Bible is a living, breathing, powerful tool. It is God’s word. And that word is alive. It is inerrant. It is God-breathed. It’s not a bunch of feel-good stories or nice words of wisdom to put on a mantel above your fireplace (though it’s okay if you do). Jesus is not just a teacher or prophet or composite of good attributes, or a caricature or a metaphor. The Bible is power. The Bible is truth (not subjective but objective) – the ultimate and only truth because the Bible is God. Words are powerful in and of themselves, yes. But the Word of God is the King Kong of powerful words.
Hear His Word now:
“In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make. Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:1-5
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
“For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are.” Hebrews 4:12
As Christians, we need to be constantly growing, reinforcing, remembering, and applying God’s Word in our life and in our witness. It’s so very, very easy to get distracted. I try to set aside time in the evening to read four chapters – one from the Old Testament, one Psalm, one Gospel, and one New Testament. Do I do it all the time, every day? No. But for the most part I do and I continually work toward and pray for the strength to read the Bible daily. Without it, folks, we just drain away, we atrophy, and we forget. We do. But we cannot. Make it a point to work on reading God’s Word daily no matter where you are, no matter what time of day. One chapter or ten, even one verse (but come on, at least set a minimum of one chapter, it’s shorter than your average magazine article) whatever, but do it. And don’t just read it. Study it, absorb it. And, memorize it...
2) Memorize the Bible
That is, memorize verses. You’ve seen throughout this little book all the wonderful verses of encouragement, direction, and strength that I hope you take time to memorize. Spending time not just reading but memorizing will help you in your witness. When you are nervous or seeking just the right thing to say to someone, yes, the Holy Spirit will guide you, but the Word of God will be more effective in your witness when you already know it. The words just flow off your tongue as the Holy Spirit pulls them from the memory cells in your brain and plants them on your tongue. So make sure as you are reading the Bible, you are spending separate time to memorize God’s Words and make them your words.
3) Go to church
I often read about people saying they have God in their life or in their heart but they don’t need church or “organized religion.” Religion has taken on a bad connotation it seems as well as has church and that’s a shame.
The bottom line is you need church. You need fellowship. Church may be a hospital sometimes, but really it’s a gym. You need to power up and refill your battery cells after being in the world for the last week. God dwells in your heart yes, but He really dwells in His church. (“For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them.” Matthew 18:20).
Christ instituted the church on earth when He sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles. Who wouldn’t want the chance to praise, pray, sing, learn, partake in Holy Communion, and dwell with God among your fellow believers? I don’t understand people who say they believe in God but do not “Honor the Sabbath day to keep it holy,” as God commands. Look at how believers acted amongst each other at the church’s formation: “And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need. They worshipped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity – all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.” Acts 2:44-47.
That’s church, baby!
Unity in Christ – Working Together With One Heart & Purpose
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose. Philippians 2:1-2
And don’t be a church hopper. Yes, churches are run by humans and as humans, we sin, we bicker, we sometimes don’t get along. But that doesn’t mean you run away to a new church at the first sign of a struggle or difficulty. Stick with it. You don’t ditch your family for a new one when the going gets tough, do you? (Well, I suppose some do but is that what God calls us to do?) Why would you abandon your church then? Build something at your church – your relationship with your pastor, your fellow church members, your community. Stay with it and attend regularly and God will only continue to grow in your heart as you go out and face the world each day. I think people should be running to their church every Sunday. It’s a welcome reprieve from the day-to-day dealings of the world. And we carry the church with us. That is, we carry what God has implanted with us. We live our life for Christ daily. Remember the mindset – having a total worldview of God first in our life in all things. Church is simply the cherry on top of the sundae. And who doesn’t like Sundays (pun intended)?
So if you don’t have a current church home, find one already! Jesus is our example and He attended church regularly: “When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the scriptures.” (Luke 4:16) What makes you any different then? Remember the cowboy church. Find one that fits for you. You like rock and roll Christian music or traditional hymns? Find one that fits for you. Just don’t get too caught up in the style of your church over the substance of what is preached. Sure, you want to be comfortable, but instead of asking whether the church uses electric guitars in their service, first and foremost you should ask, “Is this church talking to me about the Gospel and the saving message of Jesus Christ?” Because, just like reading the Bible daily, you need to hear that message each and every week. Don’t tell me you know the Christmas story, you know the Lent story, you’ve heard the “Good Samaritan” or the “Prodigal Son” story a billion times. Maybe you’ve heard but have you HEARD it? Do you live it? Is it part of your being or DNA even? Make it so. We are creatures of forgetfulness and distraction and self interest. We need to hear the Gospel message as often as we can, especially if we want to be a witness of it to the world.
If all you are hearing at church are ways for life to be better for YOU, then you are in the wrong church. As Rick Warren said in “Purpose Driven Life,” It’s not about you. If the sermons you hear are all about ways to increase your financial wealth through Christian living or ways to be happier in your life – if all you hear is stuff about you, you, you – get over yourself! That’s not your purpose. Your purpose is, say it with me, serving God through sharing the Good News of salvation in Christ. And lo and behold, when you do that, you find your life is the best it can be – even if by the world’s standards it isn’t. We are not of the world as the saying goes. We are in it. And while we are in it, we need to act in it. We need to act on behalf of our loving Savior, follow His example, who served mankind His whole ministry. That’s our ministry, too. Be we can’t do it without a support group. You’ll find that support in your church.
4) Be prepared for attacks
Let’s face it, as soon as you start putting it out there and start living your purpose by witnessing about Christ, the Devil is going to jump all over you like white on rice. The Devil would rather you stay silent, go to church like a good little Christian, but keep your faith personal – that is, keep it silent, internal, and don’t share it with anyone. Sure, the Devil says, go do your church thing for an hour on Sunday, but then forget about it and get back to your real life. And keep that Jesus stuff to yourself. You have no right to force people to believe what you think. Everyone has the right to believe what they want so keep it to yourself.
Trouble from All Sides
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don’t give up and quit. 2 Corinthians 4:8
Is that your life right now? It is for so many Christians. And it makes the Devil happy. But now it’s time to shake yourself out of this soul-deadening way of life, take up your armor, and kick some Holy-butt! You know the Devil is prowling around like a lion. You know you’ll have people look at you funny or even with disdain when you start sharing the Good News (that’s one of the reasons why you’re going to be clever about doing it through culture, but NEVER diluting the message either. Never sugar-coating or watering down the message of Christ. All roads do not lead to heaven though many want to believe that. But what some people want and what is real are two different things. Christ loves everyone and makes it so easy to love Him back. He did the hard work and His loving Grace saves us – why people push that message away and treat it as narrow-minded is a mystery to me but never mind. The purpose is still the same. We need to go the distance even when it gets hard), so just expect it and then leave it behind. Christ is there to strengthen and be with you so really what do you have to fear? I know, I know, you still have to actually “talk” to people, and put yourself out there. But it’s okay, really. You are going to do fine. And believe me, once you get going, you’ll dig it and wonder why the heck you haven’t been doing it before.
Remember, the Bible is your ally: “A final word: Be strong in the Lord’s mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11)
When You Suffer For Doing What Is Right
Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t be afraid and don’t worry. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak evil against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! 1 Peter 3:13-17
Yes, there will be some tough times perhaps. Look at what happened to Jesus’ apostles. Even John, who wasn’t killed, was banished to the island of Patmos, yet God still had work for him when He gave John the visions to write the book of Revelation. Christ himself said, “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because of your allegiance to me.” (Matthew 24:9) We read in Romans 8:17, “And since we are his children, we will share his treasures—for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”
And Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 1:18 & 21 & 25, “I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God...Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe...This foolish plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength.”
So you may get labeled as “narrow-minded,” “naïve,” “simple,” “intolerant,” or “foolish,” as Paul says. Not to sound glib but again, so what? “O God, I praise your word. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 56:4)
But on the other hand, what will happen to your neighbor if you never say anything? What if God had you in mind to talk to your co-worker and you never did for fear of being labeled “the religion guy?” What will you tell God when He asks what you did with the talents He gave you? Did you bury them or did you put them to work? So don’t worry so much about yourself but instead be concerned with the things of God. Be concerned with sharing His Good News so that ALL might be saved.
By the way, this is another reason to get your butt into church and build a family of fellowship there in one place. The world will get colder and colder as you put on your armor daily to battle the Devil to save souls. You need the love, kindness, and support of a church family to back you up, power you up, and keep you up.
5) Keep Learning
As you start your witness, we’ve talked about keeping it simple. Share the Gospel. John 3:16. And that’s good. Practice your witness, your personal story, in the mirror or with another Christian friend. Write it down. You’re not trying to create a canned-speech here, but in the beginning, it’s good to get your foundation down. You prepare for job interviews. You have cue-cards when giving a presentation at work. Prepare what you want to say and as time goes on, you’ll add to your witness and be speaking off the top of your head with the Holy Spirit there priming the pump all of the time.
As you read the Bible, read other books on faith, the history of Christianity, witnessing, and of course all those great books on finding God with pop culture that I mentioned in the last chapter. The point is to keep growing in wisdom and knowledge. I think everyone should have a basic course in apologetics (that is, the ability to make an intelligent argument for the truth of Christianity and Jesus Christ as our savior). This ties in with having a “worldview” of your beliefs which permeates everything you do and not simply keeping your faith in a box on Sunday that you keep separate from the rest of your life. People like to complicate things and as we just read in 1 Corinthians, they look at Christianity as simple-minded and foolish, an out-dated belief system that worked in days of superstition but doesn’t work in today’s enlightened, science-driven, post-modern society. The message of the church and the invitation to Christ’s grace will always be easy and open to those who believe it. As Christians, God calls us to keep growing in our knowledge of Him, as He speaks to us in Hebrews 5:12 – 6:3:
“You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food. And a person who is living on milk isn’t very far along in the Christian life and doesn’t know much about doing what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right. So let us stop going over the basics of Christianity again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely, we don’t need to start all over again with the importance of turning away from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.”
Amen. And don’t call me, Shirley. :-)
6) And last but not least: Prayer
In the movies you often hear the over-used line during some moment of crisis: “All we can do now is pray.” I saved prayer for the last in this list not because it’s the last thing you should do – no, it’s the first thing. I saved it till now because it’s the most important thing you can do. Again I hear you saying, “I know, I know.” But, like reading the Bible daily, I have to ask, “Do you?”
Prayer is the best maintenance tool you have on your utility belt to call on God for strength, wisdom, endurance, joy, you name it. As you live your life, as you give your witness, pray unceasingly. I mean it. Get a little chant going in your head throughout the day. You know the Jesus Prayer? It goes like this: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” It’s a tradition for the Greek Orthodox church and what a great tradition. Start saying this little prayer throughout the day and soon it will be running through your head on auto-play.
Jesus Prays for Us
I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They are not part of this world any more than I am. Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth. As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. John 17:15-18
The point is to call upon God, always. He is our strength, our wisdom, our source for everything, especially for being an effective witness. Here’s some good advice from God as He spoke through the apostle Paul: “Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. And Jesus said, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22. How powerful is that, huh? And, this: “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” (Colossians 4:2).
Just go back to step one – Read the Bible, and combined with prayer, you have a powerful combination. Top it off with the strength and support of fellowship through your family church and your continued drive to learn more – God will certainly bless your efforts.
So here is your own utility belt of items to keep, practices to do daily, habits to get into. You know these things but ask yourself if you really KNOW them and practice them. Know and practice them so well that they become part of your identity, part of who you are so that you cannot function properly without them.
They are that important.
1) Read the Bible daily
The key word here folks is DAILY. You say, “I know, I know.” You may even have good intentions. My friends, intentions are bunk. Remember our pal Yoda who said, “There is no try. There is only do.” Remember our Nike slogan. “Just do it.” I’m pounding these things over and over because we don’t do it. And we have to. The Bible is a living, breathing, powerful tool. It is God’s word. And that word is alive. It is inerrant. It is God-breathed. It’s not a bunch of feel-good stories or nice words of wisdom to put on a mantel above your fireplace (though it’s okay if you do). Jesus is not just a teacher or prophet or composite of good attributes, or a caricature or a metaphor. The Bible is power. The Bible is truth (not subjective but objective) – the ultimate and only truth because the Bible is God. Words are powerful in and of themselves, yes. But the Word of God is the King Kong of powerful words.
Hear His Word now:
“In the beginning the Word already existed. He was with God, and he was God. He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that he didn’t make. Life itself was in him, and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” John 1:1-5
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
“For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are.” Hebrews 4:12
As Christians, we need to be constantly growing, reinforcing, remembering, and applying God’s Word in our life and in our witness. It’s so very, very easy to get distracted. I try to set aside time in the evening to read four chapters – one from the Old Testament, one Psalm, one Gospel, and one New Testament. Do I do it all the time, every day? No. But for the most part I do and I continually work toward and pray for the strength to read the Bible daily. Without it, folks, we just drain away, we atrophy, and we forget. We do. But we cannot. Make it a point to work on reading God’s Word daily no matter where you are, no matter what time of day. One chapter or ten, even one verse (but come on, at least set a minimum of one chapter, it’s shorter than your average magazine article) whatever, but do it. And don’t just read it. Study it, absorb it. And, memorize it...
2) Memorize the Bible
That is, memorize verses. You’ve seen throughout this little book all the wonderful verses of encouragement, direction, and strength that I hope you take time to memorize. Spending time not just reading but memorizing will help you in your witness. When you are nervous or seeking just the right thing to say to someone, yes, the Holy Spirit will guide you, but the Word of God will be more effective in your witness when you already know it. The words just flow off your tongue as the Holy Spirit pulls them from the memory cells in your brain and plants them on your tongue. So make sure as you are reading the Bible, you are spending separate time to memorize God’s Words and make them your words.
3) Go to church
I often read about people saying they have God in their life or in their heart but they don’t need church or “organized religion.” Religion has taken on a bad connotation it seems as well as has church and that’s a shame.
The bottom line is you need church. You need fellowship. Church may be a hospital sometimes, but really it’s a gym. You need to power up and refill your battery cells after being in the world for the last week. God dwells in your heart yes, but He really dwells in His church. (“For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I am there among them.” Matthew 18:20).
Christ instituted the church on earth when He sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles. Who wouldn’t want the chance to praise, pray, sing, learn, partake in Holy Communion, and dwell with God among your fellow believers? I don’t understand people who say they believe in God but do not “Honor the Sabbath day to keep it holy,” as God commands. Look at how believers acted amongst each other at the church’s formation: “And all the believers met together constantly and shared everything they had. They sold their possessions and shared the proceeds with those in need. They worshipped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity – all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.” Acts 2:44-47.
That’s church, baby!
Unity in Christ – Working Together With One Heart & Purpose
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose. Philippians 2:1-2
And don’t be a church hopper. Yes, churches are run by humans and as humans, we sin, we bicker, we sometimes don’t get along. But that doesn’t mean you run away to a new church at the first sign of a struggle or difficulty. Stick with it. You don’t ditch your family for a new one when the going gets tough, do you? (Well, I suppose some do but is that what God calls us to do?) Why would you abandon your church then? Build something at your church – your relationship with your pastor, your fellow church members, your community. Stay with it and attend regularly and God will only continue to grow in your heart as you go out and face the world each day. I think people should be running to their church every Sunday. It’s a welcome reprieve from the day-to-day dealings of the world. And we carry the church with us. That is, we carry what God has implanted with us. We live our life for Christ daily. Remember the mindset – having a total worldview of God first in our life in all things. Church is simply the cherry on top of the sundae. And who doesn’t like Sundays (pun intended)?
So if you don’t have a current church home, find one already! Jesus is our example and He attended church regularly: “When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the scriptures.” (Luke 4:16) What makes you any different then? Remember the cowboy church. Find one that fits for you. You like rock and roll Christian music or traditional hymns? Find one that fits for you. Just don’t get too caught up in the style of your church over the substance of what is preached. Sure, you want to be comfortable, but instead of asking whether the church uses electric guitars in their service, first and foremost you should ask, “Is this church talking to me about the Gospel and the saving message of Jesus Christ?” Because, just like reading the Bible daily, you need to hear that message each and every week. Don’t tell me you know the Christmas story, you know the Lent story, you’ve heard the “Good Samaritan” or the “Prodigal Son” story a billion times. Maybe you’ve heard but have you HEARD it? Do you live it? Is it part of your being or DNA even? Make it so. We are creatures of forgetfulness and distraction and self interest. We need to hear the Gospel message as often as we can, especially if we want to be a witness of it to the world.
If all you are hearing at church are ways for life to be better for YOU, then you are in the wrong church. As Rick Warren said in “Purpose Driven Life,” It’s not about you. If the sermons you hear are all about ways to increase your financial wealth through Christian living or ways to be happier in your life – if all you hear is stuff about you, you, you – get over yourself! That’s not your purpose. Your purpose is, say it with me, serving God through sharing the Good News of salvation in Christ. And lo and behold, when you do that, you find your life is the best it can be – even if by the world’s standards it isn’t. We are not of the world as the saying goes. We are in it. And while we are in it, we need to act in it. We need to act on behalf of our loving Savior, follow His example, who served mankind His whole ministry. That’s our ministry, too. Be we can’t do it without a support group. You’ll find that support in your church.
4) Be prepared for attacks
Let’s face it, as soon as you start putting it out there and start living your purpose by witnessing about Christ, the Devil is going to jump all over you like white on rice. The Devil would rather you stay silent, go to church like a good little Christian, but keep your faith personal – that is, keep it silent, internal, and don’t share it with anyone. Sure, the Devil says, go do your church thing for an hour on Sunday, but then forget about it and get back to your real life. And keep that Jesus stuff to yourself. You have no right to force people to believe what you think. Everyone has the right to believe what they want so keep it to yourself.
Trouble from All Sides
We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don’t give up and quit. 2 Corinthians 4:8
Is that your life right now? It is for so many Christians. And it makes the Devil happy. But now it’s time to shake yourself out of this soul-deadening way of life, take up your armor, and kick some Holy-butt! You know the Devil is prowling around like a lion. You know you’ll have people look at you funny or even with disdain when you start sharing the Good News (that’s one of the reasons why you’re going to be clever about doing it through culture, but NEVER diluting the message either. Never sugar-coating or watering down the message of Christ. All roads do not lead to heaven though many want to believe that. But what some people want and what is real are two different things. Christ loves everyone and makes it so easy to love Him back. He did the hard work and His loving Grace saves us – why people push that message away and treat it as narrow-minded is a mystery to me but never mind. The purpose is still the same. We need to go the distance even when it gets hard), so just expect it and then leave it behind. Christ is there to strengthen and be with you so really what do you have to fear? I know, I know, you still have to actually “talk” to people, and put yourself out there. But it’s okay, really. You are going to do fine. And believe me, once you get going, you’ll dig it and wonder why the heck you haven’t been doing it before.
Remember, the Bible is your ally: “A final word: Be strong in the Lord’s mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11)
When You Suffer For Doing What Is Right
Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t be afraid and don’t worry. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. But you must do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak evil against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong! 1 Peter 3:13-17
Yes, there will be some tough times perhaps. Look at what happened to Jesus’ apostles. Even John, who wasn’t killed, was banished to the island of Patmos, yet God still had work for him when He gave John the visions to write the book of Revelation. Christ himself said, “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because of your allegiance to me.” (Matthew 24:9) We read in Romans 8:17, “And since we are his children, we will share his treasures—for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”
And Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 1:18 & 21 & 25, “I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God...Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe...This foolish plan of God is far wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength.”
So you may get labeled as “narrow-minded,” “naïve,” “simple,” “intolerant,” or “foolish,” as Paul says. Not to sound glib but again, so what? “O God, I praise your word. I trust in God, so why should I be afraid? What can mere mortals do to me?” (Psalm 56:4)
But on the other hand, what will happen to your neighbor if you never say anything? What if God had you in mind to talk to your co-worker and you never did for fear of being labeled “the religion guy?” What will you tell God when He asks what you did with the talents He gave you? Did you bury them or did you put them to work? So don’t worry so much about yourself but instead be concerned with the things of God. Be concerned with sharing His Good News so that ALL might be saved.
By the way, this is another reason to get your butt into church and build a family of fellowship there in one place. The world will get colder and colder as you put on your armor daily to battle the Devil to save souls. You need the love, kindness, and support of a church family to back you up, power you up, and keep you up.
5) Keep Learning
As you start your witness, we’ve talked about keeping it simple. Share the Gospel. John 3:16. And that’s good. Practice your witness, your personal story, in the mirror or with another Christian friend. Write it down. You’re not trying to create a canned-speech here, but in the beginning, it’s good to get your foundation down. You prepare for job interviews. You have cue-cards when giving a presentation at work. Prepare what you want to say and as time goes on, you’ll add to your witness and be speaking off the top of your head with the Holy Spirit there priming the pump all of the time.
As you read the Bible, read other books on faith, the history of Christianity, witnessing, and of course all those great books on finding God with pop culture that I mentioned in the last chapter. The point is to keep growing in wisdom and knowledge. I think everyone should have a basic course in apologetics (that is, the ability to make an intelligent argument for the truth of Christianity and Jesus Christ as our savior). This ties in with having a “worldview” of your beliefs which permeates everything you do and not simply keeping your faith in a box on Sunday that you keep separate from the rest of your life. People like to complicate things and as we just read in 1 Corinthians, they look at Christianity as simple-minded and foolish, an out-dated belief system that worked in days of superstition but doesn’t work in today’s enlightened, science-driven, post-modern society. The message of the church and the invitation to Christ’s grace will always be easy and open to those who believe it. As Christians, God calls us to keep growing in our knowledge of Him, as He speaks to us in Hebrews 5:12 – 6:3:
“You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things a beginner must learn about the Scriptures. You are like babies who drink only milk and cannot eat solid food. And a person who is living on milk isn’t very far along in the Christian life and doesn’t know much about doing what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who have trained themselves to recognize the difference between right and wrong and then do what is right. So let us stop going over the basics of Christianity again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely, we don’t need to start all over again with the importance of turning away from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding.”
Amen. And don’t call me, Shirley. :-)
6) And last but not least: Prayer
In the movies you often hear the over-used line during some moment of crisis: “All we can do now is pray.” I saved prayer for the last in this list not because it’s the last thing you should do – no, it’s the first thing. I saved it till now because it’s the most important thing you can do. Again I hear you saying, “I know, I know.” But, like reading the Bible daily, I have to ask, “Do you?”
Prayer is the best maintenance tool you have on your utility belt to call on God for strength, wisdom, endurance, joy, you name it. As you live your life, as you give your witness, pray unceasingly. I mean it. Get a little chant going in your head throughout the day. You know the Jesus Prayer? It goes like this: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” It’s a tradition for the Greek Orthodox church and what a great tradition. Start saying this little prayer throughout the day and soon it will be running through your head on auto-play.
Jesus Prays for Us
I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They are not part of this world any more than I am. Make them pure and holy by teaching them your words of truth. As you sent me into the world, I am sending them into the world. John 17:15-18
The point is to call upon God, always. He is our strength, our wisdom, our source for everything, especially for being an effective witness. Here’s some good advice from God as He spoke through the apostle Paul: “Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18. And Jesus said, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22. How powerful is that, huh? And, this: “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” (Colossians 4:2).
Just go back to step one – Read the Bible, and combined with prayer, you have a powerful combination. Top it off with the strength and support of fellowship through your family church and your continued drive to learn more – God will certainly bless your efforts.
Monday, May 05, 2008
Inspiration, Resources, Examples, and Ideas (12) - Getting Down to Business
Business Idea: Create a T-Shirt company
I always thought putting messages on T-shirts would be a great way to get people to come up to you rather than you going up to them. Once they read some crazy saying on your T-shirt and ask you, “What the heck does that mean?”, then there’s your open door. I’m too busy writing to start my own T-shirt company so feel free to use any of the following sayings to make your own shirts:
· Saint & Sinner
· Want to Join the Acts 1:8 Club?
· Truth + Love = Jesus
· Epaphroditus In Training (See Philippians 2)
· God is Not a Salad Bar (my favorite)
· Spirituality without God = Self Indulgence
· Don’t Be a Sardis (See Revelation 3)
· Look Straight Ahead (See Proverbs 4:23-27 on guarding your heart and concentrating on desires that keep us on the right path)
· Jesus Wept
· #1 Sinner -or- Chief of Sinners
· Jesus was Homeless
· Nothing New Under the Sun (See Ecclesiastes)
· Hope Now...Heaven Later
· Letting My Light Shine (bright yellow shirt)
· A Time for Everything (See Ecclesiastes)
· If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done. Eccl. 11:4
· Ask not how Jesus can serve you. Ask how you can serve Jesus.
· We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fallProv. 16:33
· We All Believe In Something
· Be the one! Luke 17:11-19 (This is in reference to the ten lepers whom Jesus healed but only one came back to thank Jesus. Be thankful!)
· Not in Charge
Okay, so if you’re going to do something like this, be bold. Pick bright, vibrant colors for your shirts like canary yellow and lime green and use solid, block letters in bright colors too. Just make sure your eyes don’t hurt when you look at the shirt. And if you are not sure what those slogans above really mean and want an explanation for any of them, good! The idea is to get people talking and we might as well start with you. Think about them, though, and make your explanation your own.
A Merger Between Business and Faith – Books to Explore
“Jesus, CEO,” by Laurie Beth Jones and others in her series talk about applying the teachings of Christ in your work (and in your life).
“God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life,” by Gene Edward Veith, Jr., goes beyond just work and addresses the Christian’s total calling: in family life, church, citizenship, and vocation.
“Great Commission Companies: The Emerging Role of Business in Missions,” by Steve L. Rundle and Tom A. Steffon.
The Facts on Witnessing at Work
Can Christians get busted for witnessing at work? There are certain guidelines for you seed planters out there gearing up to share your faith with your co-workers. Go for it, but take a look at this article by David C. Gibbs, Jr., President of The Christian Law Association, for some tips on what to be aware of concerning, “The Legal Implications of Witnessing at Work,” (Source – “Christianity Today,” October 29, 2004).
Go to “Christianity Today’s” website (or FaithInTheWorkplace.com and do a search for that title to find the article or try the following URL: http://www.christianitytoday.com/workplace/articles/legalimplications.html
Combining Your Business with God’s Business
Do you own your own business? What might be some ways to integrate your faith and let your light shine while serving both the business needs and spiritual needs of your customers? Many businesses proudly display the “fish” symbol for Christ in their signage, business cards, and other forms of identity.
In one business, the owner takes their outreach a step further and offers prayer along with a cup of coffee. The “Chit-n-Chat Coffee House” in Waukee, Iowa often receives prayer requests from their customers as they place a coffee order. Kate Boettcher looks at her coffee house as “a way to bring Christ to our customers without being preachy.” She has a Bible verse-of-the-day on the chalkboard for people to ask questions about, and, through word-of-mouth only, has become a place known for good coffee, friendly people, and an offer of prayer for those who want it.
Turns out, many people do.
(Source: “Would You Like Prayer with that Latte?” in “Today’s Christian Woman,” March/April 2004, Vol. 26, No. 2, by Jared VanHorn.) Read the full article at: www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2004/002/16.58.html
Changing the World, One Cup at a Time
Here’s a great idea – create a business whose purpose is not to make money for itself, but whose sole purpose is to use its profits to fund charitable projects.
That’s just what founders John Sage and Chris Dearnley did. As it says on their website: “Believing that the principles of capitalism could be applied to the non-profit sector, they developed Pura Vida Coffee as a "funding engine" to support the charitable programs of Pura Vida Partners, a non-profit organization. Pura Vida Coffee sells Fair Trade, organic coffee throughout the United States and uses all of its resources for charitable purposes. Through this model, our co-founders sought to bring hope to at-risk children in Costa Rica – where Pura Vida’s charitable activity began – and to inspire a new generation of consumers and business leaders who believe that capitalism can be used as an engine for social good.”
If only more businesses operated on that principle. If you like coffee, and I know a lot of you Starbucks junkies out there do – check out the Pura Vida website and even buy a few bags of coffee. They support “fair trade” coffee so that you know the coffee growers are getting a fair price for their coffee beans and you’ll also be supporting the Pura Vida efforts to help the children of Costa Rica while enjoying some darn good coffee. Read the rest of the mission and goals at: www.puravidacoffee.com
I always thought putting messages on T-shirts would be a great way to get people to come up to you rather than you going up to them. Once they read some crazy saying on your T-shirt and ask you, “What the heck does that mean?”, then there’s your open door. I’m too busy writing to start my own T-shirt company so feel free to use any of the following sayings to make your own shirts:
· Saint & Sinner
· Want to Join the Acts 1:8 Club?
· Truth + Love = Jesus
· Epaphroditus In Training (See Philippians 2)
· God is Not a Salad Bar (my favorite)
· Spirituality without God = Self Indulgence
· Don’t Be a Sardis (See Revelation 3)
· Look Straight Ahead (See Proverbs 4:23-27 on guarding your heart and concentrating on desires that keep us on the right path)
· Jesus Wept
· #1 Sinner -or- Chief of Sinners
· Jesus was Homeless
· Nothing New Under the Sun (See Ecclesiastes)
· Hope Now...Heaven Later
· Letting My Light Shine (bright yellow shirt)
· A Time for Everything (See Ecclesiastes)
· If you wait for perfect conditions, you’ll never get anything done. Eccl. 11:4
· Ask not how Jesus can serve you. Ask how you can serve Jesus.
· We may throw the dice, but the Lord determines how they fallProv. 16:33
· We All Believe In Something
· Be the one! Luke 17:11-19 (This is in reference to the ten lepers whom Jesus healed but only one came back to thank Jesus. Be thankful!)
· Not in Charge
Okay, so if you’re going to do something like this, be bold. Pick bright, vibrant colors for your shirts like canary yellow and lime green and use solid, block letters in bright colors too. Just make sure your eyes don’t hurt when you look at the shirt. And if you are not sure what those slogans above really mean and want an explanation for any of them, good! The idea is to get people talking and we might as well start with you. Think about them, though, and make your explanation your own.
A Merger Between Business and Faith – Books to Explore
“Jesus, CEO,” by Laurie Beth Jones and others in her series talk about applying the teachings of Christ in your work (and in your life).
“God at Work: Your Christian Vocation in All of Life,” by Gene Edward Veith, Jr., goes beyond just work and addresses the Christian’s total calling: in family life, church, citizenship, and vocation.
“Great Commission Companies: The Emerging Role of Business in Missions,” by Steve L. Rundle and Tom A. Steffon.
The Facts on Witnessing at Work
Can Christians get busted for witnessing at work? There are certain guidelines for you seed planters out there gearing up to share your faith with your co-workers. Go for it, but take a look at this article by David C. Gibbs, Jr., President of The Christian Law Association, for some tips on what to be aware of concerning, “The Legal Implications of Witnessing at Work,” (Source – “Christianity Today,” October 29, 2004).
Go to “Christianity Today’s” website (or FaithInTheWorkplace.com and do a search for that title to find the article or try the following URL: http://www.christianitytoday.com/workplace/articles/legalimplications.html
Combining Your Business with God’s Business
Do you own your own business? What might be some ways to integrate your faith and let your light shine while serving both the business needs and spiritual needs of your customers? Many businesses proudly display the “fish” symbol for Christ in their signage, business cards, and other forms of identity.
In one business, the owner takes their outreach a step further and offers prayer along with a cup of coffee. The “Chit-n-Chat Coffee House” in Waukee, Iowa often receives prayer requests from their customers as they place a coffee order. Kate Boettcher looks at her coffee house as “a way to bring Christ to our customers without being preachy.” She has a Bible verse-of-the-day on the chalkboard for people to ask questions about, and, through word-of-mouth only, has become a place known for good coffee, friendly people, and an offer of prayer for those who want it.
Turns out, many people do.
(Source: “Would You Like Prayer with that Latte?” in “Today’s Christian Woman,” March/April 2004, Vol. 26, No. 2, by Jared VanHorn.) Read the full article at: www.christianitytoday.com/tcw/2004/002/16.58.html
Changing the World, One Cup at a Time
Here’s a great idea – create a business whose purpose is not to make money for itself, but whose sole purpose is to use its profits to fund charitable projects.
That’s just what founders John Sage and Chris Dearnley did. As it says on their website: “Believing that the principles of capitalism could be applied to the non-profit sector, they developed Pura Vida Coffee as a "funding engine" to support the charitable programs of Pura Vida Partners, a non-profit organization. Pura Vida Coffee sells Fair Trade, organic coffee throughout the United States and uses all of its resources for charitable purposes. Through this model, our co-founders sought to bring hope to at-risk children in Costa Rica – where Pura Vida’s charitable activity began – and to inspire a new generation of consumers and business leaders who believe that capitalism can be used as an engine for social good.”
If only more businesses operated on that principle. If you like coffee, and I know a lot of you Starbucks junkies out there do – check out the Pura Vida website and even buy a few bags of coffee. They support “fair trade” coffee so that you know the coffee growers are getting a fair price for their coffee beans and you’ll also be supporting the Pura Vida efforts to help the children of Costa Rica while enjoying some darn good coffee. Read the rest of the mission and goals at: www.puravidacoffee.com
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Planting Seeds - Using Your Time, Treasure, & Talent (3)
The Three T's
If our main purpose is to tell others about the Good News of Christ (and it is), then does it mean we are limited to just having conversations with people? No. There are many ways to tell others about Christ. There are many ways to plant seeds, either directly or indirectly, that play a part in God’s plan to work through every Christian to tell the world about His love. It all comes down to using the three T's as effectively as possible.
TIME
Time is a precious commodity. Maybe the most precious. Through an efficient use of our time, much can be achieved. But time can be wasted. The thing about time, and why it is so precious, is that you can never get it back. Once used, either effectively or squandered, it’s gone.
How we use our time can make all the difference in being an effective witness and a servant of God. Taking a Saturday afternoon out of your schedule to help make door-hanger invitations to your church for your surrounding community is a way of using time effectively to serve God. Or, you could make the choice instead to go the beach or do some other fun activity, and think, "Someone else will do it." This is squandering the time God has given you.
Now don't get me wrong. God gives us time so that we can enjoy life and do pleasurable things. God wants us to have time to relax and enjoy life. Balance is the key. How many times have you made the choice to do something for yourself rather than help your church with a project or answer that nagging call God has placed inside you to start serving His purpose, yet you ignore it? It's much easier to not get involved, not talk about God, not put God first over our own desires. Isn't it? Oh yeah, it sure is.
Listen to what Paul says in Romans 7:15-25:
"I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. But I can’t help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things.
"I know that I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t. When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. But if I am doing what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it.
"It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord..."
Is this guy kicking himself in the pants or what? Here we have the apostle Paul, arguably the MVP of apostles, beating himself to a pulp over and over saying I want to do good, but don’t; I want to do right but don't. So I hear you, people. It is hard to put God first, to make Him the priority, to serve Him first before serving yourself.
Yes, it's hard. But just as at the end when Paul (you can just hear him scream it out) bellows out, "Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord!", we too, know that Jesus will save us, strengthen us, help us.
You just have to decide to make it your priority and discipline yourself to keep at it. And pray, pray, pray. Read, read, read (the Bible). Those are your two best tools to keep you motivated and focused in using your time to serve God. Seems obvious, right? But how often do we have this great idea to serve God (the spirit is willing) and start out gang-busters, only to realize a week or so later we’ve fizzled out and become distracted or discouraged?
Yeah, me too. Just like Paul.
Don’t let time slip through your fingers.
Use your time wisely. Use it to serve God first – in all that you do.
TREASURE
The second of the three T's. Money, money, money. It’s a tricky thing, money is. The root of all evil – yes, sometimes. But we need it, too. And it is a blessing from God. How we use it, that is, how we prioritize its use, however, is the key – just like time. When you make money more important than God, you're not serving God. As Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Luke 16:13)
Like time, using your treasures, your gifts from God, to serve Him, is a way of planting seeds. It may be more of an indirect way, but it's a powerful way.
Our churches, our missionaries, our outreach programs are all funded through monetary gifts. We tithe on Sunday. We give of our first fruits as a thank you to God for all He has done. We don't give our leftovers, or only if we can afford it, but we give because He first gave to us.
You know the parable in Luke 21 about the poor woman who put two pennies into her offering. Jesus said she had given more than all the rest, including the rich people, because they gave only a tiny part of their wealth, but she gave everything she had.
The point is to make a conscious effort to put God first in your treasures. Everything you have is from God anyway; you're simply giving back what He has given you. So give first to Christ, right off the top. Don’t first think about what bills you have to pay or vacation you have to say up for. Give first. Give joyfully.
Look at the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19. Here was a very rich and very influential tax collector, albeit a little short in height. He climbed a tree to get a look at Jesus, but then to his surprise, Jesus called him by name and basically invited himself for dinner in Zacchaeus’ home. We know from the accounts in the Bible that tax collectors were traditionally cheats and robbers – otherwise known as notorious sinners. But Jesus had touched this man’s heart and he repented of his ways and said to Jesus, "I will give half of my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!" And Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a son of Abraham. And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost."
Imagine what wonderful things Zacchaeus did with his wealth to help others from that moment going forward for the rest of his life.
Give first. Give joyfully.
TALENTS
With TALENTS I'm also including INTERESTS. Usually the things that we are good at are things that we like to do. Or we just may be really interested in a subject or an activity that we get really excited about. God has given you special talents and interests so that you: (1) experience extreme joy in using your talents; (2) share your talents to benefit and serve others; and (3) at the same time, use your talents in service to God by fulfilling God's purpose for you (and you know what that purpose is, right? I know you do but lets just say it again, okay? Your purpose is to share the GOOD NEWS of salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord).
When it comes to your talents and interests, everyone is different. God's covering all his bases. Let's go back to Romans again and see what God tells us (I just love the book of Romans. It’s like the ultimate survival guide for Christians. If I was on a desert island and could only have two books from the Bible to read, I'd pick Romans and Psalms. It would be a tough choice not picking one of the gospels, but Romans has it all. Check it out and see).
"...We are all parts of His one body, and each of us has different work to do...God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly...Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically." Romans 12:5-11
More to follow...
If our main purpose is to tell others about the Good News of Christ (and it is), then does it mean we are limited to just having conversations with people? No. There are many ways to tell others about Christ. There are many ways to plant seeds, either directly or indirectly, that play a part in God’s plan to work through every Christian to tell the world about His love. It all comes down to using the three T's as effectively as possible.
TIME
Time is a precious commodity. Maybe the most precious. Through an efficient use of our time, much can be achieved. But time can be wasted. The thing about time, and why it is so precious, is that you can never get it back. Once used, either effectively or squandered, it’s gone.
Christ Calls Us
Then Jesus said to the disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for me, you will find true life." Matthew 16:24-25
How we use our time can make all the difference in being an effective witness and a servant of God. Taking a Saturday afternoon out of your schedule to help make door-hanger invitations to your church for your surrounding community is a way of using time effectively to serve God. Or, you could make the choice instead to go the beach or do some other fun activity, and think, "Someone else will do it." This is squandering the time God has given you.
Now don't get me wrong. God gives us time so that we can enjoy life and do pleasurable things. God wants us to have time to relax and enjoy life. Balance is the key. How many times have you made the choice to do something for yourself rather than help your church with a project or answer that nagging call God has placed inside you to start serving His purpose, yet you ignore it? It's much easier to not get involved, not talk about God, not put God first over our own desires. Isn't it? Oh yeah, it sure is.
Listen to what Paul says in Romans 7:15-25:
"I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I don't do it. Instead, I do the very thing I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience shows that I agree that the law is good. But I can’t help myself, because it is sin inside me that makes me do these evil things.
"I know that I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn, I can’t make myself do right. I want to, but I can’t. When I want to do good, I don't. And when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. But if I am doing what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing it; the sin within me is doing it.
"It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God's law with all my heart. But there is another law at work within me that is at war with my mind. This law wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord..."
Is this guy kicking himself in the pants or what? Here we have the apostle Paul, arguably the MVP of apostles, beating himself to a pulp over and over saying I want to do good, but don’t; I want to do right but don't. So I hear you, people. It is hard to put God first, to make Him the priority, to serve Him first before serving yourself.
Yes, it's hard. But just as at the end when Paul (you can just hear him scream it out) bellows out, "Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord!", we too, know that Jesus will save us, strengthen us, help us.
You just have to decide to make it your priority and discipline yourself to keep at it. And pray, pray, pray. Read, read, read (the Bible). Those are your two best tools to keep you motivated and focused in using your time to serve God. Seems obvious, right? But how often do we have this great idea to serve God (the spirit is willing) and start out gang-busters, only to realize a week or so later we’ve fizzled out and become distracted or discouraged?
Yeah, me too. Just like Paul.
Don’t let time slip through your fingers.
Use your time wisely. Use it to serve God first – in all that you do.
TREASURE
The second of the three T's. Money, money, money. It’s a tricky thing, money is. The root of all evil – yes, sometimes. But we need it, too. And it is a blessing from God. How we use it, that is, how we prioritize its use, however, is the key – just like time. When you make money more important than God, you're not serving God. As Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." (Luke 16:13)
Like time, using your treasures, your gifts from God, to serve Him, is a way of planting seeds. It may be more of an indirect way, but it's a powerful way.
Our churches, our missionaries, our outreach programs are all funded through monetary gifts. We tithe on Sunday. We give of our first fruits as a thank you to God for all He has done. We don't give our leftovers, or only if we can afford it, but we give because He first gave to us.
You know the parable in Luke 21 about the poor woman who put two pennies into her offering. Jesus said she had given more than all the rest, including the rich people, because they gave only a tiny part of their wealth, but she gave everything she had.
The point is to make a conscious effort to put God first in your treasures. Everything you have is from God anyway; you're simply giving back what He has given you. So give first to Christ, right off the top. Don’t first think about what bills you have to pay or vacation you have to say up for. Give first. Give joyfully.
Look at the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19. Here was a very rich and very influential tax collector, albeit a little short in height. He climbed a tree to get a look at Jesus, but then to his surprise, Jesus called him by name and basically invited himself for dinner in Zacchaeus’ home. We know from the accounts in the Bible that tax collectors were traditionally cheats and robbers – otherwise known as notorious sinners. But Jesus had touched this man’s heart and he repented of his ways and said to Jesus, "I will give half of my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!" And Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a son of Abraham. And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost."
Imagine what wonderful things Zacchaeus did with his wealth to help others from that moment going forward for the rest of his life.
Give first. Give joyfully.
TALENTS
With TALENTS I'm also including INTERESTS. Usually the things that we are good at are things that we like to do. Or we just may be really interested in a subject or an activity that we get really excited about. God has given you special talents and interests so that you: (1) experience extreme joy in using your talents; (2) share your talents to benefit and serve others; and (3) at the same time, use your talents in service to God by fulfilling God's purpose for you (and you know what that purpose is, right? I know you do but lets just say it again, okay? Your purpose is to share the GOOD NEWS of salvation in Christ Jesus our Lord).
When it comes to your talents and interests, everyone is different. God's covering all his bases. Let's go back to Romans again and see what God tells us (I just love the book of Romans. It’s like the ultimate survival guide for Christians. If I was on a desert island and could only have two books from the Bible to read, I'd pick Romans and Psalms. It would be a tough choice not picking one of the gospels, but Romans has it all. Check it out and see).
"...We are all parts of His one body, and each of us has different work to do...God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly...Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically." Romans 12:5-11
More to follow...
Sunday, October 14, 2007
What is “Planting Seeds?” - Sharing Your Faith (1)
Want To Do It, But Don’t Know How
Do you ever want to do something so much that you feel your heart ache and your whole body yearn for it to happen? Do you feel an inner calling or sense that someone is urging you on to fulfill some purpose? To be more specific, do you deeply desire to share the wonderful message of salvation in Jesus Christ? Do you feel God urging you on to spread the Good News? You do?
Me, too.
But at the same time that you feel this deep, inner urging from God and the desire to serve His purpose, are you also:
a) Scared from your head down to your toes at the idea of speaking to your friends, let alone a stranger or co-worker, about Jesus
b) Completely clueless on how to start a conversation about your faith
c) Confused or worried about coming off as “intolerant,” “bigoted,” “narrow-minded,” and so on, to those whom you want to share your witness
d) Intimidated if they start asking you questions that you don’t know the answer to, especially when the questions are meant to challenge you (you know those kind of questions—ones like, “If your God is such a God of love and mercy why does he allow death, murder, etc., etc., blah, blah, blah...”)
e) All of the above
Me too.
I am basically an introvert. That’s one of the reasons I like to write. I can sit here in front of my computer and type happily away as thoughts form in my brain and flow down through my fingertips. But I am also trying to be an extrovert in my daily life. I took a job in sales to help hone my skills in talking to people, meeting strangers and developing relations with them, with the goal of helping them meet their needs in business. I should be able to apply that confidence and experience gained as a salesperson to my witness for Christ, right? Then why don’t I?
You Have Beautiful Feet – God Calls Us to His Purpose:
For “anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells him? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? This is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!” But not everyone welcomes the Good News, for Isaiah the prophet said, “Lord, who has believed our message?” Yet faith comes from listening to this message of good news—the Good News about Christ. Romans 10:13-17
Why can we engage in seemingly meaningless conversations with our co-workers, friends, even strangers when it comes to things like the latest blockbuster movie out, a top ten song on the air that’s really cool, a favorite sport, or even the weather?
It’s because nothing is at stake.
When we share the saving message of salvation in Christ, everything is at stake. We are sharing something that is deeply personal and meaningful to us, but at the same time may touch a nerve in the person we are speaking to. More than that, it touches their soul. And it makes people uncomfortable when they hear it because deep down they know the message of Christ is true, yet they refuse it.
Look at what Romans 1:19-23 says:
“For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God.
“Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead. And instead of worshipping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes.”
Can anyone say, Golden Calf? Hello!?
What’s up with that, huh?
So here we are with this desire to serve God. We are all over Matthew 28:19-20 and the Great Commission given to us from Christ – His last words on earth before being taken up into heaven. We are fired up and are jumping for Jesus. But then we look to the left, we look to the right, and say, “Okay, what next?” We are a little nervous, a bit timid perhaps, and unsure of how to get started doing this witnessing thing. And on top of that, the people we want to witness to are for the most part not in the least bit interested in hearing what we have to say. “No thank you, buh-bye. Take a hike.”
Hmm. So now what do we do?
That where the idea of “planting seeds” comes in. It’s a pretty simple idea. People have already been doing it for some time, whether on purpose or by instinct. What I aim to do with this book is provide you with a whole bunch of tools, examples, ideas, resources, and suggestions to help you tap into your own way of planting seeds.
Be a Seed Planter
My job was to plant the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God, not we, who made it grow. The ones who do the planting or watering aren’t important, but God is important because he is the one who makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work as a team with the same purpose.
1 Corinthians 3:6-8
Here’s the basic idea:
We all have things that we are interested in doing. Some people love art. Others love music, or sports, or reading, or...you know what you like to do. For me, I am a big movie nut. I love the cinema, love going to movies, watching them on DVD, love discussing the plot points and characters with friends. Yeah, I’m a movie geek.
Well, what if we could take something that we enjoy doing already, something that we get all jazzed and excited about, and use it as a way to get a conversation started while also weaving into it the message of redemption and salvation in Christ? We’re not attempting a full-on conversion here, but instead simply introducing the message (kind of an under-the-radar approach—think “guerilla Christianity”) and then letting the Holy Spirit take it from there. In essence, we are “planting seeds” for God to water and grow. God may continue to use you to help the garden you planted grow, or He may move you on like lil’ Johnny Appleseed to plant seeds elsewhere while bringing in another farmer to tend the seed you planted. Who knows? But at least it’s a place where we can start and it’s an easy, non-confrontational way to begin sharing your witness. Just to give you an example of what I mean, I will use a movie example (movie geek that I am, and hey, it’s my book so why not, right?).
Most of you, or many at least, have seen “The Matrix.” We’ll talk more about this movie later in the “Examples” section of this book since much has been written about the religious symbolism in the movie. Neo (or the “One”) is played by Keanu Reeves and his character’s main purpose is to free the people from the “Matrix” – a computer enhanced dream world where people live while their bodies are held in captivity by the machines. Neo learns that another world, the real world, exists, and he is called upon to be the savior of the people. Neo is a true Christ-figure – he dies near the end of the first film and is resurrected, coming into his true being and power, to vanquish the enemy.
When you’re sitting around the water cooler at work talking about your favorite films with a co-worker and you bring up “The Matrix” – can you see how relating Neo to Jesus Christ in your conversation could be the opening you need to begin witnessing? Can you see how you might help a person who doesn’t really know about Jesus (but may think they do) begin to understand when you use something they do know (e.g., Neo in “The Matrix”) to provide context and make a connection? For example, one connection between Neo and Jesus would be to parallel the sacrifice Neo makes at the end of the trilogy—his very life—for the “salvation” or continued life of the people. Sacrifice, unconditional love, being a servant – these are all discussion points that could possibly come up in a conversation and be steered toward the sacrifice, love, and servant attitude of Christ. As well as the differences! Whereas Neo dies and that’s it, Christ dies for his people and yet lives! Do you see how many different ways your witness could take you? And all from a simple conversation on common ground about the movie, “The Matrix,” which you both like.
God Has Plans For Us
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10
Of course these examples only go so far and you will always want to be careful in how much you draw connections between the pop culture examples of our society and the message of salvation from sin through Christ Jesus.
But it’s a place to start, isn’t it? A place to get the conversation going and get past the fear of how to start and the worry about “coming on too strong” and turning people off. Hopefully, this idea of planting seeds can work for you, who, like me, cannot “preach like Paul” as the hymn goes:
“Hark, the voice of Jesus calling, ‘Who will go and work today?
Fields are white and harvests waiting, Who will bear the sheaves away?’
-----
If you cannot speak like angels, If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus; You can say he died for all.
----
Let none hear you idly saying, ‘There is nothing I can do,’
While the multitudes are dying, And the master calls for you.
Take the task he gives you gladly; Let his work your pleasure be.
Answer quickly when he calls you, ‘Here am I, send me, send me.’”
(Traditional hymn: “Hark, the Voice of Jesus Calling”)
More to follow...
Monday, October 08, 2007
The Greatest Commandments God Gives Concern Love
When asked what was the greatest commandment, Jesus said:
“You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and allMatthew 22:37-40 (The Bible – New Living Translation)
your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is
equally important – Love your neighbor as yourself. All the other
commandments and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two
commandments.”
God is Love
Agape is a Greek word that means love. Agape is the highest level or expression of love. It is the kind of love that is expressed through words like: divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing, devotion, and thoughtful. But the most pure definition of agape is to say that God is love. Not that God has love or gives love, which He certainly does, but simply that God is love. The Bible tells us this:
“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God—for God is love.”
“God showed us how much he loved us by sending His only Son into the world so we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”
1 John 4:7-10 (The Bible – New Living Translation)
“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is born of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God—for God is love.”
“God showed us how much he loved us by sending His only Son into the world so we might have eternal life through him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”
1 John 4:7-10 (The Bible – New Living Translation)
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