3 Daily Activities For Powerful Missional Living
/
Here are three things you can do every single day to help you join God on His mission and live a powerful missional life.
Do We Have The Right Attitude For Living A Missional Life?
/
Proper Missional Living always starts with having a proper missional attitude! Does our attitude reflect that of God the Father and Jesus Christ? Do we have the a Christ-like attitude towards sinners coming to faith in Christ like we should? What does that missional attitude look like? What does a bad attitude look like when it comes to missional living?
These are some of the questions that we will be answering as we take a look at a true story from the Word of God.
If you found this to be helpful in living a life on mission with Christ and would like to be notified when new material is being presented then sign up for my free newsletter and devotional that I send out 2 to 3 times per week. You can sign up on the righthand side of this post.
Also, leave a comment about your thoughts on this subject. Let's get a good conversation started and encourage one another.
Please "SHARE" this post on Facebook and Twitter.
Powerful Missional Living Requires A Powerful Missional Prayer Life
/
If it is your desire to live a powerful missional life that shines the Light of Christ brightly in your part of this dark world you will need to develop a powerful prayer life. Watch this video and learn what I mean!
If you haven't already take a few moment and sign up to receive my free missional living devotional/newsletter and in addition get a free training report on transitioning any conversation into one that talks about Jesus. From this you will receive some powerful content that will help you live a powerful missional life. YOU CAN SIGN UP TO THE RIGHT OF THIS POST.
Take A Few Moments And Share This With You Christian Friends On Facebook & Twitter
4 EFFECTS OF DISOBEYING GOD: What Happens When You Choose Not To Join God On His Mission
/
From the life of a reluctant and disobedient prophet, Jonah, we will learn about 4 affects that can result from disobeying God. Like Christian’s today, not every prophet of God was a willing participant in God’s work and mission.
Do we really think that disobedience to God can happen without there being consequences?
This is not an exhaustive list of all the effects for disobeying God but rather just four that we can be pretty sure will come about if we choose not to join God on His mission!
Jonah Chapter 1
I. Disobedience To God Will Not Only Affect You But Others As Well.
"All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship." (v. 5a NIV)
When we intentionally disobey God and refuse to join Him on His mission our decision will not only affects us but also those around us!
There were others on the ship with Jonah and they all were affected by the storm. They all were afraid of drowning in the raging sea. One man’s disobedience had a peril affect on the lives of all the people associated with him.
When we decide to disobey Christ it will affect our family, our friends and ultimately the people we are to share the Gospel with.
Check out this powerful book on living a powerful missional life and to help you be obedient to Christ and His mission:
THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE: A Journey Into Missional Living
II. Disobedience To God Will Appear As Though You're Not Concerned About Others.
“But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” (v. 5b-6NIV)
Where was Jonah as the storm developed? He was asleep in the bottom of the ship. When the captain of the ship found him he could hardly believe what he saw and in disbelief asked, “How can you sleep?”
The captain was shocked! It appeared to him that Jonah could care less about the situation they were “all” in. It looked as though Jonah wasn’t concerned that everyone was about to die!
The issue wasn’t that Jonah didn’t care. The issue was that Jonah knew exactly what was happening and why. When we disobey God we develop a “HARDEN HEART” to God and His will that it comes across to others as an uncaring and heartless.
III. Your Disobedience To God Will Be Found Out By Others!
“Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. (v. 7)
This part of the story proves once again that old saying,
“Your sins will find you out.”
Through the throwing of dice, God was able to show everyone on the ship that Jonah was the cause of their perilous situation.
This story of Jonah not only shows that though you can run from God you can’t hide from God but also that you will be exposed by God.
We would love to hide our disobedience and sin to God deep in a closet so no one will know about them but God has a way of exposing them so that we will have to deal with them and is usually done in plain view of others.
IV. Disobedience To God Won't Stop God From Pursuing You.
“So, they asked him, 'Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?' He answered, 'I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.' This terrified them and they asked, 'What have you done?' (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.) The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So, they asked him, 'What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?' 'Pick me up and throw me into the sea,' he replied, 'and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.' Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before.” (Vs. 8-13 NIV)
Even after the sailors discovered that Jonah was the cause of the storm and what they needed to do to stop the storm (throwing Jonah overboard) they tried as hard as they could to get the ship to shore but to no avail. They did want to see Jonah die on account of them but even their best efforts wasn’t going to be able to stop God from calling Jonah to account for His disobedience.
Here’s a spiritual truth that you can count on!
If God has a mission for you to accomplish, He will not stop pursuing you and nothing will prevent him from getting your attention if you choose to disobey Him.
Don’t think that just because you have told God that you refuse to obey him that He will leave you alone! He won’t!
Our God is a tenacious God and He never gives up on His pursuit of us.
Instead, Of Disobedience Let’s Choose Obedience To God!
Instead, Of Suffering The Effects Of Disobedience Let’s Enjoy The Blessings Of Obedience.
I’d like to close with some of the lyrics of and old gospel hymn,
“Trust and obey for there’s no other way
to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.”
10 Thoughts Church Members Have About Their Church Doing Evangelism"
/
As a pastor I have often wondered what my church members were thinking when I mentioned that we were going to go out into the community and share Jesus with people! Here's a short list of 10 possible thoughts that might be going through their minds. Read and see which ones best describe your thoughts!
#1: Is He Serious Or Just Kidding Around?
Some church members are so shocked by the idea of going out to share their faith with others that when the topic is brought can’t believe the Pastor is being serious.
#2: I Don't Know How To Do That!
Many church members have never been trained to share their faith and the thought of doing so makes them very nervous.
#3: I Don't Feel Comfortable Doing That!
Even if church members have been trained to share Jesus they still may feel uncomfortable doing so because they have done it long enough or practiced it long enough to become confident in doing it.
#4: I'll Be Busy That Day!
That doesn’t mean they’re already busy on that day but now that they’ve heard what the church is going to be doing they are going to make sure they are busy. It’s an excuse.
#5: I'll Go But I Won't Like It!
There are lots of church members who show up for everything that that church does but don’t like it and will make sure the pastor and everyone else know they don’t like it.
#6: What Kind Of People Will We Encounter?
Meeting strangers or people who are different from us is very scary for lots of church members.
#7: God Hasn't Gifted Me As An Evangelist!
This is a great spiritual excuse for not sharing your faith that’s just doesn’t hold water. While it’s true that God hasn’t called all Christians to be an evangelist, it is equally true that He has called all Christians to be a witness for him.
#8: This Isn't Why I Come To Church!
For many Christians being a witness to the community of Christ is not why they go to church. They like the fellowship, the music, the preaching or whatever but the thought of sharing Jesus is the farthest thing from their mind.
#9: I Guess It's Time For Me To Find A New Church!
For many church members the first thought of mobilizing the church to go out and share witness is the sign it’s time to go find a new church.
#10: YES, Finally We're Getting Serious!
However, they’re those church members excited and anxiously waiting for their pastors to raise them up, train them up and unleash them to go share Jesus and shine the Light of Christ. They will be excited about this church direction.
WHICH ONE ARE YOU?
What To Do With People Who Hear The Gospel But Won't Follow Christ
/
Missional Living is all about sharing Jesus and the Good News of how Jesus' death, burial and resurrection can bring a person forgiveness of sin if they'd only leave everything to follow Jesus. In other words to make Jesus the most important thing in their life.
But what if that person isn't willing to follow Christ after hearing the Gospel and unwilling to follow Christ? What do you then? How do you respond to them?
In this weeks Missional Living Devotional we are going to address that issue and answer those questions by looking at how Jesus responded to a person who was unwilling to meet the conditions of being Christ disciple.
Take a few minutes and see how Jesus responded that situation!
If living a powerful missional life that shines the Light of Christ brightly in your part of this dark world is an all encompassing desire and passion in your life then I want to invite you to get a FREE subscription to my newsletter and video devotional. When you sign up I will keep you updated on new devotionals and trainings that will help make you a better trained for Christ's mission. These are powerful training that you will have access to. As an added bonus, when you subscribe I will also send you a FREE training report entitled HOW TO TRANSITION ANY CONVERSATION TO TALK ABOUT JESUS. Sign up to the in the form to the right.
SHARE THIS BLOG ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER - LEAVE A COMMENT & LET'S START A CONVERSATION!
The Portrait Of A Person With Great Faith
/
"Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, 'Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.' Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, 'Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.' He answered, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.' The woman came and knelt before him. 'Lord, help me!' she said. He replied, 'It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.' 'Yes it is, Lord,' she said. 'Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.' Then Jesus said to her, 'Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.' And her daughter was healed at that moment." Matthew 15: 21-28 (NIV)
Everyday Christian living requires Followers of Christ to have faith but to living a powerful missional life that brightly shines the Light of Christ in your part of this dark world will require GREAT FAITH! We all know this but what does great faith look like in the lives of real ordinary Christians. Is it even possible to be a average - ordinary Christian and have GREAT FAITH?
Today, we are going to look at the life of one woman - an average woman - whom Jesus described as a woman of great faith. We are going to examine her, look at what she did and how she did it that would lead Jesus to ascribe to her as a woman of great faith. This woman is the portrait of what a person of great faith looks like.
I. 3 Obstacles This Woman's Faith Had To Overcome
#1: Jesus Wouldn't Respond Back To Her
Did you notice in that story as the woman is crying out and begging Jesus to heal her daughter that Jesus literally ignored her? Jesus was unwilling to stop and even have a conversation with the woman. He just kept on walking.
#2: The Disciples Rejected Her
Then the disciples are getting annoyed by the woman's persistence asked Jesus to send her away because she was unwilling to leave them alone and kept on asking for Jesus to heal her daughter. There's no hint of compassion or care from any of the disciples! They just wanted Jesus to send her away.
#3: She Wasn't Part Of The Targeted Group
Finally when Jesus was willing to start talking to her he told her that he wouldn't help her because she belonged to the wrong group of people. He basically told her that He wouldn't help her because she didn't belong to the right "Target Group". She had 3 strikes against her: She wasn't Jewish, he was a Gentile and she was a woman.
II. 5 Characteristics Of Great Faith
So, what was it that stood out about this woman to Jesus that allowed him to ascribe to her as being a woman of great faith? What did Jesus see or what stood out to him?
1. Her Concern About Another
This woman wasn't crying out for help for herself! She was begging Jesus to help her daughter. This woman had so much concern and care about her daughter that she was willing to risk the ridicule and rejection that she knew would probably come because of her being a Gentile woman asking help from a Jewish man. But she was willing to endure the ridicule and shame because of the concern for her daughter.
Does our faith propel us to risk being made fun of or being endangered all because we care and are concerned about another? Does your faith push you to take risks in order to help another?
2. Her Persistence
Did you notice that even though Jesus ignored her and his disciples rejected her she didn't give up and she stayed persistent in crying out over and over again to Jesus for help. Can you picture the scene? Envision Jesus walking down the road with his disciples and here is this woman following you, not going away or giving up, but keeps on crying out for Jesus to help her daughter. It probably wasn't a quite crying out but a loud one that was gaining the attention of everyone around.
3. Her Respectfulness
Did you notice in verse 25 that the woman even knelt before Jesus in complete submission to him and his authority. The woman in all her crying out wasn't rude at all. This woman showed tremendous about of respect and submission to Jesus in her request for help.
4. Her Passion
And then after she knelt down before Jesus she begs him once again passionately, "Lord, help me." You could probably see her heart full of passion to get help for her daughter written all over her face and in her eyes. Her face was probably drenched with tears and her eyes bloodshot from all the crying.
5. Her Humility
And then after Jesus basically calls this woman a "dog" when he explained to her that the reason why he could not help her was because it was not proper for the food that belongs to the children to be given to the dogs that this woman, through her faith, demonstrated true humility as she once again made her plea of faith. Listen to the words of this woman,
"Yes it is, Lord,' she said. 'Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table."
This woman's response back to Jesus was simple this: "I am not asking you to give me anything that belongs to the children; I'm just asking for the scraps that fall onto the floor from the masters table". In other words she was saying, "I maybe a dog but I'm at least entitled to eat the food that hits the floor."
This woman had so much faith in Christ that she knew that even the scraps that fall from his table is enough to heal her daughter.
III. Jesus' Evaluation Of The Woman
When Jesus say those things that expressed her faith He was absolutely blown away! He stopped, he looked her straight into her face and say, "You have great faith and your request is granted."
This was an ordinary woman with nothing going in her favor except that she knew Jesus could heal her daughter if he just gave the word for it to happen and her faith wouldn't allow her to stop asking, crying out and begging Jesus with all humility.
This could be you and me! You don't have to be born in a family with great wealth - you don't keep to graduate from some fancy school - you may have even been born on the wrong side of the tracks. None of that matters. The only thing that matters is you FAITH IN CHRIST.
5 Ways To Replace Worry With Peace!
/
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:4-9
How To Replace Your Worry With God's Peace
#1: By Rejoicing More
This verse starts off my telling us who are worried to start rejoicing or praising God. To ignore this is to ignore a command from God.
Instead of worry about the stressful situations of life we should look at the more humorous side of things. My mom was great at doing this. I can remember sharing with my mom some very frustrating things only to see my mom start chuckling about them. When I'd ask why she was laughing at my worries she would just say,
"I know this situation is very sad and hard on you and if I'd let it I could easily start crying. But I don't want to cry so I choose to smile and giggle instead."
What my mom had learned was that worrying about something or being at peace about something was a choice we make. So, instead of worry let's decide to:
- Laugh more
- Sing more
- Dance more
- Celebrate more
In other words let's decide to REJOICE more!
#2: By Relaxing More
Did you notice what the verse in Philippians said?,
"Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near."
That word "Gentleness" can mean "Easy" or we could say "Taking it easy"!
The instruction of scripture is instead of stressing out about a situation take it easy and relax. Why? Because you know that God is in control.
#3: By Praying More
"Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard you hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
- It Says Not To Worry About Anything: What God is saying is that there is nothing in this world that should cause us to be worried, so stop it!
- Instead, Pray About Every Situation That Might Cause Worry. Pray about everything. Share with God about your every need. And thank Him for how he has and will continue to meet your needs and look out after you.
#4: By Feeding More
" ... whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." (v.8)
You get rid of worry when you are constantly feeding your mind positive, uplifting and God thoughts!
When you are going through a tough time force yourself to take your attention away from the troubles you are experiencing and place it on all the blessings that God has given to you. There are always positive things going on around us but many times we have to force ourselves to look for them.
#5: By Following More
" ... Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
Paul was telling the Christians in Philippi to follow his example of how to live a life of peace that was free from worry. How could Paul say that? Because he also shared with them that he had discovered the secret of being content in any and every situation. To be content means you are no longer worrying and Paul had learned how to experience that state of mind on a moment-by-moment and day-by-day basis.
We too should follow the example of others Christians who also have learned how to live that life of freedom from fear. These kinds of saints have a lot they can teach us and we listen and follow their example.
I hope this blog post has encouraged you, empowered you and equipped you for a more faithful life on mission for Christ!
3 Ways To Keep The Fear Of Failure From Living A Powerful Missional Life
/
The fear of failure is one of the biggest hinderances to living a powerful missional life! Often, people will never attempt to share their faith with someone else because of fear that they might say something wrong and as a result the person will reject Christ.
Such fear is paralyzing! It actually keeps people from even trying to shine the Light of Christ. People will be sitting at a coffee shop, having a conversation when all of sudden they hear something that would perfect segue into sharing their personal testimony but will become deadly quite because fear has gripped their heart.
So, how does one over come the fear of failure and be able to share Jesus or do a good deed in such a way that God can get the glory?
3 Ways To Stop The Fear Of Failure
#1: Remember Everyone Fails
That's right! Everyone fails! No one is perfect! We all mess up! I really don't care how you say it but the truth always there and that truth is that you are not perfect, you've never been perfect and you never will be perfect. The only perfect life in this world is reserved from one person and His name is Jesus Christ. And if you haven't looked in the mirror for awhile - you're not Jesus!
"We all stumble in many ways ..." James 3:2 (NIV)
"There is no one on earth who does what is right all the time and never makes a mistake." Eccl. 7:20 (GN)
These two verses make perfectly clear what I've already stated - Everyone Fails!
So, the question we all need to ask ourselves is simply this: If everyone fails, including me, why do I think I should be the exception? Don't allow failure keep you from trying! If you fail, learn from it and try again. Use failure to better yourself, to motivate yourself and to make you an expert!
#2: Realize Failure Is Not Fatal
"No matter how often and honest man falls, he always gets up again." Proverbs 24:16 (GN)
I like that verse because it reminds that failure isn't the end and it doesn't get the final word unless I allow it to. The only way failure wins is if I give up.
Here Are Some Successful Failures:
George Washington: President Washington lost 2/3 of all the battles he fought but won the War for Independence against England.
Neapolian: Graduated 42nd in his class of 43. That's not much to brag about.
Babe Ruth: This great baseball player hit 714 home runs but he had a whole lot more strikeouts.
The point that I am trying to make is that just because you've messed up or failed once doesn't mean you won't succeed the next time or the next time or the time after that.
#3: Recognize The Benefits Of Failing
In this point we are going to look at how God uses failures to benefits us! God uses failures to:
A. Educate Us!
"A man who refuses to admit his mistake can never be successful .." Proverbs 28:13
God uses failure to show us areas where we need growth.
B. Motivate Us!
"Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways." Proverbs 20:30 (GN)
There's an old saying that more is accomplished from desperation than inspiration. What that means is that when we fail, that failure can become the fuel that will rocket us with new enthusiasm and determination to succeed the next time. It becomes the motivation that pushes us forward.
We are called to live a powerful missional life where the Light of Christ shines brightly through us into our part of this dark world.
DON'T ALLOW THE FEAR OF FAILURE KEEP YOU FROM ATTEMPTING THE GREAT THINGS GOD WANTS TO DO THROUGH YOU.!
4 Question To Ask That Will Lead To A Church Planting/Disciple Making Movement
/
Question #1: What Does A Ripe Spiritual Harvest Field Look Like?
"When He (Jesus) saw the crowds, He felt compassion for them, because they were weary and worn out, like sheep without a shepherd. The He said to his disciples, 'The harvest is abundant but the workers are few." Matthew 9:36-37 (HCSB)
A ripe spiritual harvest field are people who are wear and worn out! They look like sheep wandering aimlessly without the guidance of a shepherd. Do you ever see or know of people who are tired, weary, worn out or just exhausted with what this life has thrown out to them? Do you know of people who are disappointed, frustrated or even hurt by the reality of what life is on this earth? Do you know of people who have no direction in life? Have you seen people who have no purpose in life? Do you have family members who seem to be living in a rut of meaningless routine with no hope of getting out?
THOSE ARE THE SPIRITUAL RIPE HARVEST FIELDS!
Question #2: What's The Problem That Hinders The Harvesting?
According to the verse we just read and according to Luke 10:2 there's only one problem that hinders the bringing in the harvest. Look at what Luke 10:2 says,
"He (Jesus) told them: The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." (HCSB)
The only problem there is to bringing in this great harvest is that there's not enough workers to do the job. There needs to be more laborers! We need more harvesters! Committed Followers of Christ who are willing to set aside their agenda's, their goals, their dreams to follow Christ out into the mission field (i.e. harvest field) and bring in the harvest!
The Problem In A Nutshell Is This:
THERE'S TO MANY SELF-CENTERED PEOPLE UNWILLING TO FOLLOW CHRIST AND WORK HARD TO BRING IN THE HARVEST!
Question #3: What's The Solution To The Harvest Field Problem?
"Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." Luke 10: 2b (HCSB)
Here's What The Solution Is Not:
It's not for us to guilt people for not doing more in the harvest field!
It's not to trick or manipulate people to go and help
Christ's Solution Is Simple This:
PRAY FOR GOD TO SEND MORE WORKERS INTO THE FIELD!
God is the owner of the field and it is God's job to employ and deploy His laborer force to bring in the harvest. Since we need more workers Jesus said we need to ask God the Father to bring more help. PRAYER IS THE ANSWER!
Question #4: What's The Correct Response To Christ's Solution?
"Now go; I'm sending you out like lambs among wolves ..." Luke 10:3
This is the same command that Christ gave His disciples right before He ascended into heaven. Listen to the command and mission He gave all who claim to be His disciples.
"All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go make disciples of all nations ..." Matthew 28:18
Here's our correct response:
"GO"
Get out there and start working - The harvest is ripe - Pray as your reap - Look for the additional laborers that will come out of the harvest.
A Simple Strategy For Bringing The Kingdom Of God To Your Neighborhood
/
Based upon Jesus’ instruction in Luke 10 when He sent out the 72 to every town and village he was about with the purpose of finding, what Jesus referred to as, the Person of Peace this simple strategy was developed and designed to help you find the person of peace that God has prepared in your neighborhood.
A Person of Peace is someone that God has prepared and is ready to receive the Good News of Jesus Christ and could potentially be the key to reaching his or her entire network of relationships for Christ. This strategy is designed to engage your neighbors and find a person who is ready to give their heart and life over to the care and control of Christ.
The thing to remember when reading and implementing this strategy is that it’s not your goal to share with everyone about Christ but to find the person that God has already prepared, The Person of Peace, and to lead to Christ and into disciple. This person of peace will be empowered by God to reach their network of relationships.
STRATEGY PREPARATION:
1. Make & Plate Chocolate Chip Cookies.
You want to make enough plates of chocolate chip cookies for the number of houses in your neighborhood. Each plate should have about 4 to 5 cookies on them.
2. Write Out & Memorize Your Personal Testimony
Write out and memorize your personal testimony of coming to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Your testimony should include 3 parts:
- Your Life Before Knowing Christ
- How You Came To Faith In Christ
- What God Has Done In Your Life Sense Coming To Faith In Christ.
3. Read & Memorize The Story Of The Sinful Woman
The story of the Sinful Woman is found in Luke 7:36-50. Read the story 4 or 5 times and then rewrite the story in your own words. Be true to the text, don’t add or subtract anything to it, but make sure to tell it in a way and with words you would normally speak and use. Practice telling the story over and over again. . Make sure you practice it by saying it out loud so you can hear your own voice telling the story.
4. Memorize A Simple Gospel Presentation
Here’s a simple Gospel Presentation.
It’s as simple as A, B, C!
A – Stands for Admit.
Ask them if they admit that they are a sinner in need of forgiveness by God.
B – Stands for Believe.
Share with them that Jesus died on the cross to take the punishment for their sins and then was raised from the dead proving that he has power over death, grave and sin. Ask them if they believe in Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.
C – Stand for Control.
Share with them that they can have their sins forgiven if they are willing to surrender the control of their life over to the control of Jesus. If they are willing to confess Jesus is Lord they can receive forgiveness of sin. Ask them if they are willing to surrender control of their life over to the control of Christ. Ask them if they are willing to pledge their allegiance to Christ and live for Him.
HOW TO APPROACH EACH INDIVIDUAL NEIGHBOR:
1. Knock On The Door & Introduce Yourself
2. Offer The Plate Of Chocolate Chip Cookies
3. Ask For Prayer Requests
For these first 3 parts, you can say something like this:
“Hi! My name is _______________________ and we are your neighbors from down the street. We just came by to say that God loves you and we care about you . We have also made some homemade chocolate chip cookies that we would like to give you. (If they accept, the cookies then continue with saying). We were also wondering if there was anything going on in your life that you need God to take care of? Any need you might that I can pray for you about?”
4. Pray For Whatever Requests They Share
5. Ask If You Can Share A True Story From The Word Of God
6. If They Say:
- “No": Thank them for their time and move on to the next home
- “Yes”: Share the story of the sinful woman that you memorized from Luke 7:36-50.
After you finish sharing the story of the sinful woman you can seamlessly transition to sharing you testimony by saying something like this:
“You know there was a time in my life when I was desperate for God and His forgiveness just like the sinful woman in this story …”
7. Then You Immediately Share Your Testimony
- Don’t ask them for permission to share your story. They already gave you permission to share the Bible story.
- Just keep on talking as if it was one continuous story.
- Here’s a simple way to transition from sharing your testimony to share the simple Gospel Presentation. At the end of your testimony say something like this:
“ and now one of the things that God has me doing is going around sharing with other people that just like the sinful woman was able to have her sins forgiven and just like I was able to have my sins forgiven, you too can have your sins forgiven if you’re willing to …”
8. Then Share The Gospel Presentation
Here’s how to share the gospel. Continue what you were just saying by including this:
“… Admit you are a sinner that needs God’s forgiveness. Do you have sins that you need God to forgive? And if you are ready to Believe, that Jesus died on the cross to take your punishment for your sins and was brought back to life again three days later. Do you believe Jesus died on the cross for your sins and was raised back to life again? And, if you will surrender Control of your life over to the Control of Jesus. Are you willing to give Jesus control over your life?
If They Say:
“No” Thank them for their time and move on to the next home
“Yes” Lead them in a prayer of commitment to Christ.
9. Set up a time to come back in 3 to 4 days to share another true story from the word of God.
10. Keep coming back week after week sharing another story from the Bible. You might want to go through the Book of Mark to start off.
I got to tell you this strategy works amazingly in finding the person that God is already at work. Here’s the best part! You’re not trying to convince anyone of anything. You’re just sharing the Gospel and looking to see how they respond. If they respond negatively, you just move on to the next house. If they respond positively you have just found the Person of Peace – you have just found the person whom called has already prepared to come to faith in Christ.
THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO JOIN CHRIST ON HIS MISSION
LOOKING FOR THOSE WHO THE FATHER HAS ALREADY PREPARED!
Are you ready to join Christ on His mission? Are you ready to bring the Kingdom of God to your neighborhood? If so, go buy all the fixings for chocolate chip cookies, memorize that story and your testimony.
Stop Waiting For Perfect Conditions Before Joining Christ On His Mission
/
Missional Living always happens when we hear the call of Christ to come join Him however, that invitations doesn't always come when conditions are perfect. As a matter of fact Followers of Christ often hear the call of Christ during some of the most difficult of times.
- How will you respond to Christ when you hear his invitation to join Him on his mission where he's at?
- Will you be ready to leave the safety of your surroundings and join Him?
- Or, will you hide from what you perceive to be the dangers of where Christ is at?
Take a few moments and watch this Missional Living Devotional and be empowered to join Christ where he's at work when Christ calls you to join Him.
Do you know of other Followers of Christ who have put off joining Christ on His mission because they don't feel the conditions are right? Do you feel this devotional could encourage them to drop whatever it is that's holding them back and join Christ where He's at? If so, take a few moments and share this post on Facebook, Twitter, and your other social media venues.
Also, I'd like to hear your thoughts and insights. Please leave a comment at the bottom of the page and let's get a conversation started. Let's get that conversation started by you answering this question in the "Comment" section. Here's the question:
What Are Some Of The Storms That Have Kept You From Joining Christ On His Mission?
Ok, now leave your answer as a comment!
6 Fears That Keep People From Sharing Jesus With Others
/
Recently I ask is question to my Facebook Friends: What's the #1 FEAR you have about telling others about Jesus and how to have their sins forgiven?
Here are the some of the top 6 responses!
#1: Fear That People Belittling You For Your Faith
This is a fear that people will make fun of you thinking that you are a simple minded person needing to believe in a fairy tale of a God as if belief in God is simple unreasonable.
#2: Fear That You Might Say Something Wrong
Some people fear that they might not have the right answers and actually give out misinformation.
#3: Fear Of Being Called A Bible Pusher
In my day this was called being afraid of being called a “Jesus Freak”. No matter what you call it: Bible Pusher, Jesus Freak or little good Christian boy the intent is to make fun of you.
#4: Fear That Someone Might Cuss You Out.
When you share Jesus with people you really don’t have any control how they will respond or react. Some people are afraid that they will get cussed out and cursed at for sharing Jesus with people.
#5: Fear Of Being Rejected For Your Faith
This is a fear that you might not be accepted in a group or family because you share and believe in Jesus. It’s a fear that people no longer want to have anything to do with you because of your faith in Christ.
#6: Fear Of Not Being Able To Defend Your Faith.
This is a fear that you won’t be able to answer questions that people have about Christ or even worst if people challenge you with intellectual arguments you won’t know how to answer them.
The reality is that all of these fear could be actualized by you regularly and intentionally sharing your faith in Jesus Christ. But should that stop us? Should we allow our fears control us or should we allow our faith in Christ control us?
Listen to this wonderful promise that God has given each of us in 2 Timothy 1:7 (HCSB)
“For God has not given us a spirit of fearfulness, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.”
Joining Christ On His Mission Can Lead You Into Some Stormy Seas!
/
In Matthew 14:23-33 we have the story of Jesus walking on the water as a mighty storm is blowing His disciples around in a boat. In this story we will learn a powerful lesson about missional living that every Ordinary Christian should understand and take courage from. Read what it says,
"Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said,“why did you doubt?” And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:22-23 (NIV)
Watch This Weeks
MISSIONAL LIVING DEVOTIONAL
Help me share this video with your Christian family and friends so they too can be empowered, encouraged and equipped for a more powerful missional life on your Facebook, Twitter and Google+ accounts.
How Can Prayer Walking Lead People To Faith In Christ?
/
Members from Enchanted Hills Baptist Church after going out on a Door To Door Prayer Walk!
The people above received the T4T Reproducing Disciple Making Basic Training and then went out to do a Door To Door Prayer Walk to find where God was at work. Watch to the video below to hear the results of their time joining God on His mission. You just might be encouraged and empowered to do the same!
HOW TO HAVE A WORRY FREE LIFE – Part 3: By Surrendering Our Attitude To Desire Only God’s Will
/
“I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize the Lord is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine. It makes no matter where He places me, or how. That is rather for Him to consider than for me; for in the easiest positions He must give me His grace, and in the most difficult, His grace is sufficient.” – Hudson Taylor
The previous principle of actualizing a worry free life that I shared was to have faith in Sovereignty of God. It was designed to help us understand and believe that God is able to do anything, through anybody, including each of us. If God is truly God then nothing is impossible for Him and all things that He wills can and will be done. In other words, there’s no force or authority above Him or beside Him.
God most definitely is in control.
But trusting and believing that God is in control, when left by itself, does provide insurance that we won’t be filled with worry and anxiety. As a matter of fact, it is quite possible for a person to be actively doing God’s will and still have no peace about it! People can be in service to God, doing exactly what He has asked them to do, with full assurance that God will accomplish His task and still be worry and anxious about it! That sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But it’s true.
Let me give you an example using the prophet Jonah. You know the story of Jonah. Jonah is commanded by God to go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because their disgusting wickedness had come up to God. Jonah however, didn’t want to obey God so he ran away and hopped on a boat headed for Tarshish. While on the ship God sent a hug storm to come up against them and almost sink the ship and everyone on it.
Jonah then convinced the other men of the ship that the only way to save the ship from God’s wrath was for them to throw him overboard. While floating around in the water, God caused a whale to come and swallowed him up. However, this whale swallowing experience wasn’t intended to kill Jonah but for God to get his attention and compliance. As Jonah was sitting in the belly of the whale, He cried out to God, committed to obeying Him by going to Nineveh, and preach against the city. Then after being burped up onto shore Jonah did go to Nineveh, he did preach against the city but once the king of Nineveh heard the message, on his own initiative, he got the whole city to repent and beg God for mercy.
As God heard the sincere cry of repentance from the people of the whole city, He did show mercy on them and pulled back His wrath. This, however, was not what Jonah wanted to happen. Jonah didn’t want mercy to be shown them but instead he wanted the judgment of God to fall on them. Jonah then begins to act like a spoiled little brat and throws a temper tantrum. Listen to what the Bible records Jonah saying once he realizes that God had shown the people of Nineveh mercy.
“But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, ‘isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God; slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. Now, Lord, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.” Jonah 4:1-3 (NIV)
While there are lots of lesson that we can learn from those first 4 chapters of Jonah, the one I want us to understand and meditate on today is this:
Just because you’re doing God’s will doesn’t mean you’ll experience God’s peace and be free from anxiety. Just because you’re being obedient doesn’t mean you won’t have worry in your life!
Why? Because a Christian who wishes to experience a worry free life not only needs to trust in the Sovereignty of God but they also need to surrender to the will of God in their attitude as well as in their action. If our attitude is wrong, even when doing what is right, we still won’t have a life filled with peace.
Jonah went and did what God wanted but he went and did it with a bad attitude. Even, though his actions were right – his heart was wrong. Jonah didn’t want the people of Nineveh to be forgiven – he wanted them to be judged and condemned! Jonah knew, from his understanding of the nature of God that “if” the people of Nineveh repented God would forgive them and because of this understanding of God, Jonah worried that God would forgive them and show them mercy if they repented.
The worry free life that we all are seeking always will come from both right actions and right attitudes. Jonah obviously didn’t have the right attitude. Jonah desired something that was contrary to what God wanted and as a result, even though He was obedient, Jonah neither had peace about the assignment or joy about the outcome.
Now with this as the backdrop, let’s once again take a look at part of Hudson Taylor’s quote.
“I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize the Lord is able to carry out His will, and His will is mine …”
It’s that last part of the sentence I want us to focus on,
“ … and His will is mine …”!
Hudson Taylor had come to a place in his daily life where he could honestly say that he not only sought to do God’s will but also that it was his sincere hearts desire to see God’s will accomplished, regardless of what it was.
So here is the third principle for a worry free life. We can experience a life free of worry by:
Surrendering Our Attitude To Desire Only God’s Will!
What I mean by that statement is that when we get our hearts to desire that which God desires; that we want what God actually wants; that we have no desires of our own but only to do the will of God then we can be freed from worry.
Jesus, after talking to the sinful woman at the well described his desire to do the will of God in the following manner,
“Jesus said to them, ‘my food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work.” John 4:34 (NIV)
In other words, Jesus was so desirous to do the will of His Father that it was being hungry and thirsty. It was only through complete obedience that Jesus was able to satisfy that desire.
Think about a time when you were so hungry or thirsty! How did you feel? Wasn’t getting something to eat and something to drink an all consuming desire and thought for you? Of course it was!
THAT’S HOW WE ARE TO DESIRE DOING THE WILL OF GOD!
Nothing else will satisfy. Satisfaction only comes when we obey!
There’s an old gospel hymn that perfectly describes this principle of conforming our attitude and desire to match that of Christ’s.
WHEREVER HE LEADS I’LL GO
Wherever He leads I’ll go,
Wherever He leads I’ll go,
I’ll follow my Christ who loves me so,
Wherever He leads I’ll go.
He drew me closer to His side,
I sought His will to know,
And in that will I now abide,
Wherever He leads I’ll go.
My heart, my life, my all I bring
To Christ who loves me so;
He is my Master, Lord, and King,
Wherever He leads Ill go.
(Alan Jackson)
A true worry free life comes when we 1). Abide in God’s will; 2). Surrender our heart, our life and our all to Christ regardless of where He leads us.
In order to experience the worry free life we must be willing to exchange our will to that of God’s will.
I AM RESOLVED!
/WHAT IN LIFE ARE YOU RESOLVED TO LIVE FOR?
Not sure? Then watch this weeks Missional Living Devotional and see what the Apostle Peter said should be the resolve of every Christian.
A GUIDE TO A WORRY FREE LIFE – Part 2 Trusting In The Sovereignty Of God
/
“I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize that He is able to carry out His will for me. It does not matter where He places me, or how. That is for Him to consider, not me, for in the easiest positions He will give me grace, and in the most difficult ones His grace is sufficient.” – Hudson Taylor
The prospect of attaining a worry free life is a wonderful proposition for many but has, at the same, seemed like a pie in the sky ideal that is completely unreachable. The lesson we learned in Part 1 is that it’s not an unattainable goal but actually a completely Biblical one that Christians can make part of their daily lifestyle.
We saw how both Hudson Taylor and the Apostle Paul claimed to achieve that state of being and we also learned that Jesus taught that living a worry free life should be the kind of life that His followers should experience.
In today’s lesson, we are going to learn where to start in the development of that worry free disposition. Every journey starts with taking the first step. So, today we are going to look at the first step in ridding our life from the stress, worry and anxiety that life throws at us.
Lesson #2:
Trusting In The Sovereignty Of God
We will start this lesson by looking at the second statement that Hudson Taylor made in his quote.
“ … I realize the Lord is able to carry out His will for me…”
In this one short phrase, Hudson Taylor gives us the starting point for developing the worry free life that we’ve been talking about. For him there could be no other first step. All other subsequent steps are dependent upon this first step being actively embraced. If a Christian fails to take this first step, then all the other steps are unattainable for this first step lays the foundation upon which to build all other steps.
What is that first step? It is simply this: Trusting In The Sovereignty Of God!
While that may sound profound, what exactly does it mean? To help us answer that question here’s a definition that resonates with me:
“God, as the ruler of the universe, has the right to do whatever He wants and whenever He wants and also has the ability and power to bring it about.”
In other words, God has both the authority and power to do whatever He decides to do. It means that nothing is out of God’s control or outside His authority. Or, you might even say that God’s will, will be done!
From this statement in Hudson Taylor’s quote, we can conclude that he came to the place in his walk with Christ that he sincerely believed that God is able and willing to accomplish whatever He has planned. Taylor realized that there was no need to worry since God would be successful in accomplishing His endeavors. He knew that God would be successful and would never fail.
Taylor wasn’t concerned that people, in their sinful actions, would mess up God’s plans. He wasn’t concerned that Satan with all of his scheming and deceitfulness could alter God’s will. Why? The answer is, because Taylor understood all of creation, whether angel, man, or demon, is under the complete authority of God. Taylor truly believed that with just one word from God all of creation, both willing and unwilling, would do His bidding.
Listen how the Bible describes the power and authority of God in Romans 9:19-21 (NIV):
“One of you will say to me: ‘Then why does God still blame us? For who is able to resist his will?’ But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?”
In this verse, the Apostle Paul asks a couple of rhetorical questions,
- “For who is able to resist God?” And the obvious answer is, no one.
- “But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God?” And, again the answer is, no one.
Here’s the point of this whole verse: God is in control! Nothing exists that is outside of God’s control. This was something that Hudson Taylor understood and believed in the very depths of his heart, and it was the foundation that brought him peace and allowed him to live a worry free life.
Hudson Taylor also applied this truth to his own life! Take a look at that quote again. Notice that it says,
“…I realize the Lord is able to carry out His will for me…”
The last two words at the end of the quote make it so powerful and so personal at the same time. The phrase, “For me,” is so powerful. Why? The reason is because if one doesn’t truly believe that the truths of God apply to them personally then they will never experience them personally. Hudson Taylor could say that he no longer got anxious about things because he applied the truth of God’s sovereignty to his own life.
How peaceful and restful it is when we finally come to the place where we truly know and believe that nothing is able to hinder or prevent God’s will from being worked out in us and through us. Think about it for just a moment. Other people cannot mess up God’s will for your life. You can’t even mess God’s will for your life!
Once a person truly understand and believes, with their whole heart, that God is truly and completely in control and His will, will be done there’s no need to worry. THINK ABOUT IT:
- Worrying about something will not change God’s will!
- Stressing over the outcome of something is not going to change what God has planned.
- Being filled with stress about whether or not something is going to happen is not going to change the final outcome.
Jesus said it well in Matthew 6:27,
“Can any of you add a single cubit to his height by worry?’
The obvious answer is “No.” And here’s the lesson: Worrying over something cannot change what is or will be!
- God has made you so tall so accept it and stop worrying about!
- God had you born into a certain family. Deal with it and stop stressing over it.
- Worrying over something has never changed the facts or the outcome!
If we truly want to join Hudson Taylor and the Apostle Paul in a worry free life, then three things need to take place:
- We must become convinced that God is fully and totally in control of all things, including our own lives;
- Understand there’s absolutely nothing we can do to change His will.
- Total surrender of our lives to the care and control of God.
Once we successfully accomplish those three things, we will have laid the foundation from which a worry free life can be built.
A GUIDE TO A WORRY FREE LIFE!
/
“I am no longer anxious about anything, as I realize that He is able to carry out His will for me. It does not matter where He places me, or how. That is for Him to consider, not me, for in the easiest positions He will give me grace, and in the most difficult ones His grace is sufficient.”
Hudson Taylor was the great missionary that came from England to China. Many of his quotes have been persevered over the years that allow us to learn some valuable lesson into missional living.
One of the biggest lessons that we need to learn is how to join God on His mission without being overwhelmed with worry and anxiety. Experiencing God’s peace in the midst of trials, tribulations and the lack of resources is an essential disposition for all Christians to have especially if they are going to brightly shine the Light of Christ.
From Hudson Taylor’s quote, we learn how to develop that worry free disposition so that we are able to join him in saying,
“I am no longer anxious about anything.”
Can you say that for yourself? Are you free from worry or do you still get a little anxious or maybe even extremely stressed out about uncertain circumstances?
Over the next few posts, we are going to learn those lessons that Hudson Taylor learned in living a worry free life and how we can apply them to our life. There’s a total 7 of them.
Lesson #1: Embrace The Reality Of A Worry Free Life
Again, what did Hudson Taylor say? Read it one more time and let it really sink in!
"I am no longer anxious about anything ..."
WOW! What a claim! He is saying that he has come to a point in his growth in Christ that he is no longer gets anxious, no longer worries about or gets stressed out over the things of this life.
He is saying that he was experiencing the worry free life.
Hudson Taylor believed that the worry free life was not only a possibility but also something that every Christian should seek after and attain.
What are we to conclude about such a statement? We can come to the conclusion that Hudson Taylor was either:
- Liar that is making statements that are not true. Or,
- Deluded and was not in his right mind. Or,
- Truthful and he truly was experiencing a worry free life.
But before we get to far along in judging Hudson Taylor let's take a look at what the Apostle Paul had to say about the topic of worry and about experiencing personal contentment. (My Definition Of Contentment Is: The state of mind that is freed from a life of worry).
"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7
Do you see it there? Paul is basically saying the same thing that Hudson Taylor said. Paul is telling us that there is no need to be anxious about anything! What does “anything” include? It includes everything. In other words, there is absolutely nothing that you will go through in life that you need to worry about if your life is in Christ. Those that belong to Jesus have no need to worry about anything! That’s exactly what this verse is teaching.
So, if the Bible is telling us to stop worrying then it must be possible to do!
There's no question in Paul's mind that living a worry free life is not only possible but also should be expected!
Paul doesn't stop there. He goes on to tell people what to do when the circumstances of life are uncertain. Paul clearly instructs us to to stop the worrying, which is our normal response to uncertainty, and start praying about it.
In other words, do an exchange! Instead of worrying over the uncertainties of life exchange that activity with the activity of talking to God about it. Place your faith in the god who's not uncertain about what the future hold but actually controls it.
PRAYER IS A LEARNED BEHAVIOR THAT MUST BE NURTURED IF WE WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE A WORRY FREE LIFE!
Paul says in Philippians 4:12 that he has discovered the "SECRET OF BEING CONTENT"! Isn't it interesting that the Apostle Paul refers to contentment as being a secret? Why would he do that? Maybe it's because this contentment that so many of us are striving for is also what has alluded us so often and hard to hold onto!
This contentment that Paul is talking about is to be found in any and every situation! Not just some situations but in all situations and circumstances. Meditate on that thought for a just a little bit!
- Do you really think that is possible?
- Do you believe what the Bibles teach on the reality of this spiritual condition?
- And wouldn't having that contentment in every situation be a marvelous state of mind on a moment-by-moment and situation-by-situation basis?
And then Paul shares what that secret is in Philippians 4:13,
"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
The secret of contentment is trusting in Christ who helps us do all things and specifically being content in the midst of the most uncertain of situations. It is clear that the Apostle totally agrees with Hudson Taylor that a worry free life is the expected life style of God's people.
BOTH HUDSON TAYLOR AND THE APOSTLE PAUL AGREE - THE WORRY FREE LIFE IS EXPECTED AND DESIRED LIFESTYLE FOR GOD'S PEOPLE!
But, just in case you think that both the Apostle Paul and Hudson Taylor were crazy let's also take a look at what Jesus himself had to say about a worry free life.
In Matthew 6:25-43 Jesus talks about worry at length as part of the Sermon On The Mount. Let's look at a couple of statements that Jesus made about worry and how to view it:
- "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear." (v. 25)
- "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear." (v. 28)
- "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'what shall we wear?" (v. 31)
- "Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." (v. 34)
Did you notice that in the spam of 9 verses Jesus instructed us four different times NOT TO WORRY! Basically Jesus was saying,
"STOP WORRYING"
What does that tell us about Jesus position on being anxious or worried? Simple this: It’s not part of the lifestyle that He has planned for His disciples to have, it's an unnecessary activity and if we are chronically suffering from a lifestyle of worry we are not experiencing the life he has intended for us to live.
But before you experience that stress free – worry free life you have to embrace that kind of lifestyle as attainable. In order to get there you have to believe that others have made it and that you can too, with Christ help and strength, can make it.
NO ONE CAN EXPERIENCE A WORRY FREE LIFE IF THEY DON’T BELIEVE IT’S POSSIBLE!
The starting point is to just to believe that with Christ and through Christ an anxious free life is possible.
So, are you ready to take the plunge? Are you ready to draw the line in the sand and declare that it is God’s will that you no longer worry about anything but pray about everything and allow the peace of God that transcends all understanding to guard your heart from disappointments and your mind from confusion, as you stand firm in the contentment that Christ provides you regardless of the circumstances God allows you to go through, rich or poor, healthy or unhealthy, slave or free?
Are you ready?
If so, you are one step closer to making the worry free life your reality!
Click Here To Read Part 2
Are You Living For The Right Goal?
/
Life needs to be lived in pursuit of something. If not life tends to wander aimlessly and can be controlled by many different forces. Sometimes those forces are other people and what they think should be your goals and other times it can be Satan and the objectives he is trying to accomplish.
Life without a goal is much like a a boat without a rudder. In a sailboat it's the wind that is the driving force but to guide the ship in the direction of the captain requires the ship to have a rudder that the captain can control. If your life is the ship, and the Holy Spirit is the wind, and Jesus is the captain then your goals should be your rudder. It is vitally important that your rudder to submissive to the desires of the captain.
The rudder should never dictate and decide the direction but needs to be under the control of the captain. Having the correct objective that is in concert with the captains desires is vitally important otherwise one might find out to late they're chasing the wrong things.
Jesus had much to say about living your life with the proper goals and objectives. Jesus' desire was that we would live a fulfilled life. Let's take a few moments and read Matthew 6:19-24 and see what Jesus actually did say about it:
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy,and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[a] your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! 'No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money."
WHAT SHOULD YOU NOT DO?
Don't Store Up Treasures Here On Earth!
In the old days people's source of worldly wealth was land, produce and cattle. The more land you owned, the more produce you grew, the more cattle you raised the wealthier you were. But today People's source of wealth is real estate, investment accounts, and business ownership. But weather it was yesterday or today Jesus' statement is still true! What did he say, "Do not store up for yourself treasures for yourself on earth ..."
In this passage Jesus is very clear that we are not to store up these kind of things and don't make them your life's goals. Don't live your life for these things! Don't make the obtaining of these things the overarching objective of your life.
Now notice that Jesus doesn't say that you are not to have them but he said don't store them up! Don't hoard them! Don't lock them away and keep them for yourself for some rainy day.
WHY NOT STORE THEM AWAY?
"... where moths and vermin destroy ,and where thieves break in and steal." (V. 19 B)
Why? Because they won't last! No matter how tightly you tuck them away or hide them - you will lose them!
1 of 3 Things Will Happen To Them
They Will Either:
- Wear Out!
- Run Out!
- or Get Stolen
- or run out!
Instead Jesus says,
Change Your Life's Goal - Change What Your Storing Up & Where You're Storing It Up!
"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (v. 20)
Why Store Up There? Because:
- It won't wear out.
- Run out.
- or get stolen
How Does One Store Up Treasure In Heaven? In order to answer that question let's take a look at a couple of Bible verses that will help our understanding!
"Jesus answered, 'f you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” Matthew 19:21 (NIV)
"Do not be afraid little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourself that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys." Luke 12:32,33 (NIV)
What Do We Learn From These Verses About Storing Up Treasure In Heaven?
That through our sacrificial generosity in helping others who are in desperate need God credits to our account in Heaven. This is not to say that we are working our way to heaven. No. We are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8,9) but we have been saved to do good works that God has determine beforehand.
THIS IS IMPORTANT TO HEAR!
The material blessings that God has blessed us with is not intended for us to hoard for our own pleasures but us to share with others who desperately need help. God intends that the overflow of our blessings is to drip into the cups of others who also need a blessing. God wants to use us to be the vehicle that blesses others.
What Might Happen If Were Not Generous And We Do Hoard The Blessings For Ourselves?
To answer that question let's look at a true story from the word of God that Jesus himself told found in Luke 12:16-21,
"And he told them this parable: 'The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 'Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, 'You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.' 'But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 'This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
What might happen? If you chose not to use the wealth of this world that God has blessed you with to help others that are in need and if you chose to hoard it all for yourself then God might just take you out of the equation! Meditate on the question that is asked at the end of the story:
"Then who will get what you have prepare for yourself?"
Who? I think it will all end up to help those God always intended to help! The needly!
God has created you and blessed you so you can be a blessing to others who are desperate for a blessing. To the measure you are a blessing to others - will be the measure you continue to be blessed.
