Live a life of worship and continual renewal. We should be giving our lives to serve God, and continually gaining a new perspective on God, the world, ourselves and the relationship among these things.
We need to understand our role in God’s purposes. We are vital to its success, but we are not indispensable. (There are no appendices in the body of Christ, but the only indispensable person is the Holy Spirit.)
Most people view themselves as either “if I stopped what I am doing, this place will fall apart” or “I am warming a spot on the bench.” There are no spectators on Jesus’ team.
We need to realize that your “job” may not be in the building. There is service in people’s homes, or under their cars. There is teaching and encouraging beyond Sunday School or the Sermon. There is serving, loving and investing in inner city neighborhoods, UD students or ELI students. There are thousands of places prayer should be applied.
Why do we believe the world instead of Jesus? Jesus says there is a problem in the world, and the solution involves a relationship with Him. And people with a relationship with Him are part of the solution. Our time with Him in the worship meeting is supposed to affect the world.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Influence
When a movement begins that has tremendous promise for good, magnetic, charismatic leader and strong surges of growth, it will not be viewed as a positive when that charismatic leader is executed as a criminal. Indeed, it will be the death knell of that movement. Yet the Jesus movement not only views such an execution as positive and an advance, but it is the culmination, the pinnacle of that leader’s work. That “failure” is total victory in the eyes of Scripture.
Our Father is the God of paradoxes. Failure becomes success. Weakness becomes strength. The path to great influence is promotion, personal magnetism, money, connections and polished speechmaking. Is that what the Scripture says? Scripture says the path to great influence is humility, service, love, faith, prayer and a connection with the Creator of the Universe.
During the last elections, one party came roaring into power. The other party was pushed out of while sections of the country. Pundits, politicians and reporters sent up a roar of rejoicing at the apparent political dominion. Is that what Jesus sought?
“Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”
Jesus had the power of dominion. But He chose not to use it. Indeed, He chose the opposite.
“Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing.”
Our Father is the God of paradoxes. Failure becomes success. Weakness becomes strength. The path to great influence is promotion, personal magnetism, money, connections and polished speechmaking. Is that what the Scripture says? Scripture says the path to great influence is humility, service, love, faith, prayer and a connection with the Creator of the Universe.
During the last elections, one party came roaring into power. The other party was pushed out of while sections of the country. Pundits, politicians and reporters sent up a roar of rejoicing at the apparent political dominion. Is that what Jesus sought?
“Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”
Jesus had the power of dominion. But He chose not to use it. Indeed, He chose the opposite.
“Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing.”
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