Sunday was an interesting experience to say the least. If you missed it, you need to watch the video [http://www.inagodplace.com/]. The hardest part of the morning was getting true servants not to serve. That's incredible, when you think about it. Some people move to the place in their spiritual journey where serving is the most natural thing to do. It's in their DNA. It's overflow.
The response from Sunday was equally exciting. More than 100 people indicated a desire to connect in ministry. A hundred people walking by faith, stretching their surrender muscles that connects their heart with their hands and feet [see James 2:14-26]. A hundred parts of the Body working properly so the rest grow up into the fullness of Jesus. That's a "God place" no doubt!
So, let's be honest? Why do you serve others? Or, if you're really willing to be open, why don't you? What prevents you from sharing the gift God has given to you? Let's open up the conversation.
[Click the word "comments" below to leave your comment for this post]
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BEYOND
Passion. Vision. Mission. Call it “overflow.” It’s the logical next step from life-transformation. Changed people change their world. They go beyond their home and church and into their world. Simply put, they give away what they got.
This is the pattern of true discipleship. Jesus sent His followers back to the beginning —to Galilee—so that they could reproduce the incredible life that Jesus had given to them. As our lives are changed, we take a step into places beyond our comfort level and convenience. We pay the price of surrender. We give our lives away in our church, in our neighborhood, in our world. And something remarkable happens. We meet a person who is wandering from one place to another and we bring them along with us. They find a place to belong, a place to become and a place to go beyond. Multiplication. Magnificent! It’s the sweet spot you were made for.
Get ready. Don’t hide from the mission you were made for. Step out. Explore a place beyond.
Passion. Vision. Mission. Call it “overflow.” It’s the logical next step from life-transformation. Changed people change their world. They go beyond their home and church and into their world. Simply put, they give away what they got.
This is the pattern of true discipleship. Jesus sent His followers back to the beginning —to Galilee—so that they could reproduce the incredible life that Jesus had given to them. As our lives are changed, we take a step into places beyond our comfort level and convenience. We pay the price of surrender. We give our lives away in our church, in our neighborhood, in our world. And something remarkable happens. We meet a person who is wandering from one place to another and we bring them along with us. They find a place to belong, a place to become and a place to go beyond. Multiplication. Magnificent! It’s the sweet spot you were made for.
Get ready. Don’t hide from the mission you were made for. Step out. Explore a place beyond.
BECOME
Conversion. Renovation. Transformation. It’s all about change. God’s grace welcomes us just as we are. However, God’s glory won’t let us stay just as we are. He is in the business of changing us from one kind of living to a higher kind. The best place we can be is the place where we are becoming more and more like Jesus.
Transformation is a dance. It takes two. On the one hand, God’s Holy Spirit works from the inside, renovating our hearts to change our habits, motivations and passions. We may only know this makeover in hindsight. On the other hand, we cooperate with the Spirit. Call it discipline. Call it obedience. We can’t change our heart, but we can place ourselves in God’s groove of grace. And, as we become more like Christ, we discover the sweet spot we were made for.
Open up. Don’t settle for the status quo. Take the next step. This is a place to become.
Conversion. Renovation. Transformation. It’s all about change. God’s grace welcomes us just as we are. However, God’s glory won’t let us stay just as we are. He is in the business of changing us from one kind of living to a higher kind. The best place we can be is the place where we are becoming more and more like Jesus.
Transformation is a dance. It takes two. On the one hand, God’s Holy Spirit works from the inside, renovating our hearts to change our habits, motivations and passions. We may only know this makeover in hindsight. On the other hand, we cooperate with the Spirit. Call it discipline. Call it obedience. We can’t change our heart, but we can place ourselves in God’s groove of grace. And, as we become more like Christ, we discover the sweet spot we were made for.
Open up. Don’t settle for the status quo. Take the next step. This is a place to become.
BELONG
Association. Integration. Connection. When God created people, He said, “It is very good” and when He saw that there was only one, He added “It is not good for man to be alone.” We were made by God and for God. We were also designed for life with one another. Everyone needs a place to belong. It’s our sweet spot. It’s the place to be.
Belonging begins with the discovery of life in Christ. Jesus said “Come to Me,” inviting lonely people into the wonder of a new adventure with Him. Those who belong to Christ soon learn the joy of belonging to His Church—the corporate gathering of a rich diversity of people who worship, serve and encounter the same Lord. But, it doesn’t stop there. Through the church, many explore what it means to belong to community—a group of people who do life together.
Enter in. Don’t stand on the sidelines. Take the first step. Come find a place to belong.
Association. Integration. Connection. When God created people, He said, “It is very good” and when He saw that there was only one, He added “It is not good for man to be alone.” We were made by God and for God. We were also designed for life with one another. Everyone needs a place to belong. It’s our sweet spot. It’s the place to be.
Belonging begins with the discovery of life in Christ. Jesus said “Come to Me,” inviting lonely people into the wonder of a new adventure with Him. Those who belong to Christ soon learn the joy of belonging to His Church—the corporate gathering of a rich diversity of people who worship, serve and encounter the same Lord. But, it doesn’t stop there. Through the church, many explore what it means to belong to community—a group of people who do life together.
Enter in. Don’t stand on the sidelines. Take the first step. Come find a place to belong.
12 comments:
Do you think that the only ways God gifts us to "build up the Body of Christ" is by using the gifts specified in Scripture? (ie Is my gift definitely listed in Rom 12, 1 Cor 12, Eph 4, or 1 Pt 4?) How can we tell if we are using our gifts optimally?
Anonymous, great question (and one debated by many great minds!). I personally don't think that the list of gifts in the Bible are meant to be an exhaustive list. There are, perhaps, many other ways that God equips a person to minister to the Body.
To the question, "How can we tell if we are using our gifts optimally?" I would answer: "Fruit." What is the fruit of our ministry. Now, we may not always be able to discern fruit. But, if I have the gift of mercy, I would expect people to be genuinely comforted if I am using my gift. If I have the gift of evangelism, I would expect people to come to faith in Christ.
What do you/others think?
Why do I serve?
Because I have to. I'm not trying to be funny...I really have to serve. There's something inside me that compels me to serve God and serve others. I'm pretty sure that "thing" is the Holy Spirit. Philippians 2:13 says , "...for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
I'm sure I can think of other reasons why I serve, but ultimately I give God the credit for my desire to serve. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." There He goes again. And I have no problem giving Him credit and all the glory for anything and everything that I do in service for Him and for others.
Why don't I serve?
Because I choose not to. Somehow, in the midst of God's sovereignty and the accomplishing of His perfect will, He has given us the freedom to choose obedience or disobedience, to choose life or death, blessings or cursings (Deuteronomy 30:19). We have the ability to say "No" to God, to quench the Spirit (I Thess. 5:19). We can yield ourselves to God or we can yield ourselves to sin (Romans 6:13) We can lay up for ourselves treasures on earth or in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20).
So, it is clear that I have the freedom not to serve God or others as well. The reasons I would choose not to would probably all center around selfishness, apathy, lack of faith, rebellion, etc.
As Paul describes in Romans 7, there is a battle going on in me between my old nature (the flesh...sin) and my new nature (my life in Christ). Romans 7:25 reads, "So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin." Some would say that Paul is writing about his life prior to his salvation. I won't deny this as a possible interpretation. But I don't think it changes the point. Without Jesus Christ, I would never stand a chance..."Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (vs. 25)
So...because of Jesus Christ and to Him be the glory, I am free to obey, free to love, free to submit to God, free from the power of sin, free to serve God and others.
Great thoughts so far! I agree that the list of spiritual gifts in the Bible is not exhaustive. But, in my opinion, neither should we be dismissive of certain gifts listed. I think we tend to be all on board with gifts of encouragement, teaching, etc. But what about prophecy and speaking/interpreting tongues? The Bible doesn't say that those don't count in the 21st century. I'm sure there's some big theological thoughts on this. But my little brain tends to think that as long as we're using the gifts given to us "for the common good" (I Cor 12:7) and to give God glory then they are all available for the asking.
As for what prevents me from sharing my gifts . . .I could give a long list but it seems to usually come back to fear and selfishness.
Hmmmm . . .y'all's comments have given me some food for thought. I have to think????Thanks a lot - ha ha ha!
I too feel I 'have' to give...I don't feel as though I have a choice. I'm compelled....and I typically want to do so much more than schedules and life allows.
There was a time in my life when I was more hesitant to give/serve. But once I started to step forward in faith, I found that I learned more, and I was blessed more than those I served.
So it's for selfish reasons to some degree that I serve. No matter how I've served, or what I've given, it's always come back at least two-fold. God has never failed to bless me for serving others.
I greatly appreciate what Renae shared. When a follower of Christ, in a spirit of humility, steps up to serve others (in or outside of the church), they will experience a noticeable surge in their relationship with God. The passage in Luke 6:38 is absolutely true..."Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
But what do you "get" out of it? Joy, peace, a sense of purpose, a sense of God's pleasure, identification with Jesus...
What else do you get?
What about those times when you serve and it's not such a great experience? You feel frustrated or people don't respond to your service like you expected they would.
What else do I get? Hmmmm....I think that answer vary's with each situation. But I guess the bottom line is that I always get some sort of satisfaction. Sometimes I get a sense of satisfaction because I completed something I had committed to. Sometimes it's that I heard what God whispered needed doing, and I did it, (and was right on target for a change).... sometimes it's that it was a stretch for me....it doesn't matter if the actual experience was the best or a total failure...I stretched. I tried to serve others. It's not always successful, but I can say I tried.
When I taught a class once, the class probably didn't learn half as much as I learned because of the study I had to put in before teaching the lesson each week. The first several weeks, my technique was very lacking....but as I continued to serve, my teaching got better. My faith in myself grew, and I bonded with the kids I taught. All of this led to more faith in Christ....and for doing what He wants us to do.
Last Spring I volunteered to help with the CCA Symposium.....I helped set out food, and filled water pitchers etc. This was basic menial labor...nothing spiritual or difficult in any way. I felt such a sense of belonging, and at the same time, I had so many blisters on my feet! But that sense of belonging to my church made it all worthwhile.
I've experienced many times when things didn't go as planned, or as hoped...but in the end, I know I was doing what I could. Maybe I wasn't the best, but I was there and trying. We don't have to be perfect, we just need to do our best. I believe that God will make up the difference for us where we fail or lack...He just asks us to do our best.
So are we still using this blog site? I have not seen any comments to it since March 13th.
your blog is very good......
THE ANGEL AH1N1
"So Jehovah sent a plague on Israel, and died of Israel seventy thousand men. And the angel of Jehovah send Jerusalem to destroy it, but when he was destroying, and Jehovah repented look that bad, and said to the angel that destroyed: Stop, stop your hand. The angel of the Lord was with the age of jebuseo Oman. And David lifting up his eyes, he saw the angel of the Lord, that was between heaven and earth, with a naked sword in his hand, extended to Jerusalem. Then David and the elders fell on their faces, covered with sackcloth. "(1 Chronicles 21,14-16)
The remarkable progress that has AH1N1 flu around the world is proving that mankind has no weapons to combat this sudden illness.
The World Health Organization declared in June by the pandemic influenza AH1N1, the first pandemic in this century, and giving that appears posibiblidad others.
So far the cases recorded throughout the world are approaching the 60,000 people, the deaths from this disease is close to 200 people and affected countries are more than 110, America remains one of the most vulnerable continents.
Given this new scenario is presented to humanity, the church of Christ can not dodge, but even if this disease does not differentiate between believers and unbelievers.
But I think many Christians would agree with me that this "modern plague" is a punishment that God has unleashed on humanity that is increasingly turning away from Him Therefore the root of the disease that ravages the world is spiritual.
Indeed, one could say that the instrument that God is using to whip through the earth of this disease is "an angel".
In the Bible we see that God uses the angels as the instruments responsible for destroying a rebellious humanity. A clear example of this is seen in Los Angeles that destroyed the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19,1-25).
But in the passage from 1 Chronicles 21,14-15, is that God sends a plague on the nation of Israel which killed 70,000 people, and it is "an angel" destructive instrument.
It is not the first time that God does this, as it did on Pharaoh and on all the people of Egypt, sending a plague of death on their firstborn (Exodus 12,29-30).
We did against the Philistines, when they captured the ark of the God of Israel, wounding with a plague of tumors throughout the nation of the Philistines (1 Samuel 5, 8-12).
Later God punished the city of Bet-semes killing of Israel for having dared to 50,000 people to watch the ark of the LORD (1 Samuel 6.19).
In all these cases, the divine punishment occurred because the vulnerable human holiness of God, and only ceased when they repented of having sinned against God. The situation of the humanity of the twenty-first century is no different from the humanity of biblical times, and God has not changed his approach today.
God expects repentance of mankind, and if our generation is not to humiliate him, then the angels of God are always ready to make the Justice of God.
This scenario is where the Church of Christ throughout the world must be to pray and intercede for these poor humanity, and pray to God in his mercy to stop their destructive angel, nicknamed by the men as AH1N1 virus.
Example that we pray for Moses and Pharaoh Egypt, and God stopped her plagues.
Also King David Gold repenting of their sin, and the angel stopped destroying the city of Jerusalem.
What will the Church of Christ before this scourge of humanity suffers today?
"Christianity" is doomed to denominational apostasy.
But I believe that true Christians guided by the Holy Spirit to act to rescue and liberate all that can save humanity. This is the true Church of Christ, and you can stop the advance of this evil. Finally, the book of Revelation speaks to the angels will remain the executors of the trials of God (Revelation 15.1), and although God will continue to act with love and mercy to those who repent, God will also be released at this Humanity as the Judge of all the earth.
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