Be Bold!

Too many of us Christians lament our lack of opportunity to impact the world for Christ.  By "opportunity" we mean an obvious, fool-proof plan laid out start to finish with no chance of failure.  My friends, this will never exist!  People who are wise in investments make their own opportunities.  While everyone else is reeling, scared to invest, and waiting for "something to happen," successful entrepreneurs manage to create a booming market!  After companies see the success they do their best to follow the formula, usually without success.  They didn't see the opportunity while it remained an option.  Should we choose inaction when we have the Holy Spirit of God?  Christians, there will be no easy opportunities.  Our flesh will resist stepping out in faith.  Satan will try to deceive us to justify why the time isn't right.  The whole world is under the sway of the devil, and we have a message contrary to the world!  We can be so overwhelmed by the scope of potential ministry we do nothing.  And that is the place where most of us have spent most of our lives.  We have missed opportunities because we never recognized them.

You may not be able to change the world today.  But can you help one person in Jesus' name?  That is how Jesus impacted the world - one person at a time!  He says if we offer a cup of cold water in His name we will not be without reward!  Are we willing offer a word of encouragement to someone who is down?  Can we visit one person who is lonely or send them a text message to say we are praying for them?  When we see someone laboring under a load of groceries could we offer help?  When we see someone sitting alone are we willing to sit near them and start a conversation?  We do not need to set goals beyond following the Holy Spirit as He leads us step by step.

Do you know a character trait God has given every Christian, regardless of age?  It is a quality rarely exercised.  You need not be muscular, energetic, handsome, tall, or of great spiritual maturity.  It is boldness!  The disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane before being filled with the Spirit did one of two things:  they ran away or lashed out with violence.  Boldness is a calm confidence a Christian has when he is filled with the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ.  We need not fight with people, nor must we run from conflict.  We can stand our ground, firmly rooted on Christ and the truth of His Word.  Sometimes boldness is opening our mouths when we don't want to say anything.  Other times boldness is saying nothing when we really want to speak!  A little old lady and a small child can have great boldness for Christ.  It will not always take the same form but will always be bourne of the same Spirit!

Some seem to feel that boldness means being rude and confrontational.  We are to contend with error, but we need not be contentious.  God will confront us to be sure, and sometimes He will give us a message not appreciated by those who want to remain insulated from conviction.  Let us make a decision to be bold today for the sake of Christ.  We should not see to fulfill any personal agenda or goal, like trying to get someone to come to church, hoping someone will like us, or to find acceptance.  Let's not limit what God can do though us!  Because we have been accepted by Christ, let us be bold to share that love with others.  People will know by our conduct and character that we have been with Christ.  Isn't that a reason we're living on earth right now? 

God's Inheritance

^"Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession."

Psalm 2:8

Last night I attended a home group where this verse was read by pastor Mark Walsh.  The context is God speaking prophetically to Jesus, His Anointed One.  Psalm 2:7 reads, "I will declare the decree: the LORD has said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You."  The Father gives the Son an invitation to ask for His inheritance and later promises all will be subject to Him:  Psalm 2:9 says, "You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel."  A day will come when Jesus Christ will set up His kingdom upon earth and will rule in righteousness.  The earth and all that is in it is Christ's for the asking.  Jesus has affirmed, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth."

Most of us have been exposed to the idea of heavenly reward or inheritance.  Thinking back to when I was a child in church I remember the teacher's description about heaven as a wonderful place to live without crying, pain, or death.  Everyone would receive a crown and the streets are paved with gold.  This is an oversimplification, but typically the promise of reward make us think about how they affect us or how we use them.  We are familiar with passages like 1 Peter 1:3-4:  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you..."  Jesus has told us that He is coming quickly, and His reward is with Him.  The prospect of a reward is one that can appeal to our flesh.

As Mark expounded upon this scripture, my thoughts rested upon a portion of it:  "Your inheritance."  Do you realize that we are Christ's inheritance as children of God?  Even more astounding is the implication that when we share the Gospel with others we increase Christ's inheritance!  What a great gift to give back to God!  Many Christians today are caught up in trying to establish an earthly legacy or even a heavenly one - for themselves.  How about we seek to give Christ the reward of His suffering by sharing the Gospel so many would be born again?  We understand the idea of giving our children an earthly inheritance of houses, land, and money:  isn't it time we focus on increasing Christ's inheritance by a life lived just for Him?

When I was a child, I thought every "good" thing I did for God meant He added "another jewel" to my crown.  In my mind, I surely had a ruby-diamond-emerald encrusted-golden-atrocity for headgear awaiting me!  Conversely if I sinned, God reached over and broke a chunk of my crown off.  I was always motivated by this fictitious idea of reward and loss much like a sea lion who receives fish for properly  performing a trick.  Can you imagine what comparisons would take place in heaven if my ridiculous childish theology were true?  I remember being amazed while reading the portion when the 24 elders Revelation 4:10-11 give God what He gave them!  "...The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: ¹¹ "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created."

Wait a second, I thought to myself.  Why would you cast your crown before the feet of Jesus when you worked so hard for it?  Ah foolish boy!  Do I deserve a crown?  NO.  I deserve death in Hell and eternal separation for God because of my sins.  But out of His grace God grants us forgiveness, rewards, and an eternal heavenly inheritance which will never fade away.  God is the worthy one!  The fact is God gives us new life we are to give right back to Him so He can live through us.  This goes for our money, time, resources, talents, gifts, abilities, and EVEN heavenly reward.  What pleasure it gives me to think I can by His grace give God an inheritance of souls saved through the Gospel which will last forever!

Like Moses we would be wise to pray the words of Exodus 34:9 "...If now I have found grace in Your sight, O Lord, let my Lord, I pray, go among us, even though we are a stiff-necked people; and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us as Your inheritance."   Isn't it amazing that God delights to do so?  It made news across the world when the trapped miners in Chile were removed using state-of-the-art technology.  Yet without a mechanical hoist, cables, or video equipment, God brought us from the grave to a new life of liberty and freedom through the blood of Jesus.  As it is written in Deuteronomy 9:29:  "...Yet they are Your people and Your inheritance, whom You brought out by Your mighty power and by Your outstretched arm."  Isn't it great that we have the opportunity to glorify and enrich God with our lives?  Let's make God the richer and joyfully lay up treasures in heaven not for us, but for Him!

Carried in His Bosom

Yesterday the LORD gave me great comfort through a living illustration.  Whenever I put on shoes in the Tooke's home in the morning, Poncho (the family dog) whimpers and shakes with excited anticipation.  He has learned that when shoes go on the feet, it means he will be going on a walk.  I put on my shoes yesterday morning and it cracks me up how excited Poncho becomes at the prospect of a walk.  So not wanting to disappoint him, I picked up his lead (leash for the Americans in our audience) and walked out the door.

After about 10 minutes of jogging and a couple of potty breaks, Poncho began to resist the lead more and more.  As I carefully observed him, he was favoring his left foreleg.  For the past couple of weeks I have seen him more than once favor that leg.  "I'm sorry, Poncho," I told him.  "We'll take it easy, alright?"  Unfortunately for both of us, we happened to be at the lowest point of elevation in our run!  After a minute or two of hobbling around, Poncho would not walk at all.  I looked at him, he stared at me.  "Well, I suppose I'll have to carry you!" I said, and that is what I did.  For about 5 minutes or more I carried my wounded 22 kilo mate along the road.  Car after car passed and I mused:  I wonder what they think about me!

When we came to the steep part of the climb, I set Poncho down and he walked the rest of the way (much to the delight of my back!).  God showed me a wonderful truth from this illustration.  Sometimes when we start out walking with Jesus we run at a strong pace.  Whenever we walk in faith we start a new journey, trusting in God to guide and empower us.  But along the way sometimes we can be wounded.  We can tire and lose heart.  When the Holy Spirit prompts us to move we pull against the lead and refuse to walk anymore.  But instead of kicking us to the ground and dragging us along, He picks us up.  I'm reminded of the famous poem "Footprints" where the man looks back on his life with the LORD.  At times there was only one set of footprints.  He accused God of abandoning him in the tough times.  God instructed him that it was in those times it was God who carried him along!

We are so privileged to have a Good Shepherd who knows our weak frame and picks us up when we are wounded and weary!  He seeks to heal us, not destroy.  When we falter and fail we do not disillusion God, only the perception we have of ourselves.  Our pride becomes wounded when we fail to meet our meager expectations and tempts us to give up.  Shall we give up when God is in the process of carrying us through the trial?  Should we run from His healing hands?  Let us trust in the Good Shepherd and submit to Him.  He has created us, redeemed us, and does not hesitate to pick us up, muddy paws and all.  As it says in Isaiah 40:11:  "He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those who are with young."

Moving!

Moving can be a moving experience.  The nature of the process reveals to us what we really think is important.  It strips away the veneer of all we have taken for granted.  Perhaps for the first time we see our priorities aren't where we thought they were.  A baby doesn't care where he is as long as he can cuddle with his silk blanket.  Sometimes the presence of mom is enough to comfort.  Once we grow older we still do not outgrow this attachment to things.  It is natural to base our security in what we can hold in our hands.  In reality, this is security found in ourselves.

This process cannot be performed until we resign ourselves, our things, family, friends, and future to Jesus Christ.  Perhaps some foster a false "romantic" view that following Jesus comes at no cost of things, relationships, or comforts.  Will God provide for our needs?  Certainly.  Isn't it true that anyone who leaves family for the sake of the Gospel will receive reward.  Yes.  But the tears still flow.  There is no denying our family faces the stiff price of separation on both sides of the Pacific.  Is Jesus worth it?  No question!

All of our household goods were loaded into this little 20' container.  Last Friday it was loaded and driven to port, only 20lbs. under the maximum weight!  But I would trade the whole lot for the little boy sitting on the furniture.  God has seen fit to separate us for a little while.  Stuff carries no value when compared to people!  We would do well to remember this always!

This morning during my reading I came across this passage:  Psalm 27:13-14 reads, "I would have lost heart, unless I had believed That I would see the goodness of the LORD In the land of the living. ¹⁴ Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!"  No matter what situation we find ourselves in, this remains true!  We can be apt to believe this some days over others.  We must wait on the LORD before He will supply us with strength.  This kind of waiting is not patiently enduring the passage of time, but the expectant looking to and trusting in our Savior, Jesus Christ.   David was not only looking towards heaven, but he cultivated an expectancy that God would supply his needs today!  I too desire to be of the same mind.  Though I cannot be with my wife and children at the present, God will supply both our needs just the same.  He is the one we really need.