I've had the privilege to return to help in my church's children's ministry. It's there that I am weekly being reminded of Acts 1:8, where Christ is telling His disciples "you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus also tells them, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Today, I am a bit challenged by those verses. We all should be. Yes. Going into the immediate world in which you live is an absolute given. As believers, we should all be walking with Holy Spirit in His power and, as we are going about in our everyday lives, we should be making disciples of our children and of those that cross our paths... It should be the natural overflow... a life on mission. But, I am just curious. Today, I have to ask the Father, Lord, are there places that I've shut off as a possibility for you to bring me to that I might serve others and make disciples? Are there places that I have drawn a line in the sand and said I'll go this far and no more? Because if I have, I have essentially said, "God you're big enough for this much, but not that over there." I have limited myself, but worse, I have limited God. Either, I have presupposed His unwillingness to call me farther out than I can currently reach and His inability to sustain me in that place, or I have said "No" before the offer has even been extended. It's incredibly easy to justify a stagnant walk with things like financial debt or at least not surplus, personality, seasons of life, and relational difficulty. Even more so, therein may lie a threat to your reputation or security should you walk by faith into unknown territory. Joshua 1:9, "Yes, be bold and strong! Banish fear and doubt! For remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Perhaps, there's something more just outside the line you've drawn. Perhaps, it's another country. Perhaps it's another neighborhood, another profession, another church, or simply a new place to serve regularly. Maybe, if you're willing to hear Him, it's a place of leadership or a new role within the church you're in.
Philippians 2 says it like this, "So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." Are you desiring something more? Do you have a vision for children's ministry, serving the poor, loving the widows and orphans, world missions? Get plugged in. Vision with desire and ability is not happenstance. If He has given that much to you, you can certainly trust Him to work out the details as you step forward in faith. You've been fully equipped for the day at hand. When you reach the water's edge of God ordained opportunity, place your feet in and watch Him part the waters as He did for His people long ago. He's the same God infinitely able to accomplish much.
Sometimes... I think we're scared to make a move thinking its the wrong move. We forget that God is the God of the right moves and the wrong moves.. He can and will redirect our steps if we get a little off course. Praise God. We can't mess it up! There's a few people in Scripture who did just that. They totally went left when God was calling them to go right! For instance, in one short paragraph we read about Jonah, 1"The word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai saying, 2 “Arise, go to Nineveh the great city and cry against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me.” 3 But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. So he went down to Joppa, found a ship which was going to Tarshish, paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord."(Jonah 1) It didn't go so well. Let's just say that after some fierce storms, raging seas, fearful sailors, and a 3-day/3 night stay in the belly of a whale, He got put back on course. It was intense, but God certainly put Him back where He needed to be for his good and God's glory.
Follow me for a moment. Jonah's name means dove...a representation of the Holy Spirit. His father's name Amittai means true. Nineveh means agreeable. Joppa means beauty. Tarshish means contemplation or examination. Look at that word picture that is describing Jonah's exact experience....When we are true to God, the Holy Spirit will cause others (even the most wicked) to become agreeable with the work of God, but instead Jonah runs off to what seems more beautiful of an opportunity through Joppa and heads to Tarshish to contemplate and exam whether or not he will obey. Oh, the thrill and blessings that await us if only we'd obey! It's usually very intimidating, maybe even scary looking, especially if we sit there and rehearse all the possibilities. But, God. If He's calling you, He's got it.
Can you imagine? Ummm... I can. I can also imagine trying to excuse myself out of stepping out into the next season or role God has for me by listing all the things that disqualify me, instead of recognizing the One who qualifies me. He intimately knows what we are made of... dust. He has memorized the placement of every particle of that dust and knows exactly what He is able to do with His power in it.
My prayer for us today is from Ephesians 3. Join me and pray this for yourself and your loved ones. He is faithful!
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Worship Him.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzZZb6RbLJs&list=RDSzZZb6RbLJs&start_radio=1&t=28
In Over My Head, Jenn Johnson
And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” Mark 1:17
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm 51:10
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