The most valuable thing you and I have to give in worship and mission is ourselves - sold out to Christ - An authentic channel of love through which the word of life flows freely, and peerless treasure of the gospel rings true.
Jesus Christ is more than worthy of our all, and our best.
And you shall love the Lord your God with
all your heart and with
all your soul and with
all your mind and with
all your strength.’
What we value, we invest in. What we adore we will give anything for. What we love doing we will work hardest at. When we start to understand the immensity of what Christ has given up for us, given to us, and the treasure he has secured for us in an eternal relationship with himself... an explosion of devotion and purpose to serve him is inevitable.
We love because he first loved us (1 John 4:19), because we have been forgiven so much (Luke 7:47). As His Spirit guides us into truth, and our humble day by day reading of the bible opens up the humongous extent of God's work in us - a new day dawns as we desire to explore where wholehearted, unreserved, "all in", "no limits" service for Jesus Christ may take us.
The essence of the gospel is relational. Our God is not a program, He is uniquely The ONE, the only Living GOD who calls people into living relationship with himself.
HE CAME HIMSELF.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him." (John 3:16-17)
This shapes everything we love, everything we are, and everything we do.
Are You 100% available to GOD today?
1) Because of his love, we love him (and those stuck in this messed up world) without reservation. Partial allegiance is no allegiance. Worship has to be of worth to be true worship. We are dead to this world - alive to him and for him.
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
(Gal 2:20)
2) We are 100% committed - knowing that he is 100% committed to the wellbeing, fruitful advance and global growth of his church.
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for
us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
(Romans 8:32)
In practice:
A steady AIM: Our principles of service are not conditional, decided by whether serving Christ is easier or harder, more palatable or favourable. As he stayed on mission for us (Matt 26:39), so the Spirit enables us to stay on mission for him. Pray especially for our friends in Afghan and nearby countries. They have been in this for the long haul from the beginning and see what God is doing as an accelration of both challenge and blessing/ increase. (If you would like more detail on these situations of opportunity please don't hesitate to get in touch.)
A confident step forward in Trust:
An assurance that none of our efforts go unnoticed or are wasted. In God's economy what the world sees as success is not what He values. He values the little given with a full heart (John 6:9), the seemingly small given at great cost...
" Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21: 1-4)"
Big organisations, large impressive new builds, flashy marketing and ego driven profiles (with many online followers) do not catch the eye of our God. "Humanitarian" mission organisations that chase the latest crisis grabbing headline for short term gain and profile, (only to leave as interest dwindles weeks later) do not understand the economy of God.
“Beware
of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by
them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. (Matthew 6:1-4)
What we can pray for:
2) LORD, help those who are working for the long haul as they give their lives wholeheartedly today. May YOU - LORD JESUS CHRIST be seen in them. May their sacrifice and service bear great fruit in areas of 0% Christianity, in Afghanistan, in unreached Africa, South Asia, secret places, unknown / hostile places. Help me not just to send the cheque but be wholeheartedly personally committed to these things - whatever that means in your purposes.
3) LORD, help me to give you all the glory for anything that you do decide to do through me.
Today I read these words in a prayer update from a friend...
It was in the context of great hardships, death and suicides of locals without hope, and great sacrifice for those who stay there...
"The church has doubled since the pandemic arrived
and baptisms are a monthly event now."
This statement has been repeated in many parts of the globe over recent months, where friends have worked relationally, (life on life, often in poor economic / socially deprived areas), displaying the charcter, compassion and unconditional love of Christ in the most demanding circumstances. The beauty of Christ is shining brightly through his people. In God's economy these are days of great fruitfulness, for those who live out the relational gospel of Jesus Christ.
Lord help me be fruitful.
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