It is Happening!

So, our theme for the year is it's Time to Act. In light of recent messages, I have heard several stories of people "acting" out their faith.

One man from church shared about walking out of his office building and encountering a man that needed a buck for bus fare. He did not have anything to give in his pocket so he apologized and moved on. As he was walking to his car, played over in his mind the words of the message, "maybe I don't have any money but what I have I'll give to you" so he thought – "How can I help, what DO I Have?" HE realized that he could not offer this man a ride because he was on a tight schedule so he quickly dug through the seats and cup-holders of his car and found enough change to buy the man bus fare. He ran back in and gave it to the man and helped him on his way!

I love that… someone that remembered to ask themselves "What CAN I do?"

I just heard another story last night, a couple from Osceola Grace has spent the last several years being part of a club where they know they will rub shoulders with some people that need Christ. The husband of one of the couples from this group has pancreatic cancer and just recently found that he has a year to live. The wife of the Osceola Grace couple delivered a meal there and then sat down and asked if she could share the "Life's Most Important Question" tract with them. They listened and then asked if they could keep the tract. She planted a seed! Let's pray that God will use that to draw them to a saving knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ.

With all of the tragedy in the world around us, I cannot help but think that the time is closer and closer when Jesus returns. Remember: It is not about ME getting across the finish line but it is about how many others can I bring with me!

It is Time to Act! Here are four things to pray specifically about today:

1. A love for lost people like God has
   
2. Courage to speak when the time is right
   
3. Opportunities to speak – people to talk with
   
4. Eyes to see the people that God brings to you.

Excerpt from Jesus Freak Devotional

I was searching on line today for some ideas for illustrations for my upcoming message and discovered www.JesusFreaks.net with some great stories. I own the Jesus Freaks V1 and have read some of the other stories. I also get the "Voice of the Martyrs" magazine and hurt over those believers in other countries that are oppressed. At the same time – I am impressed with the zeal, fervor and passion with which these brothers and sisters in Christ faithfully serve and share Christ even when it is not safe. Read this excerpt from the Jesus Freak Devotional – think it through today with YOUR life situations.

The Good Life

Everybody wants a good life. We even joke about living "the good life." But Jesus promised His followers not necessarily a good life, but an abundant life. Webster's defines abundant as "more than enough; amply sufficient; bountiful."15 Translated into Jesus Freak terminology, that means God promises to give us not only everything we truly need but also an endless well of peace and joy to draw from. If you are a Jesus Freak, the life God has planned for you goes beyond even your wildest dreams. He wants to take you on a wild ride that centers on trusting Him, obeying Him, and following His lead. What will it cost you? Everything—your heart, your time, your willingness, your money, your reputation, maybe even your life. But remember: In exchange for "losing your life," you get a major upgrade. You gain His peace, His joy, His supernatural power, His perfect plan here and now, and a never-ending future with Him in heaven.

Jesus knew when the time had come for Him to die. During one of His last conversations on earth, He told His disciples:

I'm telling you these things while I'm still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I'm leaving you well and whole. That's my parting gift to you. Peace. I don't leave you the way you're used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don't be upset. Don't be distraught . . .

I've told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends.

— John 14:25-27,15:9-13, The Message

Excerpted from:

Live Like a Jesus Freak by dc Talk

Copyright © 2001, Bethany House Publishers

ISBN 157782089

With what are you willing to trust Jesus? All of it – or just the convenient parts of your lfe?

Six Ideas to Try to Apply

I love Proverbs – it is always full of timely and face-slapping advice. Here are a few of the thoughts that I collided with today.

1. Trust God for today and today alone – even though I need to plan ahead, I cannot live for tomorrow! (Prov. 27:1)
   
2. Just do the right thing – if others notice… fine. If not, know that God saw it. (Prov. 27:2)
   
3. Only a friend can burst a friend's prideful bubbles when they need to and still do it in love. (Prov. 27:5,6 and 17)
   
4. Taking advice can help you avoid painful consequences of poor choices. (Prov. 27:9,12)
   
5. Sometimes you just can't help – it takes someone taking responsibility for themselves to change. (Prov. 27:22)
   
6. Pay careful attention to what God has given you of His treasure to manage and you will have enough, just enough! (Prov. 27:23-27)
   

When you read the Word of God – do you take the time to reflect upon how you should respond to it?

My mom once told me "Gregory, stay on our block until you learn to ride your bike better." I road down the into the next block and saw someone weaving their bike from side to side and thought how fun and cool that looked. The next thing I remember is being carried home with the side of my face covered in road rash because I tried it.

Once again, my mom knew what she was talking about. She could talk until she was blue in the face but unless I chose to take her advice – I would continue to make poor choices with painful consequences. Often – those who have been around the block know the right choices to make. You do not always have to experience the pain to know it is worth avoiding.

A Walk in Love

Last weekend I was invited to a retreat by a friend that was being run by his rather large church. In retrospect, I had a preconceived notion of what was going to happen because he said, "Greg, I think this would be great for you because you could really use this time to be refreshed and renewed in your ministry." I thought it sounded good because I could be gone a few days and take a couple of books to catch up on and refresh my mind some.

Little did I know that this would be one of the most amazing weekends of feeling the extreme and extravagant love of Jesus Christ through His body that I have ever known. This was amazing. Although, I admit, when we arrived and the guy opened up a notebook to read the intro I wondered what I was in for but I soon learned that, read it or not – this was for real and these people were for real! We had an uproariously great time in parts of the weekend and a challenging soul-searching time for parts of the weekend but the entire weekend except for a few short intervals, was completely designed to walk me through a process of introspection, challenge and soul-searching all under the umbrella of over 30 men committed to showing the love of Christ in real and tangible ways. I made some friends so quickly that it almost broke my heart to leave on Sunday knowing that many of them I may not see again this side of heaven – but they impacted me and helped me grow and change in just a few short hours together.

It was funny (an unbelievable) that the leader would say that "Today is good, tomorrow will be better and the next day will be even better and by Sunday, you will not want to go home." I thought, "No, dude, by Saturday I am pretty sure I am gonna be refreshed enough to want to leave. By Sunday I'll be chomping at the bit."

So – seriously, come Saturday morning, I was thinking, "What is next. How far can this go? What is the next talk going to be? What in the world are these Kleenex for?" Well in the next twelve hours or so I found out the answer to all of those questions and more. And, no, I was certainly not ready to leave yet. What was Sunday going to be?

True enough, I was anxious to see my wife and family on Sunday when I left but I really did not want to leave – He was right.

God challenged me. One BIG thought that I walked away with: "There is NOTHING in this life that compares in any way to living sold out for Jesus."

Ministry may be hard – but my reward is not here, not now. Living in the moment of my mission, doing what I am called by God to do and discharging the duties to which I have been called is hard. I have never, never done anything harder or more frustrating or more discouraging. BUT, I also have never done anything more uplifting (by my brothers and sisters), more simple (keep it that way), or more rewarding and encouraging (living life day in and day out with this body of believers that I love) as we see God glorified together through His work in us.

I will walk in love and remember how I was loved completely and selflessly last weekend and for eternity through Christ.

My All for His Glory

Everyone always quotes Paul saying in Philippians 1:21 "For me to live is Christ but to die is gain." I fully believe that Paul meant that – but I ask myself time and time again – do I believe that? Do I live like every waking moment is about Jesus? Is living MY life really about living for Christ?

And the second part of that – do I really feel like physically DYING would be advantageous to me?

I had someone ask me recently why we do not teach more about heaven at our church. I thought about it some and realized we really do not teach specifically on that topic very often at all. In fact, when we do talk about it it is because it is in the text and we give it an "honorable mention" at best. It made me start thinking, "do I really feel like heaven would be a better place for me than earth?" and when I honestly answer that question, I find myself thinking – "I don't want to go there yet but I do want to end up there". So how do I get to the point where I can say…"to die is gain."?

I consider the verse before that in Philippians:

"I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death." -Phil 1:20 (NIV)

Paul expected and hoped (with anticipation that it would happen) that he would not be ashamed by his life on earth as he stood before the Judge of the universe and his actions in life were considered. How could he say that? Because for Paul – he lived with the motto that "NOW as ALWAYS Christ would be exalted" in his body whether it was while he was living or through his death. It causes me to reflect upon me… can I say that right now – in this moment – I am living, responding, acting in a manner that exalts Jesus?

Paul could.

He was so passionately in love with his Savior that he lived every day in order to please Him! To exalt Him! To promote Him! To enjoy Him! When I live that way then I cannot wait to be in heaven together with Him. There is no fear in death when life is lived with a white hot passion for the One with Whom we desire to spend the rest of our lives (in heaven). It so changes my perspective when I think about it that way. (however, when I am neglecting my love relationship with Jesus – I sometimes am not excited about being with Him in heaven because I am afraid of being embarrassed, even though there is no need for that feeling – it still nags at me).

So – live all out for Him. Bring Him honor through your life actions.

I pray that God will give me "sufficient courage" to live "now as always" to exalt Jesus Christ. Will you pray with me?