The First Commission

One of the current shifts in the Christian Church universe is the move from program centered to people centered.  Churches who are undergoing this shift have been dubbed "missional" churches.  But what exactly does this term mean?

Relatively short answer for a complex question:

"Jesus told us to go into all the world and be his ambassadors, but many churches today have inadvertently changed the "go and be" command to a "come and see" appeal. We have grown attached to buildings, programs, staff and a wide variety of goods and services designed to attract and entertain people.

"Missional is a helpful term used to describe what happens when you and I replace the "come to us" invitations with a "go to them" life. A life where "the way of Jesus" informs and radically transforms our existence to one wholly focused on sacrificially living for him and others and where we adopt a missionary stance in relation to our culture. It speaks of the very nature of the Jesus follower."
---Rick Meigs

As Christians, we should all be familiar with the "Great Commission" in Mathew 28: 16-20.  Our command to "go therefore, and teach all nations..."  But the spirit of the missional movement starts at home. 

In Mark 5:1-20, we read the story of the Demoniac in the tombs of Gardarenes.  After Jesus had cast out the Legion, he commanded the man in verse 19 to:

"Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee."

This was a very missional statement.  Go home.  It has to start at home: with you, your spouse, your children.  Take responsibility for the spiritual well-being of your loved ones.  Men, lead your family!

From there, take responsibility for your neighbors and friends, be the example and do not pass on the opportunity to share the grace of God and the wonders He has worked in your life.  Pray for them daily and share their burdens.  Build a community around you of like-minded individuals, but not to the exclusion of the rest of the world.  While we are called to separate ourselves and be the "peculiar" people of God, we are never commanded to ignore the world around us and our spiritual responsibilities.

For more information on the "Missional Church," refer to Friends of Missional.

Dear Heavenly Father, forgive me for my inattention to your will.  Help me to reach those around me in a way meaningful to Your desires.  Help me start at home to be the man, husband, and father you desire.  Help me to care for and love my nieghbors and friends and demonstrate You to them.

When My Cup Spilleth Over

Continuing somewhat on the theme of Anger Management from yesterday's post, I had read something about a week ago I knew I would have to write about here.

The sudden jostling of life and its appointments/disappointments can cause us to react swiftly.  How we react is indicative to our true nature or the condition of our heart, or at least our stability at that moment.

Everyone has those days where things are going just fine, and suddenly while heading home, a car cuts you off and causes you to use evasive actions to avoid an accident. This can be upsetting.

How do you react?

The quote I read was from a Joyce Meyer devotional: 'A cup filled with sweet water when jogged cannot spill one bitter drop.'  This is a very convicting paraphrase/abridgment  of the contents of Matthew 12:33-37 (KJV):

Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.  O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.  But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

I know I have probably quoted this from Matthew several times before, but it is SO convicting to me.  Knowing that in the very reactive moments, my words show the "abundance of my heart" or what is filling me.  And, as importantly, but perhaps more convicting, knowing I shall give an account of every idle word and their content will either justify or condemn me.  Makes you think.  Makes me sad, since I know I lack an internal filter sometimes and have spewed forth many an idle word.

Dear Lord, help me control my tongue and my mind.  Let the words and thought be sweet water from you so that when my cup is spilled that is all that can pour from it.

Rejoice and be glad.

Go

Recycled NOTE in Facebook from May 2, 2011

Non-Christians seem to hang up on the “Thou shalt nots” in the Bible.  As Christians, we need to focus on the Dos.
Throughout the gospel, Jesus consistently uses imperatives to tell us how we should lead our lives and what we should do:

FORGIVE EVERYBODY OF ALL THEIR OFFENSES AGAINST YOU.
                     Forgive, and be forgiven.
YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN.
ABIDE IN ME, AND LET ME ABIDE IN YOU.
LET PEOPLE SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS.
                     Do not hide your light under a basket.
END DISPUTES QUICKLY.
WHATEVER CAUSES YOU TO SIN, GET RID OF IT.
DO NOT SWEAR OATHS AT ALL.
DO NOT RETURN OFFENSE FOR OFFENSE.
                    Turn the other cheek.
GIVE WHAT PEOPLE ASK OF YOU, AND GIVE MORE THAN IS REQUIRED.
                    Go the extra mile.
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES AND THOSE WHO WORK AGAINST YOU.
GIVE TO THE POOR TO PLEASE GOD, NOT TO GAIN APPROVAL FROM OTHER PEOPLE.
PRAY PRIVATELY AND SIMPLY, NOT TO IMPRESS OTHER PEOPLE.
MAKE YOUR PRAYERS BE LIKE THE LORD'S PRAYER.
WHEN YOU FAST, DO IT SECRETLY, NOT FOR SHOW.
STORE UP YOUR TREASURES IN HEAVEN, NOT ON EARTH.
DO NOT WORRY ABOUT YOUR MATERIAL NEEDS.
DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THE FUTURE.
MAKE GOD YOUR HIGHEST PRIORITY, AND HE WILL TAKE CARE OFALL YOUR NEEDS.
DO NOT JUDGE OTHER PEOPLE.
                    Judge not, lest ye be judged.
DO NOT GIVE HOLY THINGS TO DOGS OR CAST YOUR PEARLS BEFORE SWINE.
ASK GOD FOR WHATEVER YOU WANT TO HAVE.
                    Seek, and ye shall find.
FEED THE HUNGRY, CLOTHE THE NAKED, SHELTER THE HOMELESS, COMFORT THOSE IN DISTRESS.
FOLLOW THE NARROW PATH TO LIFE.
                    Enter by the narrow gate.
BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS.
EXERCISE POWER OVER UNCLEAN SPIRITS.
LOVE LITTLE CHILDREN, DO NOT DESPISE THEM.
DO NOT TAKE THE TITLES 'MASTER' OR 'FATHER' FOR YOURSELF.
DO NOT OPPOSE OTHER BELIEVERS IN CHRIST WHO ARE NOT IN YOUR GROUP.
HAVE TOTAL FAITH IN GOD FOR EVERYTHING.
BE LIKE THE GOOD SAMARITAN.
                     Go, and do likewise.
LOVE OTHER PEOPLE AS I HAVE LOVED YOU
EAT BREAD AND DRINK WINE IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME.
WASH ONE ANOTHER'S FEET.
BE MERCIFUL.
GO AND TEACH ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM.
KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS.
BE PREPARED FOR YOUR MASTER TO RETURN.

Grammatically speaking, imperatives are commands.  Active Faith is summed up by the words of Jesus in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep my commandments.”

They seem like simple words.  “Just do what I told you to do.”  But how do we do what He has told us?

 Again, based on a command of Jesus in Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray that ye fall not into temptation: the spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Watch (γρηγορέω-grégoreó-be vigilant). To be vigilant is to maintain alertness.  We should pay attention to
what is going on around us, be aware of our surroundings.  Mostly, we should self-inspect our motives and intentions to be sure they are pure. 2 Peter 3:1-2 puts it this way:

"This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior."

Sincere, in this instance (εἰλικρινής- eilikrinés-lit. judged by sunlight), refers to holding an item up to a brighter source of light to judge for defects.  We should be alert to judge our actions by the bright light of the Son.

If we judge ourselves, we will find that we must actively pursue holiness.  We must strive for that goal.

And having done all, to stand.

"Satan is never in a hurry. All he needs is an opportunity to inject unholy, self-centered thoughts into our heads. If we don't kick them out, they stay. And he can continue his evil, destructive plan."

I am currently reading excerpts from the Battlefield of the Mind 14-day Bible reading plan by Joyce Meyer on lifechurch.tv's youversion Bible reading application. This little tidbit was part of the other morning's reading. It went straight to Evernote on the iPad.

It was a perspective I had never before considered. Satan has time to wait for us to get down. Then he can inject the thoughts into our heads when we are less likely to be able to resist.

Lesson from this? Oh, where to start...?

James 4:7 (KJV)

"Submit yourself therefore to God.  Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

Ephesians 6:12-18 (KJV) 

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;"

Matthew 26:41 (KJV)

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."

I know for me, this is a battle since I (especially being out of work for medical reasons) am alone and have no accountability at home right now.  I need to integrate into a group of Godly men.  I am moving in that direction, and have made contact with several from work.

But that is usually the problem.  I prefer not to socialize with individuals from work when I am not at work.  I do not like the conversation to turn, as it always does, to work issues.  But it is not about my preferences...it is not about me at all.  It is the right thing to do:

Hebrews 10:24-25 (KJV)

"And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching."

I know what I am battling and I know how to fight it; now, all I have to do is remember to carry my sword.  And it never hurts to have back up in the area when the enemy shows up.