Missions...

     We hear it a lot at church, we talk about it, we put it in the bulletin, and we even have a bulletin boards all over church that speak to missions. But what is it really? And what motivates people to be “mission minded?”

     First let’s consider that most churches today are “maintenance minded” not “missions minded.”

Someone has made a little chart up that shows the difference between the two...

Maintenance Minded Churches have the mind set of -

How many pastoral visits are made?

If this change proves upsetting to anyone we won’t do it!

How will this affect ME?

We have to be faithful to the past.

Seeks to avoid conflict at ALL costs.

Managerial in nature.

Concerned with only the “church’s” needs.

How do we get people to support the church?

How do we save our church?

  

Mission Minded Churches have the mind set of -

How many disciples are being made?

If this will help us reach people on the outside we will take the risk and do it!

How will this increase our ability to reach those on the outside?

We have to be faithful to the future.

Understands conflict will happen and deals with the issue.

Transformational in nature.

Concerned with meeting needs.

How can the church support the community?

How do we reach the community?

As you can see – the two are miles (and minds) apart.

 Let’s forget for a moment that God commanded us as HIS church to be future focused, to be mission minded, to be people pursuers, to be other oriented. Even if we put all that aside there is still a compelling reason to mission minded –

Because you love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength – and your neighbor as yourself...

 If you love God, the One who saved you, in that way – frankly being mission minded would happen automatically. It would be nothing more than a manifestation of that deep rooted love.

 Webster’s defines mission as – “a continuing task or responsibility that one is destined or fitted to do or specially called upon to undertake.”(Merriam-Webster, Inc. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Thesaurus. Previously published as: Webster's collegiate thesaurus. Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996, c1988.)

It would be safe to say that the God Lover is destined, specially called upon to reach up and out, not in a single mission event – but as a continual responsibility for the Kingdom of God.   The greatest motivation for mission mindedness is that fact that you love GOD with all that you are, and your neighbor as yourself. I believe that there is no greater motivation than this.

Love’s a mission – let’s live it!

The other day I was reading from the devotional by Charles Spurgeon – I have included it below (see http://www.spurgeon.org/aboutsp.htm if you want to know more about Spurgeon) – I came upon this devotional and thought of several people that I know that are in this kind of place.

Then this morning (June 23) I heard on a radio station that a young veteran who had served in Afghanistan and left the military was wrestling with PTSD and severe anger issues. He had left the military in order to not put any further strain on his wife and child. But since he had left the military the issues had not left him. He had emailed this particular radio personality and asked if they would ask the listeners to pray for him and his family.

The prayer request was simple yet the beautiful cry of a sincere heart…just three words is all he asked for people to pray for him – PLEASE HELP ME! The beauty is that this prayer is one of complete surrender, one that is so overwhelmed that all they know to say is HELP ME. I am sure that you have been there a time or two in your life, I am sure that you know someone right now that is in that place…where they don’t know what else to do, where they don’t have anything left. That heart that is so overcome, that feels so swamped that that cannot put a sentence together that could cover all they are going through.

When someone is drowning, they don’t spell out to the rescuer the HOW, they don’t tell them that they have to use this method and they don’t tell their rescuer anything other than HELP ME.

It is not at all unlike what the Bible promises… in Romans 8:26

“In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words…”

The prayer of HELP LORD is carried to God, the Spirit Himself intercedes with the groanings of our hearts that cannot find any other words except HELP ME! And sometimes the best prayer we can offer up for someone in that place of an overwhelmed, that person who feels that they are drowning – we can ask – LORD PLEASE HELP THEM.   

If you are that person know that it is ok to cry out a simple but honest HELP LORD. You may know what your heart craves but cannot find the words…He will hear, He will give what you need. Whatever you are facing right now, whatever you are struggling with the simple plea of HELP LORD is powerful and He has promised to answer as we trust Him to meet that need.

 -------------------------From Spurgeon-------------------------

“Help, Lord.”          — Psalm 12:1

The prayer itself is remarkable, for it is short, but seasonable, sententious, and suggestive. David mourned the fewness of faithful men, and therefore lifted up his heart in supplication—when the creature failed, he flew to the Creator. He evidently felt his own weakness, or he would not have cried for help; but at the same time he intended honestly to exert himself for the cause of truth, for the word “help” is inapplicable where we ourselves do nothing. There is much of directness, clearness of perception, and distinctness of utterance in this petition of two words; much more, indeed, than in the long rambling outpourings of certain professors. The Psalmist runs straight-forward to his God, with a well-considered prayer; he knows what he is seeking, and where to seek it. Lord, teach us to pray in the same blessed manner.

The occasions for the use of this prayer are frequent. In providential afflictions how suitable it is for tried believers who find all helpers failing them. Students, in doctrinal difficulties, may often obtain aid by lifting up this cry of “Help, Lord,” to the Holy Spirit, the great Teacher. Spiritual warriors in inward conflicts may send to the throne for reinforcements, and this will be a model for their request. Workers in heavenly labour may thus obtain grace in time of need. Seeking sinners, in doubts and alarms, may offer up the same weighty supplication; in fact, in all these cases, times, and places, this will serve the turn of needy souls. “Help, Lord,” will suit us living and dying, suffering or labouring, rejoicing or sorrowing. In him our help is found, let us not be slack to cry to him.

The answer to the prayer is certain, if it be sincerely offered through Jesus. The Lord’s character assures us that he will not leave his people; his relationship as Father and Husband guarantee us his aid; his gift of Jesus is a pledge of every good thing; and his sure promise stands, “Fear not, I WILL HELP THEE.”

Spurgeon, C. H. (2006). Morning and evening: Daily readings (Complete and unabridged; New modern edition.). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers.

   This past Father's Day had me thinking about my own father and even though he passed away seven years ago (in a few weeks it will be exactly seven years)... I remember that early on in my life my father and I did not always have the best relationship. In my mid-teens our relationship did get better, but then it was mostly about having fun. Only as my father got older and sicker did he start to open up to me and really talk, to have what I would consider a real relationship.     

Many of us did not have a good relationship with dad growing up. Maybe he wasn’t there enough, maybe he wasn’t supportive enough, maybe he was iron-fisted or maybe he pushed us into things we didn’t want to be involved in…    

What may be even more disturbing is that as we get older (or at least as I do) – I sometimes look at my hands and I am shocked because what I see are not my hands but my father’s hands!

     That has, on occasion, brought to mind the question – “Does my son, my daughter see my father’s hands?” This is translated –

 “Do my kids see me the same way that I saw my dad?” or

“What kind of father do my kids see?” And –

“Will they one day look at their hands and be shocked, or will they be thankful that their hands look like their father’s?

Since we use the term “FATHER” for God… and our kids know us as father – it won’t take them long to equate the two – that is – the will see God the Father by dad their father.     

You may not have had a good, real relationship with your father… but that doesn’t mean you cannot have a good relationship with YOUR children. In fact, I would tell you that it should move you to make sure that your kids see the Father’s Hands in your hands.  Sure, there are attributes of my dad that I want my kids, and grandkids to see in me.

My dad could be a fun kind of goofy, he would do just about anything for anyone, he made a valid effort to stay connected to family (even when stuff might not be the best in that relationship) I like that about him and I want my family to see that too.

But even greater than that - I want them to see my Heavenly Father in me... that when they call God "Father" it is a good, loving, firm, caring, strong vision that they see...I want them to see the Fathers hand on me and in me.

 

“…yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.”  

1 Corinthians 8:6 

 

Look at your hands – are they yours, your dad’s or are they your Father’s?

Oswald Chambers – in his “My Utmost for His Highest” shares this text and idea -

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend … I have called you friends. John 15:13, 15

The idea Chambers shares is that point of the text that it isn’t that one die but that one lays down their life. He writes –

“God saves a man and endues him with the Holy Spirit, and then says in effect—‘Now work it out, be loyal to Me, whilst the nature of things round about you would make you disloyal.’ “I have called you friends.” Stand loyal to your Friend, and remember that His honour is at stake in your bodily life.” *

It is rather easy to die. Many will say – I will die for Christ. And that is admirable I will say. But it is really hard in this life, in this day and age, to LIVE for Christ by laying down our lives and taking up His cross. Sure, we die to “self” but we live for the Savior. In our world we find it really difficult to live it day in and day out. We are confronted by temptations, we are confronted by criticism, we are confronted by possible ridicule and frankly it would be easier if once we were saved that God would take us out of this world. But for purposes greater than our own life – He leaves us here for His plan. If you are dead there is not temptation. If you are dead there is no criticism, for we do not speak ill of the deceased. If you are dead there is no struggle.

So the real “heros” are those who live day by day laying down their life, laying down their preferences, laying down their plans for the friend they have in Jesus. It does take courage, it does take faith and trust to LIVE for Christ everyday. But what a friend we have in Jesus and we can trust that HE died for us so that we can LIVE for Him.

 

 

* Chambers, O. (1986). My utmost for his highest: Selections for the year. Grand Rapids, MI: Oswald Chambers Publications; Marshall Pickering.

When did this happen?

 

Most of us who have “grown up” often wonder to ourselves…”When did this happen? Last I remember I was on a playground having fun and now I look in the mirror and there is this old person…?

My question isn’t when… my question for us is WHY?

Why do let ourselves “get old.” I am not talking about physically but the person on the inside. We cant really stop the body from aging (yes, we can buy potions, lotions and surgery to try and stop it…but it is still going to happen).  The body we can do nothing about… but we actually let ourselves “get old.” We try to justify it by saying – “I have matured.” Or we say – “I have outgrown those childish things…”   but being childlike and being childish are two different things. We can be childlike and yet not be childish. We can grow old yet remain like a child. I know a few Senior Saints who are not childish; they are not getting any younger… BUT THEY HAVE CHOSEN to be childlike. And let me tell you, to see their child like enthusiasm and childlike smile and attitude is vibrantly refreshing.  Their hair may be gray but their spirit is a sunny yellow. They may move more deliberately and slower but their spirit is as adventurous as a kindergartner on a playground. Their “childlikeness” makes my heart happy.  

Why do we choose to grow old? Why do we choose to let our spirits grow old? Why do we let ourselves cease to be childlike?

Listen to Jesus’ own words –  

“and said, “Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”  Matthew 18:3

“Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” Mark 10:15

LIKE CHILDERN – LIKE A CHILD

Last night and the next three days a group from our church will be surrounded by lots of children… and I hope I can learn from them… simple, childlike things that I saw on the first night. Things like –

Laughter without being self-conscious

Acting silly and not caring what anyone thinks

Dancing like no one was there

Hugging with abandon

Trusting others around me

Laughing more (yes, I mentioned this already)

Enjoying the flow not just going with it

Singing out loud

Happy with the small things (like two popsicle sticks and a piece of wax paper or a plastic bottle filled with colored rice)

Believing open heartedly

Holding someone’s hand when sad

 

WOW… what a place the body of Christ would be if we truly “become like children.”

 

Not when did we let this happen… but why…why did we let ourselves grow old and rigid and grumpy and why did we forget to praise with childlike abandon…why cant we be more like children….

I know you may have heard – “I may have to grow old but I don’t have to grow up.” If growing up means losing the child like things, simple joyful childlike things – then I don’t want to grow up. I want to be a child of God.

 

Jesus, please make me like a child today……………………

They Are Your Children

In the news recently was the story about tow 12 year olds… the below is taken from FoxNews.com..

LOS ANGELES –  On Saturday, two 12-year-old girls in Waukesha, Wisconsin were arrested on charges of attempted first-degree murder for luring a fellow classmate into the woods, where they allegedly held her down and stabbed her 19 times.

Court documents revealed that the suspects may have been motivated by their obsession with an Internet creation called Slenderman.

“Some say I’m evil, but all I ever wanted was (a) friend. I think that a few dozen casualties are to be expected during the quest for friendship,” reads the “About” description of Slenderman (also known as The Slender Man) on the character’s public figure Facebook page, which has well over one million likes.

The criminal complaint says the two girls were trying to become something called a “proxy of Slender” by murdering someone…..

(end of news article)

The article goes on to explain just what “Slenderman” – I won’t bother to go into it because that’s not the point… I know that in this day and age, with all the wonderful technology we have at our fingertips, it is hard to monitor EVERYTHING a child will do and see on the internet.  I am not at all against technology. I use it most of the day, every day. So that isn’t the point of this either.

My opinion is that parents have bought into this wholly stupid idea that it “takes a village” to the point that they let the village raise their child.

THEY ARE YOUR CHILDREN!!!!!

At the end of the day you and you alone are responsible for their care and upbringing. Yes, I know that it is difficult and yes I have raised two children. Where they always perfect? No. But they turned out to be great adults. You see I operated on the wisdom of God when He said..

In Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Keep in mind that the YOU is implied. They are YOUR children so YOU are to train them up.

Ephesians 6:4 “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”    How about you teach them right from wrong, teach them the difference between selflessness and selfishness, and respect and a healthy but loving fear of God.

And here is one that is really going to rattle some minds… Proverbs 13:24  “He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently.”  The correct amount of punishment and discipline has yet to ruin a child’s self-esteem. If you truly love and care for the well-being of your child you will apply the correct amount correctly.

Here is the deal – they are your children, but they are still children who are at best just trying to be kids and figure out the world around them. IF you allow the world around them to dictate who and what they are and believe then you get what you get. IF you take the initiative to teach them, love them, correct them, nurture them, and YES even control the process you will find that, except for the rare exception, your child(ren) will be stable, strong and productive. Will they make a mistake or two or three – well of course they will (you did) – but they will have a center reference point to come back to. A reference point that is firm, stable and healthy. They will be able to connect to the very God who created them and they will know right from wrong and so much more.

It is not easy, it will take a great deal of time and effort and it will take a great deal of resources. You will laugh often; cry just as much, be frustrated and joy and sometimes all at the same time. But they are your children, they are your responsibility. Don’t let society raise YOUR child. They belong to you not society.

And in the end there is great satisfaction that they can grow up to be adults you would actually want to hang out with.

THEY ARE YOUR CHILDREN

Matthew 25:34-40

 “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’

Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’

The Hungry               The Thirsty                    The Stranger

The Naked                The Sick                        The Prisoner

Those who seem to have nothing to give back. Those who really don’t have anything to give back. Those who may be considered the “untouchables”…

They matter to God. They are important to God. When you and I reach out to those who can do nothing for us we are the most like Christ and we make God proud.

Luke 6:35

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

WOW…!!! ”…for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men” God is kind to the ungrateful and evil? Well, that’s what it says.

Society takes care of its own. Society will care for those who look like “me”, who talk like “me” – dress like “me” – are in the same economic circle as “me”…  People, no matter where they are in life want kindness, love, relationship and I often wonder why we just give it to those who are “like us.” We all selfishly do it because we (under the surface) want to get something back. I know that am guilty of it.  But when we give to those who can give nothing in return, when we share kindness with the “untouchables,” when we touch their lives with kindness and they know that we want nothing in return – that kindness will shine into their life the love of Christ.

I want to challenge you to share the love, share the kindness with someone who ISNT like you – catch them off guard and be Jesus to them…