Who do we think we are?

Luke 7:7 -9 says, "When he was still quite far from the house, the captain sent friends to tell him, "Master, you don't have to go to all this trouble. I'm not that good a person, you know. I'd be embarrassed for you to come to my house, even embarrassed to come to you in person. Just give the order and my servant will get well. I'm a man under orders; I also give orders. I tell one soldier, 'Go,' and he goes; another, 'Come,' and he comes; my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." Taken aback, Jesus addressed the accompanying crowd: "I've yet to come across this kind of simple trust anywhere in Israel, the very people who are supposed to know about God and how he works."

So many people in the church seem to think that they know all about God. They have been studying and learning for years and they know how it all works.

But look at this passage. Here is a man who is not a Jew, not a believer. He lives among the Jews as a Roman soldier, and he probably knows a lot about them, but he is not a Jew. He asks for healing for someone else, and also recognizes the authority of Jesus unlike anyone Jesus had encountered! Jesus knew even back then - people on the 'outside' are watching. They are always watching what we say and do. By observing and listening, they probably understand more about God and how He works than many of us realize.

When a person who was not raised in the church is saved, their lives are brand new. They truly live out the verse about being a new creation. You can see the changes and they embrace this new sense of security and freedom.

But when someone who has lived all thier lives in the church is saved, it's not that much of a change. They already know the lingo and all the regular liturgy of the church. I think sometimes we do (mostly younger) new believer a disservice when we don't treat them like a new believer from the 'outside'. How many of these kids and young people fall away because they never go through a life-changing event? They may say all the right words and do all the right things, but how many of them are put into a position to really have to make the choice?

How do we do that? I don't know. But we cannot just assume that they know it. They must be given words and actions to use in situations. They must be given alternatives to do and say in place of the things they know in the world. They must learn to go out and tell. New believers usually go out and tell all their friends, the change is that drastic. But I rarely hear a young person do the same. How can we make the change that drastic so that they cannot help but tell?

Floods and Trickles

John 6:19 says Everyone was trying to touch him - so much energy surging from him, so many people healed! MSG
This is how ministry feels! Everyone wants to be right by the pastor - close quarters - intimate. I remember how I felt when Jeff wasn't the senior pastor. I wanted to be noticed as someone special by the person who, really and truly, represented Christ in the church I attended.

We represent Christ. All Christians represent Christ, but those in the pastoral ministry are put in a position to be that earthly figure that people look at when they are looking for Christ.

What a responsibility!

Jesus was putting out energy all over the place as the crowds pressed in on him and he healed them!

How do we handle the stress of all those around us pressing in on us? We know that all the things we do make a difference - that's not the point. I know that Jeff and I love to know how God has worked through some small thing we have said or done. That's what we are passionate about. That's what keeps us going. But there are so many things that we could be doing and saying. There are so many things we WANT to do and say! How do we handle that stress and keep going?

Prayer is the answer. We need to stay pray-up.

But do we do it? I know I have not been the best at it. I know in my head and I teach in my classes that Jesus must come first (JOY - Jesus first, Others second, myself last)
I have translated that as: work for Jesus first, help others second, find quiet time for myself last. And last it usually is. Even now, as I spend some quality quiet time with God and the Bible I find that it is time for bed. I have to teach tomorrow and need all the physical rest I can get! So how do I find time for all of it like Jesus did?

I need to put time with God first. I need to get up and spend quiet time with God every morning before the rest of the house wakes up.

I will do that tomorrow. I will get up when I plan to.
I will pray before I go to work.
My day has to be better! It can't get much worse!
And I will pray throughout the day.
Jesus did it.
He was human.
I can do it with God's help!!!!!

BE!

As I read my devotional this morning, I kept asking myself - how do you lead people to take Jesus from their heads and 'to do' lists and soften their hearts so He can enter and grow? Doing for Christ is not being in Christ. Being in Christ leads to doing for Christ, but doing does not guarantee being. There are so many people out there doing and doing and doing, but they don't know they need to BE IN Christ to get to heaven. Doing won't get you there! You can KNOW all you want. You can DO all you want. You can SAY all you want. None of these three will help me see you in heaven! You have to ask Christ to enter your body and clean in up. You have to let go of your control issues and your pride and allow Christ to clean. Once Christ enters, you will have desire to DO, KNOW, and SAY, but it will be with such less effort that you DO KNOW and SAY that you will be amazed at how much simpler and easier it is!

If you are a doer, but not a be-er, then I urge you to give over your life right now. Get out of the driver's seat of the car of your life and let Jesus drive. At first you'll be a totally annoying backseat driver, but as you watch and learn, you will see that Jesus's way is the best way, even if you don't know where he is going at the time. Let him lead you. Let him guide you. Let him drive! I have yet to meet anyone who is sorry they ever did that. I only hear laments about not doing it sooner.

It won't be easy. It will be difficult and it will be scary. You will end up with different friends a lot of times. You will end up with a whole new life! But it's like a butterfly! The caterpillar has to give up his old self completely before he can become a new creature. You have to do the same. Just like the caterpillar, who turns almost completely to liquid inside the chrysalis, you have to give all of your being to Christ, who will mold you and change you into a beautiful creature unlike anything you could ever imagine!

Let me know how it works out for you!