Ah yes, back to blogging. I promise after my last one that wasn't the end of me, I've just had a writers block so it's not like I went through a tough patch and dropped off the face of the earth I promise:) Besides…. when this months topic was missions work that's like a child in a candy shop for me….how could I ever resist???
So let's talk about missions…. let's talk about adventures….and let's talk about changing the world for a bit shall we? My favorite fictional character of all time is Reepicheep from The Chronicles of Narnia…. Such a little guy and yet such a HUGE spirit!!! He would unashamably go after the enemies everyone else was afraid of, much like King David… He took on the sea serpent, he jumped at the chance to go into Asland's country…. he left behind the ultimate legacy and at the center of it all, he has the most amazing heart and saw the gold in everyone. He's such a perfect representation of what we're called to….All the time I hear (not so much directly at me anymore, people have kinda learned I have a reputation for not putting up with it) the excuse "you're (i'm) just one person…what could I possibly do to change the world??" A) Jesus and His 12 disciples "turned the whole world upside down" (Acts 17:6) and built a legacy that has lasted over 2,000 years. B) You have access to everything they did. The same power that conquered the grave lives inside of you (Romans 8:11) and Jesus said everything He did and GREATER things than these you can do when you call upon His name (John 14:12) and C) EVEN IF….you couldn't change the world….you can change individuals…who can change individuals….who can change individuals….who can change nations.
Reepicheep was the little tiny mouse who didn't let his size or stature get in the way of his great and mighty destiny.
You are created to be Reepicheep.
Seth Barnes makes a fantastic point in his book "Kingdom Journeys". He points out that a lot of the time it takes a physical adventure to come to the destination of our spiritual journey… There's so much you experience through travel and adventure that you WILL NOT FIND if you spend all of your life in the American bubble….All bubbles are meant to be popped. The world may look like it's "going to hell" in the U.S.A. but I've seen too much outside of our great country to ever be able to believe that…. Do you realize that on average, 25,000 (yes, thousand) people come to Christ A DAY in Africa??? Or that, on average, 100,000 people are coming to Christ a day in Asia??? That's what we're called to!!!
Now it's time for a disclaimer…. I'm vehemently against the idea that money is evil…. An ineffective church is a church without resources. Now that we have that outta the way, let's move on.
What price are you paying for revival? So many of us sit around and pray "God, use me!!!!" or "God, I want what that person has!!!" but we're never really willing to pay the price that they have to get to where they are…. We want results without the work it takes to get them… There's a story in 1 Chronicles 21 in which King David decides to take a census of Israel and it violates the Lord's command so God sends a plague. In order to stop the spread of this plague, David goes to buy Ornan the Jebusite's field and threshing floor in order to offer burnt offerings there and Ornan tells him "My king, take the field and do whatever you like with it". David's response is sooooo powerful…. "No, but I will surely buy it for the full price; for I will not take what is yours for the Lord, or offer a burnt offering which costs me nothing." ……..whoa…. So many of us want the fruit and the results without the price….
Salvation is free, it'll just cost you everything.
Jesus' great commission said GO, make disciples of all nations. The disciples didn't go, they setup church and they set up home base in Jerusalem… Paul was going out long before the rest of them, they were content playing church until finally the jews kicked them all out in an uprising and then they finally did what they were supposed to and suddenly the gospel was reaching Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Now I know what you're thinking…Jed…. this is all fine and dandy but I'm just not called to missions!…. Fine… but can I just share something I've learned with you guys and just be open and real? There's more to grace than just forgiveness etc… The word in the new testament for grace is "Charis". Here's the literal definition:
1) grace
a) that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech
2) good will, loving-kindness, favour
a) of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues
3) what is due to grace
a) the spiritual condition of one governed by the power of divine grace
b) the token or proof of grace, benefit
1) a gift of grace
2) benefit, bounty
4) thanks, (for benefits, services, favours), recompense, reward
Oh snap…. So there's more to it…. You ever heard someone say "you have a real grace on your life for ___"? That's the rest of this…. You can go do "normal life" to your hearts content and think you're called to nothing special but… the second you remember your identity of being Reepicheep… the second you start living in a way that costs you… you might lose your comfortability…but it will be like having a joint that's been slightly out of place all your life suddenly popping back into place…and suddenly you're more comfortable and more alive than you've ever been in your life. There's a refreshment, a "joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness, favor, holy influence, benefit, and bounty" about living a life where you're in the grace zone and while you might lose what you hold onto closest…you won't even notice because when that's the benefit of where you're at you'll be addicted for life.
The farther you go in Christ, the less you can take with you.
You're made for greatness… excuses do not become you… The dogs of doom will always stand in the doorway of destiny and you can listen to everything they have to say about why you shouldn't go through with your dreams or why they're unrealistic…or you could press past them and change the course of history forever… God had a dream and He wrapped your body around it. Go live it.
