SENT

I have given them your word and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.  As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.  John 17:14-18

I don’t know about you, but I don’t watch the news.  I don’t read the news, I don’t watch the news on TV, and I don’t listen to the news on the radio.  I avoid it at all costs.

With this mindset, there are days where I feel very out of the loop.  Especially because I am at home, I feel slightly secluded from the world.  Lately I have been feeling very convicted about this revelation of isolation.

Am I interacting with unbelievers or “the world” on a daily basis?  Yes, I have my laptop that is the world of Facebook and Twitter.  But, do I have personal contact and forming relationships with unbelievers? Or am I living a daily life of isolated comfort?

For too long I have taken the verse “ Do not yoke yourself with unbelievers” to an extreme.

In John, Jesus says that we have been SENT into the world.  Although we are not of the world, we have been SENT here for the distinct purpose of declaring The Truth and sharing the hope.

Am I doing what I have been SENT here into this world to do?  Am I sharing Christ to unbelievers?  What a mission.  You are not of the world, but you have been sent here for a purpose, and that is to share Christ.

Too often, I think Christians get too comfortable in their Christian bubbles.  Certainly the Body of Christ is a place to form relationships rooted in Christ and His Truth, but are we stepping outside of our comfort zones to our mission field of unbelievers that is the world?

What parts of the day are you actively engaged with unbelievers?  Are you taking the time to form relationships with them?

Jesus says that we will be hated.  We are not of this world.

We have been given His Word, the Truth.  We are not taken out of the world.  We are here because we have a mission.  Hold on to the promises.

Consider yourselves SENT. 

Your Grace is More

Luke 14: 16-24

16But He said to him, “A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many;17and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for everything is ready now.’18“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.’19“Another one said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.’20“Another one said, ‘I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’21“And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, ‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’22“And the slave said, ‘Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’23“And the master said to the slave, ‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled.24‘For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.’”

I despise the thought of journaling.  I just can’t do it.  It just sounds daunting.  What a commitment. 

I have been praying for the past 2 years about starting a blog.  I thought, I want to document a period in my life.  Not only for myself, but to share with others.

I’ve told myself for the past two years that I will start this blog when my life gets more exciting. 

My husband David and I are committed to sharing Christ.  It is as simple as that.  We love the Lord, we live in His peace, and we want to tell everyone about Him.  The Holy Spirit has been doing His work in us.  Joy at times, and others are brutally painful.

In Luke, Jesus tells of the parable of those who are invited to a banquet.  All of the invited guests make excuses as to why they can’t come to the banquet.  One bought a new field, one has animals to tend to, the other is just married.  The invited guests turn down the offer, but at what cost?  They all turned their blessings into excuses not to attend.  He says, those who were invited and refuse the invitation will not taste of the dinner.  I don't know about you, but I certainly only want what God has prepared for me.  Forget my plans.

What excuses are you making for not attending the banquet?  What are you holding on to that keeps you from handing your life over to His service?

My excuses: my money, my life, my goals. 

Excuse #1- My husband and I fought for too long holding on to our money as our own.

I told the Lord many times; I can’t spend tens of thousands of dollars to commit to His service.  It’s my money!  Surely you can’t be asking me to spend it on this degree.  How will we pay for this? And even as I type it, it sounds silly.

Of course, my unbelief of God’s providence beyond my own comprehension has caused too much pain to even admit. God’s revelation to us of this unbelief was striking.  He has blessed us beyond our imagination.  Those very blessings we turned into excuses. 

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more.

 Excuse #2-  I have dreams Lord, I want to own my own house.  Better yet, I want to build my own house.  I want a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house on an acre of land where my husband can hunt in the woods.  Surely, this dream isn’t displeasing to God.  Surely, he wants me to have my own house. 

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more.

Excuse #3- I have goals Lord.  I want to be successful.  I want respect from people.  I want to be seen as successful.

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more.

What very blessings have you turned into excuses?  The Lord continuously blesses us beyond our imaginations.  Have you turned any of them into excuses?

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more.

I must share my story.  I don’t need to wait until the next stage to share my story. 

I must share my testimony.

Unbelief.  How common of a sin.  Are you struggling from unbelief?  Do you believe that God is who He says He is?

There are too many people struggling with unbelief.  If I can minister and speak to one person, I have achieved my ultimate goal- sharing Christ.

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_q1cXSM_6o