Going for Christ- Part 2

It's not a question of "Do I GO?" it's a question of "How Do I GO?"

Please read Going for Christ- Part 1 first. Thank you.

I always thought that to be a missionary, you had to go to the "jungles of Africa" or some other exotic place. But, this past year I attended a conference in Ohio, and the focus was on "Going for the Lord".  I realized at that conference that going has many different faces.

You can be going by serving in your local church, ministering to homeless at your local soup kitchen, leading after school Bible clubs, going on mission trips, or just by giving a smile to someone. 

As Christians, we are all missionaries for Christ. We have been given the commission to "Go into all the World and preach the Gospel". 

The problem some Christians have (myself included), is that we forget we're all missionaries, and we tend to brush off "going into all the world". We get so caught up in Jerusalem, that we forget about ALL of Judea, much less the uttermost parts of the earth. And Samaria? It's at the very back of our minds, if it's even in our minds at all.

I have been challenged through the seminars I've attended and the books I have read this past year, to get my "Global Focus" back. 

I am Christian, a Follower of Christ. His heart is supposed to be my heart. His desires, my desires. I must live my life as if it truly is.

I must not only work in my Jerusalem (where I am at right now), I must also do what I can to help spread the gospel across the country of the United States. I also need to make sure that my Samaria is being reached as well- I must go to those that when I think of them, I cringe (I'm being honest with you, this does happen in my life!). I also need to be thinking about the entire world, but I don't just need to think, I need to do...in ALL aspects.

As an example- My life. The way I'm "Going" right now-

*Author's note- My main calling, and my heart, is to work with children, so most of my "Go's" revolve around kids. Not everyone is called to work with children. Some are called to work with the elderly, some are called to work with teens, others still are called to work with business leaders, etc.. What has the Lord called you to do? What makes your heart burn with a passion to be able to be a part of it?

In my Jerusalem- I lead children's church on Sundays and Vacation Bible School in the Summer. I help with a food pantry at my church.

In all Judea- I lead and help with children's programs in North Carolina and Texas. (Mental note-This is an area I need to work on.)

Samaria- there are some people that are hard to work with in all circles. I am learning to serve them all in the Love of Christ. It makes life much more simple if I do it through Christ's power and not my own. :)

Uttermost parts of the Earth- I LONG for the day when I can go out of the country to serve the Lord. But until the Lord opens the door for me to go, I help support the goal of spreading the Gospel of Christ to the uttermost parts of the world by giving monetarily and prayerfully to "frontline missionaries" (so to speak) and to organizations that are dedicated to sharing the Gospel.

All Glory goes to the Lord for allowing me the privilege of serving Him in a multitude of ways. I am not bragging on myself but on Christ my Savior! I simply want to help give you all an idea of what "GO" looks like for an average 20-something adult.

So- Those are my "Go's". What are your's? What do you feel the Lord directing you to do?
I would love to hear your stories!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Resource links-

The conference I attended last year has the audios online for you to listen to and download for free- Check them out!
Sermon Audios from Passion4Christ Summit 2012

If you would like to experience Radical, or any of the other books I've listed for yourself- Here are links to each one-
Radical by David Platt
Passion for the Heart of God by John Zumwalt
Not a Fan by Kyle Idleman

Enjoy! God Bless you on your Journey!

Going for Christ- Part 1

This month I have been reading a book that was recommended by a friend, and then provided by the Lord. 
The book is called Radical by David Platt--Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream.

It is a wonderful book, and has already changed my thinking and my life drastically! I am taking the book slow and mentally digesting each section I read. Yes, I said section, I can't even read a whole chapter at a time, there's so much to think about!

This past year I also read two other books entitled- Passion for the Heart of God by Zumwalt, and Not a Fan by Idleman. The recurring theme in all three books is that as a Christian, you are commanded to GO into the world and preach the gospel and to make disciples.

The other night as I was reading Radical, I started thinking about Acts 1:8-
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth."

All of my life, this verse has been taught as if it is "or" between the cities/countries, not "and". It's also been taught as if we all have a choice as to which one we're going to 'reach for Christ'. The other thing I noticed is that it is taught a lot of times that Jerusalem is your hometown.

Here's what the Lord revealed to me the other night-
First of all- It is "AND" throughout the whole verse. There is no option to choose one or the other, they are all part of the commandment.

Second- 

• Jerusalem is not the hometown, because the disciples were all men of Galilee, not Jerusalem. (So don't think that just because you've moved cross-country you get out of serving!) I have come to believe Jerusalem is where you're at right now. The men that Jesus was addressing in Acts 1:8 were in Jerusalem. Christ was saying- don't wait until you get home, don't wait until a certain day. Get started NOW! 
• ALL Judea- Judea was the country in which Jerusalem was and is located. I see this as Christ saying- don't stay in one place, spread out. Cover the whole country with the Gospel!
• Samaria- I believe Samaria represents your enemies, and those who you feel to be inferior to you. In other words- those who you don't think deserve the Gospel.  It's the uncomfortable place to go. You see, historically, Samaria was a country full of half-breeds. The Jews would not have anything to do with Samaritans. By Christ saying go to Samaria, He is saying- humble yourself, they need the Gospel as well.
• Uttermost Parts of the Earth- This is plain as can be. Jehovah's heart is for the entire world ("For God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16). If we call ourselves Christians, then that means we are to have a renewed mind and heart- the mind and heart of Christ. If Christ's heart is for the whole world, ours should be as well.

So, in a nutshell, we are all commanded to "GO" for Christ. So it's not a question of "Do I go?" It's a question of "How do I go?"

TO BE CONTINUED...

New Year's 2013

Wow! Another year has come…and just as quickly…gone.

I have been learning an amazing thing this year- Truly Trusting Christ. I know, I’ve made a couple posts about that this year, so I’ll spare you and not go into a really long speech. :)

I have a feeling I will be learning this even more so this year. Last year, the Lord threw in a couple surprises in what I thought was a year I had well planned. 

This year, there are only a couple of things I actually have planned. Everything else is completely up in the air!

I am a little nervous as to what the year might hold, but I am completely thrilled to find out what the Lord has in store! It’s even more thrilling to know that the majority of it is going to be a complete surprise, and that my year’s story (as well as my life story) is being written by the Maker of Heaven and Earth, my Heavenly Father!

Jeremiah 29:11 says- “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

Hebrews 11:1- “Now FAITH is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Romans 8:24-29- “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”

What wonderful truths to start the New Year on!

Not only is the Lord planning good things for our lives, but- THROUGH His plans He will build our faith and our hope! By building our faith and hope, He will draw us even closer to Himself!

Oh! What a glorious thought! Every step of this life is predestined by Christ Himself to draw us closer and closer to Him!

How wonderful to know that everything- Every person, every job, every relationship, every ministry, EVERYTHING- is meant to strengthen our relationship with Christ.

As you enter into 2013- be on the lookout. Look around you for the blessings of Christ, and for the ways He is drawing you to Himself! It could be in the most unlikely place!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!