Our Mission pt.1

Last night I directed your attention to a live, audio Bible study on inSpeak.com. To my knowledge, none of you came to the study. I knew all the people there, that how I knew you weren't there. It's a shame really, you missed an incredible study.

Last night's study was led by pastor John Lane of Cheney Baptist Church. Pastor John is also the man behind the curtain at Piper McClure.

Maybe last night's study was only incredible to me, because it spoke directly to some issues I'm dealing with right now at this point of my crossroads.

I'd like to share the outline of the study and my thoughts on a few of the points that were made. My thoughts may not exactly reflect John's intention for this study, so I don't want anyone to think I'm speaking for him on this. This is just what I got out of the study. It was my intention to cover the whole study in one blog entry, but that's not possible for a couple of reasons. 1. my arm still hurts and 2. there's just too much to cover in the time I have this morning. So, I will break this up and cover this in 3 seperate entries. This is part 1. I will make an effort to cover part (point) 2 and 3, later on today.

The topic was Our Mission: opening text was Col 4:2-6

• Point #1 Ask God (prayer)... 1 Thes 5:25, 2 Thes 3:1, Eph 6:18-19
• Point #2 Live it... Matt 5:16, Phil 2:14-15
• Point #3 Tell it... Mark 16:15, Rom 10:13-15

From the very opening text, I was a captive listener.

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Questions that I had to ask myself as this text was read:

1. Do I regularly pray that God will open doors for me to speak about Jesus to people, who do not know Him?
2. Do I walk in wisdom?
3. Do I make proper use of my time?
4. Is my speech, at all times, with grace, seasoned with salt, that my answers are God glorifying?

My answers are as follows:

1. No, not always.
2. No, not always.
3. No, not always.
4. No, not always.

Clearly this was a message I needed to hear, and needed to hear right now.

Point #1 was asking God, in prayer, to direct me (us) into profitable situations where God may be glorified and Christ proclaimed.

1Thes. 5:25 Brethren, pray for us. (praying for each other)

I have a short story to tell about praying for others. As you know my arm is injured. The other night, I was in considerable pain and could not get comfortable enough to sleep. Kev was asleep already, and so in tears, I came to the pc to logon and see if any of my friends were on, to ask for prayer, and suggestions. My friend Michael was on, and I pm'd him immediately. He suggested instead of praying for myself, to busy myself with praying for others. As completely self-centered as I wanted to be at that point, I knew this was the right suggestion. So I logged off, settled back into the recliner (I couldn't lay in my bed, it hurt 10 times as much) and began to think of all the people I know - friends, family, aquaintances, etc. - and their needs. From salvation to healing, and everything in between. My arm still hurt like crazy but I asked the Lord to let me forget it, and help me focus on these people and their needs. I didn't even get to finish praying, the next thing I knew it was morning. I'd fallen asleep through the pain, and slept all night. This was a great blessing for me, to be able to step outside of me, and go into a place of bringing the needs of others before the Lord. I don't think I do this often enough, and was pre-occupied even the next day with thoughts of others, and their needs. Not only did this change my thinking, but the next day my arm was considerably better, and the constant, extreme pain, was gone. It's still painful, but not like it was that night - and has improved a little more each day, since then. Is this the Lord being faithful to bless me, because I set aside my own concerns and pray for others? I don't know that I want to say that - but I suppose it could be. I'm more concerned about doing what pleases Him, in any case. This is a case where prayer, for others, lead to a profitable situation where God was indeed glorified.

2Thes. 3:1 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you.

Do we do this on a regular basis? Do I do it? Do we think of this aspect of evangelization on a regular basis? I can only answer for myself and say that no, I don't always consider the word of the Lord not having free course.

I'm a 40 year old North American mom who's never been on a mission field or even outside north America. I've heard all the stories everyone else has about oppression and persecution, but I don't live it, I don't see it, and so I don't always remember that in most places around the world, the gospel cannot be freely declared, like it can be here in north America. Geographical mission fields aside, there are socialogical mission fields to consider, right here in our own families, workplaces, schools and communities. Wives with unsaved husbands, employees who work with unsaved co-workers, college campuses, highschools, day care workers, the bagger at the grocery store... the list is almost endless. In so many cases, and in so many different ways, for different reasons, the gospel simply does not have free course. Am I regularly praying that God might remove hindrances, barriers, and open closed ears, to the gospel?

Ephesians 6:18-19
Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel

Lately, I've noticed (and I'm not the only one picking up on this) that the Christian community on the Internet (blogs, chats, forums, email) has almost become frenzied in roasting one another. Now this is not to say that we aren't to call false teaching for what it is, but it IS to say that there's a Biblical standard for doing such things - and IF the teacher is indeed a brother or sister in Christ, our main objective should certainly be centered around restoring them to a proper understanding of doctrine - not chewing them up verbally, and spitting them out on the sidewalk. Some have recently accused me of doing this very thing. Others have defended me and said "no, I don't see you doing that". In my opinion, I have come VERY close to doing it, and may have even stepped over the line, at times. I don't want to be guilty of stepping over that line. I don't want to be guilty of the same over-correction errors I see in other modern movements - being so concerned with this or that or the other, that in my zeal I abandon Biblically mandated speech and conduct. It's very easy to go there.

Instead, it's my desire that His words may be given to me (not my use of my own words - there is a difference), that in all assurance and confidence that I do speak His word, and not my own - that He may be glorified. James 1:5 says

"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him."

While I believe that with all my being, I don't always follow the proper steps to gaining wisdom. It's a simple 1 process step, really. Ask God. Pray, and bare your needs to Him, and seek His wisdom - for whatever issue it is you're dealing with. False doctrine, health issues, financial difficulty, parenting issues - it doesn't matter what it is. Some might say this sounds like a pat answer, but it couldn't be more clear from the Scripture, how we attain wisdom. James tells us that for those who ask, God gives, and gives liberally (simply, openly, frankly, sincerely), and does not turn us away.

If we were to pray, seeking God's wisdom on a thing, no matter what the "thing", God is faithful to give His words to speak, His wisdom, and humble confidence and assurance that the very words we deliver, are straight from Him. Surely this will glorify Him, and edify those we speak to - in person, or on the Internet via text, like this.

This concludes my thoughts on point #1 "Ask God". I'll do my best to address points 2 (Live It) and 3 (Tell It) later today.

I hope this blessed someone today.
SDG,
Carla