How will you know?

In Acts 5, we read about how Peter and the other disciples are on fire for the Lord.  They are teaching and preaching about Jesus.  Miracles are taking place in the name of Jesus.  Things are happening!  This, of course, brings attention to the religious leaders.  They decide to put them in prison.
An angel of the Lord gets them out of prison, but they are to go back and continue to preach where they have been preaching.  The Lord had a plan.  When the religious leaders see this, they want it stopped.  They consider killing them, but one Pharisee stands up.  Gamaliel offers advice.  He tells them to consider the uprisings of two other people.  Those people and their groups soon fizzled out.  He tells them to leave this group alone.  If it is of God, then they would be fighting with God.  If it is of men, it will come to nothing anyway.
Gamaliel's advice sounds like good advice.  If it is of God, then it WILL continue.  God is stronger and mightier than anything we face.  But, this can be confusing because there are a lot of competing ideas out there that all seem to be thriving.  There are a lot of false religions and ideas that are in the world that aren't fizzling out.  We have to remember that Gamaliel's advice was that of a man.  How can we be sure that we guard ourselves against falling for false religions and ideas?  Here are 4 ideas that can help to keep us on track:
1 - Measure what we hear by the Word of God (The Holy Bible).  The Bible contains truth.  There is wisdom for how to live.  There are principles to follow.  There are examples which we can relate.  BUT, we actually have to open the Bible, read the Bible, and study it.  How can we use what we don't read or study?  Many people won't open their Bibles on Sunday morning in church, much less at home.  So many are missing Sunday School where they can learn more about the Word of God and be in conversation about the truth contained in it.  How can we know if we don't open the Word, read it, and study??
2 - Even those who claim to be Christians don't always get the truth right.  We are all human.  We make mistakes.  Pick up the Bible and read it for yourself.  Don't let someone else just tell you what is in it.  Do it for yourself!
3 - Pray - spend time in prayer before you pick up the Bible that God will give you wisdom and guide you in your reading/studies.  Don't go into it with the attitude that you won't understand what you are reading or you don't have time.  Be ready to hear and see what God is speaking to you through the Word.
4 - Seek true godly wisdom from those around.  Listen to those who open their Bibles, spend time in the Word, and seek the will of God.  While we don't do this exclusively, it is good to talk about what we have read and are studying.  It helps us to consider what the Word is saying.
Don't fall for competing ideas when you have the truth right before you - Pick up the Word of God and read/study it for yourself!!

Mentors and Role Models

We all have a mentor or someone that we admire/have admired.  Our mentors should always point us to the Lord and give Him the glory for everything.  Our mentors should show and give us godly wisdom versus worldly wisdom. 
1 Corinthians 3:18-23 has some advice for us.  Here is what I take from this:
1) The wisdom of God is not the wisdom of the world.  The things that our world holds high and with importance are things such as wealth, fame and power.  The Bible doesn't lead us in the same direction.  When we become Christians, we automatically go against the grain of the world.  We seek to follow God first and put Him first in everything.  We also seek to put others ahead of ourselves. 
2) Our ultimate mentor and guide is Jesus Christ.  He died on the cross for our sins and gives us abundant life.  However, abundant doesn't mean the same thing that the world might define as abundant.  Not an accumulation of things, but a life lived for HIM.
3) With the Lord as our ultimate mentor, we should then be mentors that point others to Him.  You are being watched.  Others are looking to see how you react to adversity, how you live the life, how you represent the life you proclaim. 
You may be more of a mentor than you realize.  Let us show the world what a real mentor is...point someone to Christ today!

To Serve or Not to Serve...

This past Sunday, we did something different.  We looked at the reasons NOT to serve the Lord and do what He asks.  In order to do this, we looked at some of the reasons given by three of people of the Old Testament. 

First, we looked at Moses.  I like Moses because he had so many reasons not to do what God was asking, despite the fact that he was staring at a burning bush that wasn’t being consumed.  He had several insecurities and he didn’t mind telling God all about them (as if God didn’t know all of those when He called him into action). 

God calls Moses to lead His people out of Egyptian bondage.  He says (and I paraphrase):

Exodus 3:11 – “Why Me?” and God said, “I will be with you”

Exodus 4:1 – “What if they don’t believe me?” and God said, “Here are 3 signs that you can use”

Exodus 4:10 – “I don’t speak well – it isn’t my thing” and God said, “I am in control and I will teach you what to say”

Exodus 4:13 – “Please don’t pick me for THAT – there must be somebody else!” and God said, “I’ll send Aaron to help”

Isaiah and Jeremiah have quite different stories.  They aren’t trying to get out of doing what was asked.  They simply had things they wanted to bring before the Lord that made them feel unprepared.

Isaiah 6:5 – Isaiah realizes his sin and unworthiness.  God cleanses him.  We are all sinners and unworthy to be called or to serve.  However, the blood of Jesus Christ washes us clean and the Holy Spirit prepares us to serve and helps us to do just that.  Isaiah was cleansed and more than willing to serve!

Jeremiah 1:5 – “I’m too young for this” – God reminded him that He had known Jeremiah before he was even formed in the womb and he would take care of him.  Jeremiah didn’t have a fun, great, exciting message.  He had a difficult message, but God knew he could use Jeremiah.  Jeremiah was chosen and Jeremiah did it.

God calls different people from different backgrounds…different levels of education…different personalities…differing abilities…but He calls

There is really only 1 reason to say YES – Because God asked you to!

We should realize that it is a privilege and blessing to serve the Lord and jump at the opportunity to serve when He calls!!

On Mission for Him

On Sunday, we had 2 very special guests.  A doctor and a nurse (husband and wife) that go during the year on medical missions.  They spend their time, resources, and energy to help those around the world that are struggling with health problems of many kinds.  Not only do they help with the medical need, they also try to help them spiritually as well.  They go out of their comfort zones to spread the Good News to many who need to hear. 
Through Biblical storytelling, they told us what the scripture from Acts 9 said and focused on one particular person...Ananias.  Ananias heard from the Lord that he was to go see Saul...a killer...someone that Christians were to be very scared of...and Ananias was no exception.  Saul was a huge threat to "The Way" and Ananias knew that.  What Ananias didn't know right away was that the Lord had already begun a work in Saul (who became Paul).  Ananias was faithful and went out of his comfort zone to do as the Lord had called. 
We are called to step out of our comfort zones as well.  We are called to listen and obey...not matter what the Lord asks us to do.  But too many times, we sit waiting for someone else to do it.
Our guests shared a message of:  1) Listen to the Lord as He leads  2) Make sure that what you hear is of the Lord and what He wants  3) Go!  Don't let your fears get in the way!
What a testimony for each of us.  Whether we are missionaries in foreign countries or missionaries in our own hometown, we are called to get out of our own comfort zones and do what the Lord has called us to do...
Are you listening and obeying?

We are in this together...

As I was thinking about Memorial Day, I saw a special on television about an amazing rescue of a man in the Army.  This man had an explosive inside of him and others came to his rescue despite the obvious dangers in helping him.  Because of their bravery and willingness to look beyond their own safety, his life was saved.  He lives to tell the story.  When the reporter asked the others why they did it, one said that he couldn't leave him behind...he was an American...he was wearing the same uniform that I was...
What a thought.  They were willing to stick together because they were in it together.  Christians are in this together as well!  We should be united, standing together, working side by side for the cause of Christ!
Philippians 2:1-16 has lots of advice for the church.  It helped me to see how we can stand united when standing for Christ.
Paul writes that there are 3 important pieces to the puzzle in being the church.
1) We are to have the same love.  What love is that?  This is the Christian's UNIFORM!  Why would I say that?  Because Jesus said that others would be able to know that we are His disciples by the way we LOVE!  People should see our "uniform" of love...we show that we are Christians when we love God and we love others. 
2) We are to live in unity.  We are to have a common goal and work towards a common purpose.  We are to serve the Lord and follow His will and His way.  We aren't in the world alone.  We are given the helper, the Holy Spirit.  We are also given each other.  We can stand together as Christians.
3) We are to be of one mind.  This doesn't mean we all think alike...thankfully!  This doesn't mean we do things the same.  What this means is that we are to have the mind of Christ (vs 5).  To be like minded with Christ means that we have 2 ways of living:
     a) Service - Christ was all about service...He taught about service...He lived service...His life was service
     b) Humility - He came to earth by humble means and lived a humble life.  His whole ministry denotes humility and service.
How do we do this?
We do all things without complaining or disputing (vs 14) - we are working for the Master and we have to act like it.
We are to shine bright as lights for Him (vs 15) - we do this by being His disciples and being the hands and feet of Christ.
All of this being said...we are in this together.  We are to live for Him and work for Him with our everything!!