Have you ever pondered the question why am I alive? Why am I here on planet earth? What's my mission? What's my life's purpose? Remember several years ago, well known preacher and writer, Rick Warren wrote a book, "Purpose Driven Life"! He discussed and reviewed for us that each one of us has a mission and a purpose of why we are on this planet.
In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus stood up and read from Isaiah 61:1-2 these words, "the spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then He added, "today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."
Jesus also stated His mission, His purpose in Matthew 20:28, "the son of man did not come to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many."
Jesus stated His mission and knew His mission. Do you know yours? Why are we here? What's my purpose?
I believe there are 3 basic targets for our mission. These are the foundations upon which our vision, goals and purpose all rest. I believe this foundation is three fold for each of us.
1) In Mark 12:30, Jesus states, "and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength". That is we are to give Him 100 per cent of ourselves to learning as much as God as we can and to put His 1st in our lives. Matthew 6:33 states, "seek first the kingdom of God and all these other things will be added unto you." Mission number 1: give God our best and give Him our all.
2) Then Jesus went on in Mark 12:31 stating that the second greatest commandment is just as important as the first. "Love your neighbor as yourself". Jesus' mission: to serve not be served. He gave us the example to follow and our direction in walking with Him is to serve, not be served. We must look around us. There are people everywhere we look are need our attention, love and service. People who are hurting, lonely, depressed, filled with worry, anxiety and don't know why THEY are here on this planet. There must be a sense of urgency because the time is short. Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work. Let's us open our eyes to the needs of our families, neighbors and communities to "serve and not be served". Let us a leave "our holy huddles" on Sundays and be the hands and feet of Jesus everyday. Lives are waiting to be touched by each one of us which will affect all of eternity. They may be at Starbucks, the gas station, the bank, the park, next door, and maybe just maybe, even in your family.
3) Remember Jesus' words in Matthew 28:18-20. Jesus commanded us that as we journey in this life to make disciples of all those we meet. We call that Jesus' "Great Commission". It was given to His apostles but resonates down through the centuries to us today. Christians are only one generation away from extinction. If we don't go and tell how will they hear and know. The time is short, the days are evil and we do not know the day or hour when we will check out from this planet. "People need the Lord". My friend Arron Chambers has written a book entitled, "Eats with Sinners". Jesus hung out with those who need love and life. He rub elbows with the downcast and outcast. Arron writes about the urgency of the hour. "Jesus, with a sense of urgency, has sent us out into the harvest fields to make sure that everyone has the chance to make it safely home. We must walk our neighborhoods, our workplaces, our communities, and our homes as many times as it takes to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to safely make it off this planet. The world is sinking. The alarm is sounding. The harvest is plentiful. Let's get to work now, because it's later than it ever was." - "Eats with Sinner" by Arron Chambers - pg. 136.
Our mission, which we must accept, involves the "Great Commandment" and the "Great Commission".
As we journey through this day and everyday, may we make it a priority to serve and tell.
So, how are you, how are we, doing on the mission????
I am praying for you and your family.
Leonard
www.leonardnavarre.com
Showing posts with label evangelism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label evangelism. Show all posts
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Monday, July 20, 2009
Go into all the world!
I have been reflecting upon an article that Boyce Mouton wrote many years ago on Matthew 9:38. After meditating a bit on this scripture, I have some comments for YOUR reflection on this verse.
“pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send
forth laborers into his harvest…”
W. E. Vine in his “Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words” list 12 different Greek words all of which translate the word “send”.
In the text, Jesus asked His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to “send” forth laborers. He chose to use a form of the Greek word, “ekballo” which means “throw” and “ek” before it signifies “out”. Therefore, we gather the meaning as “to throw out”. Thayer says it signifies “an included notion more or less of violence”.
This is the word the Holy Spirit uses to describe Jesus’ actions in “casting out” the moneychangers in Matthew 21:12; the word used in describing the way that Paul and Barnabas were driven out of Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:50); the way that Sarah wanted Abraham to cast out Hagar (Gal. 4:30); to describe the way that Jesus was “driven” into the wilderness (Mark 1:12); the way that Rahab sent out the spies (James 2:25).
So, you might be asking, ‘what’s all the fuss about in this one word?’ Well, this then is the way that our Lord sometimes “sends” forth laborers into the harvest. He finds us so utterly complacent that it is difficult for Him to get our attention.
If we are honest with ourselves, we must say that body of Christ, the church, is very complacent now days about sharing the gospel and moving into the “fields that are white unto harvest”. The Lord Jesus, therefore, lovingly increases the pressure until He gets our attention. He makes us uncomfortable. He doesn’t share in our complacency. So, He nudges, pushes, shoves until we are so uncomfortable we must act. Ultimately we are apt to find ourselves literally “thrown out” into the harvest.
Do you remember in the book of Acts how the Lord God used this strategy in moving the body of Jesus Christ, the church, out from Jerusalem into the world? In Acts 1, Jesus commanded them to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth”. Acts 1:8
So, after about 10 years of the Christians just hanging around Jerusalem, God turned up the pressure. In Acts 7, Stephen is stoned. In Acts 8:1 it says, “a great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles fled into Judea and Samaria.” (NLT)
So, if we find ourselves very complacent, satisfied and stagnant, then be ready for some action some, on purpose pressure, from the Lord of the Harvest. He is ready, able and willing to “send” forth laborers into His harvest…WITH PRESSURE AND ON PURPOSE!
I am praying for you.
“pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send
forth laborers into his harvest…”
W. E. Vine in his “Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words” list 12 different Greek words all of which translate the word “send”.
In the text, Jesus asked His disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest to “send” forth laborers. He chose to use a form of the Greek word, “ekballo” which means “throw” and “ek” before it signifies “out”. Therefore, we gather the meaning as “to throw out”. Thayer says it signifies “an included notion more or less of violence”.
This is the word the Holy Spirit uses to describe Jesus’ actions in “casting out” the moneychangers in Matthew 21:12; the word used in describing the way that Paul and Barnabas were driven out of Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 13:50); the way that Sarah wanted Abraham to cast out Hagar (Gal. 4:30); to describe the way that Jesus was “driven” into the wilderness (Mark 1:12); the way that Rahab sent out the spies (James 2:25).
So, you might be asking, ‘what’s all the fuss about in this one word?’ Well, this then is the way that our Lord sometimes “sends” forth laborers into the harvest. He finds us so utterly complacent that it is difficult for Him to get our attention.
If we are honest with ourselves, we must say that body of Christ, the church, is very complacent now days about sharing the gospel and moving into the “fields that are white unto harvest”. The Lord Jesus, therefore, lovingly increases the pressure until He gets our attention. He makes us uncomfortable. He doesn’t share in our complacency. So, He nudges, pushes, shoves until we are so uncomfortable we must act. Ultimately we are apt to find ourselves literally “thrown out” into the harvest.
Do you remember in the book of Acts how the Lord God used this strategy in moving the body of Jesus Christ, the church, out from Jerusalem into the world? In Acts 1, Jesus commanded them to “be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth”. Acts 1:8
So, after about 10 years of the Christians just hanging around Jerusalem, God turned up the pressure. In Acts 7, Stephen is stoned. In Acts 8:1 it says, “a great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem, and all the believers except the apostles fled into Judea and Samaria.” (NLT)
So, if we find ourselves very complacent, satisfied and stagnant, then be ready for some action some, on purpose pressure, from the Lord of the Harvest. He is ready, able and willing to “send” forth laborers into His harvest…WITH PRESSURE AND ON PURPOSE!
I am praying for you.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
This ONE THING I DO!
In reading the book, “Simple Church” by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger one of the thoughts that they expressed caught my attention. I want to preface my comments with this question to you. If you could summarize your goals, your dreams, your vision, your purpose for your life, how would you phrase it? Now, can you reduce that to just “one thing”. What is your ONE purpose, goal, vision for your life?
Paul says in Philippians 3:13-14, “but one thing I do; forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus”. This ONE THING was his focus.
David in Psalm 27:4, “I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” ONE THING was his focus. An intimate relationship with God consumed him.
The writer of Hebrews gives out the call to “fix our eyes of Jesus, our author and finisher of life”. (Heb. 2:2) ONE THING. The challenge is to remove anything that gets in the way of spiritual transformation.
As a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ my primary ONE THING for me personally is to only “know Christ Jesus and Him crucified”. It is my personal desire to grow as close to Jesus Christ as I can. It is my desire to know Him and to make Him known; my ONE THING.
But as a leader at Valley View Christian Church, Edgewood, New Mexico, I am endeavoring to partner with God to find out where people are in their spiritual journey and help them in their NEXT steps to know Him, know His Word and be obedient to that Word. This is my ONE THING for this community and this body of believers. Many come to Valley View Christian and they are just fishing. They are looking for a place to belong, be accepted and be involved. Many are not even babes in Christ. They are still in the embryonic stage. That’s WHY I am interested in anything (as long as it is Biblical and ethical) that attracts individuals to investigate this Jesus that I know, love and serve. Jesus used fish, figs, and spectacular events to touch people with His life. That’s why I am open to drums, guitars, radio programs, choirs, Fall Festivals, Car Shows, Craft Bazaars, etc. I may not particularly care for such, but it opens up many opportunities to share my love for my Lord and help each one know Him, His Word and be obedient to His will. There’s only 2 ways to do so. Either we go to them (Jesus hung out with the prostitutes, beggars, sick folks, wedding feasts and outcasts) or we provide opportunities for them to come and be exposed to His people, His life and His teaching. If they are not here we cannot disciple or teach.
This ONE THING, to partner with God to make disciples, commit them to obedience and help them run the race focused on Jesus Christ without ankle weights. There you have it. It’s my focus, my goal, my vision for me and Valley View Christian Church.
What’s your ONE THING?
Paul says in Philippians 3:13-14, “but one thing I do; forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus”. This ONE THING was his focus.
David in Psalm 27:4, “I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” ONE THING was his focus. An intimate relationship with God consumed him.
The writer of Hebrews gives out the call to “fix our eyes of Jesus, our author and finisher of life”. (Heb. 2:2) ONE THING. The challenge is to remove anything that gets in the way of spiritual transformation.
As a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ my primary ONE THING for me personally is to only “know Christ Jesus and Him crucified”. It is my personal desire to grow as close to Jesus Christ as I can. It is my desire to know Him and to make Him known; my ONE THING.
But as a leader at Valley View Christian Church, Edgewood, New Mexico, I am endeavoring to partner with God to find out where people are in their spiritual journey and help them in their NEXT steps to know Him, know His Word and be obedient to that Word. This is my ONE THING for this community and this body of believers. Many come to Valley View Christian and they are just fishing. They are looking for a place to belong, be accepted and be involved. Many are not even babes in Christ. They are still in the embryonic stage. That’s WHY I am interested in anything (as long as it is Biblical and ethical) that attracts individuals to investigate this Jesus that I know, love and serve. Jesus used fish, figs, and spectacular events to touch people with His life. That’s why I am open to drums, guitars, radio programs, choirs, Fall Festivals, Car Shows, Craft Bazaars, etc. I may not particularly care for such, but it opens up many opportunities to share my love for my Lord and help each one know Him, His Word and be obedient to His will. There’s only 2 ways to do so. Either we go to them (Jesus hung out with the prostitutes, beggars, sick folks, wedding feasts and outcasts) or we provide opportunities for them to come and be exposed to His people, His life and His teaching. If they are not here we cannot disciple or teach.
This ONE THING, to partner with God to make disciples, commit them to obedience and help them run the race focused on Jesus Christ without ankle weights. There you have it. It’s my focus, my goal, my vision for me and Valley View Christian Church.
What’s your ONE THING?
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Invite others to Jesus!
His name was "Andrehas" in the Greek. It means "manly". When we first see him in the New Testament he is being called by Jesus in Matthew 4:18. In Matthew 10:2 he is listed as one of the twelve. However, it is in John's gospel record that we see "Andrehas" usefulness and he provides an example to us. It's in the gospel of John that we learn more about Andrew.
First, in John 1:40-42, "one of the two who heard Jesus speak and followed Him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He (Andrew) first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, 'we have found the Messiah'...he (Andrew) brought him (Simon) to Jesus."
WOW! Praise the Lord. Here is an individual who sees, hears and experiences the Messiah who is not just content to have the touch of the Master on his own life but wants to share it with others. He immediately thinks of his brother, Simon, and wants to tell him the good news. Andrew goes out of his way to find and invite his brother, Simon, to come and see for himself what Andrew found, the Messiah. Can we learn anything from this event? I hope so.
Secondly, we find Andrew again in John 6:1-9. Here we see a great gathering of 5000 men not counting the women and children present to hear the words of Jesus. They become concerned because the people look weak in need of food. But, as they talk amongst themselves, they realize just how much food would be needed to feed such a crowd. Guess who steps up? Yep, here he is again. "One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother said to Him, 'there is a lad here...' Andrew, again, is bringing another one to Jesus. A small boy this time.
The third time we Andrew in John is chapter 12 verses 20 thru 33. A group of foreigners who were preparing for worship sought to see Jesus. Who steps up? You guessed it. It is Andrew, AGAIN. Along with Philip, Andrew is mentioned as one who leads these foreigners to the Master.
In these three examples Andrew is shown as the one who is concerned about OTHERS. He is concerned about his relatives, little children and even foreigners. We can learn valuable lessons from "Andrehas", the manly one.
Look around. There are folks in your sphere of influence who are searching, longing, maybe even hurting who are looking for "the promised one". The one who can bring hope, healing and strength. The ONLY one who can bring SALVATION.
May I encourage you to take up the cause of Jesus Christ, just like Andrew. Let's take the message of love, hope and salvation to the world. Allow it to begin TODAY and let it begin with US.
I am praying for you and your family,
First, in John 1:40-42, "one of the two who heard Jesus speak and followed Him was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He (Andrew) first found his own brother, Simon, and said to him, 'we have found the Messiah'...he (Andrew) brought him (Simon) to Jesus."
WOW! Praise the Lord. Here is an individual who sees, hears and experiences the Messiah who is not just content to have the touch of the Master on his own life but wants to share it with others. He immediately thinks of his brother, Simon, and wants to tell him the good news. Andrew goes out of his way to find and invite his brother, Simon, to come and see for himself what Andrew found, the Messiah. Can we learn anything from this event? I hope so.
Secondly, we find Andrew again in John 6:1-9. Here we see a great gathering of 5000 men not counting the women and children present to hear the words of Jesus. They become concerned because the people look weak in need of food. But, as they talk amongst themselves, they realize just how much food would be needed to feed such a crowd. Guess who steps up? Yep, here he is again. "One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother said to Him, 'there is a lad here...' Andrew, again, is bringing another one to Jesus. A small boy this time.
The third time we Andrew in John is chapter 12 verses 20 thru 33. A group of foreigners who were preparing for worship sought to see Jesus. Who steps up? You guessed it. It is Andrew, AGAIN. Along with Philip, Andrew is mentioned as one who leads these foreigners to the Master.
In these three examples Andrew is shown as the one who is concerned about OTHERS. He is concerned about his relatives, little children and even foreigners. We can learn valuable lessons from "Andrehas", the manly one.
Look around. There are folks in your sphere of influence who are searching, longing, maybe even hurting who are looking for "the promised one". The one who can bring hope, healing and strength. The ONLY one who can bring SALVATION.
May I encourage you to take up the cause of Jesus Christ, just like Andrew. Let's take the message of love, hope and salvation to the world. Allow it to begin TODAY and let it begin with US.
I am praying for you and your family,
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