You mean more to me than...
Well before I complete that sentence, let me explain that I worked long hours over the weekend.... sitting in the Mid-Year Board Meetings for our Medical Society with some of the top physicians in Academic Medicine. They are brilliant men and women pouring their lives out for a noble cause. I admire the dedication of their lives... long hours every day... and I respect the stature of their lives and places that their gifts and dedication take them....but I have to tell you, that when it's all said and done, their service to mankind will be so small compared to what you are doing for the eternal kingdom of God.
It is not long into a ministry year that leaders begin to feel the weight of the commitment they have made. It's more than a one or two busy weeks. It's a lifestyle. You are sacrificing other things... perhaps you haven't been able to dust, or connect with someone or you just had to say no when your tween asked for cupcakes for class at 10 p.m. last night. All we can give is all we can give.... and sometimes that is where the enemy comes in.... minimizing the commitment and telling us we should quit....the cost is too high. We can do this in another season.
Well I'm here to tell you not to.... I'm here to remind you that serving in the Kingdom of God for such a time as this is the highest and best and greatest work that you can do...yes, even higher than those top academic physicians pouring out for the good of mankind... you see your work will last forever and it will NOT be taken away. Matthew 25:34-40 comes to mind, where Jesus through a parable said:
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Do you see how blind they were to the work they were doing? ... and how insignificant they thought that work was? Yes we see the big stuff, but I think God is telling us... we have no idea how inverted the economies are truly going to be.... nor can we fathom how blinded we are just by being a part of the world... we can't see the big picture to understand the value of our service. But, it won't be long before the economies are going to change.... UpSideDown! And, your love on behalf of your ladies will surely be remembered by Our Lord.
So, getting back to my first comment... you mean more to me... you mean more to me than all that the world can offer. True that...because of Jesus. As the God of All creation, through whom the whole world was made hung on the cross... I suspect he looked through eternity at you and me.... he remembered the temptations he had faced in the desert and from political leaders of the time; and the myriad of taunts and jolts that he faced every day... and he chose obedience to the point of death, even death on the cross.
In doing so.... he escorted in a new kingdom that will not perish or fade... and He said to you and me with word and actions... I love you. You mean more to me than anything in this world.... So today, I want to encourage us to Cling to Him and embrace the work he has given us in His kingdom and the faithfulness he calls us to. Because it will be richly rewarded...
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Thy Kindom Come
“Thy Kingdom Come!”
As he began his ministry, John the Baptist proclaimed, ‘The kingdom of Heaven is near” (Mt 3:2) and when Jesus stepped on the scene, he proclaimed ‘the kingdom of God is at hand.’
Jesus spoke a lot about the kingdom of God, and I’m convinced that Satan does everything he can to divert our focus from that kingdom. He wants to keep us focused on the kingdom we live in, the one that we see: the kingdom of the world. Do you remember how Satan tempted Jesus in the desert? He offered him ‘all the kingdoms of the world.” And what is the very thing that chokes our spiritual well being? Luke 8:14 says, “they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.”
I’m concerned that this is our greatest battle. Satan wants us all to focus on enjoying the good life. And, if that doesn’t work he wants us to worry and fret with thoughts like where our next penny will come from, or about our situation of not having (whatever). Finally, he will seek to make us discontent - wanting more. In fact, the enemy of our souls will do whatever he can to get our focus on what is seen instead of the unseen. And because our culture is free and we live in a wealthy society compared with much of the world, it is so easy for us to get pulled in many directions… and if we are not careful… those will be worldly directions for more, bigger and greater.
If you serve in a church like I do where there are so many spiritual conversions, the enemy’s #1 strategy has got to be to stop the maturing process. If he can’t keep people from entering the kingdom then he wants to lull them into spiritual complacency and to keep then focused on the world, its values and its temptations.
So how can we stir growth and maturity? We need cultivate a kingdom perspective. Here are three thoughts about the Kingdom to help us gain that perspective:
1. The kingdom is unseen so can they see it? It takes spiritual birth to see the kingdom. ”Jesus told Nicodemus, ‘no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” We need to make sure there has been a spiritual birth. (John:3:3.)
2. The Proof is in the POWER. Resurrection Power is the commodity in the kingdom of God. 1 Cor 4:20 says, “the Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.” We want to live in the Resurrection Power of Christ… there is no need to debate or brag about one’s claim to the kingdom, but to live it out with a demonstration of Christ’s Holiness, Love and Righteousness in our lives.
3. It is evidenced by the PRESENCE of a King. The kingdom of God is subject to a King's authority! Christ Jesus the King of Kings should be sitting on the throne of each of our hearts. Cultivating a kingdom perspective means turning from the worldly things and people we love more than God...which are idols in our hearts.... in order to humbly submit to Christ's authority.
Do you see what I’m seeing? As we seek to gain a kingdom perspective and turn from worldly pursuits, we learn to abide in the righteousness of Christ and submit to His rule in our lives! That’s how we all mature and that is how God’s kingdom advances…. In the unseen places of our hearts.
And, that is why the enemy wants all of us to be choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures... because the more we focus on the world, the more blind we become to the kingdom of God.
So the antecdote for fear, worry and discontentment for a born again believer in Christ is to turn our spiritual eyes on God’s Kingdom and His Righteousness, because the more we focus our hearts on His Kingdom, His Righteousness and His glory, the dimmer the world gets.
Lord, your kingdom come! Open the eyes of our hearts to see you… to be able to discern your kingdom. Help us to grow up into the fullness of faith in you. We want to submit to your authority in our lives, we want to help them learn to put on your righteousness that comes by faith, and we want to help them repent from being choked by the worries of the world, the riches and pleasures of the world. For nothing else satisfies. No one but You.
Personal note: If this is new to you, contact me. There is a great Women's Bible Study beginning 9/13/11, taught by our Women's Director Lina Abujamra,MD at Harvest Bible Chapel, Rolling Meadows... Come at 6:50pm. Ask for the UpsideDown Study of Acts. OR.. head to Harvest Bible Chapel nearest you on Saturday at 5 p.m or Sundays at 9 am or 11:16 am. There is a great study beginning this Sunday. We care about YOU!
As he began his ministry, John the Baptist proclaimed, ‘The kingdom of Heaven is near” (Mt 3:2) and when Jesus stepped on the scene, he proclaimed ‘the kingdom of God is at hand.’
Jesus spoke a lot about the kingdom of God, and I’m convinced that Satan does everything he can to divert our focus from that kingdom. He wants to keep us focused on the kingdom we live in, the one that we see: the kingdom of the world. Do you remember how Satan tempted Jesus in the desert? He offered him ‘all the kingdoms of the world.” And what is the very thing that chokes our spiritual well being? Luke 8:14 says, “they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.”
I’m concerned that this is our greatest battle. Satan wants us all to focus on enjoying the good life. And, if that doesn’t work he wants us to worry and fret with thoughts like where our next penny will come from, or about our situation of not having (whatever). Finally, he will seek to make us discontent - wanting more. In fact, the enemy of our souls will do whatever he can to get our focus on what is seen instead of the unseen. And because our culture is free and we live in a wealthy society compared with much of the world, it is so easy for us to get pulled in many directions… and if we are not careful… those will be worldly directions for more, bigger and greater.
If you serve in a church like I do where there are so many spiritual conversions, the enemy’s #1 strategy has got to be to stop the maturing process. If he can’t keep people from entering the kingdom then he wants to lull them into spiritual complacency and to keep then focused on the world, its values and its temptations.
So how can we stir growth and maturity? We need cultivate a kingdom perspective. Here are three thoughts about the Kingdom to help us gain that perspective:
1. The kingdom is unseen so can they see it? It takes spiritual birth to see the kingdom. ”Jesus told Nicodemus, ‘no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” We need to make sure there has been a spiritual birth. (John:3:3.)
2. The Proof is in the POWER. Resurrection Power is the commodity in the kingdom of God. 1 Cor 4:20 says, “the Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.” We want to live in the Resurrection Power of Christ… there is no need to debate or brag about one’s claim to the kingdom, but to live it out with a demonstration of Christ’s Holiness, Love and Righteousness in our lives.
3. It is evidenced by the PRESENCE of a King. The kingdom of God is subject to a King's authority! Christ Jesus the King of Kings should be sitting on the throne of each of our hearts. Cultivating a kingdom perspective means turning from the worldly things and people we love more than God...which are idols in our hearts.... in order to humbly submit to Christ's authority.
Do you see what I’m seeing? As we seek to gain a kingdom perspective and turn from worldly pursuits, we learn to abide in the righteousness of Christ and submit to His rule in our lives! That’s how we all mature and that is how God’s kingdom advances…. In the unseen places of our hearts.
And, that is why the enemy wants all of us to be choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures... because the more we focus on the world, the more blind we become to the kingdom of God.
So the antecdote for fear, worry and discontentment for a born again believer in Christ is to turn our spiritual eyes on God’s Kingdom and His Righteousness, because the more we focus our hearts on His Kingdom, His Righteousness and His glory, the dimmer the world gets.
Lord, your kingdom come! Open the eyes of our hearts to see you… to be able to discern your kingdom. Help us to grow up into the fullness of faith in you. We want to submit to your authority in our lives, we want to help them learn to put on your righteousness that comes by faith, and we want to help them repent from being choked by the worries of the world, the riches and pleasures of the world. For nothing else satisfies. No one but You.
Personal note: If this is new to you, contact me. There is a great Women's Bible Study beginning 9/13/11, taught by our Women's Director Lina Abujamra,MD at Harvest Bible Chapel, Rolling Meadows... Come at 6:50pm. Ask for the UpsideDown Study of Acts. OR.. head to Harvest Bible Chapel nearest you on Saturday at 5 p.m or Sundays at 9 am or 11:16 am. There is a great study beginning this Sunday. We care about YOU!
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