Real Motivation to Share the Gospel

Jim Elliot, christian missionary, explaining his motivation to go to a headhunter tribe to share the Gospel. They killed him, but the tribe later heard the Gospel, received Christ, and was totally transformed.

"People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered; Forgive them anyway.  If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway.  If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway.  If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway.  What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; Build anyway.  If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway.  The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway.  Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway."

How encouraging is this?

Can a person get closer to God and not be blessed?

  I'm reminded of a story in the Bible about the Ark of the Covenant which was God's presence.  King David had planned to move the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem.  Jerusalem would have been its rightful place.  In the attempt to move it David didn't follow God's directions in the Law for transporting the Ark. So a man died when he touched the Ark to steady it.  David was extremely discouraged over the incident and left the Ark of the Covenant with the family of Obed-edom for three months.  David eventually properly transported the Ark into Jerusalem amidst much celebration.

But while the Ark of the Covenant was at the home of Obed-edom...stuff happened.  I Chronicles 13: 14 says "...the Lord blessed the family of Obed-edom with all that he had". Can you imagine?  God blessed this household because His presence came!  Now the Bible doesn't tell us how God blessed Obed-edom's household, but it is clear He did.  Perhaps his crops produced more than ever.  Perhaps the general attitude within the family changed for the better.  I'm not sure but perhaps Obed-edom's marriage took a major turn for the better!  It is possible that the family began to walk in totally good health.  Again, the Bible is clear that God blessed the home of Obed-edom with all that he had because the Ark of the Covenant (God's presence was left there).  God came and things improved!

What a deal!  If you have followed Christ for any length of time, it didn't take you long to learn that just because you follow Christ...it doesn't mean life will be all peaches and cream.  But you do know that the quality of your life took a 180 degree turn for the better!  So much changed in your life...for the better!

With this documented in the Bible doesn't it stand to reason that when we as Christians make an effort to come into His presence things change for the better?  When we welcome His presence into our lives and into our day nothing can remain the same.  Nothing can remain status quo.  I really believe that because I have experienced it over and over.  Too many times we serve Him without having been with Him.  In Acts the apostles were identified as those who had been with Jesus.  Yes, some spent 3 years with Him.  But only a few that the apostles ministered to actually ever saw them with Jesus.  It was the way that talked, their attitudes, their love, and their actions that gave them away.  Because they spent much time in the presence of God, they talked and acted like Him.  No one could deny they were His apostles because they were recognized as having been with Jesus!  What an incredible testimony...to be recognized as one who hangs out with Jesus!  And it can only happen when we make the effort to experience His presence!

So the truth is you cannot make the effort to draw closer to God and not be blessed.  So make the time to spend a good bit of "hang time" with Him.  The fact that He came into your life blessed you, but He doesn't stop there.  Let Him bless you today.  Take the time to welcome His life-changing presence.

How Well Do You Know Him?

  As I have probably said before I am a ponderer.  I like to ponder stuff in my heart and in my mind.  This morning I woke up pondering a question:  "How well do you know Him?"  I had to ponder that one further to understand more clearly what I woke up pondering!  The question still prevails in my heart..."How well do you know Him?"

I have been a serious follower of Christ for many years.  And while "length of service" doesn't necessarily substantiate the depth of one's walk, it can be an indicator. Many folks have followed Him for a season or two and then dropped out of the journey.  Others say that follow after Him but you cannot see the proof in their lives.   Yet others are still following hard after Him...after many years you clearly see the evidence of a genuine relationship.

I think I ponder stuff because I notice stuff.  The truth is I am not a "detail" person.  But I do notice things about certain things.  As a matter of fact I think I amuse Connie by some of the things I do notice...especially about people.  Even though I am not a detail person, I am pretty detailed about what I notice about people!

When Connie and I began this journey with Jesus Christ years ago we took it serious.  I discovered Jesus' love and forgiveness in the midst of a terrible marital crisis.  When I allowed Him, He stepped in and took control.  It was at a point when I was willing to lay it all down for His intervention in my marriage.  I can honestly say I didn't hunger directly for Him, but for what He could do with my life, marriage, and family.  However when I allowed Him to intervene, I quickly discovered the greatness of who He really is!  It was an introduction that changed my life and my eternity!  Fourteen months later Connie joined me in the walk and as I said, we took it seriously.   We began a wonderful walk with Him together as a married couple.  We didn't know any better than to simply live for Him.  It wasn't hard to do!  Life itself got hard and challenging at times, but living for Him never did!  In our culture marriage is ingrained in the mindsets of people as a temporary institution instead of a permanent one.  When things get tough the mindset is to separate or divorce.  Perhaps that mentality spills over into many relationships with Jesus.  I'm just saying.  Things get tough so believers look elsewhere for help.

As I said I notice things.  I notice how believers talk.  I notice what they get involved in.  I notice their actions.  I don't try to...I just notice things!  How we talk, what we get involved in, how we act or respond are just a few of the indicators of how well we know Him or how well we don't really know Him.  A true knowledge of Jesus produces a deep relationship with Him.  And a deep relationship motivates one to live for Him.  The old song way back when said "What the world needs now is love sweet love".  But what the world really needs now is people that know Him well.  Because out of that deep relationship the love of Jesus genuinely changes the lives of people.  Let me ask you...how well do you know Him?