Hi Ho! Hi Ho! It's Off To Work We Go!

Returning from the mission trip to Honduras is always a time of reflection for me.  The work that God is doing at the Orphanage Emmanuel is very impression and effective; one of the things that you hear from the leaders at the OE is that they are "doing a work of God, and not a work for God."  The difference is that God will sustain and provide for any work that He originates.  It is one thing to get busy doing things for God and it is another thing to step into what God has already prepared for you to do.  Paul declared in Ephesians 2 that, we are saved by grace, through faith and this is not of ourselves; we are God's workmanship created IN Christ Jesus to do good works which God has prepared for us to do!  God has something for each of us.  When we listen for the Lord's voice and His leading we can step into works that are ready to order, prepared in advance for us.  Jesus said we could build on sand or we could build on the rock.  Hearing from God and His word enables us to build on the Rock a lasting and fruitful work.  There are so many things to do and so many good ideas and thoughts about what to do for God; the only safe thing to do is go to God Himself and ask Him to lead us into fruitful labor.  In John 15 Jesus said: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, no more can ye, unless ye abide in Me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in Me and I in Him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without Me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch and is withered; and men gather them and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.  Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples."  

Life can be so hectic and filled with so many choices, the one thing God's people don't need is more and more chores and tasks.  I believe one strategy of the enemy is to have us so busy doing good things that we never get around to doing what God has prepared for us.  We have so many duties as parents, husbands, wives, and employees, a long with a host of other responsibilites that it can become impossilbe to juggle our daily lives.  The one sure way to invite order into our lives is to seek Jesus and His kingdom first and allow what God has for us to become our priority.  God will set our entire life together as we put Him and His plans first.  Jesus has promised that His sheep hear His voice and the voice of a stranger they will not follow.  We all can hear from God as we become intentional in this area.  This does not mean that we will not be busy or have many hats to wear and many things to do; but, by doing those things God has prepared for us we are promised His leading, wisdom, strength and peace!  I've been around long enough to know that it pays to do things God's way and in His strength.  We can do God's work and enter His rest because He becomes our source of strength and vitality; He Himself becomes our portion and guarentees our works will be fruitful.  Amen.  Brother Brad.

Stay at Your Post

I was thinking today about the body of Christ and God's purposes and plans for each of us.  God has no step-children, we are all called to take our position in the body and to serve.  I've met many throughout the years that always seem to be jumping from one church to the next or one ministry to the next or even from meeting to meeting, looking for a new experince, a new revelation or a new touch from God.  I've been slow to speak regarding this type of behavior, watching and looking to see the fruit it produces.  One of the ways that God causes us to grow is to put us in relationship to others, to serve with others and often others are quite different than we are: they think different, believe different and talk different!  This is a great way for God to teach us humility and patience.  What will we do when a sermon rubs us wrong or a brother or sister corrects us, or maybe misunderstands us?  Will we stay at our post (where God has called us), or will be become critical or offended and jump ship.  God has called us to faithfulness and service.  When the Lord adds us to the body he gives us service assignments and tells us to be faithful until death!  No jumping ship, no abandoning of our post; we only leave our assignment when we get orders from Jesus.  He is the Captain of the Host and he knows exactly where he wants us.  Wordly thinking can cause us to want things easy, or to want things to always go our way and if it does not, we will take our ball and go somewhere else to play whether the Lord is leading or not.  It is difficult to see those who don't take their place and get busy with God's plan for their lives, always searching for a new thrill or a new experience.  We don't have to chase down new experiences if we are in the Father's will for our lives.  Each day will be full of His prescence as we step out in obedience to Him.  Jesus said the kingdom of God does not come by observation, for the kingdom of God is within.  God lives in us and is always ready to move on our behalf or to give us strength to step out in service or to share the gospel.  Paul said it way: "But the righteousness which is of faith speaks in this manner: 'Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into Heaven?' (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, 'Say not in thine heart who shall descend into the deep?’ (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead). But what does it say? 'The Word is near you, even in thy mouth and in thy heart', that is, the word of faith which we preach: that if thou shalt confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in your heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:7-10).  We don't have to go very far to experience the life and word of God, it is in our heart and in our mouth if we choose to believe.  It is certainly ok to go to special meetings and go where the Lord leads us, but we need to be careful not to become discontent where we are and leave our area of service.  When we stand before the Lord He won't ask us about how many services we went to or how many miracles we saw or how many goose bumps we had, but He will ask us if we fulfilled His purposes, plans and pursuits for our life.  Anyone that knows me knows I love miracles and I love the Holy Spirit and I love God's prescense; but I want to be faithful to Him and what He is asking me to do and to stay faithful to the call on my life.  Besides, I want to see the Lord work in my everyday life and not just in other ministries and ministers.  I desire to step out in my daily experience and see the Lord move.  Just today I witnessed a miracle from the Lord as he healed a brother's back!  I love it and I expect to see more and more as I stay the course!  God bless you!  Brother Brad.  

Suffering

Well today I am excited about what God is teaching me about suffering. There are many views out there about suffering and I won't attempt nor do I desire to contradict or correct them. I hope what the Lord is saying will be of some benefit to you. Why be excited about suffering? As I was reading the Word today I noticed that suffering was mentioned in connection with glory and joy repeatedly. Peter says "but REJOICE insasmuch as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that when his GLORY is revealed you may be glad with exceeding JOY"....isn't that great. Paul says: "And not only so but we GLORY in tribulation also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience..." James says" Count it all JOY when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith works patience...in the end you'll be fully mature". Jesus said: In the world you will have tribulation: but be of good CHEER I have overcome the world". Historically in the book of Acts Peter and John after being beaten "REJOICED that they were counted worthy to SUFFER shame for his name".

It almost seems like the early followers of Jesus relished suffering...now by suffering I don't mean getting sick or being poor and defeated or being depressed...the Bible passages I'm quoting are talking about the suffering we experience as we stand for Jesus and his Word. People will bring suffering our way. They will slander, malign and disparage us...but we are to rejoice with exceeding JOY when this happens knowing that this light affliction will work an exceeding weight of GLORY for us. God can really use suffering to bring out the character and glory of Christ in us if we let him. That is the true difference in how a Christian suffers and how the world suffers. The world complains and wines and frets; but the true believer rejoices and gets fired up because he/she knows that Jesus will be glorified in us...check out this verse in I Peter "but if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him GLORIFY God on this behalf!" or "If you are reproached for the name of Christ HAPPY are you for the spirit of GLORY and of God rest on you (wow) on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is GLORIFIED". REally good stuff. A right view of suffering can really free us from complaining about our trials and rather look to see how God can be glorified through them and in us during the trial. There is so much more here; but I don't have time to get into it all. Just look up suffering and see how often JOY and GLORY hang around these words....PRAISE GOD...