‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ Matthew 25:44-45
Perfect circles have no end, are perfectly symmetrical at all points and these points are equidistant from the center of the circle. This is the description of the circle of your influence as well. However, there is one thing that you must consider in this description of your circle of influence. And that is the power of your influence upon others.
Evangelistic emphasis is mostly found in preaching to strangers, anonymous crowds. Evangelism must take place where we are. Concentric Circles of Concern is a book written by Oscar Thompson that provides suggestions about sharing Christ's love by meeting the spiritual needs of those around us. Beginning with family, followed by friends, then to everyone in your field of influence and continuing to move outward in concentric circles. However, I find it interesting that this is a concept that has its beginnings in Scripture. In fact, the circle has provided humankind with great curiosity for thousands of years.
Ancient peoples the world over have observed the effects of the circle in relationships and have placed this idea in their centers of worship. Two examples that come to mind are the Stonehenge in England and stone circles left in the ruins by American Indians in the Southwestern United States.
Therefore, the image of the circle is not new and is profoundly powerful as an example for us today. Although Jesus does not make mention of the use of the circle in His statement found in Matthew 25:45, the effect is the same. , ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ Everywhere we go our influence impacts people in one way or another simply because of our presence. This being true, why not make an effort to have a positive influence wherever we are?
Hopefully, the statement itself will arouse your interest only because the words come from the heart of Jesus Christ. Understand that Jesus Christ is the Author of this statement and He is not some ‘Joe’ that has recently come in out of the rain….so to speak. This is Jesus Christ and it is important that He be listened to.
Whatever you and I do does impact the lives of others and Jesus says that He takes serious note of what we do and do not do. Why? Because we are impacting Him in the process. Our lives are important and who we influence is important because we are important to the Savior of the world.
Take a quick walk through most bookstores and libraries and there you will discover the importance of influence. Some authors refer to influence as a science and big dollars are being made by peddling influence. First impressions, first words, and many other things are considered as we encounter people. These impressions fall into the category of influence.
All that has been noted are ideals that will come from your heart….not your appearance. Your appearance is only the reflection of your heart. Consider this, But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7.
Why proclaim the Gospel? This is the heart of God and as believers His heart is our heart. “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” 1 Corinthians 5:11-15.
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Hide and Seek
“The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; there is none who does good. God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.” Psalm 54:1-2
“Here I come, ready or not!” How many times did we engage in that game as children? Almost every time all of us gathered at the Cahill’s, the Henderson’s or elsewhere, we kids would play ‘Hide and Seek’. And almost always we played at night and ‘safe’ was the front porch….or wherever there was a light. We sought to be ‘safe’, even in our games. As adults we continue to seek ‘home’, to be ‘safe’.
‘Hide and Seek’, what fun it is to play that game with our children, and in my case the grandkids. Ha, thought that I would never be a grandparent. That only happens to old people….I have been a member of AARP for four years. Wow!! And I continue to be a seeker, not because of wisdom, but because of my persons spiritual wellness. But I must be wise to some degree because Scripture tells me that wise men seek God. But I am not wise in and of myself.
“From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding? It is hidden from the eyes of all living and concealed from the birds of the air. Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’
And he said to man,‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’” Proverbs 28:20-22, 28.
“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.” Psalm 24:3-6
For 40 years I have been serving the Lord in ministry, and what I have found is this, people do not really seek God. What people are seeking is His salvation without wanting to know Him, the Savior. And the tragedy is that most of us who have proclaimed the Gospel and are proclaiming the Gospel have been asking the wrong questions. We have invited people to be saved, to find salvation, but not the Savior. What is our favorite question? “Do you want to go to Heaven?” “Do you want to be saved?” In order to be saved people must know the Savior, and He is the means to the end. Heaven is not the means to the end, Jesus Christ is the means to the end, the end being Heaven.
There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and only He is able to fill that void. How does He fill it? By His Son, Jesus Christ. The Cross is the message, the power of God for salvation. But Jesus is the Savior. By reading Scripture one can find the way to the Lord, but the Scriptures are not the way to Heaven. For the Lord Himself has said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7.
Writing about the Grace of God for several days has demonstrated that His Grace is a gift that is given to those who seek Him, discover Him, receive Him by faith, but also know Him.
In the mid 70’s there was an evangelism effort among evangelicals which had a theme that simply said, “I Found It”. Today I look back and see the zeal and reasoning behind the statement, but in reality the statement should have read, I have found Jesus, or I know Jesus. Why? Because there were many who were saying, “I never lost it”.
The larger question is not, “Are you saved?” but rather, “Do You Know Jesus?” Salvation is not an escape, but a relationship with Jesus Christ and those of us who are Christians, i.e, ‘saved,’ know this. But the average person on the street does not. Do they want to be saved? I would think so. But do they want to really know the Person of Jesus Christ as the means? Not really. To find safety is everyone’s goal, but not everyone wants to follow the correct avenue. Just proclaiming ‘safe’ does not ensure ‘safety’.
“Here I come, ready or not!” How many times did we engage in that game as children? Almost every time all of us gathered at the Cahill’s, the Henderson’s or elsewhere, we kids would play ‘Hide and Seek’. And almost always we played at night and ‘safe’ was the front porch….or wherever there was a light. We sought to be ‘safe’, even in our games. As adults we continue to seek ‘home’, to be ‘safe’.
‘Hide and Seek’, what fun it is to play that game with our children, and in my case the grandkids. Ha, thought that I would never be a grandparent. That only happens to old people….I have been a member of AARP for four years. Wow!! And I continue to be a seeker, not because of wisdom, but because of my persons spiritual wellness. But I must be wise to some degree because Scripture tells me that wise men seek God. But I am not wise in and of myself.
“From where, then, does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding? It is hidden from the eyes of all living and concealed from the birds of the air. Abaddon and Death say, ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’
And he said to man,‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to turn away from evil is understanding.’” Proverbs 28:20-22, 28.
“Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob.” Psalm 24:3-6
For 40 years I have been serving the Lord in ministry, and what I have found is this, people do not really seek God. What people are seeking is His salvation without wanting to know Him, the Savior. And the tragedy is that most of us who have proclaimed the Gospel and are proclaiming the Gospel have been asking the wrong questions. We have invited people to be saved, to find salvation, but not the Savior. What is our favorite question? “Do you want to go to Heaven?” “Do you want to be saved?” In order to be saved people must know the Savior, and He is the means to the end. Heaven is not the means to the end, Jesus Christ is the means to the end, the end being Heaven.
There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every person, and only He is able to fill that void. How does He fill it? By His Son, Jesus Christ. The Cross is the message, the power of God for salvation. But Jesus is the Savior. By reading Scripture one can find the way to the Lord, but the Scriptures are not the way to Heaven. For the Lord Himself has said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6-7.
Writing about the Grace of God for several days has demonstrated that His Grace is a gift that is given to those who seek Him, discover Him, receive Him by faith, but also know Him.
In the mid 70’s there was an evangelism effort among evangelicals which had a theme that simply said, “I Found It”. Today I look back and see the zeal and reasoning behind the statement, but in reality the statement should have read, I have found Jesus, or I know Jesus. Why? Because there were many who were saying, “I never lost it”.
The larger question is not, “Are you saved?” but rather, “Do You Know Jesus?” Salvation is not an escape, but a relationship with Jesus Christ and those of us who are Christians, i.e, ‘saved,’ know this. But the average person on the street does not. Do they want to be saved? I would think so. But do they want to really know the Person of Jesus Christ as the means? Not really. To find safety is everyone’s goal, but not everyone wants to follow the correct avenue. Just proclaiming ‘safe’ does not ensure ‘safety’.
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Returning the Gifts
“And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I coveted no one's silver or gold or apparel. You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my necessities and to those who were with me. In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:32-35.
Christmas is about giving and receiving, but if we were honest with self and others the emphasis for most of us would be on the receiving. Notice that most of us wish to receive before we want to let go of anything. However, the joy of giving always seems to bring more joy and satisfaction because people like to see people smile!!
With the New Year quickly approaching, why not do something a bit differently? Many make those New Year’s Resolutions that most often focus on ourselves for self improvement. Why not make some resolutions that will literally change your life that in turn will impact the lives of everyone around you? But this resolution will not be just for 2008, but will be for the remainder of your life. Maybe this will be of help. Look at this Scripture, Acts 20:32-35 and replace the “I” with your name:
Bob
1. Commends others to God
2. Commends others to the Word of His Grace
3. Encourages others in service to God
4. Ministers with his hands to meet the necessities of others
5. Will help the weak to become stronger in some way
6. Will focus more on giving than receiving accolades for doing so
We have received much this past year only because we are privileged to live in the greatest Nation on the planet, therefore, we are blessed beyond measure. May we never forget that.
And I am now thinking of our men and women serving in other parts of the world in efforts beyond our imagination. I think or our son, David who is somewhere in Iraq. We received a telephone call from him yesterday…Christmas day…as he and several other Marines are protecting our freedom. In their outpost these men have no beds, no chairs, no running water, etc while I sit here in the comfort of my home. This causes me to want to share with others what God has so graciously given me.
My prayer for you today is just that….that God will impress upon your heart to be generous in your life. My prayer today is that you will not forget the Christ who stepped from His place in Heaven to walk this earth for you. My prayer for you is that you will know Christ and share your faith with others. And my prayer for you is that you will not forget the Nation that God has allowed us to live in.
“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 Corinthians 9:6-7.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Thinking Outloud
Life changes in fast time. Riding a lawnmower, laying on my back, right shoulder in pain, visit ER, visit doctor, MRI, surgery, rehab. No complaints. Just want to get this over with in order to get things back to normal.
But, things will not be as they were in some respects. The loss of the rotator cuff muscles, and the challenge of making the necessary corrections that will enable me to do most of the things that I have always taken for granted is my present course of action. This will be interesting and fun. There will be things to do in order to accomplish my goals.
I cannot complain because there are so many people out there that have much greater problems. Those that are confined to wheelchairs or worse, and those warriors that have returned from war whose bodies have been marred beyond repair. Many are disfigured beyond description, others have no way of communicating with the world around them, and many cannot see. Therefore, the loss of the couple of muscles is nothing....there are avenues of almost full recovery for me.
And I do not question God, either. He is not responsible for what happened to me...it was an accident that most likely could have been avoided had I been a bit more careful. I was not and the consequences are of my own making. God has provided the means to challenge and conquer the task of recovery and for this I am grateful. And as the Apostle Paul wrote, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil 4:13.
But, things will not be as they were in some respects. The loss of the rotator cuff muscles, and the challenge of making the necessary corrections that will enable me to do most of the things that I have always taken for granted is my present course of action. This will be interesting and fun. There will be things to do in order to accomplish my goals.
I cannot complain because there are so many people out there that have much greater problems. Those that are confined to wheelchairs or worse, and those warriors that have returned from war whose bodies have been marred beyond repair. Many are disfigured beyond description, others have no way of communicating with the world around them, and many cannot see. Therefore, the loss of the couple of muscles is nothing....there are avenues of almost full recovery for me.
And I do not question God, either. He is not responsible for what happened to me...it was an accident that most likely could have been avoided had I been a bit more careful. I was not and the consequences are of my own making. God has provided the means to challenge and conquer the task of recovery and for this I am grateful. And as the Apostle Paul wrote, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Phil 4:13.
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