Passage of the Day: Reference of Today’s Chronological Bible Study: Numbers, Chapters 26-27 … To study these chapters, go to this link -
Numbers 26: 63-65: … [God’s Promises and the People] … 63 These are the ones counted by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites on the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. 64 Not one of them was among those counted by Moses and Aaron the priest when they counted the Israelites in the Desert of Sinai. 65 For the LORD had told those Israelites they would surely die in the wilderness, and not one of them was left except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
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Numbers 27: 15-23 : … [Leadership Selected by God] … To study this passage, go to this link -
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My Journal for Today: Day 65 in my chronological read through the Bible this year; and today we see that God cares about the documentation – in His word – of His purpose, His promises, and His plan for God’s people as He leads them, using Moses and the lineage of God’s directed leadership , into the promised land. It may be boring reading; but it’s awesome in considering how patient, long-suffering, and merciful God is to carry out His designs for the future of His people in the lives of those who are obedient and have faith in His promises.
And if you’re reading along with me today, I want you to use the link I’ve provided above to go to Numbers 27: 15-23 and note how Moses went to God to selected a successor to lead the people into the promised land, knowing that he, Moses, would not be able to do so. And also note how God specifically picked a groomed and capable leader, Joshua, to be that anointed successor, … a man who had passed the test of action over many years, following God’s and Moses’ leadership. And so Joshua became the commissioned and God-anointed leader to take the people into the land which God had promised to Abraham in His covenant generations before. And it is beautiful for to me to read this morning how God picks and uses people, … people of faith and with gifts He has imparted, to carry out His plans and His promises.
Some years ago, I saw this happen in the church where I had been selected – and surprisingly so – to be an Elder for our congregation. And after my anointing and apprenticeship as an Elder, as well as after a few years of service, I wondered why I had been selected to Eldership for our flock. I just didn’t seem to have a place and didn’t seem to have the skills and gifts which matched where our church was going. But then, out of the blue, our church was confronted with a deeply disturbing and potentially divisive scenario which involved the Elders having to investigate our Pastor at the time for an alleged action of a sexual impropriety. Well, there was only one Elder on our board at this time who had had any personal experience with sexual sin; and that was yours truly. And because I had gone through many years of that sin pattern prior to becoming a Christian; and I had been delivered by God’s prevenient and sanctifying grace from that habitual sin – even to the point of becoming an anointed Elder – I was the perfect person to help lead our Eldership and our church through this fire storm and into the future God had awaiting His Church and our local body of believers.
It’s a long, complex story, which I’ll not go through here; but like the scenario which Moses was faced with in today’s highlight passage in Numbers 27, God had prepared exactly the right person, having shaped His man for the job through many years of God’s personally engineered preparation. I’ve experienced just how intimately and personally God’s preparation is when He needs His person to be His leader in His time and in His place … for His purposes. And if you’ve read through and into the future of God’s leadership, using Joshua, taking His people into His promised land, we know that God had groomed just the right man for His purposes and His plans for His people. And that will always be the case in our world as God readies us for His will for our future.
God has a plan for me, … and for you, my dear one; … and we need to surrender to His purposes for our lives to be used in His timing and for His glory.
My Prayer Today: … Lord, continue to use me in Your way and in Your time for Your glory all the remaining years of my life. Amen
Showing posts with label God's purpose. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God's purpose. Show all posts
Monday, March 05, 2012
Saturday, January 08, 2011
January 8, 2011 … Divinely Chosen and Called
Passage of the Day: Ephesians 4: 1 [NIV] – As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
Ephesians 4: 1 [NASB] - Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, …
My Journal for Today: One final day in Eph. 4: 1 with Dr. MacArthur, and he has highlighted the phrase “the calling” that the Apostle Paul uses to indicate the direction we have received as Christians. This begs the natural question, “What is this ‘CALLING’ all about?”
Well, the Greek terms for “calling” [klesis] or “called” [kletos], are used in several places in New Testament Scripture. Paul also said (2nd Tim. 1: 9) that our calling is to holiness; and he also (in 1Cor. 1: 2) said that believers are called out into sainthood [i.e., again called to holiness]. Peter wrote (in 2nd Peter 1: 10) that our walk (i.e., our life) exhibits our being chosen or called by God. The author of Hebrews wrote that we have a high and heavenly calling as Christians (see Heb. 3: 1). And you may remember that Paul also referred to Christians as “the called” according to God’s purpose (in Rom. 8: 28 in NKJV).
And so, this business of walking as a “Christian” is a big deal! It’s a “calling” … by, from, and for God. It is no less than the life God has chosen or called for me [see John 15: 16]. He has called me to fulfill HIS purpose; and He has changed my character name from “sinner” to “Saint” for this calling. Therefore, it is incumbent on me to live in such a way that would honor my God and His calling.
Perhaps you remember being “called out” to be on a team, as a young person, … maybe for a basketball team at school. ... I do. … I can remember running home in the 6th grade, excitedly reporting to my mom and dad, “I’m on the team!” And then I can remember wanting to do my very best to show the coach, who had “called me out,” that his selection was not a mistake? I really wanted to live up to whatever it took to show the coach that I could do what was expected of a team member.
MacArthur, in Strength for Today, puts it this way in posing such a challenge, “Such a high calling [from God] demands an equally high response of commitment, doesn’t it?!” And then we have Paul’s challenge in Eph. 4: 1, into which we’ve been studying for the last few days.
Personally, I think that the only rational response for any Christian to his calling for God’s team is a resounding “THANK YOU, LORD!”… And then I feel that the recognition of our calling must be followed by a deep self inventory [see 2nd Cor. 13: 5] and a commitment to follow Christ as never before [as in Prov. 3: 5-6], which is certainly appropriate as we move into this New Year.
My Prayer Today: Lord, You chose me before time. I have received Your calling in my time; and I am blessed by Your gift of grace to live for You. Amen
Ephesians 4: 1 [NASB] - Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, …
My Journal for Today: One final day in Eph. 4: 1 with Dr. MacArthur, and he has highlighted the phrase “the calling” that the Apostle Paul uses to indicate the direction we have received as Christians. This begs the natural question, “What is this ‘CALLING’ all about?”
Well, the Greek terms for “calling” [klesis] or “called” [kletos], are used in several places in New Testament Scripture. Paul also said (2nd Tim. 1: 9) that our calling is to holiness; and he also (in 1Cor. 1: 2) said that believers are called out into sainthood [i.e., again called to holiness]. Peter wrote (in 2nd Peter 1: 10) that our walk (i.e., our life) exhibits our being chosen or called by God. The author of Hebrews wrote that we have a high and heavenly calling as Christians (see Heb. 3: 1). And you may remember that Paul also referred to Christians as “the called” according to God’s purpose (in Rom. 8: 28 in NKJV).
And so, this business of walking as a “Christian” is a big deal! It’s a “calling” … by, from, and for God. It is no less than the life God has chosen or called for me [see John 15: 16]. He has called me to fulfill HIS purpose; and He has changed my character name from “sinner” to “Saint” for this calling. Therefore, it is incumbent on me to live in such a way that would honor my God and His calling.
Perhaps you remember being “called out” to be on a team, as a young person, … maybe for a basketball team at school. ... I do. … I can remember running home in the 6th grade, excitedly reporting to my mom and dad, “I’m on the team!” And then I can remember wanting to do my very best to show the coach, who had “called me out,” that his selection was not a mistake? I really wanted to live up to whatever it took to show the coach that I could do what was expected of a team member.
MacArthur, in Strength for Today, puts it this way in posing such a challenge, “Such a high calling [from God] demands an equally high response of commitment, doesn’t it?!” And then we have Paul’s challenge in Eph. 4: 1, into which we’ve been studying for the last few days.
Personally, I think that the only rational response for any Christian to his calling for God’s team is a resounding “THANK YOU, LORD!”… And then I feel that the recognition of our calling must be followed by a deep self inventory [see 2nd Cor. 13: 5] and a commitment to follow Christ as never before [as in Prov. 3: 5-6], which is certainly appropriate as we move into this New Year.
My Prayer Today: Lord, You chose me before time. I have received Your calling in my time; and I am blessed by Your gift of grace to live for You. Amen
Sunday, June 20, 2010
2010 – June 20 – The Moment of Truth
Study from God’s Word… Amos, Chapters 1 – 4 … Passage for Reflection: Amos 4: 12 … NIV Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel.
My Journal for Today: This morning in my time in God's word, Dr. Smith reminded me of an image I used to see when our family traveled down to Florida from Indiana for winter vacations with my grandparents when I was a boy. And traveling through the South on those hazardous two-lane roads were billboards, some of them painted on the barns; and some of them had religious warnings, like, PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD! And given the hazardous passing my dad would have to make on those roads, that was probably a very pertinent warning.
However, I don’t think my dad or mother paid much attention to those signs, just like several of nations Amos was sent, as the Shepherd Prophet, to warn about God’s wrath likely ignored him. I can just imagine those religious leaders, like the high priest Amaziah, looking down their noses at Amos, the desert shepherd, ignoring everything he had to say. But I hope any who read with me here are not so blasé to ignore the question Dr. Smith posits at the end of his devotional today. So, take note today as LaGard Smith writes, If the close of the day should find me unexpectedly in eternity, am I ready for my ultimate moment of truth? … WELL, ARE YOU?
My friend, I don’t know about you; but on occasion I have contemplated that road-sign type warning along the roads of my life, asking myself if, when I see Jesus at that fateful time, will He say to me, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Yes, I’m sure of my salvation. as I hope (and will pray this morning) you are too. But is my life counting for something … for God’s glory; and am I paying attention and living according to God’s NT exhortation through Paul in Ephesians 5: 15 – 16 [linked here]. In other words, am I using God’s time, everyday being a gift from Him, following His way … from His word … and carrying out His will for my life. And that question drives me to come here every morning, to dig into God’s word each day, trying to find God’s light of direction so that my life will mean something for God’s kingdom in the midst of these trouble times.
So, when we read warnings to ancient Israel and Judah in the Old Testament, and as we can read from that so-called “minor prophet,” Amos, hopefully we can (and will) translate it to a motivation to do all we can for God’s glory.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I pray that all who read with me in this place – beyond all doubt - know You as Lord and Savior and that we’re all following Your will to live for the Father’s glory. Amen
My Journal for Today: This morning in my time in God's word, Dr. Smith reminded me of an image I used to see when our family traveled down to Florida from Indiana for winter vacations with my grandparents when I was a boy. And traveling through the South on those hazardous two-lane roads were billboards, some of them painted on the barns; and some of them had religious warnings, like, PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD! And given the hazardous passing my dad would have to make on those roads, that was probably a very pertinent warning.
However, I don’t think my dad or mother paid much attention to those signs, just like several of nations Amos was sent, as the Shepherd Prophet, to warn about God’s wrath likely ignored him. I can just imagine those religious leaders, like the high priest Amaziah, looking down their noses at Amos, the desert shepherd, ignoring everything he had to say. But I hope any who read with me here are not so blasé to ignore the question Dr. Smith posits at the end of his devotional today. So, take note today as LaGard Smith writes, If the close of the day should find me unexpectedly in eternity, am I ready for my ultimate moment of truth? … WELL, ARE YOU?
My friend, I don’t know about you; but on occasion I have contemplated that road-sign type warning along the roads of my life, asking myself if, when I see Jesus at that fateful time, will He say to me, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” Yes, I’m sure of my salvation. as I hope (and will pray this morning) you are too. But is my life counting for something … for God’s glory; and am I paying attention and living according to God’s NT exhortation through Paul in Ephesians 5: 15 – 16 [linked here]. In other words, am I using God’s time, everyday being a gift from Him, following His way … from His word … and carrying out His will for my life. And that question drives me to come here every morning, to dig into God’s word each day, trying to find God’s light of direction so that my life will mean something for God’s kingdom in the midst of these trouble times.
So, when we read warnings to ancient Israel and Judah in the Old Testament, and as we can read from that so-called “minor prophet,” Amos, hopefully we can (and will) translate it to a motivation to do all we can for God’s glory.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I pray that all who read with me in this place – beyond all doubt - know You as Lord and Savior and that we’re all following Your will to live for the Father’s glory. Amen
Saturday, March 13, 2010
2010 – Mar. 13 – Old, But Not Out!
Study from God’s Word… Josh 13: 1 – 33; Josh 14: 15a; Josh 15: 1 – 12; Josh 15: 20 – 62; Josh 16: 1 – 9; Josh 17: 1 – 18; … Passage for Reflection: Joshua 13: 1 … NIV
1 When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the LORD said to him, "You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.
My Journal for Today: Today’s study does open up an indictment of our cultural marginalization of Kingdom servants who are older. In the highlight passage for today we see God recognizing Moses’ maturity; but the Lord then immediately indicates that there is much ahead to be done – by Moses – for God’s glory in the taking and partitioning of the Promised Land. And in the passages I read for today there is also the story of how God favored Caleb [see Josh 14: 10 – 12], the other of the two faithful Hebrew spies past, with Caleb’s request for taking the hill country for his tribe. Both Joshua and Caleb were 85 years old at this time in their lives; and in those times, 85 was old, but certainly that age was merely seen as mature. Such people in that culture would be designated as an “elder,” … a person of worthiness, respect, and honor.
I guess that’s why I actually love it when people tease me with the nickname, “ElderBerry,” which I take as a sign of respect, rather than a name denigrating my age. But back to our study, in which we see that God Himself recognized that there was much ahead in the lives of these two servants of God, Joshua and Caleb, which could be done for God in spite of – and likely because of – their maturity.
As I mentioned above, today, there is a strong cultural tread to marginalize our elderly; and unfortunately the older ones in our world play right into that expectation, becoming “victims” of this hyper-aging philosophy. How many people these days look forward to “retiring” and dream of doing selfish pursuits like playing golf, fishing, or traveling the country in RVs, avoiding what they could be contributing to our world and God’s glory by using their maturity, experience, and gifting in/for God’s kingdom?
Elderberry Witness: There was a time, before I became a Christian, when I dreamed of a life filled with 2 or three rounds of golf a week and building a place in Florida on a plot of ground my dad/mom had left to me. But Christ came into my life at age 39; and my desires and pursuits – for God’s glory – thankfully changed. And after I was broken to receive God’s Spirit into my heart, the Lord reshaped my visions and dreams to move toward a very different type of “retirement.” And as I was discipled and grew deeper into my salvation relationship with God, He showed me that I could – and should – view my retirement from my former healthcare career as a “commencement” TO ministry rather than a retirement FROM my former pre-Christian selfish pursuits. And that’s where the Lord has led me in these days of my more mature life for Christ. I may be old; but I’m not out!
Now, … here I am, well over 60 years old; and I find myself trying to emulate Joshua and Caleb. Actually, I see myself as just getting started in my “career” pursuits for God, taking up the mantle of leadership in a ministry to help Christians to walk free from habitual sexual sin, and to work with my wife in this ministry as long as we’re physically and mentally able, … doing all we can to stand for Christ together in this ministry calling. Like Joshua, I may be aging, but I have much to offer to God’s Kingdom from my testimony, my witness, and the gifting with which my Lord has given me to use for His kingdom work.
No matter what your age might be, I hope, and will pray today, that you sharpen your Spirit sword (see Eph. 5: 17; and as we’re commanded in Acts 1: 8, I pray we all will be shining witnesses for our faith and for our Lord; and finally, I pray that we – no matter what our age may be – rigorously follow the commands of our Lord in Luke 9: 23 to deny self, take up our crosses daily, and to follow Christ for His glory.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I beseech You to charge all who read this with Your challenge of commitment with courage to march forward as soldiers in our Lord’s army, doing all we can – at whatever stage in life we might be – to conquer worldly and fleshly kingdoms in His Name. Amen
1 When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the LORD said to him, "You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.
My Journal for Today: Today’s study does open up an indictment of our cultural marginalization of Kingdom servants who are older. In the highlight passage for today we see God recognizing Moses’ maturity; but the Lord then immediately indicates that there is much ahead to be done – by Moses – for God’s glory in the taking and partitioning of the Promised Land. And in the passages I read for today there is also the story of how God favored Caleb [see Josh 14: 10 – 12], the other of the two faithful Hebrew spies past, with Caleb’s request for taking the hill country for his tribe. Both Joshua and Caleb were 85 years old at this time in their lives; and in those times, 85 was old, but certainly that age was merely seen as mature. Such people in that culture would be designated as an “elder,” … a person of worthiness, respect, and honor.
I guess that’s why I actually love it when people tease me with the nickname, “ElderBerry,” which I take as a sign of respect, rather than a name denigrating my age. But back to our study, in which we see that God Himself recognized that there was much ahead in the lives of these two servants of God, Joshua and Caleb, which could be done for God in spite of – and likely because of – their maturity.
As I mentioned above, today, there is a strong cultural tread to marginalize our elderly; and unfortunately the older ones in our world play right into that expectation, becoming “victims” of this hyper-aging philosophy. How many people these days look forward to “retiring” and dream of doing selfish pursuits like playing golf, fishing, or traveling the country in RVs, avoiding what they could be contributing to our world and God’s glory by using their maturity, experience, and gifting in/for God’s kingdom?
Elderberry Witness: There was a time, before I became a Christian, when I dreamed of a life filled with 2 or three rounds of golf a week and building a place in Florida on a plot of ground my dad/mom had left to me. But Christ came into my life at age 39; and my desires and pursuits – for God’s glory – thankfully changed. And after I was broken to receive God’s Spirit into my heart, the Lord reshaped my visions and dreams to move toward a very different type of “retirement.” And as I was discipled and grew deeper into my salvation relationship with God, He showed me that I could – and should – view my retirement from my former healthcare career as a “commencement” TO ministry rather than a retirement FROM my former pre-Christian selfish pursuits. And that’s where the Lord has led me in these days of my more mature life for Christ. I may be old; but I’m not out!
Now, … here I am, well over 60 years old; and I find myself trying to emulate Joshua and Caleb. Actually, I see myself as just getting started in my “career” pursuits for God, taking up the mantle of leadership in a ministry to help Christians to walk free from habitual sexual sin, and to work with my wife in this ministry as long as we’re physically and mentally able, … doing all we can to stand for Christ together in this ministry calling. Like Joshua, I may be aging, but I have much to offer to God’s Kingdom from my testimony, my witness, and the gifting with which my Lord has given me to use for His kingdom work.
No matter what your age might be, I hope, and will pray today, that you sharpen your Spirit sword (see Eph. 5: 17; and as we’re commanded in Acts 1: 8, I pray we all will be shining witnesses for our faith and for our Lord; and finally, I pray that we – no matter what our age may be – rigorously follow the commands of our Lord in Luke 9: 23 to deny self, take up our crosses daily, and to follow Christ for His glory.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, I beseech You to charge all who read this with Your challenge of commitment with courage to march forward as soldiers in our Lord’s army, doing all we can – at whatever stage in life we might be – to conquer worldly and fleshly kingdoms in His Name. Amen
Monday, November 02, 2009
2009 – Day 305.Nov 02 – Ministering Together
2nd Passage for Study: Acts 11: 19 – 26 … Linked for your study …
My Journal for Today: Same passage again today. Yes, I know; but today, though related to yesterday’s message on “The Power of Two,” Swindoll presents some essentials about doing ministry together which make God’s work so much more effective. And these points are illustrated by the historical story of Barnabas, who needed help in building the church in Antioch, going to get this new dude in Tarsus who was causing such a stir in the Christian community there. And we see the three principles which Swindoll proposes about doing ministry with teamwork being lived out in the tandem ministry of Paul and Barnabas. Let’s look at those three directives.
The first is WHATEVER GOD PLANS, HE PURSUES. It is wise for those in ministry to have a clearly defined mission statement; but even wiser is the reality that the mission statement must be God’s plan, not ours. Our designs on ministry may sound good in a corporate mission statement, but if God is not in that mission, it will only produce marginal results for God’s kingdom – only what WE can do with OUR OWN power. But when God is in the mission and the ministry, with Him providing the power, Godly things and Godly results are the outcomes. God, through Barnabas, went after Paul to build His church in Antioch. It’s was God’s plan; and he needed just the right pair of workers to get the job done; and that is related to point #2, which Swindoll wants to illustrate.
Secondly, WHOMEVER GOD CHOOSES, HE USES. And it is often the case that God uses the most unlikely people to do His work so that when His results are accomplished, God, the Father, will get far more glory than if a human “superstar” were the chosen vessel of purpose. Paul, the wild former Jew hater, was chosen by Barnabas (and God) to go to Antioch. Who would have thunk it?! But later Paul wrote about such a choice of ministry vessels by God, when he wrote in 1st Cor. 1: 26 – 27, For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.
Above we see God using God-led OBJECTIVES and God-chosen PEOPLE. And the final principle Swindoll brings out is all about God-directed PLACES. It will always be the case that WHEREVER GOD SELECTS, HE SENDS. God wanted Paul in Antioch; and He led Barnabas to get the former Saul from Tarsus to go, the two of them, to the place of God’s choosing. If we let God pick the places in His timing, ministry sparks will fly; and that’s exactly what happened in Antioch. Within a year of ministry with Paul working with Barnabas, the Church, which was labeled “Christianity” there, thrived and grew for God’s glory.
And I can really identify - personally - with these three principles Swindoll posits today. About ten years ago, God put a plan into motion which would have seemed quite ridiculous to the world. The objective was to take a recovered sex addict, yours truly, and reshape him into a church elder; and God went on to establish a ministry to restore Christians trapped in sexual sin so that these fallen believers could be productive and fruitful as Christian disciples. Up to that point, no church in America could be found to have such a ministry; but out of those unlikely circumstances, Battle Plan Ministries was birthed. And in ten years of ministry, scores of Christians have walked away from habitual sexual sin into fruitful lives as powerful warriors for Christ; and the ministry reaches out all over the world via the Internet. Who would have thunk it?!
I hope we all come to let God give purpose to our calling and to let Him choose the people and the places to exercise His plan. Because when we do, He will provide the power; and He will get the glory.
My Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, choose the time, choose the place, and send the people. And may You get all the glory You are due. Amen
My Journal for Today: Same passage again today. Yes, I know; but today, though related to yesterday’s message on “The Power of Two,” Swindoll presents some essentials about doing ministry together which make God’s work so much more effective. And these points are illustrated by the historical story of Barnabas, who needed help in building the church in Antioch, going to get this new dude in Tarsus who was causing such a stir in the Christian community there. And we see the three principles which Swindoll proposes about doing ministry with teamwork being lived out in the tandem ministry of Paul and Barnabas. Let’s look at those three directives.
The first is WHATEVER GOD PLANS, HE PURSUES. It is wise for those in ministry to have a clearly defined mission statement; but even wiser is the reality that the mission statement must be God’s plan, not ours. Our designs on ministry may sound good in a corporate mission statement, but if God is not in that mission, it will only produce marginal results for God’s kingdom – only what WE can do with OUR OWN power. But when God is in the mission and the ministry, with Him providing the power, Godly things and Godly results are the outcomes. God, through Barnabas, went after Paul to build His church in Antioch. It’s was God’s plan; and he needed just the right pair of workers to get the job done; and that is related to point #2, which Swindoll wants to illustrate.
Secondly, WHOMEVER GOD CHOOSES, HE USES. And it is often the case that God uses the most unlikely people to do His work so that when His results are accomplished, God, the Father, will get far more glory than if a human “superstar” were the chosen vessel of purpose. Paul, the wild former Jew hater, was chosen by Barnabas (and God) to go to Antioch. Who would have thunk it?! But later Paul wrote about such a choice of ministry vessels by God, when he wrote in 1st Cor. 1: 26 – 27, For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.
Above we see God using God-led OBJECTIVES and God-chosen PEOPLE. And the final principle Swindoll brings out is all about God-directed PLACES. It will always be the case that WHEREVER GOD SELECTS, HE SENDS. God wanted Paul in Antioch; and He led Barnabas to get the former Saul from Tarsus to go, the two of them, to the place of God’s choosing. If we let God pick the places in His timing, ministry sparks will fly; and that’s exactly what happened in Antioch. Within a year of ministry with Paul working with Barnabas, the Church, which was labeled “Christianity” there, thrived and grew for God’s glory.
And I can really identify - personally - with these three principles Swindoll posits today. About ten years ago, God put a plan into motion which would have seemed quite ridiculous to the world. The objective was to take a recovered sex addict, yours truly, and reshape him into a church elder; and God went on to establish a ministry to restore Christians trapped in sexual sin so that these fallen believers could be productive and fruitful as Christian disciples. Up to that point, no church in America could be found to have such a ministry; but out of those unlikely circumstances, Battle Plan Ministries was birthed. And in ten years of ministry, scores of Christians have walked away from habitual sexual sin into fruitful lives as powerful warriors for Christ; and the ministry reaches out all over the world via the Internet. Who would have thunk it?!
I hope we all come to let God give purpose to our calling and to let Him choose the people and the places to exercise His plan. Because when we do, He will provide the power; and He will get the glory.
My Prayer for Today: Dear Lord, choose the time, choose the place, and send the people. And may You get all the glory You are due. Amen
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