Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them.

I am driven. Are you? I have been blessed with a desire to succeed, a need to overcome adversity that borders on the obsessive, and a competitive fire that always burns and never goes out. To borrow a reference form a popular 80’s film, I’m not happy unless I’m going mach 2 with my hair on fire. While that is overstating things a bit, the point remains, the Lord has blessed me with drive.  As with all things, the question becomes, will the gifts given by God be used for His purpose and glory or my own?

Romans 12:2  (NLT) Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. For Christians this verse is both a comfort and a struggle. On the one hand, it represents the sanctification of followers of Christ – the promise that Gods perfect will for our lives. On the other, it can, in its sanctifying power, be a source of loneliness and frustration for believers. A new believer is often faced with loneliness as “friends” from their old lives abandon them in favor of their secular lifestyles. This process of separating the chaff from the wheat as we see in Matthew 3:12 is a painful process: ( NLT) He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”It leaves the new believer desperate to bring those he knows and loves into a relationship with the Father.

For the follower of Jesus, that has been walking with the Lord for many years the pain of sanctification is different. For the seasoned believer, walking through this life often feels like watching a movie at the drive-in theatre; a movie that is absolutely free, a movie that the believer cannot opt out of, a movie that must be viewed. Further, those that have accepted Christ as Lord of their lives must  interact with the pain, suffering, and perversion of this world. A believer does not simply hide their eyes and wait for the second coming. To the contrary, the believer is called to go forth into the perverse, broken, and pain filled world. Matthew 28: 16-20 (NLT) ¹⁸ Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,^[b] baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  Being a light in the darkness, a balm for the pain, a splint for the broken, and the uncomfortable truth that countermands the lies is a lonely and frustrating calling no matter where you fall in your walk with Jesus.

 I heard a pastor put it this way, “Once Jesus has gotten hold of you, you will do things that you never considered before.” Things like pray, read your bible, donate your resources and time to the less fortunate (for free!) and yes, ask God, for opportunities to share the gospel. That’s right, Christians seek out chances to share the gospel truth of Jesus Christ. We share that truth with those same “friends,” that mocked and ridiculed us when we were saved; with the shattered world that we are sanctified from. Why would Christians do this?  Why would we place ourselves before those who often don’t want to hear what we have to say, who many times can and do cause us harm be it physical, emotional,or economic?  Does almighty God need us to do this? Can’t He just reach down from heaven and make everyone believe? God doesn’t need us to do anything He wants us to do it of our own free will, in doing so we choose Jesus for ourselves and give ourselves to His purpose for our lives. Man chose to disobey God by eating of the tree of life (Genesis 3), man must choose salvation through Jesus Christ, John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

To my brothers and sisters around the world who are sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ though the personal risks and sacrifices are great; I say we the redeemed are with you. You are in our prayers as we intercede on your behalf before the Father.  When the frustrations  of your calling seem to be too much and you don’t feel like you are doing enough or what you are doing is ineffective, remember God is with you, directing your steps. Psalm 37:23 The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.  We are all called to be messengers and in sharing the message that is the saving power of Christ, the Lord uses us to reach a dying world; bringing the lost to Himself. By answering the call to preach we take part in building God’s church, a church made not of frame, plaster, and paint but of the souls of those that are saved. It is the body of Christ a church without walls. A church without limits!

Grace & Peace,

LD

*If you would like to know more about a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, email me at savedIIserve@gmail.com and let me know! I will be happy to lead you through what the bible says about salvation and accepting Jesus Christ as your savior.*