Three Kinds of People in Pursueing God's Will

I have been noticing that there are different places people in the Church are at when they pursue what God has for them, those who have found it, those who want to get there as fast as they can, and those that are content to wait on the perfect time.

One of the kinds of people is those that have found it.  A friend of mine has known for a long time that he was to plant a church in a major US city.  Recently, he made moves to begin that call.  He spent time talking to key people, investigating the area, and finally moving he and his family to the area to begin what he has known for a long time was his calling.  He took his time and spent a long time praying and planning, but now is doing what he was called to do by God.  He didn't try to rush it, didn't try to step on someone else's toes to make it happen, he just waited.  I remember him talking about this mission for a long time, and knowing what God had called him and his family too.  While it was not easy to wait, he did and now is in the middle of the greatest adventure of his life.  He has seen God provide in miraculous ways and in very unexpected ways.  While I know there is some apprehension, the excitement for being exactly where God wants for him and his family far out ways any fear and discomfort.  He is where God wants him and has called and prepared him to do.

Another kind of person is those that know what God wants, but try and rush it.  They want to be where God wants them now.  These people will often do whatever they have to; to get to the place they think God is calling them.  Abraham was one of these people.  He was told by God he would be the father of many nations.  But the trouble is he didn't have any children.  He and his wife were getting old so he decided to hurry things along.  With the help of his wife, he took his wife's servant and had a child through her.  He and Sarah thought they had arrived and had finally gotten to the promise.  But God told him Ishmael was not the son of the promise, and that the son of promise would come through his wife Sarah, not her servant.  So many years later, when Abraham was 99 and Sarah was 90 (obviously well past child bearing years) God came to visit them and told them in a year they would have a son.  And it happened just as God said it would.  But because of Abraham trying to rush Gods plan, he suffered setbacks, heartache, and many things he could have avoided by waiting.  Many people in the church are in this boat.  They want what God promised NOW and they do not want to wait.  They don't care who they have to step on or push aside or what shortcuts they have to take to get to that place they know God has called them.  They end up suffering all kinds of setbacks or heartache because they rushed the process.  Moses Tried to rush the process by killing an Egyptian slave maser, but found out it wasn't time yet.  God took him through 40 more years of waiting and preparation before he was allowed to fulfill the call God had for him because the time was not right when he first tried, but it was right when he was 80.  Moses had to learn more to be able to fulfill that call and the circumstances had to be just right to be able to make the call more effective.  Now I am sure that the 40 years of waiting and thinking he had missed it and was a complete failure was not fun, it all turned out for the Glory of God.

The last group is those that know where God has called them and know the gifts they have, but are content to wait for the right time.  This group is a small group in the Church today.  Most do not have the patience to wait on God.  Most want to be in the call NOW and not later.  Now Joseph, Isaac's son, was one that knew his calling.  He knew where he was going, but circumstances took him on a very difficult path through rejection, slavery, and prison.  Finally, after much patience (and I am sure there were times he didn't feel patient) Pharaoh called and Joseph was able to finally after much waiting and patience and waiting again, and learning, to be able to step in to the roll God had for him.

Sometimes we can be all three of these people at various times.  But we learn to wait.  Like my friend, he had to wait, and finally the time came.  Like Abraham, he had to wait and then he forced it to happen, and then had to wait patiently, and then finally it happened. 

My question to you is this.  What kind of person will you be?  Are you in the place God has for you or are you on the journey?  One thing I have learned lately is that it is the journey that is often the most important, because it's in the journey that we learn who we are and what we are and gain valuable skills and lessons and insight in order to be able to do what God has called us to do.  So no matter where in the journey you are, I want to encourage you to 2 things.  1) Whatever place your in or kind of person you are, start being patient and enjoy the journey.  For in the journey you will gain much you need to fulfill your journey.  2) Keep your eyes and your affections on the one that called you and let the journey happen as God lays it out for you. 
Wherever you are in the journey, I pay God will use you along the way to touch the people that only you can touch and say the things that only you can say and do the things that only you can do.

Taking the Name of the LORD in vain - Are you doing it?

I recently heard a sermon on this (actually just a point in a sermon by Steven Furtick of Elevation Church).  I just thought it was good enough to pass on so bear with me as I put it in my own words. We will start in Exodus 3.

Way back in Moses day, he was tending the sheep in the bleak desert.  Off in the distance he sees a fire so he chooses to go investigate.  I am sure that fires in a hot desert are not unusual, but no matter, fires always get our attention.  When He gets there, Moses notices a bush is on fire, but the bush is not burning up.  You have to admit, that IS unusual and very mind bending.  Our logic and experience tells us that if something is on fire, it gets consumed and reduced to ashes.  Not this time.  No smoke, no black, no ash, just fire.  Suddenly a voice speaks to Moses out of the fire. (I have often wondered if this fire was a normal looking fire or if it had something special about it.)  This voice (God) began to give him instructions to go back to Egypt and confront Pharaoh and demand the Israelites be set free.  Now you have to remember that Moses was 80 years old.  Who starts a new career at 80?  Especially someone that has had a past of bad doings (Moses was a murderer).  Finally Moses had to ask.  "When I get there, who should I say sent me?"  God told him that I AM has sent him.  If that was me, I would be thinking "I am what?"  I am sure Moses was not sure what to think at this point, but he argued with I AM and as we know from reading further in Exodus, he lost that argument.  In the end, Moses did as God asked and all of Israel walked out of Egypt a free people.

Now lets skip over to Exodus 20.  "Then God spoke all these words, saying, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.  ... “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain." (Exodus 20 1, 2, 7  NASB).  God is speaking again to Moses and to all of us here.  First God reminds them that He is I AM and that he brought them out of slavery.  All of us have been in slavery f some kind or other, especially SIN.  I know this because I know me and I also know that God has said in Romans 3:20 He says  ^"For when you were slaves of sin, ..."  Not if you were a slave to slave or if you become a slave, he uses the phrase "when you were."  He also says in Romans 3:23: " for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Ok, back to Exodus 20:7.  “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain." Now if you have been around church long enough we have learned that this is using any form of the Name of God or Jesus as a swear word.  That may be true and I am sure it is unwise to do so, but stay with me for a little longer.  What is the name of God?  In Exodus 3, He introduces himself as I AM.  He also starts the Ten Commandments with " I AM the LORD your God ..."  So let me cut to the chase and say it this way:  When we say things like "I am Stupid", "I am a Failure", " I am bad", "I am worthless"  This is also using the name of God in vain.  Because God has said that everything He is, is who we are because we are in Him.  We took His name.  Just like when a woman gets married, she takes the name of her groom.  When she says "I DO", suddenly all that is his, is now hers, including his name and his identity.  We are the bride of Christ so therefore we have a new identity and a new name.  Our identity is now in the I AM.  So when we say those words I AM and follow them by self-defeating words and self-put downs, we are taking His name in vain.  We are putting ourselves back in slavery to something that is not part of the Jesus identity.  We have taken on His identity so that we won't be in bondage again, in slavery again.  But we seem to take His name in vain even when we don't know we are.  All those negative put downs, like I am a failure, is taking His name in vain because that is NOT who God is, and therefore if we are a new creature, neither are we.  By taking His name in vain we are choosing to go back into slavery after He brought us out. 

If we are truly and purposefully not taking the Name of God in vain, we can say with confidence and boldness:  I am God's Child, I am A friend of God, I am united with Jesus, I am a member of Christ's body, I am complete in Christ, I am free from condemnation, I am free from any charges against me, I am established, I am anointed and I am sealed by God, I am hidden in Christ, I am confident that what God started He will complete, I am a citizen of Heaven, I am the salt of the earth, I am the Light of the earth, I am a branch in the Vine, I am God's Temple, I am God's co-worker, I am seated with Christ, I am God's workmanship.

When we use the words I Am and what follows it tells us and others what we believe about ourselves.  Most of the time, when we take the name of the Lord in vain, we do it quietly and in our thoughts, which in turn play out in our actions and what we say and how we treat others.  The words "I AM" truly are some of the most powerful words we can utter, because what comes after them define who we are and can either set or alter our destiny.  If we truly believe we have taken on the image of Christ, then what follows I AM will put us squarely in the destiny and purpose God has for our life IF we choose to take on HIS identity and not our own.  So do not take the Name in vain.  Learn who you are in Christ and live it.  If you are not sure how to live it, don't be afraid to ask the Name how you can and how to be more in Him and take on His identity.

Just remember: "It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1, NASB)

Just put it down

I have seen this over and over and I must say something about it.  A family goes out for dinner.  Good right?  But wait, there's more.  Everyone has their cell phone out texting, or on Facebook, or checking e-mail or playing a game.  I recently saw a couple with a small child sitting across from each other, cell phones up, going through every app they have and ignoring each other and their child.  At another place I saw a family with guests with them, and everyone except the little kids, where on their cell phone without even looking at each other or talking, except when one of the kids annoyed the bigger kids or adults.  I have also seen college age people sitting at our dinner table more concerned about their phone then the company. 

What is so important that can't wait on our cell phone?  When did we lose the sense of community with each other?  How can we get to know someone when our eyes are fixed on our smart phone?  When we all had flip phones that only received calls, no one had that problem.  When the most asked question of your friends is  "Did you see (a certain post or video or news story)?", there is a problem.  How can we reach beyond ourselves when we are just wrapped up in our own world?

I am not asking these questions because I have never done this, I have.  I have learned to put down my phone and leave it alone when with my family and friends.  In fact, most of the time I have my phone on DO NOT DISTURB so that I am not tempted to look every 30 seconds at what is on it or if someone sent a message or the latest Facebook post.  In my opinion, if your friend can not wait (unless it is an emergency) then there is a problem with your relationship. 

Why not focus on each other's day or what is hurting them?  Why not look at them in the eye and talk heart to heart?  Why not try to get to know someone and not try and multitask on your phone and try and have dinner with those you say are important?  What you are really saying when you have your eyes and attention glued to the smart phone is that phone is more important that the people you are with.

My suggestion is this: Romans 12:10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor.  When we pay more attention to our smart phone than the people we are with, who or what are we showing honor to?  The obvious answer is the smart phone (which has no personality, can't help us out of difficulties unless we are lost, cannot talk to us and get to know us, and will most definitely not last for a lifetime or eternity).  Learn how to honor those we care about by listening to them and giving them our attention.  It does not show that you honor someone by listening to them AND trying to catch up on what is happening on Facebook or Twitter. 

So I offer this challenge: take a month or a week and do not check Facebook from any device, designate certain times of the day to check text messages and emails, and the rest of the time devote to those you love and care about or call your friends.  I can guarantee it will not be easy because I have done it.  But hopefully you will find it as rewarding as I did and soon you too may be more concerned with relationships than an electronic device.