Joy

Evangelism, life, mentoring, Mission, purpose

Let The Redeemed Of The Lord Say So!

May 8, 2019May 4, 2019 Sherri Maness

We’re On A Mission From God, Literally

Brothers and sisters, there are not enough preachers and teachers of the gospel in the entire world to reach everyone with the Good News. We have people in our own groups who don’t attend church, don’t own a Bible, were not raised in a Christian home, don’t know Jesus, and don’t know they are missing out on the most indescribable gift.

If they don’t go to church, how will they hear the message the preacher is preaching? If they don’t own a Bible, how will they read the story of how Jesus died to save us? If we don’t live out the grace of God in our circles of influence, how will they see the way to go? It may be difficult to fathom, but there are millions of people in the world who don’t know why Jesus is such a Big Deal. We know some of these people. We probably interact with them daily.

In God’s plan of salvation, believers are assigned the mission of sharing the truth of Christ with the people He places in our path. That means you and I are responsible to them for their eternal future. If we fail to meet this responsibility, there may not be another opportunity for them to hear and see Jesus. This is the work of “Faith Without Works” fame. Keeping the glory and joy and peace of Christ to ourselves, when there are so many people who need these things, is the evidence of dead faith. You and I, in our secular, local, personal space are evangelists. The Bible does not tell Christians to go to seminary or Bible College, then go to all the world. It doesn’t tell us to get a degree in theology and then go tell the people the Good News. It doesn’t even tell us we have to be qualified or prepared or ordained. Being washed clean of our sin by the blood of Jesus Christ makes us qualified. Knowing that Jesus died and was resurrected and has chosen us out of the world is our ordination. The Holy Spirit that He sent to be our Helper is our preparation. There are no excuses that will cover our failure to share the risen Christ with anyone who will listen and to show by how we love others that we belong to Him.

Calling The Unqualified

We have been called out of our routines and comfort zones for the greatest rescue mission ever. Limitless numbers of people are counting on us to do our part and to carry out our assignments with excellence. Most of them probably don’t even know it, though.

We can all come up with dozens of excuses to justify why we’re not right for the job. We are unqualified, untrained, and unprepared. Some of us think we are too young or old or shy or afraid. We don’t know how to do it “the right way.” The fact is, though, that Jesus called you and me the same as He called fishermen and tax collectors. He called the tongue tied and the hot headed and the doubtful. He cared little for what they had, or we have, to offer and all for what He came to give. The moment we accepted the invitation to join with Christ, we became heirs to the kingdom of God and, along with that, received our assignment to share the Good News with the rest of the world. That may mean for us the far corners of the earth or the corner grocery store. We are the ordinary people called by God to accomplish extraordinary things for the kingdom.

Family, if we spend less time worrying about how to do it and more time doing it, God will take care of the details. As many have been called, all have been given what is needed to accomplish the work. Just talk about it. Tell your neighbor, your brother, your schoolmate, your work buddy what Jesus did for you. A degree in theology won’t accomplish more than a heartfelt , loving conversation about the joy of the Lord or your victory in Jesus.

Each One, Reach One

If every Christ follower, regardless of age or sex or profession or denomination, were to seek out just one person among their circles who doesn’t know Jesus and share His love and forgiveness and truth with them, the balance of the world could shift. If we, every one of us, did this, one person at a time, how many broken hearts could be mended, lost souls recovered, and captive spirits freed? Surely you can find just one person to share Jesus with. Surely there is one among your family, friends, coworkers, or neighbors you could share a coffee and a conversation with. There is, most definitely, someone near you who will benefit from knowing you are praying for them and that you and Jesus love them. It will not require a heavy theological discussion to show someone what spectacular joy is found in Christ. Tell the story of how and where Jesus found you and let the Holy Spirit do the rest.

We have been given access to all of the tools and skills that we need to accomplish this mission. We just have to know how to use them properly.

Prepare For Battle

As I said, we have been given all of the tools we need to carry out the mission. But, first, we need to get ready for battle. Make no mistake, the world is not always a safe place for Christ followers. Jesus knew this to be the case before He left the first time. That’s why He gave us a Helper who would stay and provide the support we need to navigate the darkness and light the world. The Holy Spirit is here helping us to prepare.

Put On Your Armor

We are not fighting against flesh and blood people. The battle is against powers of darkness and the forces of evil in the heavenly realm. Because of this, we must rely on the protection only the armor of God can provide.

Belt of Truth so we can hold firm against the enemy and we will not be led astray as society ebbs and flows with what is acceptable and what is not.
Breastplate of righteousness to protect our hearts from attack, living out the new life we have in Christ.
Feet shod and ready for any occasion with the gospel of peace, always willing to love one another as Christ loves us even when we are the most unlovable.
Shield of faith to protect against the enemy’s flaming arrows, having confidence that God is with us and that we are secure in Him through Jesus.
Helmet of salvation to guard our minds from fear, doubt, and confusion, knowing that our future is secure and that Jesus is our Rock.
Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, which is sharper than any sword and able to judge thoughts and attitudes of the heart and provides us with the preparation and the power to do the work set before us.

Once we have prepared ourselves with these, we are ready to dig in to the work.

The Mission

Our mission, which we’ve already accepted when we accepted Jesus, is to do all in our power to ensure that the people we are doing life with know Him. By modeling the love of Christ in our families and neighborhoods and workplaces, we will have the opportunity to share that love with the people we encounter. Forgive people as freely as Christ forgave you. Tell others where you were before Christ and what He has done to save you. Talk about the glory of God. Spread sparkles of light and life wherever you go. Be authentic. Seek out the captives and help set them free. Shine with the light of a soul set free from darkness.

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, And gathered out of the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; They found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He delivered them out of their distresses.
Psalm 107: 1-6

Encouragement, Evangelism, leadership, life, purpose

It’s Time To Wake The Neighbors

April 1, 2019April 1, 2019 Sherri Maness

If your house is on fire, what do you do?

Do you hope someone will come along and get everyone out, or do you work like mad to wake the people up and get them out of the inferno? Well, the house is on fire, and you are right here. It’s time to start working like mad to wake the people up and save them from the coming flames.

In diverse places around the world, Christians are under attack. Entire villages have been destroyed in Nigeria, just in the past couple of weeks, with hundreds of people murdered because they claimed the name of Jesus Christ. It’s against the law to own a Bible in dozens of countries. Christian churches are targets of government harassment and physical attack in more places than we can keep up with. In the United States, there is a concerted effort to have crosses, prayer, and expressions of faith removed from public view and exercise.

Now, more than ever in our lifetimes, we need leaders who will stand in the gap in prayer and speak the truth of Christ into this generation.

But, who will these leaders be? Where will they come from and where will they lead?

We, brothers and sisters in Christ, are the leaders this generation and this time requires. Jesus said so Himself. He told His followers to “Go!” He told them to, “Make disciples of all nations.”

He was talking to you and me. He was telling us that the house is on fire and we are the chosen to show the people the way out.

One of our biggest mistakes, as believers, is to think that only certain people are responsible for sharing the gospel. The message of Christ is not just for the trained or the ordained to tell. It is for the rescued and redeemed to proclaim. That’s us. All of us who have been washed in the Blood should be shouting it from the housetops. Jesus died for our sin, was raised back to life, and will be coming back to take us with Him. It is time, right now, to be making sure our families and friends and coworkers and neighbors are ready to go.

It’s time to show Jesus to our people. It’s time to share the Good News of Christ wherever we are and in whatever we do.

It is time to love and serve and give like Jesus.

It is time to wake up, you sleeper, and invite the neighbors to the wedding feast. There is no time to waste and no excuse that will cover our failure to act.

We have brothers and sisters literally dying for Christ, how do we dare keep the miracle of Christ quiet, especially when we are in no danger for the sharing?

YOUR MISSION:

Pray for the people in your circles of home, work, and community to be open to the urging of the Holy Spirit in their hearts.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to arrange opportunities and openings for you to share Christ.
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the words you need and answers to questions that may be asked so you will be ready when the openings occur.
Cultivate the fruit of the Spirit by keeping a close relationship with Christ.
Love the people God has placed in your path, without judgment or condemnation.
Live out the joy that Jesus came to give everyone who follows Him.
Encourage others with words filled with life and love.
Forgive always as you have been forgiven.
Follow the example of Christ and establish relationships with others in order to share life together, encouraging and edifying one another.
Share the Good News sincerely, kindly, joyfully, gratefully, compassionately, and peacefully with all who have ears to hear.

Brothers and sisters, there is work to be done and not enough workers to do it. Jesus is coming soon. Plant the seeds now, while it is still daytime, and when He returns He will gather a great harvest of souls. Surely there is no one we want to leave behind.

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, the send out workers into His harvest field.

Matthew 9: 35-38, NIV

Encouragement, life, purpose

Pick A Different Ending

March 18, 2019April 1, 2019 Sherri Maness

How’s life going for you these days?

Are you where you want to be?

Is this the way you imagined things would be when you were growing up?

When you were a kid, what did you want to be? Did you make it? Are you there?

Are you happy?

If your spirit is filled with peace and joy, regardless of what is going on around you, that is awesome! I am so happy for you. Continue on!

If your spirit is struggling with fear or anxiety or regret or pain, I am sorry for you. No matter what you thought life would be like when you were young, this probably isn’t it. As children, we are usually filled with hopeful expectation and anticipation of what adventures the future may hold. Some of us get there, and some of us do not.

Are you struggling with the result of poor choices, addictions, bad habits, or unfruitful thought patterns? Do you see more darkness than light at the end of the tunnel? Have you traded the days of hope for nights of hopelessness?

Has anyone ever told you it doesn’t have to be this way?

As long as there is time for one more choice, it isn’t too late. This next choice could be the one that makes the biggest difference. As long as there is time to do something differently than you did the last time, then there is time to be more, to have more. Just because every choice you made in the past may have been the wrong one, you don’t have to keep making that same choice.

There is time to make a different choice. There is time to change the path you are on. New paths lead to new destinations. Just because you’ve always done a thing doesn’t mean you have to keep doing it. It’s okay to choose another way. Just because you’ve always taken that first drink or placed that first bet or said that first angry thing or thought that first defeated thought, you don’t have to do it this time.

I’ll ask again. Right now, regardless of your age or circumstance, what do you want to be when you grow up?

It is not too late to have a better day today. It is not too late to have a better tomorrow.

God created you for a purpose. He loves you and has a plan for your very best. You are not an accident or a failure. Jesus died for you. Jesus is alive today, for you. Today is the day the Lord made. Make a choice today to rejoice and be glad in this day. Even if you didn’t win yesterday, you don’t lose unless you give up. Jesus makes old things new and dead things alive. He changes hopelessness into victory. He’s right here, right now, rooting for you. The entire host of heaven is cheering you on. They know you can do it. They know you can choose a better ending for this day, and for the rest of this life.

If you need more, if you want better, it isn’t too late to make a different choice. You are not alone. There is more for you. There is better for you.

All you have to do is pick a different ending.

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with temptation will also make the way of escape, that you will be able to bear it.

1 Corinthians 10:12-13, NKJV