I recently finished reading two books called, The Hole In The Gospel," and "The Radical." These are two books that WILL make anyone stop and think about where their priorities truly lie.
Jesus gave us three MAJOR commandments.....Love God, Love others and his FINAL commandment was to "Go into all the world and TEACH!" Most of us think we do OK with loving God.... But Do WE???? Do we spend more time in a relationship with our TV'S and cars then with God??? Do we spend more money each week eating out then we give to God??? As for loving others....Many of us think we can do this one! Yet, do we really care about the homeless? Do we feed the poor? Do we reach out to those in Africa and other countries dying of AIDS, poverty etc? Do we care about the kids in so many poor countries living in the city dumps??? Do we even care for those in our own communities that are hurting??? Or do we shut our eyes to it most of the time and expect someone else to send aid to them. We in America are so spoiled and take soooooo much for granted. We turn our heads to those hurting and in trouble nearly on a daily basis. I fail miserably at these first two commandments many days of my life, but THEN there is that third and final commandment that Jesus gave us, to go teach, and it seems a bit tougher yet! It really takes us out of our comfort zone, does it not???? We can make all kinds of excuses like I am not outgoing, I am not a speaker, I am not a teacher, I am not a world traveler, and I have no money or resources. But even with ALL the excuses, ALL of us can do SOMETHING!! If we truly love others and God, we WILL introduce others to Jesus, PERIOD! God is our maker and our comforter. His grace and love has saved us. Why would we not share this good news??? It is time that I and all of us give up our excuses, our precious relationships with material things and live the kind of selfless lives that God intended us to live. It is NOT about ME and It is NOT about YOU!!! It is ALL about HIM!!!! He has promised us support and victory. He knows the number of hairs on my head and he has promised to provide. So what part of his promises do I not BELIEVE or TRUST him with???
God has always used some of the most unlikely characters to fulfill his purposes. So who am I to think he cannot use you or me? I would encourage all who want to grow spiritually to read these two books. We tend to get STUCK on some of the little things at times in our worship and in our churches and IGNORE the three big commandments that God gave us. Maybe if we would just concentrate more on these three commandments and take SELF out of the equation and focus ourselves more on HIM....we really could change the world! I found the remaining part of the blog in a statement by Charles Stanley and thought I would share it also.
"When a teacher gives an assignment, good students take it seriously. They do what's required, give their best effort, and complete the work in a timely manner.
Before ascending to heaven, Jesus gave us a commandment—an assignment, really—but too many Christians are half-hearted about completing the task. Christ told His followers to share the good news about salvation and make disciples of all nations. Some believers do dedicate themselves to this work. But many are either too busy or too timid to commit their lives in this way.
If we are to emulate Jesus (John 13:15), then our actions and words should touch people as His did. Recipients of the Savior's love were forever changed. As His followers, we have the Holy Spirit residing within us, which means we have access to the same power that raised Christ from the dead (Rom. 8:11)! So by sharing the gospel, providing encouragement, and offering comfort, we, too, can impact others' lives. Jesus commanded that the good news go out to all nations. Of course, not everyone can move to another country. Some believers hear God's call and go. Others stay, but they're still called to touch those around them. They can also assist overseas missions by financially and prayerfully supporting kingdom efforts on foreign soil.
Our Lord was serious about telling His followers to share the gospel. Consider how you spend your time and your money. Does this indicate obedience to the most important assignment you have ever received? What changes must you make to give Jesus' commandment top priority?"
So...in ending, just some food for thought. The Gospel is all about God. his love and what his son did for us. Sometimes when we look at the Gospel though, we leave some major "HOLES" in it and forget these three major commandments. So, this week, I urge each of us to look not at ourselves and what WE need, but look to others and to God's plan for us. See if there is someone out there that you can share God and yourself with. You CAN make just one person's day a little brighter because you cared enough to do so. :) Hope you all have a blessed week!
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