Sometimes It's the Little Things

Another missions conference has come and gone. We'll be sharing on Sunday about how tremendous this year's Faith Promise total is, but first I want to tell you about something that is so important when it comes to our daily lives. It's not a big thing, but what a difference it makes! Here it is: Don't ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Let me tell you why.

As we were planning this year's conference we learned that we would have a rare opportunity. Not only would we have a missionary for almost a full week, but we would have both husband and wife here. Alliance missionary couples normally tour separately, but for some reason they would be at our church together before heading their separate ways again.

What should we do? As we prayed and talked about it we came up with some new meetings and ways of doing this year's conference. Then the idea came to mind that we needed to send our missionaries out for a nice private dinner and then put them up in a hotel for the night. As we prayed about it we became convinced that we should "squander" part of this rare opportunity by sending our missionaries away for a day.

When they arrived here, we told them of our plans. They were stunned and amazed that we should do such a thing. They could tell from the number of events that we had planned that it wasn't a case of not wanting them around, instead it was a case of our wanting to bless them. So Thursday afternoon off they went. Harry would return Friday evening, Jane would head to Milaca Friday afternoon.

Here's the thing that made this little gift on our part so wonderful. When Harry arrived back from their "mini-vacation", he told me how wonderful their time had been and that it was the first time that they had a full 24 hours alone with each other since they arrived home from Japan in May. It was a real blessing all made possible because we were willing to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit's gentle voice.

How might the Holy Spirit use you to bless others this week? Listen for his still small voice and then obey him. That little thing he asks you to do for someone is probably bigger than you think!

The Christian and the Governement - Part 3

This week we are continuing our study of Romans 13:1-7. So far in our study we have seen that the basic attitude of the Christian toward government should be one of submission. Government is something designed by God to punish evil doers and administer justice. As Christians, we should, as a general principle, submit to its authority. As the text says, "there is no authority except that which God has established."

The next thing we discovered was that the Bible teaches that governing authorities have responsibilities that come from God...and which they will be accountable to God for fulfilling. We discovered that government is to be for the good of the people. It should enact and enforce just and righteous laws. It should be concerned for the poor and powerless in society. In a democracy, Christians have a role to play in assuring that government fulfills its responsibilities.

This week we are going to look at another aspect of the relationship of the Christian to government. The question we are going to be asking is, "If the basic attitude of the Christian to civil authorities is to be one of submission, is there ever a time when the Christian should defy governmental authority?"

An Open Door - Day Eight

During today's worship service missionaries from Kiev shared what God is doing in their lives as they seek to reach others with the love of Christ. These C&MA missionaries have a heart for God and have walked through an open door into the Ukraine. How awesome it is to be a part of the team!

Thank you for taking the plunge this week and making a Faith Promise. Let me remind you of a three things. First, the total amount of our church's Faith Promise has been forwarded on to the National Office to help them plan the missions strategy for the coming year. Second, to give to the Great Commission Fund you simply make a check out to Nashwauk Alliance and put "GCF" in the memo field. We'll forward it on. Alternatively, you can give through the national website. Third, the amount you promised and the fulfilling of that Faith Promise is between you and Jesus. We won't be sending reminders or barrel-chested "collectors" after you. Keeping your Faith Promise should be a fun adventure that you take hand in hand with the Lord.

As Missions Conference ends, let us recommit ourselves to being a vital part of the team that takes the gospel to our neighborhood and to every neighborhood around the world. Let us continually remind ourselves that the greatest thing we can do is nudge someone closer to Jesus. Whether a person has known Jesus a long time or is far from him, they can use gentle encouragement to take a step closer to him. May that encouragement come from us.

An Open Door - Part Seven

Seeking God to discover how he wants us to support missions is a part of being a member of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. It is a recognition of God's call on our lives to take the gospel "to the nations." It is helping people take the life-giving gospel message places that we cannot go.

Most of our lives are not lived with a concern for what is happening "over there." Sometimes that's due to selfish shortsightedness on our part. That's wrong. We need to be concerned about what is happening around the world. As one person put it, "This generation of believers is responsible for this generation of souls all around the world." We dare not lose sight of this fact.

At the same time, we cannot be so focused on "over there" that we lose sight of what is happening around us. If you have truly surrendered your life to Christ and are willing to go wherever he sends you, there is a reason that you are where you are today. He has you strategically placed to reach a certain group of people. All around you, in your current circle of relationships, are people who need to hear the good news of the gospel. They need to hear of the redemptive love of Christ...from you. What "open doors" exist in your world?

Perhaps that single mom desperately needs to know the love and provision of Jesus.
Perhaps your coworker needs help dealing with the anger that is destroying their home.
Perhaps a classmate is struggle to know that they are worthwhile.
Perhaps the successful business person needs to be reminded that in the end you cannot take your stuff with you.

Take a risk! Pray this simple prayer: "Lord Jesus, you have called me to become a fisher of men. I ask that you would teach me today more about what this means. Point out an open door today and give me the courage to walk through it. Amen."

Then get ready...God is looking for people willing to walk through the doors he opens!

An Open Door - Part Six

Over the past several days, you may have found these devotionals to be a bit dramatic in their call to follow Christ. However, this radical call to deny self has always been a requirement of the followers of Christ (Luke 14:25-33). In a society overflowing with luxury and entertainment, the call to total commitment to the cause of Christ is all the more essential, but ever harder to hear amid the din of the pleasure-seeking crowd. The one who responds to the call with reckless abandon will seem odd to those around them (1 Peter 4:4), yet will find that they can stand in the day of trouble and will yield tremendous fruit for the Kingdom of God (Matt. 13:18-23).

Such preparation is absolutely vital when it comes to completing the Great Commission. In order to finish the task, the Lord needs people who are willing to do whatever he tells them to do.

Take some time to present yourself to God for his service today (Romans 12:1-2).

The leadership team here at Nashwauk Alliance believes that one of the ways that God wants to challenge us this year in completing the Great Commission is through the Faith Promise. Making a Faith Promise is a matter of spending time alone with God and asking Him, "What do you want me to give to the Great Commission Fund over the next 12 months?" What's the right amount? The answer to this question needs to come from Him!

A.B. Simpson, founder of the C&MA suggested that as we seek God, we ask three questions:

1. What can I afford to give? (based on our ability to give)
2. What can I sacrifice from my ordinary expenditures? (based on sacrificial giving)
3. What can I trust God to provide in unexpected income (based on faith in God).

Take time today to begin to seek God for the answers to these questions.

An Open Door - Part Five

Most of us would love to have the clear guidance that Paul received in Acts 16:9-10, don't you agree?

But let's look carefully at what happened after Paul and his friends left for Macedonia. Acts 16:11-15 tells us that they arrived in Philippi and presented the gospel to some women who had gathered to pray. One of them, Lydia, responded to the gospel and was baptized. Cool! What a sign that they were "right on" in following God! Look at the blessing!

Some time later, they were going to the place of prayer and they encountered a demon-possessed slave girl so they cast the demon out of her. This made her owners so mad that they took Paul and his friend Silas to court. The authorities severely flogged Paul and Silas (Acts 16:16-23). We tend to read too fast. Here's what Wikipedia says about flogging:

Typically, the one to be punished was stripped naked and bound to a low pillar so that he could bend over it, or chained to an upright pillar so as to be stretched out. Two lictors (some reports indicate scourgings with four or six lictors) alternated blows from the bare shoulders down the body to the soles of the feet. There was no limit to the number of blows inflicted - this was left to the lictors to decide, though they were normally not supposed to kill the victim.

After being flogged, Paul and Silas were taken to a dark and dank cell in the recesses of the Philippian prison. Their feet were locked in stocks as further punishment and to prevent their escape (Acts 16:24). Not cool. Had they somehow missed God?

We know the story, the Lord causes an earthquake which somehow opened every prison door and caused the chains (and stocks?) of every prisoner to fall off. This leads to jailer and his family to get gloriously saved and the missionaries are escorted out of the city (Acts 16:25-40). Cool.

From there, they went to Thessalonica. They led a large number of people to Christ. So many, in fact, that the religious leaders started a riot and turned the city upside down looking for Paul and Silas. After their hosts were hauled before the authorities, Paul and Silas waited for the cover of night before sneaking out of town (Acts 17:1-10). Cool? Not cool?

Imagine this scenario: You've picked up a brochure for a missions trip. Here is the advertisement: "Some people will get saved, but you will be severely flogged, thrown in jail and hunted by an angry mob. Still suffering from the effects of the flogging, you will be forced to run for your life in the middle of the night."

Ask yourself this question: Would you even consider such a trip?

The disciples, who had left everything to follow Christ (Mark 1:14-20) embarked on just such a trip. In fact, they would eventually all be killed for their faith in Jesus. Read Acts 20:23-24 then let me challenge you to truly "leave your nets" and follow him. He wants to radically change the priorities of our life. Is being with Him and bringing others into the Kingdom truly our greatest concern? Or is it our "nets"...our security, comfort and ease?

An Open Door - Part Four

In the taking the gospel to the nations or across the street to our neighbors, the Holy Spirit is absolutely indispensable. To this statement, most Christians would agree. Yet the sad reality is that for many believers the Holy Spirit plays no active role it their conscious experience. This was not true in the early church. The early church knew the power of prayer and their desperate need for the Holy Spirit to empower and direct their efforts.

Take Acts 13:1-4 for example. The believers in Antioch was worshiping the Lord and fasting. While they were doing this the Holy Spirit spoke to them. The Spirit told them to set apart Saul (Paul) and Barnabas for a specific missionary task. There is no indication here that the church was holding a "brainstorming" session or had called in missions experts to give them counsel. No, the Holy Spirit spoke and they obeyed. It was as simple as that.

Or look at Acts 16:1-10. Paul is traveling from town to town strengthening the churches. They are experiencing daily growth. Notice Acts 16:6. They were going to go to the Roman province of Asia, but the Holy Spirit kept them from doing so. Look at that again. Paul, one of the greatest missionaries the church has known, wanted to go to Asia, but the Holy Spirit prevented him from going. Paul knew the work of the Holy Spirit as a living reality in his life.

They kept traveling, and tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. Now here is something new. In verse 7 the Holy Spirit is called the Spirit of Jesus. It is important to remember that the Holy Spirit is co-eternal and co-existent with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus.

Let's link these lessons together.

1. Jesus calls us to follow him and he will cause us to be fishers of men.
2. Jesus teaches that if we find ourselves in a position of being unable to meet the needs of others we are to seek God and he will provide what we need to serve others.
3. Jesus teaches that what God will give us is the Holy Spirit. He tells his followers to wait until they the Holy Spirit comes on them before they begin making disciples.
4. The Holy Spirit that leads and empowers the disciples in the book of Acts is nothing less than the Spirit of Jesus.

Therefore, the our task is the same task as the disciples: Follow Jesus and he will make us fishers of men. Only now, instead of following Jesus' physical presence, we follow the Spirit of Jesus...the Holy Spirit. As Paul puts it in Galatians 5:25: "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." We are to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit just as Simon and Andrew followed Jesus.

Again, have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?