..always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. 1Peter3:15
What message will we bring to a non believing world? Will it be a message of a liberating, light bearing Savior who loves us unconditionally; or will it be one of an intolerant, legalistic, judgmental God.
For years I have taken to heart the Bible’s message to ‘Love my neighbor as myself’. Where I fall flat on my face is when Jesus tells me to ‘Go and make fisher’s of men’! That interferes with my comfort zone, and perhaps my lazy zone? It is so much easier to sit back and say to oneself… ‘Let Go and Let God’. But the real meaning of that phrase is to let go of your way of doing things, and let God do the leading. Let God empower you with His strength to overcome your weakness. I guess this is where faith is acted upon.
This sounds simple, but in reality how many of us focus on our inadequacies instead of God’s empowerment? How many of us listen to Satan’s lies that we are not good enough, or smart enough for God to need, let alone use? So we give up, or try to do things in our own strength instead of following and listening to The Leader!
In the past when I tried to tell others about Jesus, I would get overly anxious, and what I knew in my heart, did not come out of my mouth! Frustration with myself, along with the other persons frustration with me, quickly ended any meaningful dialogue.
I learned years ago that I have a problem verbally carrying a good theological argument. At that point, I am usually left begging the question, “Lord, how can I be salt and light when I turn more people away from you than towards you”? During these encounters, I never truly felt fit for any service call from God!
Jesus has mercifully bestowed a much needed gift upon my discouraged shoulders. The gift of being able to express my love and relationship with Him through my writings. What joy I get from putting words on paper of what He has done for me over the years.
In the past year or so, God has been answering my ongoing prayer of change for this problem of mine. He has been changing my attitude along with my focus. My focus from my strength to His strength, and my attitude to get out of my easy chair, and begin a different exercise program.
I am learning to choose my verbal words more carefully, and although I don’t always manage that well, God continues to urge me forward. He is teaching me to show my love for Him through other means such as my actions, even by loving and caring for those who don’t agree with me about Him. I have finally learned that I don’t need to do the Holy Spirit’s job, I just need to be able to give an answer to why I believe in Jesus.
If I am to be Fit for His Service, it’s up to me to change. I must let go of my fears, and trust in God for the outcome. Not an easy thing to do, but a necessary one if change is to occur.
Joseph Stowell’s book ‘The Trouble With Jesus’ tells us we can be salt and light by…
Declaration – Speaking up for Jesus
Demonstration – Showing up for Jesus
Compassion – Reaching out for Jesus
Community – Loving for Jesus
Consecration – Living for Jesus
Today Jesus is telling me I am ready for my next step in my life’s evolution. I am now at the point where I want more! I want Jesus to use me for more of His service. I want His goals to be my goals; His desires to be my desires; To care more about relationships like He does, than my own achievements.
I now want to be more ‘Fit For His Service’!
Tell me . . . How fit are you? Syb Brodie
Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. 1 Timothy 4:8 NLT
He possessed all the world had to give him,
He had reached every coveted goal,
But, alas, his life was a failure,
For he had forgotten his soul.
Denison