You know the kind, nothing you do is right. They may be
blatant about it, rude even. But probably
bold, letting you know you do not measure up to their standards. Or they may be
more subtle, knit picking you to death, small, seemingly unimportant things
that apparently grind on them and they need you to change. Talk this way. Act
this way. If you say anything you are “moody, emotional”. I have had both used
on me. How about you?
How does that work in everyday life?
The thing is you need to know is who you are in Christ.
Who does He say you are? Nothing else really matters. Those little “irritants”
to others may be things that need refining but are not a reflection on your
value as a Christian. Paul addresses these problems within the church and therefore
offering a guideline for your life.
Paul went through the same things.
1 Corinthians
1:26-2:8 (NIV)
26 Brothers and
sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you
were wise by human standards;
not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world
to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly
things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to
nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may
boast before him. 30 It is because of
him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for
us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is
written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
2 And so it was with
me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or
human wisdom as I proclaimed to
you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to
know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness with great fear and
trembling. 4 My message and my
preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a
demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5 so that your faith
might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
God’s Wisdom
Revealed by the Spirit
6 We do, however, speak a message of
wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom
of this age or of the rulers of
this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 No, we declare
God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God
destined for our glory before time began. 8 None of the rulers
of this age understood it, for
if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
The
church stands corrected.
The
Corinthians are worried about potential impending splits and Paul tells them to
go back to the simplicity of the cross. Christ chose very simple things to
glorify the Father. Do not complicate the simplicity of the cross.
Paul
starts in I Corinthians 1:26 letting us know it doesn't matter how wise we are, how influential we are, or how wealthy we are—it is all fruitless. Verse 31 of that same chapter lets us know
that if we are going to boast we need to boast in the Lord.
Missionaries
go into a lot of new areas. So do you. Work. School. Shopping. Friends’ homes. Intercession.
When you go into a place the culture has to change to the word not the word to
the culture. This is such a hard concept.
The
church has tried to do it the other way for centuries. The church tries to
appeal to the “sensibilities” and “traditions” of the local area. Did Jesus do that or did He show the purity of truth? Culture
becomes more important than Christ. Don’t market the gospel for profit, just
present the truth and watch it stand on its own. Don’t shove truth down
people’s throats. Live the love of
Christ and let that love draw men. Present the gospel, pray, plant seed, water
or cultivate and let the people decide. Let the love of Christ draw them.
Do
not coerce them.
Do
not manipulate.
Do
not try to convince.
Present
the Gospel and get out of the way.
Psalm 1
1 Blessed is the
one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
You
are not responsible to get people saved—so often we think “getting someone
saved” is an act. It isn't, it is a process. Otherwise it would be like throwing a packet of seeds out in the yard and minutes later having a well cultivated
fruit/veggie producing garden—not happening. Anyone who has ever gardened will
tell you this is so not happening!
Bringing
salvation is a process, a journey that many are involved in.
John 6:37 (NIV)
37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and
whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
Keep
the message of Christ in the forefront of you thought processes, your actions,
your words. When people look at you they should see Christ—they should smell
the fragrance of life. Your job is not to razzle-dazzle people, not to mesmerize
them. They should not be looking at a show about the Christian walk but looking at the fruit. You should
not be presenting a show but exhibiting the fruit in your life.
Jeremiah 9:24 (NIV)
24 but let the one who
boasts boast about this:
that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.
that they have the understanding to know me,
that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.
The
purpose of life is to bring people to Christ not entertain them. You may be
able to put on a good show but how is the meat of your presentation?
What does all this have to do with intercession? We need to get back to the purity of the cross. We need to pray the distractions of personal agendas and "taught" methodologies along with intelligentsia and the pride of life be ripped away so the clarity of the cross can shine the love of Christ and draw men unto Him.
Time to pray......
