It may be true that we can not change the world, but we can change the world around us. I have been giving serious thought to this idea for a few weeks now, and have some thoughts to share. I don't suppose there will ever be any one thing, or a culmination of things I do that will have a dramatic effect upon the world, but I can have a dramatic effect upon the world around me. The little slice of the world that I live in. My family, church family, friends, and people I interact with from day to day. Upon these, I can surely have an effect.
I believe it starts with me. I must search myself each morning to see that I am in good stead with the Lord, and that I am denying self to put Him first as I go forth each day. I must purge the desires of self, and replace them with the desires to serve Him. To do what is possible to better the life of my family, my church family, friends, and those I interact with daily. Doing this first by assuring that they see Christ in me. Rather Christ shining through me towards them. It is a daily struggle, and a daily war against self. To prepare myself, I must spend time with Him. For He is my strength, and my source of power. Doing this through prayer and the reading of His Word. One of the Scriptures I turn to is:
Psalms 18:2) The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 3) I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
As to my family, the best I can do for them, at this stage in my life, is to give them my unconditional love and support each and every day. To reveal the love of God to them through me, and to be there to encourage, to reassure, and to hold when they are in need of holding. To trust that if I present the love of God to them, and they are aware of Him and His teachings, that His Word will win out.
Proverbs 22:6) Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
As to my church family, the best I can do for them, at this stage in my life, is to be there to support, to work with, to learn and grow with them in the ways of the Lord. Through sincere fellowship, and worship of the Lord, and allowing His Will to be worked through all of us. To serve in whatever capacity is needed to assure the life of my church family is a healthy and productive life lived for Him.
Andrew Murray once said: “There is need of a great revival of spiritual life, of truly fervent devotion to our Lord Jesus, of entire consecration to His service. It is only in a church in which this spirit of revival has at least begun, that there is any hope of radical change in the relation of the majority of our Christian people to mission work.”
I believe that a healthy and dynamic Mission work is a worthy cause for any church family to seek after. That "mission work" can even be within the community where the church family resides. Or, it can span continents.
As to my friends, the best I can do for them, at this stage of my life, is to be a true witness of the love of God. To strive to walk Christ-like each and every day, so they may see that He is alive in me, and I in Him. To be there for them when I am needed, for whatever purpose is required, and to do the best to be the best friend I can be to them. Some of it begins with the simplest of things such as:
Luke 6:31) And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
Ephesians 4:29 through 32 says it this way:
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
As to those I interact with on a daily basis, I must turn back to the 6th Chapter of Luke:
27) But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28) Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29) And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. 30) Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31) And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32) For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33) And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34) And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35) But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36) Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37) Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38) Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
I will not even pretend to say that any of this is easy for me to accomplish, for it has been anything but. However, I am convinced that if I strive each and every morning to begin my daily walk in this stead, He will strengthen me, He will shelter me, He will guide me, and He will bless me.
May the Spirit of God touch your hearts this day, and give you the peace and joy you seek.
I believe it starts with me. I must search myself each morning to see that I am in good stead with the Lord, and that I am denying self to put Him first as I go forth each day. I must purge the desires of self, and replace them with the desires to serve Him. To do what is possible to better the life of my family, my church family, friends, and those I interact with daily. Doing this first by assuring that they see Christ in me. Rather Christ shining through me towards them. It is a daily struggle, and a daily war against self. To prepare myself, I must spend time with Him. For He is my strength, and my source of power. Doing this through prayer and the reading of His Word. One of the Scriptures I turn to is:
Psalms 18:2) The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. 3) I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
As to my family, the best I can do for them, at this stage in my life, is to give them my unconditional love and support each and every day. To reveal the love of God to them through me, and to be there to encourage, to reassure, and to hold when they are in need of holding. To trust that if I present the love of God to them, and they are aware of Him and His teachings, that His Word will win out.
Proverbs 22:6) Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
As to my church family, the best I can do for them, at this stage in my life, is to be there to support, to work with, to learn and grow with them in the ways of the Lord. Through sincere fellowship, and worship of the Lord, and allowing His Will to be worked through all of us. To serve in whatever capacity is needed to assure the life of my church family is a healthy and productive life lived for Him.
Andrew Murray once said: “There is need of a great revival of spiritual life, of truly fervent devotion to our Lord Jesus, of entire consecration to His service. It is only in a church in which this spirit of revival has at least begun, that there is any hope of radical change in the relation of the majority of our Christian people to mission work.”
I believe that a healthy and dynamic Mission work is a worthy cause for any church family to seek after. That "mission work" can even be within the community where the church family resides. Or, it can span continents.
As to my friends, the best I can do for them, at this stage of my life, is to be a true witness of the love of God. To strive to walk Christ-like each and every day, so they may see that He is alive in me, and I in Him. To be there for them when I am needed, for whatever purpose is required, and to do the best to be the best friend I can be to them. Some of it begins with the simplest of things such as:
Luke 6:31) And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
Ephesians 4:29 through 32 says it this way:
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
As to those I interact with on a daily basis, I must turn back to the 6th Chapter of Luke:
27) But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28) Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. 29) And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also. 30) Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again. 31) And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise. 32) For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33) And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34) And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 35) But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. 36) Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37) Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: 38) Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
I will not even pretend to say that any of this is easy for me to accomplish, for it has been anything but. However, I am convinced that if I strive each and every morning to begin my daily walk in this stead, He will strengthen me, He will shelter me, He will guide me, and He will bless me.
May the Spirit of God touch your hearts this day, and give you the peace and joy you seek.