There Is A Goal That We Must Own: By All Means To Save Some

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.  To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law.  To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.  I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.

Insights: I wish to express gratitude to Steve Cole for the outline of Sunday’s sermon.  The guts were mine, but his outline was extremely well designed.  The goal for all Christians to own is that by all means we must win some for the kingdom.  There are three reasons this is important and the first is that this goal is realistic in nature.  In other words, we are not capable of saving all people, but we are able to save some.  This fact helps us to realize and live under the realistic expectation that does not overburden us with the pressure of winning all for the kingdom.  The second reason we need to own this goal is the goal is worthwhile.  I cannot think of anything more important than the souls of humanity.  Our occupations are not more important, our hobbies are not more important and our preferences and prejudices are not more important than the souls of men.  The third reason we need to own this goal is because of the crucial nature of it.  I think there are two reasons we do not live with the crucial reality of eternity.  Firstly, it has been almost 2,000 years since Jesus ascended into heaven, and as a result, we have lost the sense that Jesus really is coming back.  Let me tell you, He is coming back.  Secondly, we are incapable of truly feeling the extent of eternity.  I don’t think we understand those in the Lake of Fire do not just become annihilated and disappear.  They literally suffer forever and ever and ever.  There is never a second of relief extended to those who reject Jesus’ gift of salvation.  Beloved, let us own the goal and remember it is realistic, worthwhile and crucial for us to reach as many as we can for the Kingdom of God.

Questions:

1. Have you come to the place where you own the goal of gospel proclamation?

2. Do you feel the crucial nature of eternity for those who will spend eternity in hell?

Prayer: Father, grow my burden for the lost.  Help me to know the depth of eternity in the Lake of Fire.  Grant me the courage to be bold in my every day life.  Amen.

Let Us Stand in the Gap

Today in my quiet time I was reading out of the book of Ezekiel.  In the twenty-second chapter in the thirtieth verse God says, “I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one.”  As I read this verse it got me thinking about Nazi Germany and the silent majority who allowed Hitler and his sycophants to exterminate eleven million people.  It makes me think about the silent majority of Muslims who allow militant Muslims to terrorize the world and do nothing to stop it.  Even further than these examples, however, it got me thinking about the church in the United States that allows millions of unborn babies die every year and yet we, as the silent majority, really do not do anything.  We do not let this issue affect our political position regarding government.  We do not let it affect the way we approach adoption.  We don’t let it affect the way we teach sex education in our school systems.  It got me asking the question, “Am I one to whom the Lord could look and see someone standing in the gap for Him in this land?”  I fear the answer is a resounding, “NO!”  I make this statement because in the arenas in which I walk, people know my stand on all biblical issues that deal with evangelism, abortion, addiction and on and on I could write.  The problem I see is the environments in which I communicate my “convictions” are safe.  I preach in a church where I still have the religious liberty to voice my “convictions,” but what if the laws were to change and I could not preach the Bible any longer, would I?  It is easy to preach in this safe environment.  What about my blog, Facebook or Twitter accounts?  Once again, it is a safe place.  I write some nice thoughts and put them out there in cyber space where there are no actual flesh and blood confrontations for my faith.  You either like my posts or you don’t, but engagement with me is sterile and not real.  I fear I am not doing enough for the Kingdom of God.  I fear God may be looking at my life and saying, “Scott is not standing in the gap for me either.”  It is my prayer in 2016 that my life become a life of distinction this year.  It is my desire to be more engaging with the lost community and to stand more vocally firm in unsafe arenas for the cause of Jesus.  I would covet your prayers as I ask the Lord to stretch my life and to make me one whom He can say, “Yes, Scott is standing in the gap for me!”  Will you join me in this prayer and conviction?  Will you pursue Christ with all of who you are knowing that if you do, He will change your safe comfort zone.  I pray you will.

God does NEW THINGS

Scripture: Isaiah 48:6-7

“You have heard; look at all this.  And you, will you not declare it?  I proclaim to you new things from this time, Even hidden things which you have not known.  “They are created now and not long ago; And before today you have not heard them, So that you will not say, ‘Behold, I knew them.’

Insights: The final truth I am going to show you this week is God is about doing NEW things.  Remember, God showed them in their history what He was going to do in order for them to not give credit to false gods or even to themselves.  Now, however, at this critical turn in human history God says, “I proclaim to you new things from this time, even hidden things which you have not known.”  This word was to be in reference to Jesus, but the principle is true of the nature of God.  Let me give you some examples.  How many times did got command an army to march around a city to have the walls fall?  How many times did God provide a tax through a fish?  Speaking of fish, how many times did God change a prophets heart by having them take a holiday in the belly of a fish?  How many times did Jesus rise from the dead and how many times did He ascend into heaven?  When we get to Revelation 21:5, we are told God is making all things new.  God is an infinitely creative God and loves new things.  What did He command the psalmist about songs?  To sing a new song is the answer.  God has given us the big picture of the churches mission in advance just as we learned previously this week, but the specifics of this big picture of reaching the lost is alway going to be new.  It is always new because the newness pushes us outside of our comfort zone and into the realm of dependence on the Holy One of creation.  God wants us to walk by faith and not by sight.  As a result, we obediently follow Him into new adventures.  FBCBG is starting a major new adventure as we strive to be a church which is Christ centered, gospel driven, joyfully united and prayerfully obedient.  May we stretch ourselves and reach the lost community.  May we visually show our community we care about them and visitors.  May God be brought glory as we join Him on this great new adventure!

Questions:

1. What new thing do you sense God is leading you to do in 2016?

2. For those at FBCBG, are you willing to join us in the new things the Lord is calling us to in order to reach the lost world for Jesus?

Prayer: Father, the future often scares me.  Help my heart to embrace the adventure you have for me and grant me the courage to walk in obedience with You.  Amen.

God Reveals in Advance

Scripture: Isaiah 48:5

Therefore I declared them to you long ago, Before they took place I proclaimed them to you, So that you would not say, ‘My idol has done them, And my graven image and my molten image have commanded them.’

Insights: So far this week we have learned God is always at work, but we are resistant to work because of our sin nature.  Today, however, we learn God continues to invite us join Him in His work and one way He does it is by revealing in advance the big picture of the assignment.  Why does God give us this big long range picture?  He does it, according to our verse today, in order for us to recognize it was God Himself who brought it to pass and not false gods or even ourselves.  How does this concept play out for us in our every day lives?  Typically God reveals some completely bodacious goal He is going to bring to pass.  For example, He told the children of Israel they were going to take the Promised Land.  They have their ideas as to how to take a land and God has His ideas on how to take a land.  Israel gathers up the group and God says, “I want to maim my army and have them recover just a short distance from the enemy.”  God did this as He called His people back to the covenantal sign of circumcision.  If this idea was not crazy enough, God then tells them to march around Jericho for seven days and seven times on the last day and finally to shoot.  This plan is what God is going with to take Jericho.  The children of Isreal did not know any of these plans when God gave them in advance the big mission of taking the Promised Land.  God works the same way with us and the reason is so we grow dependent on Him.  He also does it because if He revealed all of the plan it would scar us too much, but He knows the more we walk in obedience with Him the more confidence we have in Him and His provision and care.  God’s revelation in advance is true for individuals and corporate bodies.  Beloved, let me encourage you to review 2015 and to begin asking the Lord as to what His big 2016 assignment is for you.  As you walk this journey out, He will reveal the specifics of the big picture.  All you have to do is be obedient.

Questions:

1. As you reflect on 2015, did you accomplish God’s big assignment for you last year?

2. What big thing has God revealed to you for 2016?

Prayer: Father, I am frail and weak.  I am not capable of doing anything great for You, but because of Christ in me, I can obey You and bring You glory as I do great things in Your power.  May my life bring You honor this year as I obey You.  Amen.

We are Resistant to Work

Scripture: Isaiah 48:4

“Because I know that you are obstinate, And your neck is an iron sinew And your forehead bronze,

Insights: Yesterday we learned God is always at work.  Today, however, we learn we as people are often resistant to work.  It is probably safe to say every generation before a new generation does not think the generation coming into being works as well as they did.  In other words, the Builder generation did not think the Silent generation worked as well as they did.  The Silent generation did not think the Boomers worked as well as they did.  The Boomers did not think the Gen Xers  worked as well as they do and finally the Gen Xers don’t think the Millennials work as well as they do.  Yet, when I write “we as a people are often resistant to work” I am not talking about work ethic in the context of generational effectiveness.  I am really talking about submission to the Father.  I am talking about us seeing Him at work and joining Him in His mission.  We are all too often willing to say, “Let the other guy do it” as we sit back and relax and remain comfortable and safe.  This reluctance to work is a result of sin entering the world.  As a result, we are like today’s verse.  We are all too often obstinate, stiff-necked (neck is an iron sinew), and hard-headed (forehead of bronze).  Let me muddy the waters a little bit.  Most of the time, we don’t recognize ourselves as being this type of person.  We are quick to point it out in others, but we are slow to recognize our sinfulness.  Beloved, the secret to not suffer from this problem is to be so closely connected and serving the Lord we are not able to recognize the flaws of others.  If we are so busy serving the Lord, He becomes our entire focus.  Let us quickly repent of our laziness and let us run even more quickly to Jesus.  Let us serve Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.  May our partnered lives with Him bring Him great glory.  Let us work with Him.

Questions:

1. Would you classify yourself as a stiff-necked individual?

2. Would others possibly classify you as a stiff-necked individual?

Prayer: Father, I am all too often resistant to change and especially change initiated by You.  Forgive me for when I have been stiff-necked and help me to be more pliable in Your hands.  Amen.

God is at Work

Scripture: Isaiah 48:3

I declared the former things long ago And they went forth from My mouth, and I proclaimed them.  Suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.

Insights: Yesterday we worked through a passage of Scripture in order to help us see God’s plan for FBCBG through 2016.  The first thing we learned, which is found in today’s verse, is God is at work.  This concept of God always being at work is not knew to the Thoughts by Scott blog posts.  It is foundational to my theology and therefore I preach and write about it a lot.  In regards to this verse, you have to go back to the time of Moses and the giving of the Law.  Back then, God told them what their life would be like if they followed after Him.  He also told them the consequences of not following Him.  He gave them this words years in advance and through out their history He would send prophets to remind them of His words.  Now God is telling them, I let you know this event was going to take place for years and now I am acting and bringing about the consequences for your rebellion against me.  The point I want you to walk away with regarding this point is not the justice God dispensed on the people, but rather God was working.  He was working before He gave Israel the Law.  He was working after He had given them the Law and He was working in the history of Isaiah at this time period bringing about His judgment on the people for their sin.  It was not God’s heart desire to punish the people and send them into exile.  It was His heart desire for them to repent and turn back to Him and He had been actively working to bring this desired outcome to pass.  The people, however, rejected God’s offer of grace.  Beloved, God is still working today.  He is still drawing on the hearts of people.  His Spirit is still telling people they need to receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  I am not really going to go into the next part of this aspect of God working in this weeks blog posts, but the second side of this coin is we are to join Him in His work.  In other words, we adjust our lives and join Him where He is working.  We go on mission with the Lord and let me tell you, when we do, life is exciting.  Let me encourage you to open your eyes and look for God’s activity in this world and then join Him.

Questions:

1. In what areas of your life have you observed God’s activity?

2. In what areas outside of your personal life have you observed God’s work?

Prayer: Father, I am so grateful You are always at work.  You have never stopped drawing on the hearts of humanity.  Grant me eyes to see Your activity and the courage to join You in your work.  Amen.

Let's Do Great Things in 2016

Happy New Year!  Today is the first day to do great things.  Last week I mentioned a Michael Hyatt video I had watch about goal setting.  One of the statistics he made was the average person puts the same thing on there goal list ten straight years in a row.  For example they may say ten years in a row, “I am going to loss weight this year” or “I am going to stop smoking this year” or “I am going to write a book this year” and the list could go on and on and on.  

One of the reasons people fail to achieve their goals is a lack of partnership.  What I mean by this sentence is too often these individuals try to achieve their goals on their own.  It is always harder to push yourself through hard days when there is no one beside you spurring you on to do the right thing.  This truth is found in every area of life.  It was for this reason Solomon wrote, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor.  For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.  Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone?  And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12, NASB).”

It is part of my faith presupposition that the Lord wants us as Christ-followers to do great things.  I think He wants us to do great things so we can tell a lost world of His great power and grace.  I believe this idea is what Jesus was talking about when He said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16, NASB).”  The focus of our good works is to point people to the Lord.

It is for these reasons I want to encourage you this year to not try and reach your goals alone.  If you are wanting to lose weight, find a workout partner.  If you want to write that book this year, find your self a writing coach to keep you on track.  If you want to witness more, find someone who is gifted in evangelism and start going on visits with them to lost peoples homes.

This idea of partnership is also true for churches.  FBCBG has a lot of big goals set for 2016.  I as the pastor will not be able to accomplish these goals on my own.  Singular individuals in the church will also not be able to reach goals.  It will take all of us working together and partnering together to do great things for the Lord, but let us work together and bring God glory as we honor Him through our obedience.  Let’s praise His great name this year of 2016!