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Consider for a moment the following passages:
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23
Eternal life is in Christ Jesus.
For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Romans 12:4-5
We are one body (united community) in Christ. The body of Christ and Christ are inseparable.
I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. John 10:9
Salvation comes through the door that is Christ. He is the only way in.
Then one said to Him, “Lord, are there few who are saved?” And He said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Luke 13:23-24
Salvation comes to those who strive to enter in. Seeking to enter is not enough.
Now, let me ask you: Are you striving to enter into the community that God has positioned around you? Do you know who they are? That community may be your family, your small group at church, your team at work, or your neighbors. It may be a combination or a blend of these; or some other form of community (He is very dynamic in this regard).
Striving to enter into your community is a strategic imperative in your (and their) entering into the kingdom of God. There is no entering without community. I believe, if you humbly ask God, He will help you find and invest in your community (this tool should help).
Please let me know if there is anything else I can do to help you find the kingdom of God in community.
Humbly yours and forever His,
Sometimes we use a phrase so much, it loses its meaning. Greetings are the most obvious; phrases like: “Good morning, isn’t it?”, “How’s it going?”, and “What’s up?” come to mind. I wish I had a nickel for every time somewhat asked me those questions without pausing for a moment to hear my answer. Let’s face it: We say some things without really knowing what we mean, or really expecting an answer. I think it has something to do with our hurried life.
Some phrases are more important than others. One in particular has caught my attention… and won’t let it go. So, I think I will bring it to yours. I hope you will slow down enough to consider the deeper meaning of it.
The phrase I have in mind is a particularly Christian one. It is simple, but profound. We Christians read it, hear it and say it all the time. I am not sure we always consider all that it means. Read the rest of this entry »
… that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him… that you may know… what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places… Ephesians 1:17-20
God intends to exercise His mighty power toward those that believe. Think about that for a minute. We are talking about the same power that He exercised in raising Jesus Christ from the dead! Who in their right mind would ignore such an offer – the exceeding great power of God in their personal, family and work life?
This leads us to a couple of important questions: Why aren’t we seeing more of God’s power in the Workplace? What can we do as Leaders in the Workplace to experience that power in our spheres of influence?
In this lesson, we will explore two sources of God’s power for ministry in the Workplace: Unity and prayer. Both are particularly important in our efforts to make disciples God’s way. Both may be familiar topics. My prayer is that you will not allow your familiarity to get in the way of God’s encouragement to you for the power that can be found in them.
It is the desire of His heart for you to walk in His power for ministry in the Workplace. He has put that desire in your heart, as well. Let’s go find it! Read the rest of this entry »
There are particular times in every person’s life when they must determine what they believe and do something about it. If you believed your house was on fire, you would not remain seated on the couch watching the television. You would be taking action comparable to the threat you perceived in the fire. I suggest to you that 2015 is such a year.
2015 is a year that will prove what we, as Christians, believe in our hearts. I have not hidden my feelings about the probability of God’s judgment on the church in America. For those of you that are hearing this for the first time, here are a few articles that will help get you up to speed: The Harbinger’s Deeper Meaning; The Foundations – Confession and Introduction; Should We Leave Them at the Gate?; The Shemittah.
My dad asked me how serious I was about my expectations for calamity in 2015. It was a good question; causing me to ask myself, “What do I believe; and what am I prepared to do about it?” For what it is worth, I am taking steps to secure my family and fellowship. Much of it is planning at this point; which means spending more time with God to understand what He would have me do. I have heard enough to get started. We will be taking intentional steps before the year is out.
I share this with you to make it clear how serious this is to me; and how serious I believe it should be to you. Some of you may wonder what I am planning to do. Give me a call and I will let you know. What you will hear first is “I am doing what God tells me.” That will be followed by, “What is He telling you?” This is important; for God speaks in community. Read the rest of this entry »
God is interested in every aspect of our lives. Consequently, planning God’s way includes the spiritual, personal/family and vocation portions of our lives. This is sometimes called whole life planning, or balanced life planning.
Furthermore, for Kingdom people, planning God’s way must be done in the context of His ultimate purposes. These are the restoration of His reign, habitation and intimacy with His children. This is all review to make the following point.
As we look back on the accomplishments and disappointments of 2014, it is important to review what has happened in the same holistic way that we planned. It would be easy to focus on one area or another. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, as they say.
For many of us, failure and disappointment tend to get an inordinate amount of our attention. If we are not intentional, we may miss what God has done and the opportunity to praise Him for it. We may become trapped in regret and sorrow, failing to see how God has positioned us for the future.
God works all things to the good of those that love Him, to those that are called to His purpose. The activities of our past, and God’s involvement in them, help us discern the path He desires for the coming season. Even when He is doing an entirely new thing, our perspective of the past can either blind us to the possibilities of the future, or encourage, edify and equip us for the adventure of a new year.
Marketplace Ministry Tip: I hope and pray that you consider all that God has allowed in your life in 2014 – the good and the bad; and that you will consider it in the context of His eternal purposes for your whole life, and for those in your spheres of influence. Be intentional to involve God and others in your review. He speaks in community.
Humbly yours and forever His,
It is ironic that the most obvious thing can be the very thing we get wrong. If someone were to say, “The story is about Him”, we would all nod our heads. Of course the story is about Him; it’s His story. But is that the way we live our lives here in the Western church?
No one would say, “The story is about me.” Right?
What about, “The story is about us?”
Now we are getting a little closer to the truth; I mean the truth about ourselves. Think about it.
Why did we pray that first prayer? Why do we continue praying? Is it for God, or is it for us? Be honest with yourself. What is our motivation for reaching the lost, and serving those in need? Is it for Him, or is it for them? Who is it about?
I think you understand where I am going with this, but let me say it clearly: The church in the West has become self-centered. Consciously or subconsciously, with intent or not, we have come to think, believe and act like the story is about us. It is time we shook off this deception and began living like the story is about Him. Read the rest of this entry »
I have been meaning to write an article on the Western church’s silence towards the massacre of our brothers and sisters around the world. Then I came across this article and realized that I don’t need to recreate what has been so powerfully articulated.
I will add that we are to remember them as if chained with them (Hebrews 13:3). How does this happen? You might start with a subscription to Voice of the Martyrs; or a regular visit to their prayer website.
There is much our persecuted brothers and sisters have to teach us; and much we need to learn in preparation for the days ahead. First, we must have our hearts softened to receive God’s word on suffering. Please don’t shrink back from this because it is hard or challenging. Learn how to remember them; learn how to suffer.
Humbly yours and His forever,
As you face what promises to be, or may become, a difficult week, I encourage you to consider the 37th Psalm. It is one of my favorites; filled with the promises of God for difficult days; and instruction for the appropriation of those promises. Here are a few examples:
Do not fret because of evildoers,
Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
And wither as the green herb. vv. 1-2
Reading what this psalm has to say about evildoers will give you a heart of sympathy for them. You may even start seeing them as deceived prisoners that could use some help being made free.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday. vv. 5-6
God allows difficult circumstances to prove what we believe in our heart. Pass this test and you will find yourself in a Matthew 5:16 experience.
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the LORD upholds him with His hand. vv. 23-24
Here’s something to keep in mind: Falling and hitting the ground are not the same thing. Many of us trip and fall during difficult times. That does not mean we skin our knees or smash our noses. The LORD promises to uphold us. In our weakness, He is strong!
If you will allow the word of God to do its thing, Psalm 37 will not only put courage in you for this week; it will develop in you the faith and courage for difficult seasons. Taken in community, it will prepare us to face the trials and tribulations that have appeared on our near horizon.
With that in mind, please comment on the courage you received from this promising Psalm. The courage you find will encourage another.
Humbly yours and forever His,
There are no coincidences for God’s children – including the people and businesses He brings together in the Marketplace. Partnering with someone for kingdom purposes requires that we understand that partnership in the full context of God’s eternal purposes. Those purposes are: To restore His reign in the hearts of His children; to reestablish intimate relationship with them; and, to create His habitation in them. Jesus asks for the last of these in His prayer for our unity.
20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” John 17:20-23
God has a purpose in this for business and ministry partnerships: To overcome the organized church’s past and current failures at unity. Think about it. Jesus has been asking the Father to unify the church for more than 2000 years; yet, there are over 30,000 registered denominations in the United States. We have proven that we cannot make ourselves one; we cannot create the habitation He desires.
Thank God, He can; He is; and He will!! And He is using the Marketplace to do it!
So how do we participate in this great work? First, it is important to recognize all the fellowships to which God has connected us; and to recognize these as opportunities for unity. That includes the ones God has created in the places where we spend most of our waking hours. God has not given the Marketplace over to His enemies. His kingdom has come and must be established there. His Son is using the Marketplace to build His church – through leaders He has planted there.
Building the church is about cooperation, not competition. Interestingly, this is a fundamental marketplace principle. In the Marketplace, a follower of Jesus Christ can pursue partnerships with other Christian organizations – working in unity for the glory of the Father – without engaging in divisive sectarianism. In the process, God will honor our agreement with His Son’s prayer for unity by showing up in the work. And others will be drawn to Him there.
Secondly, we must know with whom God would have us connect. God wants us to understand our part in His grand story. We must ask for and receive that understanding. As always, prayer is the point of beginning. For those who are determined to do His will, that understanding will become a truth that will make them free (of fear, competitiveness, etc.). It will provide a greater opportunity for faith and obedience; and it will empower them to make disciples and transform their spheres of influence.
Lastly, to the point of partnerships, the truth will protect you and others from misguided and unprofitable associations.
Marketplace Ministry Tip: Write down the connections God has established, or may be establishing, in your spheres of influence. For each one, prayerfully consider how God intends to use them to restore His reign, relationship and habitation. That means asking Him with a heart willing to take the partnership where He leads.
If you would like to learn more about this topic, or you believe I can assist your ministry in the Marketplace, contact me at rob@inlightconsulting.com.
Your servant and His forever,
As we have said many times, some of the greatest hope for the church can be found in the Marketplace. This is perhaps most true in regards to the issue of sectarianism – one of the greatest blights of the church, all over the world. James Fenimore Cooper said it well in The American Democrat (1838):
“In America the taint of sectarianism lies broad upon the land. Not content with acknowledging the supremacy as the Diety, and with erecting temples in his honor, where all can bow down with reverence, the pride and vanity of human reason enter into and pollute our worship, and the houses that should be of God and for God, alone, where he is to be honored with submissive faith, are too often merely schools of metaphysical and useless distinctions. The nation is sectarian, rather than Christian.”
Wow! Is that a shot across the bow, or what? Just what is this sectarianism, of which we are being accused?
Sectarianism: Bigotry, discrimination, or hatred arising from attaching importance to perceived differences between subdivisions within a group, such as between different denominations of a religion. http://www.wikepedia.org
Pretty strong language? Too strong? Let see what Paul had to say.
1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 1Corinthians 3:1-3
For Paul, sectarianism was carnal – of the flesh. In other words, a sin; even a sin worth including with idolatry, sorcery and murder:
19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
“…those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” More strong language; language not easily dismissed.
Why did Paul speak so strongly again sectarianism? Because he knew – he even witnessed, as we do – the damage it can cause. He knew that the enemy would use it to thwart God’s purposes and plans. Paul knew that sectarianism could be deadly. Read the rest of this entry »
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