If You Say Go....

If You say go, we will go

If You say wait, we will wait

If you say step out on the water

And they say it can't be done

We'll fix our eyes on You and we will come

Your ways are higher than our ways

And the plans that You have laid

Are good and true

If You call us to the fire

You will not withdraw Your hand

We'll gaze into the flames and look for You.

(Lyrics by Diane Thiel)

Last week I began teaching ladies Bible class again after several years away and teaching only children's classes. I'm really excited about this new study! We're using a book called Lady BUGS (Ladies Better Understanding God). It's written by Denell Dennis, and examines the life of Moses.

The first lesson began with the story of the burning bush, when God speaks to Moses from the bush and tells him He wants Moses to do a job for Him. Moses is reluctant. He doubts. He makes excuses. He doesn't feel worthy.

But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?” Exodus 3:11

The song lyrics above were used in the lesson. The acapella group, Hallal, sings this song in a beautiful way! But read the lyrics. The lyrics are saying the opposite of what Moses said, aren't they?

You and are are often just like Moses. We doubt. We make excuses. We procrastinate. We're reluctant to do what God wants us to do. What if we change our NO to YES! What if we make the lyrics above our "motto" for today? For this week? God can do great things in our lives if we will allow Him to direct our paths. We just have to be willing to GO!

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Will You Go?

Sometimes it's hard to know what direction God is wanting us to go. It would be a lot easier if He would speak out loud and give us commands and directions. Nowadays, maybe He could just send us a text message, post it on our Facebook wall, or send us a "tweet" on Twitter! But, that's not the way God works. He speaks to us through His word and by His Spirit living within us. Sometimes He speaks to us through open doors that give us new opportunities.

I recently heard a story about a man who is a minister. His family was quite content living where they were. The children were happy in their school, the mother was happy with her job, and the dad was serving God as a minister in the small town they had called home for several years. Out of the blue, the minister got a call about a congregation needing a new minister. Someone had given the elders his name and thought he might be interested in working with the church in this new town. The minister was surprised because he hadn't been looking for a new church, but, he recognized the fact that because of the way it happend, God might be guiding him in that direction. He took time to pray about the situation before he agreed to meet with the elders and preach for the church there. Through prayer, he decided to go, but still wasn't thinking of actually taking the new position. However, after preaching there, he was quickly offered the new job. The family moved and the man has been the minister for the new church for over a year now. Isn't it amazing how God works sometimes?

While we are commanded to be content, we should not become complacent or apathetic about doing what God wants us to do. Doing for God - serving God - may mean "GOING". He may need us to go somewhere to accomplish what He needs and wants us to do. It's up to us to let God use us to our fullest potential, according to HIS plan - not ours.

It's not always easy. It is sometimes very, very hard. But, it is always serving in faith knowing God is in total control.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Hebrews 11:6

Oh, Be Careful Little Feet Where You Go!

There are many paths to choose from in life. But, in every path we choose, and with every step we take, it is before the face of God ("Coram Deo").

Where are you going? Are you on the path that leads to Heaven? Jesus taught His disciples about how to pray in Matthew 6. Think about the part of that prayer that says, "And lead us not into temptation." Do we pray for God's help and guidance - for Him to lead us away from temptation, but then us walk ourselves right into it?

We may be tempted to sin by going to certain places, by being around certain people, by walking into something we shouldn't. God promises us, as Christians, that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle, but do we take the escape route that God is going to provide for us?

1 Corinthians. 10:13, "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

God is going to provide us a way of escape, but we must be willing to walk through it.

One of my favorite passages is Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." God will guide our paths, if we will let Him. Are you willing to follow and walk with God anywhere and everywhere that He leads? We must be willing to put our trust in Him and not in ourselves.

There are so many verses in the New Testament about how we should walk. Take the time to look them up and see for yourself.

Yes, God cares about where we go with our feet.

Before the face of God we walk with our feet.
Oh, Be Careful Little Feet Where You Go!

GO - It's a BIG Word! Part 2

So, in the last post we looked at the first two reasons "GO" is a big word. Now we'll look at the last two reasons.

3. GO is a big word because it is an open-ended command. Jesus said, "go and tell", but we ask the question, "When do I stop?". We may say, "I'm older now." "I've done my part." "I've taught others about Jesus." "I'm retiring from that job." But, we must realize God needs us for our entire life! You and I are never too old to serve God. You and I are never too old to tell others about Jesus. You and I may be telling others about Jesus from a nursing home bed or from a hospital bed, but we can still share the Good News!

Another question we may ask is, "How do I go?". You and I may make excuses. "I don't know what to say to others." "I don't know how to share the Good News about Jesus." By studying and reading God's Word, we become more and more comfortable with the teachings written there and then become more able to share those teachings with others. However, we do not have to be a Bible scholar to teach others! Just open the Good Book and share straight from the Word.

Another thing we have to realize about the word "go" is that maybe you and I are "going" and "telling", but maybe God wants us to get out of our comfort zone and go a different way. Maybe God can use us in a different way or in a different place. I have felt this way since I began teaching teenage girls. I was used to teaching adult women and had for 5 years. I was used to teaching preschoolers and had for 3 years, plus babies, and school-aged before that. But, I had never taught teens and was a little afraid to, honestly! But, God gave me the courage to teach these girls about Jesus and it's been exciting and gotten me out of my comfort zone. It's helped me, but more importantly they are learning about Jesus!

4. GO is a big word because of what we are asking of others. "Make disciples" is not a command that can be mass-produced in a factory. However, remember that Jesus gave this command in Matthew 28:16-20 and not very long afterwards about 3,000 disciples were 'made' in one day! Acts 2:41 says, "Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day."

God did mass produce, didn't he?!

We must remember that we are talking to real people with real lives. They have real opinions about what they believe. They have real experiences that they have gone through. That is an awesome responsibility and we cannot take that lightly. But, just as the Jesus' original disciples carried out the command and God gave them success, we must also have faith that God will bring about the same success now. We just need to get busy and get to work!

As we work trying to 'make disciples', we are telling them about Jesus and showing them His love and power. We are letting them know what a relationship with Jesus means...what following God's plan means for them - ultimately eternal life in Heaven! But, we also can only teach them about Jesus by showing them that we are living for Him. If we are trying to get someone else to become a Christian, it is implying that we have already given our lives to Him. We are telling them that we are striving to live our lives for Him each and every day. Not just once, not just a few times a year, not even 52 times a year, but every single day of our lives here on Earth.

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Luke 9:23


So....GO seems like such a big word because it is. It truly is a big word.

Have a Happy Easter, everyone!

Go - It's a BIG Word!

The "Great Commission", as I've posted about here, before tells Christians to "go and tell" the Good News of Jesus. But that little bitty word "GO" can seem mighty BIG when we think about that command, can't it? Yes, in that instance GO IS A BIG WORD! Let's think about how Matthew 28:16-20(click to read)makes it a big word.

1. GO is a BIG word because it implies something about you, if you are a child of God. It says that Jesus Christ has caused a change in your life and that He has impacted you in such a way that you want to share Him with others. Can you say in words what it means to have Jesus in your life and to explain to other how you are living for Him?

2. GO is a BIG word because it contains a BIG purpose. In this passage we are told to go "make disciples" 'Go' is a simple word. 'Make disciples' are simple words. So how does "go make disciples" (disciples means "followers") become so complex and difficult?

For some, past sins may have had such a hold for so long, that even though now forgiven, we don't feel strong enough to consider ourselves a disciple. We may feel that we have to be a "perfect" Christian before we would feel comfortable telling others about Jesus. And, guess what? You'll never find a perfect Christian. The only perfect man that ever lived on the earth was crucified on a cross for you! However, the blood of that Savior can perfect you in God's eyes and with his forgiveness.

And then, sadly, for others, there is no intention to obey this command of Jesus and God's Will for all Christians. Those who may believe that the Great Commission is for everyone else, but not for them.

"Go make disciples" is not difficult, but it contains a big purpose. It is a grand purpose and our lives should be consumed with this purpose. This purpose being the goal of the early church is what made it grow, as we see in the following scriptures:

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:40-47

Notice in the first bold printed verse: 3,000 souls were added that day!!
Notice in the second bold printed verse: The Lord added to their number daily!!

The early church was doing what the church is supposed to do: The Lord's business. Making disciples. And, the Lord added to the church....daily.

...Okay, this post is getting long and this is important stuff we're talking about! I'm going to ask you (please) to come back for the last two points on the next post which will be Saturday evening sometime. Have you ever heard how the human mind can only take 22 minutes of speaking from a public speaker? I doubt a blog post is even half that much!

You Go Girls!

When you hear something exciting, don't you get excited to tell about it? Now sometimes we have to be careful. Some things shouldn't be told. We have to be careful to avoid gossip. But what about good news that is worth sharing? Someone's getting married! Someone's had a baby! Something special like that....it's just worth telling, isn't it?

In the gospel of Matthew (28:1-10), we read Matthew's account of the resurrection of Jesus. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had gone to visit the tomb, but when they arrived at the tomb, Jesus' body was not there. An angel of the Lord had come and rolled the stone away. He spoke to the women and told them to not be afraid, but to go quickly and tell his disciples.

They hurried on their way, but along the way met Jesus. They fell at his feet and worshipped him. In verse 10, Jesus told them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." The women went quickly.

Would you have wanted to be one of the women who went to the tomb early that Sunday morning? Would you have gone quickly when the angel said "go and tell"? After you met Jesus - risen and now alive - would you have clasped his feet and worshipped him? When Jesus told you to "go and tell", would you have gone?

I think almost all of us would answer a big YES to every one of those questions, without hesitation. We would have come in contact with the risen Savior!

Well, think about this today: If you are a Christian you, too, have come in contact with the risen Savior! He died, was buried, and rose for YOU! And like these women, you, too, have been told to "go and tell".

Later on in Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus sees the disciples for the first time since his resurrection. He tells them what he needs them to do in order to fulfill God's plan, in verses 19 and 20:

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

We are so excited about the risen Savior and, of course, we should be! But, are we just as excited to go and tell others about this good news? Mary and Mary Magdalene got the opportunity to go and tell the best news that can ever have been told!

Let's make it a point to tell this "juicy" news, too!