Do you think that Jesus gave His life for us out of sympathy for our plight? Do you think He saw our sin and set about to relieve us of it because of empathy or mercy? No, Jesus gave His life out of obedience to the Father, and He agreed to pay a price without knowing how much it was.
Are you in search of the “things” of your life; you know, the thrill of your life, the job of your life, the experience of your life, and if you are so fortunate, the love of your life? These are all examples of the “things” that we seek after. These are the “things” that we believe will make us happy, but be honest with yourself... we all do this to some degree, and are you ever truly happy when you think you’ve found them?
The hardest question that any missionary faces isn’t “can I go out and do this?”, but rather “is Jesus able to do this?” It all boils down to faith, and it begins with the faith of the missionaries themselves. Going out and reciting scripture can be done by anyone, but believing belongs to the disciple, and what is a missionary if not a disciple?
Do you identify yourself as a missionary? Is that what you do as a vocation, or is it a part of your everyday life as you go to and from work, and mix with all those you come into contact with each day? Being a missionary is not just an amazing calling, but should be the goal of every Christian. Spreading the gospel to one, or one hundred thousand makes no difference in what we are asked to do, and to what we are called. Whether you refer to yourself as an evangelist, a missionary, or just a Christian... spreading the gospel is what we are meant to do.
Have you found Jesus, and now you are attempting to reach out and bring others to Him? Well, are you certain you really know who He is? If you think you have sought and found Him, I wonder, because we don’t find Him through searching... God draws, or calls, us to Him. And, is there a great mystery in this? Let’s read these two passages.
Do you lay awake at night and plot the course you will take tomorrow? Do you make battle plans against the forces of darkness, or arrange your spiritual strategy for holiness? If so, then woe to you, because the seas we sail, and the battles we fight, are not ours. We are just sailors aboard the vessel of God, and soldiers in the army of the King. We sail for him and do battle in His war. When we triumph it is in Jesus Christ alone... follow His lead.
What is your mission? What has God asked you to do? Is it to feed the bodies of hungry people, or to feed their souls? Is it to cloth the naked with soft wool, or to cloth them in the white robes of God? Is it to quench the thirst of dehydrated mouths, or to give them living water to satisfy the spirit? Jesus sent His disciples into the world to deliver the gospel, and so He sends you too... deliver the message!
When God calls or speaks to us we more often than not hear the message, and then receive a confirmation. Sometimes we aren’t quick in listening or answering and God repeats himself, but when we finally say “Here am I” to God, we still get confirmation. Does God sign the letters He sends you? Are you the signature on someone else’s note?
How do you live your life in faith? Do you seek excitement, advancement, or greatness as you pray and ask God for these things in the same breath as deeper faith? If you are a preacher in a small church filled with good families, do you plead in prayer for a megachurch and a television show that bears your name? No, our faith leads us to sainthood, not to be millionaires; all of that is of the world, and of little consequence to God.
We all have touchstones in our lives by which we measure ourselves and the quality of our lives; those people, places, and events that we consider to represent our ideal. Is Jesus the touchstone of all touchstones in your life? Do you measure all else, even your other touchstones based on Him?
Are you quietly preparing yourself for those things that the Lord would have you do? How about for His return? We are so busy doing things for God, in these days and times, that we forget to plan and prepare ourselves for the Lord’s return. We often treat this world as if it were the next, but this is only a shipyard in which we are being faired, and prepared to sail.
How intimate are you with Jesus? Is your relationship close enough, and deep enough, that you don’t keep secrets, and that you can do the grossest of natural things in front of Him without embarrassment? Can you sit under a tree for hours and tell Him your wildest dreams or confide in Him your darkest thoughts? I encourage you to not have a handshake relationship with Jesus... become more than acquaintancesin your faith and in Him.
What are the works and miracles you do in the name of Jesus? Are they greater than those done by Jesus, or are you a disappointment to yourself, and God? To get at the root of this feeling we must explore our belief, understanding, and ability to pray effectively.
Are you praying for God to call you to some great task for the kingdom? Do you have a desire to do wonderful things for our Holy Father? Well stop trying to determine how He can best use you and pray instead that God give you the strength to labor in His field... to bring in His harvest.
When you first speak to someone about Jesus Christ what do you say? Do you talk to them about how He heals, or casts out demons? No, I dare say that you talk first and foremost about how Jesus died to redeem the sins of the world and the hope that this provides each of us. You speak of the gospel of Christ.