TO SAVE A LIFE
It’s been a while since a movie has inspired me so much and reminded me of the importance of living sold-out for Jesus no matter what the circumstance. “To save a life” is a must see for every young person, youth leader, teacher, pastor and parent.
Our young people are faced with so much nowadays – from peer pressure, loneliness, pregnancy, violence, substance abuse and so much more. The odds are pretty much stacked against them from an earthly perspective, but there is a loving, awesome God who desires a personal relationship with each one of them, and he has chosen ordinary individuals – you and me – to be His hands and feet in reaching this generation and the one to come. So often times as Christ-followers, we try to be nice, be relevant, but we are not living it sold out for Jesus. We are only as relevant as our personal walk with Jesus is – if that’s not in place, guess what...we’re faking it! Makes me think a lot about my walk! I believe we need to stop being so ‘politically correct’ and start living our walk as Christ-followers totally unashamed – wherever we find ourselves. It means doing what is right, no matter what the cost – standing up for those who can’t stand up for themselves. Being inconvenienced enough to lay aside your own agenda, and take up God’s agenda.
Jesus says in Matthew 22: 37 – 39 “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
We’ve heard it many times – let’s start acting on it... Let put our faith into action. I pray that God also grabs your heart, as he did mine, and gives it a good “shake-up”. And let’s continue to pray for young people and let’s also get involved in “being” the difference in their lives.
Love always,
Ockie
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Be Good at Something Different
In ministry, most churches and leaders try to be good at what everyone else is good at doing. We’re trying to improve our preaching, youth groups, kids’ curriculum, worship, environments, etc.
The problem is that we’re not blessed with the same gifts or called to the same types of ministries. Why not give yourself permission to be good something that few others are striving to do?
Maybe you can be phenomenal at digging water wells, sponsoring kids, or impacting the world through 6 a.m. prayer gatherings. Maybe you’re called to serving your community with radical generosity, doing evangelism through Facebook, or leveraging your wealthy suburban church to support three struggling inner city churches.
Rather than being good at the usual ministries, be good at something you’re uniquely positioned to do. Be good at something different.
What is something different you (or your ministry) can do?
- Blog from Craig Groeschel found at http://swerve.lifechurch.tv/
Thursday, October 21, 2010
THE CALL OF THE RAINCOAT
What do you do when you feel God is asking you to do something for Him that is beyond your present capabilities?
Often, when this question is posed to people, the response is that they’ll do what God has asked them to do – however, as many of us know, our ACTUAL response if often times far different to what one can call the ‘Christian answer’. It’s daunting – we in fact try to reason it away, act like it was just by chance that we read ‘that’ scripture, that it was by chance that we met ‘that’ person – and so often times we give up altogether!
In many ways, I have asked all these question of myself lately – did I hear God? Did I act in the right way? Did I follow my own desires or did I obey God?
The last nine months have been a profound journey of discovery. God gave me this oversized vision…and in once sense no idea how to achieve it…
A few months ago, I listened to a sermon on our capacity and call. The picture that was given was that of an oversized raincoat. When we try it on – we realize it’s too big! We are in a sense ‘drowning’ in the sheer size of the raincoat!
So we say:”…this is too big for me!”
God responds: “I made it just for you!”
We say: “But Lord, that’s impossible – look at me I don’t fit in it AT ALL!”
God says: “Well…you have to grow into it!”
What a beautiful picture! God gives vision way bigger than ourselves, but we have to grow into it! We have to allow God to grow us into whom HE wants us to be. When we start praying and walking like this, it takes us out of our place of comfort to a place where you HAVE to be TOTALLY reliant on Him – but isn’t that exactly the point!?!
God has given me a vision…God has given you a vision – but it may not come immediately – sometimes we have to go back to school – learn from the master himself as to what should be done and how it should be done. When God is doing heart-work, there is no time frame. When God gives you vision, you have to position yourself in Him to see the vision come to fruition.
Andy Stanley says: “Direction, not intention – determines your destination”.
If you want to go from Durban to Jo’burg, you are not going to drive to Cape Town first. Yet some of us are heading to Cape Town – we’re on our way there. We have all the INTENTION to get to Jo’burg, but our direction does not line up with our intention – hence we will never reach our destination!
We need to position ourselves – reset the GPS, point it to the place and go in that DIRECTION! By setting your direction to fit the vision, fit the goal God has for you – you will reach the destination!
Unfortunately we sometimes have the intention, but not the direction. Let’s realize that we need to grow into God’s vision for our lives, but let’s also step out in obedience to his call and position ourselves to reach the destination God has for us!
Personally, I am loving the journey… God has proved himself faithful again and again. From transport to finances, to the most amazing friendships this side of eternity. God has also set me in a wonderful Church community (Hillcrest Christian Fellowship) for which I am truly thankful and blessed!
When you are walking in the will of God, you see things you have never seen before, experience things you haven’t experienced before, do things you have never done before and experience HIS peace like never before!
THE BEST IS YET TO COME!
Often, when this question is posed to people, the response is that they’ll do what God has asked them to do – however, as many of us know, our ACTUAL response if often times far different to what one can call the ‘Christian answer’. It’s daunting – we in fact try to reason it away, act like it was just by chance that we read ‘that’ scripture, that it was by chance that we met ‘that’ person – and so often times we give up altogether!
In many ways, I have asked all these question of myself lately – did I hear God? Did I act in the right way? Did I follow my own desires or did I obey God?
The last nine months have been a profound journey of discovery. God gave me this oversized vision…and in once sense no idea how to achieve it…
A few months ago, I listened to a sermon on our capacity and call. The picture that was given was that of an oversized raincoat. When we try it on – we realize it’s too big! We are in a sense ‘drowning’ in the sheer size of the raincoat!
So we say:”…this is too big for me!”
God responds: “I made it just for you!”
We say: “But Lord, that’s impossible – look at me I don’t fit in it AT ALL!”
God says: “Well…you have to grow into it!”
What a beautiful picture! God gives vision way bigger than ourselves, but we have to grow into it! We have to allow God to grow us into whom HE wants us to be. When we start praying and walking like this, it takes us out of our place of comfort to a place where you HAVE to be TOTALLY reliant on Him – but isn’t that exactly the point!?!
God has given me a vision…God has given you a vision – but it may not come immediately – sometimes we have to go back to school – learn from the master himself as to what should be done and how it should be done. When God is doing heart-work, there is no time frame. When God gives you vision, you have to position yourself in Him to see the vision come to fruition.
Andy Stanley says: “Direction, not intention – determines your destination”.
If you want to go from Durban to Jo’burg, you are not going to drive to Cape Town first. Yet some of us are heading to Cape Town – we’re on our way there. We have all the INTENTION to get to Jo’burg, but our direction does not line up with our intention – hence we will never reach our destination!
We need to position ourselves – reset the GPS, point it to the place and go in that DIRECTION! By setting your direction to fit the vision, fit the goal God has for you – you will reach the destination!
Unfortunately we sometimes have the intention, but not the direction. Let’s realize that we need to grow into God’s vision for our lives, but let’s also step out in obedience to his call and position ourselves to reach the destination God has for us!
Personally, I am loving the journey… God has proved himself faithful again and again. From transport to finances, to the most amazing friendships this side of eternity. God has also set me in a wonderful Church community (Hillcrest Christian Fellowship) for which I am truly thankful and blessed!
When you are walking in the will of God, you see things you have never seen before, experience things you haven’t experienced before, do things you have never done before and experience HIS peace like never before!
THE BEST IS YET TO COME!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)