I posted this on my home group blog and thought that it deserved repeating here.
This week Doug talked about ... missions... and how it really comes from abiding in Christ.
No fruit will come if there is no root in Christ... without the root, there is no fruit.
“Apart from Me, you can do nothing.”
This statement is reflected in the individuals prayer closet. If we don’t have an active prayer life, we are doing something apart from Him and it will bear no fruit.
If we try to have intimacy without abiding we end up living in principle without the person of Christ which is a fancy way to say we are Pharisees.
2 Corinthians 2:14-17
Apostolic Ministry
2:14 But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumphal procession26 in Christ27 and who makes known28 through us the fragrance that consists of the knowledge of him in every place. 2:15 For we are a sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing – 2:16 to the latter an odor29 from death to death, but to the former a fragrance from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?30 2:17 For we are not like so many others, hucksters who peddle the word of God for profit,31 but we are speaking in Christ before32 God as persons of sincerity,33 as persons sent from God.
Intimacy will never really happen where there is no love of God.
Here is an interesting verse. 1 Corinthians 16:22 says, Let anyone who has no love for the Lord be accursed (anathema). Our Lord, come!
anathema
Pronunciation: an-ath'-em-ah
Definition:
1) a thing set up or laid by in order to be kept
1a) specifically, an offering resulting from a vow, which after being consecrated to a god was hung upon the walls or columns of the temple, or put in some other conspicuous place
2) a thing devoted to God without hope of being redeemed, and if ananimal, to be slain; therefore a person or thing doomed to destruction
2a) a curse
2b) a man accursed, devoted to the direst of woes
Definition 2a is particularly sobering... to think that you can be devoted to God without the hope of redemption.... yikes!
2 Samuel 6
This is the story of Uzzah and Ahio. These were sons of Abinadab, whose house contained the ark for 20 years.
So as David was bringing the ark back …
2 Samuel 6:6 says, "When they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and grabbed hold of 13 the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 6:7 The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him on the spot for his negligence. He died right there beside the ark of God.
These two sons knew how to treat the ark. But they grew to accustomed to the presence not being in it’s rightful place. And out of irreverence they steadied the ark and were smote (nice word... smote). Obviously, today there is Christ and things are a little different. BUT, we are still the same and too often irreverent and used to the presence of God not being in it’s rightful place in our lives.
They lost the love and respect of God and it caused them to take it for granted and not reverence it. The lack of respect and reverence is just as common today. It becomes intellectual, principle-oriented and not intimate reliance on God.
We get cold and act like we don’t need mercy any more; that somehow we are better off than we think we are, that somehow we have enough of God. But Jesus said if you have broken one commandment, you have broken all of them. We love little because we think we have been forgiven little, but in reality, we all have been forgiven much.
We need to be grateful, which is being warmly, deeply appreciative of his kindness.
Isaiah 12
12:1 At that time you will say:
“I praise you, O Lord,
for even though you were angry with me,
your anger subsided, and you consoled me.
12:2 Look, God is my deliverer!
I will trust in him and not fear.
For the Lord gives me strength and protects me;
he has become my deliverer.”
12:3 Joyfully you will draw water
from the springs of deliverance.
12:4 At that time you will say:
“Praise the Lord!
Ask him for help!
Publicize his mighty acts among the nations!
Make it known that he is unique!
12:5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done magnificent things,
let this be known throughout the earth!
12:6 Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion,
for the Holy One of Israel acts mightily among you!”
It won’t be Good news to others, if it is not Good news to you.
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1 comment:
Thanks for this.
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