When Jesus left this earth, He left many things for His new found followers to ponder.  Through His Great Commission, He instructed us to make disciples.  Through His teachings,  He taught us how to live our lives until either He returns or He calls us home.  The greatest lesson, however, was included in His Great  Commandment.

First, “love the Lord with all you heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  Second, love your neighbor as yourself. (Matt. 22:37-40) Therein lies the real opportunity for Christians, especially the church, with its spirtual and financial resources, to show our love and compassion in a world that believes only in “me and mine.” This is the opportunity for churches to contribute to their communities–communities beyond their three (3) mile radius of ther church.

As a nation, we are facing enormous financial and social challenges.  All “indicators of life” are operating at  “record” levels—the highest unemployment, the greatest number of homeless and the largest increase in crime (which includes the cost of food and gas), just to name a few.  But where is the care and concern for the needy, the weak, and the unprotected.  The proverbial “crack” people fall into is already full of the first casualities of our fragmented and fractured society.  I’m not surprised by the “society”–it’s a fallen, sin-sick place doing what it does best–endulging itself.    BUT WHAT ABOUT THE CHURCH, ITS MINISTRIES AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS?  Jesus told the “masses” (similar to today’s  church congregations of believers, seekers, and ‘others’)

• Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. (Matt. 5:13)
•  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matt. 5:14-16)

So what’s the problem with the “salt and the light”? What do you think about the findings in the Barna study? I really want to hear from you “good church folk!”

Why would someone choose weak things?  Do you remember childhood games that required you to “choose” your teammates?  Do you remember the kid that was not the first choice?  They were too slow, too small, or simply not good at the game.  Sometimes that kid was you.  Do you remember how humiliated you felt as you were the last to be chosen?  But God chooses differently.  He looks beyond our faults and weaknesses as He chooses us as instruments to accomplish His purpose. (2 Tim. 2:21)

The world sees weak things as objects of scorn and distain.  Therefore, it disregards and marginalizes the old, the poor, and the disenfranchised.  But God, increases the power of the weak. (Isa. 40:29) His grace is sufficient for His strength is made perfect in weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9) Sometimes we forget that fact and try to do His work in our own strength.  But God, after several unsuccessful attempts on our part, gently whispers in our ear, “You can do nothing without Me.” (John 15:5) 

When you rise in the morning, do you expect to hear from the Lord?  As you walk into the office, do you look for signs of His presence? Let me tell you that God speaks each and every day.  The question is, “are you  prepared to hear Him?”   If you haven’t heard from Him lately, ask yourself these questions. Be brutally honest.

1. Have I spent time in reading and meditating on God’s Word?
2. Is there sin in my life that I refuse to confess?
3. Have I placed other priorities ahead of God?
4. Am I harboring bitterness, anger, or unforgiveness for someone in my life?
5. How much time do I devote to prayer?
6. Am I grieving the Spirit by being willfully disobedient?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may have found the source of your communications breakdown with the Lord.  We are told to constantly examine our Christian walk  (2 Corinthians 13:5)  What are questions you ask yourself when you feel God is silent?

Why do you follow Christ?  Why did you choose HIM for your savior?  That was the issue behind Jesus’ statement to the crowds that pursued Him after His miracle of feeding five thousand adults.  Jesus had gained a huge following as a result of His miracles, wonders and signs. (John 6:22)  After this miracle, they were relentless in their search for His next stop—the next place that they could receive the benefit of His miracles—bread.

This morning I had tea with my girlfriend, Kim.  She is my prayer intercessor and sister in Christ. As part of our commitment to the Lord, we have agreed to meet the last Friday of every month for spiritual support and accountability.  Today as we talked, she mentioned a phrase that God had dropped in my spirit last week as a potential post to share with you.  

• God is building our upper body so we will be able to “do His will.”  The “head and heart” is where we are conformed to the image of Christ.  Philippians 2:5 admonishes us to “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus.”  Christ was loving (when people were unlovable), obedient (when He was tempted to do otherwise) and steadfast (when Satan tried to distracted Him from the cross).  He did nothing on His own but only what the Father told Him to do. (John 14:10)

• God is building our lower body so we will be able to “do His work.”  It is time for us to move forward with the individual ministries God has placed in our heart to do.  Ephesians 2:10 states, “We are His workmanship created unto good works which He has before ordained that we should walk in.” We think ministry work is limited to the pulpit and to the preacher.  Wrong!  Ministry in Greek means service. (Acts 1:17; Ephesians 4:12)  We were not saved to “sit” but to “serve.”

• God is building our “wait” muscles so that we will be able to “trust and believe.”  Learning to wait is an area that Kim and I pray for each other (alot).  Isaiah 40: 31states: “They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength.”  Our ability to trust is based on our confidence in what or who we believe in. Our belief is influenced by what we know.  To build strong wait muscles, we must trust and believe in God–His greatness, His goodness and His fidelity.

John 1:4 states, “In Him was life and His life was the light of men.”  Life in Greek is “zoe” and it means “soul and spirit.”  The soul is where our spiritual DNA resides.  For we were made in the  image of God.  It provides  our unique (and sometimes quirky) personality.  It consists of our mind, will, and emotions.  It is from our zoe that we “live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28)  It is here that we do those “good works” for which God has created us. (Ephesians 2:10)

Light in Greek is “phos” and it means “unquenchable” light. To illustrate the power of phos, we need only look to the heavens.  The planets, circle the sun, and it is the sun that provides their light or illumination.  They have no “light bearing capacity” of their own. They are dependent on the sun for their light. The sun, however, needs no illumination, for it has a “light bearing capacity” of its own, that is unquenchable and cannot be extinguished.

As I reflect on this extraordinary word from God on life and light, I became humbled at the thought that Jesus, the God Man, came to be both “light and life” for us.  Now as partakers of His divine nature, we have His power to also be both “light and life” in a very dark world.   As I listen to the news and see the condition of our world, I became convicted and asked myself, where has the “light and life” gone?  Where are the saints during this time of great darkness?

My prayer for you today comes from Ephesians 1:17-19:

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of Him; That the eyes of your understanding may be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of His calling and what are the riches of His inheritance in the saints.  And what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who have believe according the working of His mighty power.

Today make it your purpose to be both zoe and phos in your “universe.” .