HillThread ~ Supporting Missions

In the New Testament, Lord is the most frequently used title for Jesus Christ. Although we rarely use this term in our daily lives, we are all quite familiar with another word: boss. That is basically what Lord means—one possessing authority, power, and control. The Word of God describes Jesus as the head of the church, the ruler over all creation, and the Lord of lords and King of kings (Col. 1:15-18; Rev. 3:14; 17:14).

The realm of Christ’s reign covers everything that happens in heaven and on the earth. No one—not even those who deny His existence—can be free of His rule or outside His sphere of authority. Although Satan tries to convince us that liberty is found in doing what we want, true freedom is acquired only through submission to Christ’s loving lordship.

Even death cannot release anyone from the authority of God’s Son. He is Lord of both the living and the dead. All people must decide to either yield or rebel against Him, but they have the opportunity to make this choice only while they are still living. After death, they will acknowledge Christ’s lordship through accountability to Him. If we have not bowed the knee to Jesus in life, we will be forced to bend it in the judgment.

Have you submitted to Christ’s rule over your life? His authority causes anger or fear in individuals who have not yet yielded to Him, but those who have experienced His lovingkindness, trusted in His goodness, and surrendered to His authority take comfort in knowing Him as the Lord of their lives.

Romans 14:7-12
“For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You, then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written:

‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
every tongue will confess to God.’

So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

Suppose I asked what the mission of the church is—how would you answer? Although the church accomplishes many tasks, its only message to the world is the gospel of Christ. Everything else we do is merely an extension of that primary goal. The gospel we offer the lost is superior to every worldly philosophy. Never outdated or in need of correction, it is always sufficient to meet humanity’s greatest need: reconciliation with the Creator.

Although the message is always the same, methods of making it known are many—including the spoken word, music, printed material, and electronic media. But all these avenues of communication require the individual involvement of God’s people. It is every Christian’s responsibility to use his or her spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities to help fulfill the Great Commission.

Some Christians think that this role is given only to pastors, missionaries, or other people with an “up-front ministry.” But all of us have the responsibility to be involved in whatever way we are able and in whatever opportunity God gives us. Not everybody is called to go abroad as a missionary, but we all can give, pray, and tell friends and family what the Lord has done for us.

When you’re truly committed to getting the gospel out, God will reveal what work He is calling you to do. He has a place for every one of us—nobody is insignificant or unusable. The limiting factor is not the Lord’s ability to use us but our availability to His call.

Mark 16:15-20
“He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.’ After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.”

It is God’s nature to bless. However, we need to understand that He has a greater purpose in mind than we may realize. His ultimate goal is far more encompassing than just to make us happy, peaceful, protected, and prosperous. In fact, it is never the Lord’s intention for His blessings to end with us. Rather, He wants them to flow out to others as part of His plan for the whole earth.

As we can see in today’s psalm, the Lord blesses us so that His salvation, His ways, and His justice may be known by every nation and every people group around the globe (vv. 3-4, 7). He is always acting with this larger picture in mind—even while working personally in our individual lives. Knowing this should fill us with an awesome yet humbling sense of significance. Every believer has a part in helping others know and understand the one true God. Each blessing He gives not only benefits us personally but is intended to help further this cause. On the other hand, we may sometimes not receive the things we want because they don’t contribute to His higher purpose. But if we are willing to fit our requests into God’s greater plans, we will position ourselves to be greatly used by Him.

When the Lord blesses you, He’s not only doing something for you; He’s also doing something in and through you to affect others’ lives. Don’t let the pleasures and comforts of His blessings blind you to their intended purpose. Ask God how to use His kindnesses as a way to point people to Him.

Psalm 67
“1 May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make his face shine upon us,

2 that your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.

3 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

4 May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for you rule the peoples justly
and guide the nations of the earth.

5 May the peoples praise you, O God;
may all the peoples praise you.

6 Then the land will yield its harvest,
and God, our God, will bless us.

7 God will bless us,
and all the ends of the earth will fear him.”

Everyone experiences periods of difficulty in life. In such painful times, we may feel as though God is not blessing us. But even then, we are experiencing many of His amazing gifts, despite the fact that they might be escaping our notice.

Below are several examples of blessings that we can enjoy on bright or dark days:

• We are assured that our almighty God chose us before the foundation of the world (v. 4). He predestined us to be adopted as His children (v. 5). We can feel special and wanted because the Sovereign of the universe selected us.

• Jesus provided our salvation through His death and resurrection (v. 7). He redeemed us from sin that causes separation from God and ultimately leads to death. As a result, we receive a brand-new nature and daily forgiveness of iniquities (2 Cor. 5:17; 1 John 1:9).

• The Holy Spirit resides within us. He guides, warns, and fills us so we are never without counsel or comfort. He also seals us so that our eternity is secure (Eph. 1:13).

• Our Father prepares an inheritance for us that is imperishable (1 Peter 1:4). We may experience momentary troubles, but we can look forward to living eternally in God’s presence, where there is joy and no suffering.

In the midst of painful situations, it may be easy to feel as if God’s hand is not resting on your life. But believers have wonderful spiritual blessings at all times. Without the four permanent gifts listed above, fear and emptiness would be overwhelming. So express gratitude, even in difficulty.

First, we can bless people by praying for them, and we should be specific when bringing such petitions to the Lord. General requests like “please bless him” can become rote and devoid of meaning. Besides, supplications with greater detail might bring more identifiable answers. And imagine how others will be encouraged when they see that we cared enough to pray thoughtfully—and God cared enough to fulfill the request.

Second, we can ask God’s favor on events and situations. Of course, He will respond only when these have His approval. For example, it is appropriate to request the Lord’s presence in a church service, and to ask that He touch those present.

Third, we can bless God. We do this by expressing our praise and thanksgiving for His character and for what He has done (Ps. 104:1). Blessing Him also takes place through our obedience, service, and desire to please Him. When we place Him first in our lives, He is honored.

The Lord provides a vast array of good gifts, and the desire for such benefits is normal and universal. In fact, as we yearn for divine blessings, why not apply the golden rule as a motivation to bless others—including God Himself—through prayer and service?

Psalm 5:11-12
” But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield.”

Our change at the moment of salvation is just as radical and miraculous. From a death-bound, sinful, and depraved heart, God brings about a brand-new creature—one that is forgiven, made righteous, and designed to be the place where He Himself resides (2 Cor. 5:21; John 14:17).

Have you ever wondered why, then, we continue to struggle with sin after trusting Christ as Savior? Shouldn’t all the habits and tendencies of our old heart have vanished? The answer is that the term “new creature” refers to our position in Christ. It is true that believers are forgiven and eternally secure as children of the heavenly Father. Yet we remain in fleshly bodies, and as long as we are on earth, there will be an ongoing battle between spirit and flesh.

Throughout our life, God is transforming us to be increasingly like Jesus—His Spirit residing within helps us to combat sin and teaches us how to live. This process, called sanctification, is a journey that will last until we are called home to heaven.

While salvation is a one-time event, sanctification is a life-long adventure. And though the Lord sees believers as righteous, we still have the capacity to sin. Thankfully, God’s Spirit guides and empowers us to become more like Jesus, and as we yield to Him, our behavior and thoughts will change.

Ezekiel 36:25-27
“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.”

Separation, rejection, and alienation are unpleasant experiences that we usually try to avoid at all costs. But we live in a fallen world, so we cannot totally escape them.

Isolation from other people is bad enough, but what’s worse is that many individuals live apart from the heavenly Father. How tragic and futile life must be when it is spent completely detached from its Creator. God planted within each of us a desire to be in relationship with Him, so until we find our connection to Him, we will always feel that something is missing.

And yet as crucial as that relationship is to our well-being, something stands in its way: Whether by our thoughts or actions, we have all violated the Lord’s commands (Rom. 3:23), and our pure, holy God cannot be in the presence of sin. Romans 6:23 states that the penalty for sin is death, which is an eternal separation from the Lord. Therefore, we will always have a void.

What a bleak outlook for mankind! But our loving Father solved the dilemma by sending His Son to pay our penalty. Fully God and fully man, Jesus lived the perfect life, took all our iniquity upon Himself, and died a gruesome death on the cross. No longer are we condemned for our wrongs, because Christ took our place. And three days later, He victoriously rose to life.

Salvation is available to anyone who believes and receives this remarkable gift. John 3:16 describes how reconciliation puts an end to our alienation: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

I am persuaded that many of our goals and dreams fail simply because we place limitations upon ourselves. This is true for the church as well—Christ’s command to share the gospel is an example.

Jesus gave us the vision to tell all nations about His salvation, and as His followers, we should make this our aim. Many Christians, however, are not working to fulfill this “Great Commission”—at least not fervently and purposefully. Often, what holds us back are the boundaries we place upon ourselves.

Fear is one of the biggest self-erected barriers to success. For instance, if evangelizing means traveling overseas, lack of safety might worry us. We may also feel concern about how family and friends will react to our decision and whether people will react negatively to our message.

Another hindrance might be conditional obedience—that is, a willingness to serve as long as God keeps us in a particular location or has us minister in a country where we don’t have to learn a new language. And some people make the inconvenience of spending money, time, or effort into an obstacle that prevents service to the Lord.

There are many barriers that can keep us from sharing the gospel. But when we’re willing to tear those down, we’ll be amazed at what God can accomplish through us.

Are you passionately sharing the gospel? If not, identify the obstruction that stands in your way, and pray for forgiveness. Refocus by reading the Word and remembering the mission that Jesus gave you. God’s love covers the whole world, and He therefore intends that everyone hear the good news.

Matthew 28:16-20
“But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’”

As children of the Most High, we are called to walk with Him whether circumstances are delightful or difficult. Both can be challenging.

In times of relative ease, we may lose sight of how dependent we are on God. Of course, we still desperately need His direction and care, but pleasant “seasons” can cloud that reality and lull us into a self-sufficient mindset. To prevent this, we should discipline ourselves to fill our minds with God’s Word, pray for direction, and listen for His answer.

Strenuous times, on the other hand, can draw us to our Creator for sustenance and help. With Christ by our side, we can walk fearlessly through any situation. As Jesus warned, hardship is inevitable (John 16:33). Yet we have a choice about how to respond. We can either let painful situations trigger increased dependence upon the Lord, or we can allow doubt, depression, and anger to fill us.

The Lord promises to give all that we need to endure difficulty well. Our responsibility is to stay by His side, follow where He leads, and obey even when we don’t like or understand what is happening. Our goal should align with the apostle Paul’s: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim. 4:7).

Where are you today—in the midst of a trial or pleasant circumstances? Be aware of temptations like discouragement or apathy that could pull you away from a close walk with your heavenly Father. When you emerge from this period, will you be able to say with Paul that you finished well?

Isaiah 41:10-14
“10So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
11 All who rage against you
will surely be ashamed and disgraced;
those who oppose you
will be as nothing and perish.
12 Though you search for your enemies,
you will not find them.
Those who wage war against you
will be as nothing at all.
13 For I am the LORD, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.
14 Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob,
O little Israel,
for I myself will help you, declares the LORD,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.”

Paul served the Lord enthusiastically. The apostle’s zeal was motivated by three things: gratitude for the amazing but undeserved gift of salvation; conviction that the gospel message was true; and realization that through the cross, sin’s power over him had been broken.

Before salvation, we were slaves to sin and unable to break free. But now, having been united with Christ in His death and resurrection (Rom. 6:5-6), we have received the power to say no to temptation and can choose God’s way instead. Paul knew his old selfish nature had been crucified with Christ; sin no longer had control over him. This knowledge fueled his passion to follow Jesus and live for Him (Gal. 2:20).

Guided by his commission from Christ, Paul expressed his zeal through obedience to the Lord’s direction. Our heavenly Father wants us to focus our passion on carrying out His plan (Matt. 28:19-20).

Like Paul, we are called to live a crucified life—one in which we make the Lord first in our thinking, attitudes, and actions. Such a life includes learning how to walk by faith and stand firm against temptation. While we are unable to do this in our own strength, we can through the Holy Spirit. He empowers us to let go of our self-centered ways and replace them with godly ones.

Paul’s faith and commitment to the Lord were an integral part of his thinking, conversation, and work. His passionate faith kept him moving forward, even in times of great adversity. The apostle knew that salvation brought forgiveness of the past and a way to live victoriously in the future.

Romans 6:5-14
“If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.”