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10 ways to avoid serving the Lord!
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10 ways to avoid serving the Lord!
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Ignore Jesus' request that we take a long, hard look around us. Seeing the needs of people can be depressing and very unsettling. It could lead to genuine concern.
"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together."
John - chapter 4: verses 34-36. (New International Version)
Focus your energies on socially acceptable targets. Job security, bigger salary, promotion, a more luxurious car, full insurance and future financial security. Along the way, run up some big credit card debts and a huge mortgage, so even if you decided to work for God, you wouldn't be able to. We all know that this will lead to true happiness and contentment, right!
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
Matthew - chapter 6: verses 25-34. (New International Version)
Get married to somebody who thinks the "Great Commission" is what your employer gives you after you make a big sale. After marriage, embrace the socially accepted norms of settling down in your own home, having a great time with your selected mates around the barbie, establishing a respectable career trajectory and raising a picture-perfect family. Don't share - life's too good!
"You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. Here is a trustworthy saying:
"If we died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him.
If we disown him, he will also disown us;
if we are faithless, he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.""2 Timothy - chapter 2: verses 1-13. (New International Version)
Always picture workers for God as 'missionaries' out in the jungle or in some tribal village somewhere teaching the 'natives' some doctrine to change their culture forever. Don't think about the plumbers, mechanics, accountants, teachers, carers, secretaries, I.T. persons, cooks, brickies, managers, webmasters, nurses, builders, etc. that are needed here at home and abroad to support the Lord's work in local churches, camp sites, youth work, clinics and christian para-church organisations.
"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Colossians - chapter 3: verses 17. (New International Version)
Stay away from 'missionaries' and enthusiastic 'on-fire' christians. Their testimonies can be disturbing. The situations they describe will distract you from embracing whole-heartedly the materialistic lifestyle of your neighbours and worldly friends. Agree with the people who tell you that you are indispensable where you are. Listen when they tell you that your local church or home country can't do without you.
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honour and might forever. Amen."
1 Timothy - chapter 6: verses 6-16. (New International Version)
Think how bad a missionary you would be based on your own past failures. It is unreasonable to expect you will ever be any better. Don't even think about Moses, David, Jonah, Peter or Mark, all of whom overcame failures. If you still feel you must go, go out right away without any preparation or training. You'll soon be home again and no one can ever blame you for not trying!
"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work"
2 Timothy - chapter 3: verses 14-17. (New International Version)
Always imagine missionaries as talented, super-spiritual people who stand on lofty pedestals. Maintaining this image of church workers and missionaries will heighten your own sense of inadequacy. Convincing yourself that God does not use ordinary people will smother any guilt you may feel about refusing to even listen for a call from God.
"Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.""
1 Corinthians - chapter 1: verses 26-31. (New International Version)
If you happen to think about missions, restrict your attention to countries where it's impossible to openly do missionary work. Think only about places like North Korea, Saudi Arabia, China and other closed countries. Forget the vast areas of our globe open to missionaries, who are crying out for someone to show them Jesus. Never, never listen to talk about creative access countries.
"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."”
Matthew - chapter 28: verses 18-20. (New International Version)
Don't read the Bible for yourself. Just exist on the regurgitated thoughts and conclusions of others (the latest re-released christian paperback or the Sunday sermon). You won't grow and get strong in your faith, but the digestion is easy and your conscience is dulled. The messages are much easier to ignore and forget. Studying the Bible will open you up to uncomfortable prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.
Acts - chapter 17: verses 11. (New International Version)
Don't pray. You can say you will pray about it, just don't really do it. And don't get involved in anything at church, because this is where it usually starts. You start helping with Sunday school, the youth group, in the church office, with running some program or special event, and before you know it your enjoying serving others and working for the Lord. Your called into His service and saved for a purpose, but you can still resist to the death. God help us!
"Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
1 Thessalonians - chapter 5: verses 12-28. (New International Version)
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