Mission Minded

This past week was a week that I had been praying about for weeks in advance - if that makes any sense! Let me give you a short run-down. Last week was spent in Greenwood Hills, PA with two of my dear friends Anne and Sarah. We went to a Missionary Orientation Program where we spent 6 days in intense Bible sessions about living the life of a missionary. There were plenty of opportunities to fellowship with all the people who were able to come to the Orientation - we were able to go canoeing, take long walks, sing hymns, roast marshmellows and eat around the table...all discussing who Jesus Christ is and how He has and is continually changing our lives. It was wonderful to meet so many new people! Not knowing each other, but knowing we were one in Christ and knowing that our desires were also focused on the same thing. Iron sharpens Iron - and boy was I sharpened this past week! Ken Fleming, Paul Bramsen, Phil Parson and Patrick Long were the speakers throughout the week. There were so many helpful, instructive and convicting messages...but one that made me slow down in light of all I heard this past week was Thursday nights "devotional" given by Bill Yuille. It just summed up everything that had been spoken on - and he charged us in a way that stirred my heart. It is causing me to mull over everything I have learned this past week - knowing that HE is in control of my life. My life is in His hands.
Aside from all of this babbling...let me give you a glimpse as to what Mr. Yuille spoke on.

John 14:15 - "If you love Me, keep my commandments."
John 14:23 - "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and my Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him."
John 21:17 - "He said to him the third time, 'Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?' Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, 'Do you love me?' And he said to Him, 'Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.' Jesus said to him, 'Feed My sheep.'"

Jesus asked the simple question - do you love Me?

And my question is - do I? Do I really love Him?

We don't ever want to be like the Ephesus church in Revelations. Yes, yes - Ephesus was patient, they labored, they were discerning of evil things, they persevered and hadn't become weary. BUT, they left their "first love" (2:4). This is what the Lord Jesus had against this church...they were zealous on the outside, but no love for Him. And we have to ask ourselves as believers, "have I fallen into a state of apathy with my devotion to the Lord Jesus? "

As believers, we can get so involved. We can fill this ministry, go on this mission trip, cook cookies for the widows...etc. We can do all these things, but have no love.

Remember Jacob and Rachel? (Genesis 29) Can you remember the years Jacob served for Rachel? He was head over heels in love for her, "So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed only a few days to him because of the love he had for her" (20). Just looking at this picture in the Old Testament - we can't help but compare it to our lives. The Lord Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice to win our love. And it was completely worth it, praise the Lord! But, how about myself? Am I so in love with my Savior that I can react the same as Jacob did as he served Rachel? Pour out all of my love to Him? Is my devotion to the Lord consumed with my love for Him?

The other main point is this: If we love Him, then we will want to obey Him. Plain and simple, right? Not quite.

I Samuel 15:11 - "I greatly regret that I have set Saul as king, for he has turned back from followhing Me, and has not performed My commandments." Saul was fundamentally disobedient.

I Samuel 15:19 - "Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord?"

We see that Saul is a disobedient man, and the Lord does not look kindly upon that. And we also see that David was a disobedient man as well. He took a man's wife and ended up murdering that man, trying to cover up for it. That is horrible too! So, they were both disobedient. And yet, the Lord blessed one and cursed the other. The Lord blessed David. Why is that? Because David's life fundamentally revolved around the Lord - no one else. He was a man after God's own heart. Whereas Saul was fundamentally disobedient and his life was to please himself.

These two men in the Bible show exact reasons as to why it is important to obey. If we decide to obey our fleshly desires - then we will reap what the flesh ends up reaping. But if we obey the Holy Spirit and the Word of God - we will reap what these will end up reaping, which are many blessings.

John 10:17 - "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me."

This verses is amazing! We, His sheep, hear His voice. We should hear no other voice - except His. And we should desire to hear no other voice - except His! Our ears are marked to hear His voice. To hear is the same as to obey. Just like Samuel as he spoke out "Here I am." Samuel was telling the Lord, "I hear Your voice! And here I am, I am listening. Tell me and I will obey."

Do we have those same type of ears that Samuel had? Yes we do, the human body hasn't changed. But has our love for Him changed? Has our first love left us, to the point that we are failing to even obey Him? If we truly, honestly and genuinely love Him, we will not questions our obedience to Him and His desire for us to obey Him. It should be our joy to serve Him wherever He places us. Whether it be in the States or over seas. Wherever we are - we are to love Him. And if we love Him - then we are to obey Him.

Might we seek to glorify His name above all names this week! Reminding ourselves that if we love Him; we will feed His sheep, pray earnestly, not be ashamed of the gosepl, be diligent, obey His commandments...etc.

"Whatever you do in word or deed,

do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through Him."

Colossians 3:17