Missions

Suggested Topic : Missions

I'm sure many people went on a "mission trip" this summer, or at least at some point in their life. If you've done that, you've probably experienced a "faith high" or "mission high" during and just after you returned home. And a couple months later...did it fade? Most likely it did. And you start the school year saying "Oh, look at what God did then and I can't wait until next year!" Just in that statement, we have disqualified the now. Let's back track though...

How does one define missions? Well, I firmly believe it is going out and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with people around you. Whether it is through words, or just by living and loving. That is missions.

A "mission trip" should not be defined by a church group going outside of their hometown, and spending a week serving another community (in or out of country). Is that all? By no means!! Missions is so much more!! A summer mission trip, or service trip is a part of missions but it does not stop there. In fact, it shouldn't start there. Before you even leave your home to go on a "mission trip" you should already have been preparing your heart by serving in some way where you live. Missions is a lifestyle. Everyday, there should be a "now" moment where you live out and share what you believe.

I can't stop singing Josh Turner's "Would you go with me" when I think of missions:

"Would you go with me if we rolled down streets of fire?" Sounds a bit dangerous, but would you go if God called you to serve or live in a dangerous place?  

"Would you go with me if we were lost in fields of clover?" It's not always fun to be lost, but could you go and lose yourself in God's love and get lost in sharing all of that with others? 

"Would you go with me if we rode the clouds together?" Can you pack up all you have, and go across the world? 

"Would you accompany me to the edge of the sea?" Is it possible for you to stretch your borders and your comfort zones in order to reach out for the lost and broken? 

God is a perfect gentleman. He won't ever force you to do anything. But He is challenging you. Step out of what's comfortable. There are so many rewards for obedience in that! He is extending a welcome and an opportunity for adventure in the place where you are now! You don't have to be stuck waiting for the next big thing.  

I have realized that I don't deserve to go out into the world and travel to different countries if I can't even walk out my front door and serve my own community. So I want to accept the challenge. I want to go into my community and listen to where the Holy Spirit says go and then, without hesitation, go and obey. By doing that, I am preparing myself little by little to be willing enough to go when He asks me to do the big, scary, and dangerous expeditions. 

I firmly believe that practicing in the "now" is the first stepping stone in order to launch a person out into the world. 

So, would you go with God? 

--sea'sthoughts--

Bless the Lord, O My Soul

Psalm 103:1-3
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, 
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases," 

In the past two days, I've lost two dear women to cancer. Who saw that one coming?

So, why would I quote a scripture about the Lord healing all diseases? If God loves us, why would family, friends, and loved ones die of such a horrible disease like cancer? Why didn't either of these women experience miraculous healing? Well, I don't have the answers to those questions.

Something I heard this morning at church stuck with me, and I am extremely thankful for the Holy Spirit speaking through people. The preacher quoted Psalm 103, and plainly answered the question of why doesn't God heal all diseases. "He only heals when it is the best."

1. God wants what is best for us.
2. God knows what is best for us.
3. God IS the best for us.
4. God wants us to want the best.

So, perhaps God did not heal because it was best that He didn't. He was ready for these two women to join Heaven's choir. We all have the understanding that cancer is an awful and painful master. Those who are slaves to it endure so much pain. How wonderful is it to know that God brought them home to a beautiful, pain-free place? I have much more peace knowing they are both enjoying paradise.

{forgive me if this isn't the most encouraging...}
Psalm 103:15-19
"As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more." 

{but it gets better...}
"But the steadfast love of the Lord is from
everlasting to everlasting on those
who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.

The Lord has established his throne in the 
heavens
and his kingdom rules over all"

I have full assurance in this one simple fact: The love of the Lord is forever. I might be a flower in a field but His love is EVERLASTING. From generation to generation. My children's children may not always have me, but they will always have the love of Father God. My own father always says, in the midst of troubling times, "God has not fallen off His throne." And thank Him that He hasn't!! This brings me so much courage!! I am comforted knowing pain and suffering ends when we meet "death" and God will never stop loving His children.

Psalm 103:20-22 
"Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!

Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!

Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!" 

I would like to encourage you, that even when terrible things happen on this Earth, never turn and question God. Praise Him and remember to be thankful for what you've had. Trust in the best, trust in God. He never fails.

--sea'sthoughts--

Expecting Expectations

"I never like to use the word expectation but I will make an exception. I am expecting BIG things this next year. I am ready to hear from God in ways that I never have before and I know I am going to grow. I have a lot of expectations but I have never really liked expectations. Partly because I know people have expectations for me and that's hard to think about when you really want to please people but you don't know how to meet their expectations. It's not as simple as just introducing yourself. "Hello Expectation! I am Sarah, may I do anything for you today?" No. That's not how it works and that can be frustrating. The thought has been rattling around in my brain for sometime that we should just drop all our expectations. When I expect certain things from people or circumstances I always seem to be let down or my expectations are not met.  However, why should I degrade God's abilities to that of what my human brain can comprehend? God surpasses all understanding so I KNOW I can expect THE BEST things from Him and He will NOT disappoint." I wrote this almost a year ago. Looking back on it today, I realize that I was right. But I was also wrong.

Firstly, I can tell you I was wrong because my perspective was askew. I was offended at people in my life for expecting me to respond a certain way. I was wrong to harbor this offense because they were right. My character proved that I would respond in that way and God's character in me should respond in the way they expected. (Don't worry, nothing terrible happened and I am OK)

I still don't believe expectations should be forced onto a person. It just doesn't seem right, or even moral, to expect a person to do or be anything that is outside of their character. It is vital to know a person's journey before you can expect anything from them. You need to understand their capacity and ability to handle certain feats. However, gaging people's capacities and understanding another person's capacity is not what I want to talk about, even though I have a lot to say about it.

No, no. I want to talk about expecting things from God. I don't think I would've ever guessed that I would reach a point in my life where I would be bold enough to EXPECT something from God. "Dear God, I expect you to (fill in the blank)." It sounds wrong doesn't it? It seems like I am challenging God in a way. But you're misreading the situation.

My problem is that I used to replace expectancy with hope. These are two completely different things.

Hope defined is: a feeling or desire for a certain thing to happen
Expect defined is: regard or belief that something is likely to happen.

When we rely on God, it is important for us to be confident in EXPECTANCY instead of just wishful and hopeful thinking. Don't mistake this difference as hope not being important. It is extremely important! But the fault is when you replace confidence in God's love with wishing upon a star. Expectation does not equate to hope. When I expect something from God, it is because I know His character. I know God is Love, Creator, Redeemer, Judge, King, Forgiver, Provider, Protector, and so much more. Therefore, I approach BOLDLY and leave no room for doubt. I believe that God is who He says He is so why should I be shy about expecting him to deliver? Disappointment surfaces when we appoint hope to something, or someone, that can not deliver. GOD DELIVERS. "When I expect certain things from people or circumstances I always seem to be let down or my expectations are not met. However, why should I degrade God's abilities to that of what my human brain can comprehend? God surpasses all understanding so I KNOW I can expect THE BEST things from Him and He will NOT disappoint."

I refuse to degrade God's abilities based on what I've experienced from other people. We are human, and human's are prone to error and mistakes. I will try my best to not over-expect anything from other people, but I will not reduce God to those standards. I have found boldness and confidence to ask God for anything(within reason and within wisdom) and expect Him to be true to His word. I can only trust that you will also reach that place in your relationship with Christ, where you KNOW His character and you will not be timid in expecting God to do as He says He will.

"Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and also in Jesus." John 14:1 

--sea'sthoughts--