today's value system says do everything you can to build a nest egg to provide security for yourself. your whole goal in life is to become secure and financially independent. so security becomes the goal of life rather than service.
but GOD is looking for people with courage, who are willing to risk for the kingdom of GOD, who are willing to serve GOD with reckless abandonment.
look at what paul says about epaphoditus and his return home. philippians 2.29-30 (ms), give him a grand welcome, a joyful embrace! people like him deserve the best you can give. remember the ministry to me that you started but weren't able to complete? well, in the process of finishing up that work, he put his life on the line and nearly died doing it.
look at the words, he put his life on the line and nearly died doing it. he risked his life and almost died for the work of CHRIST to make up for the help the philippians could not give to paul.
and paul challenges us over in his letter to the romans in 12.1 (ms), so here's what i want you to do, GOD helping you: take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before GOD as an offering.
another way to say offering is sacrifice, what am i sacrificing for CHRIST? what are you sacrificing? i know some guys that don't even have enough guts to tithe. they are so worried about their security – "how can i make it on 90%?"
i meet so many bored men, unfulfilled. they don't like their job; it is just a living. why are there so many bored and unfulfilled men? they have lost the spirit of adventure they had as young men. they aren't risking anything anymore. when you stop risking you are dying. they don't have anything to live for, any challenge, any goals bigger than themselves.
mark 8.35 (ms), self-sacrifice is the way, MY way, to saving yourself, your true self. what good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? what could you ever trade your soul for?
if you want to live... go for broke for JESUS CHRIST! give up your life. give up your reputation!
about 65 years ago, nicolai lenin talked to a little group of 12-14 people and said, "give me 100 totally committed men and i will change the world." evidently he got them because over half of the world is under communist domination. that is the power of commitment.
2 chronicles 16.9 (ms), GOD is always on the alert, constantly on the lookout for people who are totally committed to him.
just a thought from the front porch...
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