What's Your Ambition?

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 NIV

The contrast between ambition and a quiet obvious. Often straight ambition makes you think about trying to succeed with glory. A quiet life makes you think about peace and stability. I think Paul is trying to get us to seek to live godly lives that glorify Christ, passionately, but, with humility and grace. 

Honestly, I think a lot of what I tried to do as a young Christian became more about me being known as a great Christian, rather than Christ showing himself great in me. The world glorifies the messenger. Christianity glorifies Christ. Christ in me, the hope of glory. 

Our genuine, humble service of others should gain their respect not their applause. We are not trying to look good as servants of Christ, we are trying to show Jesus' goodness to the world. 

A Prayer for Good Feet

And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is

written:“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Romans 10:15 NIV

Lord, wherever you send me today, whoever you put in front of me today, use me to bring the good news. Open a door, open a heart, open my mouth at the appointed time for someone to hear of your great love in Jesus Christ the risen Savior. Praise be to you in us today!

Prepare the Way: Be Real, Be Willing

And you, my child, will be called 
   a prophet of the Most High;

for you will go on before the Lord 
   to prepare the way for him,

to give his people the knowledge of salvation 

   through the forgiveness of their sins,

Luke 1:76-77 NIV

Every day we represent Christ to the dying world around us. This is no guilt trip. It's just the truth. We don't have to be perfect, we just have to be real and willing. 

If we are not real, as in honest about our own shortcomings and sinfulness, we will just be hypocrites. You see, as a Christian, our witness is not about how good we are, but, it's about how good God is. Our neighbors, co-workers and friends don't need us, they need Jesus. Our very humanness is our opportunity to let the grace of God in our lives witness to those around us. 

Be willing, when the moment appears, to share in whatever way you can. You don't have to have an alter call. You don't have to stand on a soap box. Just be willing to share anything that God has done in your life. The Holy Spirit can take the smallest thing (in our eyes) and use it to make a way into someones heart. Maybe all you did was mention that you went to church in a conversation. That's all the Spirit needs. Just be willing. 

Our Security, His Greatness

He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
   in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they will live securely, for then his greatness 
   will reach to the ends of the earth.
Micah 5:4 NIV

The responsibility of the shepherd is to lead their sheep, to pasture and protect them from all harm. That's called security. Christ, our Shepherd, protects and provides for us and we tell of his greatness to the ends of the earth. 

Let's start with where we are today. Give God praise at home. Give God praise at work. Honor God by loving others, whoever he puts before you today.

COURAGE TO TELL THE TRUTH!

"The man answered , "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening  the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."" John 9:30-33

I love this story! The courage of this man to tell the truth about what Jesus had done in his life despite the doubts and insults of the Pharisees is courage born in faith.

The Pharisees, like all legalists, get hung up on technicalities. But, the real issue is power. Power over others and the illusion of power over their own lives. They tried to set the rules and interpret the Bible in ways that made them righteous by their actions. Jesus came and threatened (in their eyes) everything they thought about God and themselves! They couldn't get to Jesus yet so they went after the man whose eyes Jesus had opened. 

Sometimes telling the truth about Jesus will get you ridiculed and ostracized. The cool thing is that after the Pharisees threw the out the man whose sight was given to him, Jesus found him (John 9:35ff). After every battle, look for Jesus because he will find you. 

Father, give us the courage to tell the truth about Jesus no matter what others may think. Praise be to you in us today! 

TIME TO SHUT IT DOWN: Titus 3:9

"But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless." Titus 3:9

If you have ever been involved in an online "discussion" with someone with an opposing viewpoint,  then you probably have a pretty good idea what this verse is talking about. Most of the time people just write whatever pops into their minds without really thinking about it. Frankly, most people are trained to think anymore and it shows in what they write. I thought I was involved in a decent conversation with an atheist about two weeks ago. But, he just kept avoiding responding to anything that would cause him to evaluate why he actually held any of his beliefs. It was time to shut it down. 

The point is to be wise. Know when it is time to not say something. Sometimes silence makes people listen to not only what they said or what they were going to say, but, it also allows God to speak.

Father, give us wisdom to know when and when not to speak. Praise be to you in us today!

REPRESENT!/Titus 2:10

"and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive." 

Titus 2:10

I have always been pretty upfront about my Christianity. Some people don't like that. But, whether they like it or not I don't want them using my life as an excuse not to believe in God. Only one or two of the people I have worked under have been Christians. I am sure that for most people it is the same. Since there is a spiritual battle always gone on, whether or see it or not, we need to remember that we represent Christ.

It is up to God to deal with peoples' hearts. There will be people who will find fault in you no matter what you do. But, that is because within themselves they are fighting against the Spirit of God and they can't admit God works in anyone in any way or else they will have to consider Christ. Every faithful moment of working as unto Christ is a testimony to those who don't believe. 

Father, make our lives attractive advertisements of your gospel to those who don't believe. Use us to build your kingdom. Praise be to you in us today! 

WORK HARD FOR WHO? / I Timothy 6:1-2

I have worked for and under a lot of different people, some who were Christians and some who were not. My witness is all about my visable respect for them, whether they are saved or not.

"All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered. Those who have believing masters are not to show less respect for them because they are brothers. Instead, they are to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers, and dear to them. These are the things you are to teach and urge on them." I Timothy 6:1-2 

Of course Paul was teaching about actual slaves and we are not slaves. But, the principle of matter still holds. Work as unto the Lord. Do the best you can. Whatever you do you do as a representative of Christ. 

I once was a food server at a Mimi's Cafe. There was this one man and his son who would come in after church on Sunday nights. He would have coffee and maybe a dessert. He would leave maybe $0.50 and a tract for a tip. And he was a bit rude, too. Of course all the food servers thought he was a jerk for stiffing them on the tip and then leaving a tract. They would always complain to me because they knew I was a Christian. Finally, I told the guy that if he wanted any of the food servers to read the tract he needed to leave a bigger tip. 

Here's the deal: If you are a Christian you represent Christ. What will you be remembered for being? Will your integrity and honesty  be the impression you leave? 

Father, help us to work hard, even as working for you. Praise be to you in us today!