Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”
Last Sunday, Pastor Herk of Little Church in the Pines concluded his sermon series on “refocusing” on what is truly important. And it is so important for us to refocus because the devil is out there trying to distract us in a thousand different directions. It is so easy for us to get carried away by the negative things going on in the world around us. But, there are some good things going on around us also, so focus there. The world is corrupted by sin, but it’s all about the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, our turning to the Savior of the world and our walking with the Lord in righteousness. He is right there beside us through good times, bad times and busyness, so focus and keep your mind’s eye upon Jesus.
Our Maker knows what’s going to happen from this time until we join Him in heaven and through eternity. We can get hung up on something that happened in our past that caused us to fail, or overwhelmed by something today, that we lose sight of our goals and where God wants us to be down the road in the future. Ask Jesus: “What is the list of things that You want me to strive for, accomplish and have in my future?” That is the list that matters in our focus. But, there is also the focus on our mission for the ministry work of saving souls, discipling seekers and equipping the saints for the kingdom of Heaven, because born again Believers, Disciples (student/follower) of Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and children of God are used for mission ministry by God to accomplish His plan and good works on earth in reaching a world that is focused somewhere else.
Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Christians may truly be the only Bible that many unbelievers ever read. So many lost souls never even pick up the Word of God, but they see it through us. So, what do they read about when they look at you (how you act and what you say)? A part of the problem in the world or a part of the answer? We are called to be His disciples that make disciples by learning and speaking the truth in love, and by knowing and living godly lives. The really good news is that we do not need to do it alone. God has our backs, Jesus walks with us, the Holy Spirit guides us and we have our brothers and sisters of the body of Christ alongside us on His the Lord wants us to take … if we let Him.
1 John 5:12-13 “He who has the Son [by accepting Him as Lord and Savior] has the life [that is eternal]; he who does not have the Son of God [by personal faith] does not have the life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God [which represents all that Jesus Christ is and does], so that you will know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have eternal life. (AMP)
Think about people in your own life (friends, relatives, neighbors, coworkers or acquaintances) that do not know Christ, that you want to come to the Lord and be saved. They are not to be mere spectators of our walk with the Lord, but to join us in the abundant life on the divine journey. We are called to be committed disciples and each one of us has a role in serving the Lord and reaching the increasingly lost and dying world around us. There is plenty of ministry needed in this big old world out there because the mission field is ripe for the harvest of souls. Reaching out a hand to seek and save the lost is our mission, our calling, our duty and to be our passion for the advancement of the kingdom and the decreasing of the population of Hell. We are all called to this mission.
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