God's Glory and Mission

[GoldenEagle]

God's on mission. We should be on His mission. What is God about?

A look at part of Isaiah's message found in Scripture in Isaiah 6.

God is on His throne, God is constant, God is just and loving, God is in authority, and God was/is/will be worshiped.

Isaiah 6:4-5
And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

 

We are a people with unclean lips and impure heart. We are in need of One who has atoned for our sins.

What I've done wrong is on me. Not on my friends, my enemies, my neighbors, my co-workers, my wife, my children, my parents, my family... It's on me. But thankfully God forgives all sin and forgets it.

 

Makes me think of this passage from the NT...
 

Rom 10:10
For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
 

 

How does this play out in Isaiah?

 

Isaiah 6:6-7
Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

 

His heart and lips purified, guilt is taken away and sin atoned for. This is a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 6:8-9
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people:“‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’

 

Note: Surrender to God proceeds Service to God
 

After sines taken away - atonement... The response: Here I am send me!

This is a reminder of a NT passage...

Mark 4:10-20
And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, so that “they may indeed see but not perceive,and may indeed hear but not understand,lest they should turn and be forgiven.”

And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

 

Question: Are we bearing good fruit for Jesus Christ? Are we about God's glory and mission?

Let he who ears to hear let here hear - 12 times in the Bible. Here's a sample.

In Acts 28 Paul had spent from morning to evening trying to convince the Jews that Jesus is the Son of God.

Acts 28:24-28
And some were convinced by what he said, but others disbelieved. And disagreeing among themselves, they departed after Paul had made one statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your fathers through Isaiah the prophet: “‘Go to this people, and say,“You will indeed hear but never understand,and you will indeed see but never perceive.” For this people's heart has grown dull,and with their ears they can barely hear,and their eyes they have closed;lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’ Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”

 

Some believed and some didn't. Praise God salvation also given to the Gentiles.

Isaiah 6:10
Make the heart of this people dull,and their ears heavy,and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes,and hear with their ears,and understand with their hearts,and turn and be healed.”

 

 

God predicts that the heart of His people will be dull, their ears heavy, and will blind their eyes.

 

Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

 

This is a command. It's not an option. It's not for the pastor. It's not for the missions minister. It's not just for the team of people who go on a mission trip. The command is for me and you. For everyone and anyone who claims Jesus Christ as Savior - to be about emphasizing God's glory and mission!

 

 

Acts 20:24
But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

 

Paul loved God and the Gospel more than even his very life. Do we love God like this?

Again: God is on His throne, God is constant, God is just and loving, God is in authority, and God was/is/will be worshiped.

God loves you and His love is enduring for all ages - it is not limited by time or space. God calls us near to be a part of His mission!

Discussion Questions: Can you think of other passages that point to God's glory and mission? In what ways are you being on God's mission in your life?

God bless,

GE

[GoldenEagle]

Something to remember: When I don't feel God is acting around me or in my life... It's not that God isn't active in the situation or my life, but perhaps that I'm not paying attention.

See the following songs that go along with these thoughts...

 

 
 

[Willa]

1 Tim 4:12b-13 --but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

I don't remember leading anyone to the Lord but my husband and our son. But 2 of my best friends say I also was instrumental in their becoming Christians, and it was years ago and I wasn't aware of doing it. Many other people played a big part in my husband coming to the Lord, wareing him down and influencing him. So in the end God had to change me to come under submission to my husband and to honor him and admire him even while he was an unbeliever (and his salvation was good motive for me to change.) After that I realized that God could save him whenever He wanted, I just needed to get out of the way. So it was all God's doing and I didn't do much at all.

The other thing I might be able to do is to encourage believers through prayer and informal support. And usually that is not done purposefully but just happens. So my style of bringing God glory ìs to decrease so that God might increase. Getting self out of God's way is the biggest challange. So I sow seeds, pray a lot and hope to live the life before others by genuinely loving them and caring. If the person is receptive maybe fruit will come of it.

The most fun is when I get to witness to cult memebers who come to witness to me. I then have an idea where they are coming from or what they believe. I can explain what I have that they don't, and testify to them about it. In this case the ice is already broken and it is a lot easier. I am just not good at landing the fish or closing the sale, so to speak, even though I pray for the right words that they need to hear. So maybe that part ìs not what God is asking me to do; but seeds have been planted.

[1x1is1]

Our Lord used an unsaved person (my wife) to bring me to Him and become born again, then He used me to lead her to become born again.  Thank you Jesus for knocking and not going away all those years.

[*Zion*]

I know that words sow a seed but our whole lives should be ministering Jesus to one another: 

 

"By this they will know that you are My disciples; that you have love for one another." 

 

It's not just linguistics that count, it's our body language too.  God wants to utilize our entire beings in this mission, not just our tongues.  We were created to glorify Him and reflect His love.

 

I heard of an instance whereby a man, large in stature. cold in nature, lonely, afraid, and feeling so unloved, walked into a church service expecting to be shunned and isolated as per usual in his day-to-day, whatever the circumstances.  The usher smiled at him, and showed him a seat next to a nice looking lady.  The lady smiled and held out her delicate little hand to shake his large, scarred, rough hand.  He sat down.  He heard the preacher speak upon God's love.  He heard the singers sing of God's love. 

Then at the end, the pastor said: turn to the person next to you.  Give them a hug. 

The man got a big squeeze from the lady, who was still smiling at him.  He broke down and cried and said: you don't even know me.  How can you love me? 

The lady said: if you knew how much I talk and fuss over my grandchildren when they come to see me and nag my husband and cry whenever I hear good news from my daughter because she lives so far away and I don't really get to see her anymore... well, you might find me difficult to love too.

Then the man said jokingly:  would you please fuss over me, and nag me, and cry over me?

And she said:  What do you want for dinner tomorrow night?  My husband never complains about my lemon chicken...

 

You've probably heard that story before, but to me that's such a good example.  It only took a few smiles and a hug to sow the Word in this man's heart.  It got broken, but then it got mended again.  Isn't God just wonderful?  He uses our smiles too!

[Guest]

God's on mission. We should be on His mission. What is God about?

 

Love

 

Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. Revelation 4:11

 

And Family

 

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. Romans 8:15

 

See?

 

Sing, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; be glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

 

The LORD hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even the LORD, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more.

 

In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, Let not thine hands be slack.

 

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. Zephaniah 3:14-17

[Guest ninhao]

God's on mission. We should be on His mission. What is God about?

 

Joh 3:16-17  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  (17)  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

 

 

1Ti 2:3-4  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;  (4)  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

 

 

Luk 15:4-7  What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?  (5)  And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  (6)  And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.  (7)  I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

 

[desi2007]

The scripture of carrying each others burdens comes to my mind.  Galations 6:2~~ Carry each others burdens and in this way you will fulfil the law of christ.

 

I’ve been looking and reading some very real, but unusual blessings from God in people’s lives.   I honestly believe that as followers of Jesus all of us have something significant that moves our hearts like poverty, abuse, abortion, etc.…The idea is that whatever moves your heart is a great indicator of the burden God has blessed you with.  Some of my deepest prayers have had no words,  and I believe tears are prayers too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mike]

When I think of Missions, I think of Mission Trips that God provides the Churches with so we can go down there to HELP THEM OUT and give hope to those who have none!!!

 

God bless you Guys!!!