Shake the dust off your feet and move on

Have you ever shared the Gospel with someone repeatedly, only to have them laugh in your face?  Ever tried to serve someone only to have your efforts rejected over and over?  Did you know that God tells us to move on, to leave situations behind where people continue to resist the Gospel and refuse to hear the Word.  I can hear you asking -“Jerry, what about patience, endurance, and love?” I ponder that same question. How long do we continue to present Christ to those who mock Him, who resist us, who care nothing for the message we bring? How long do we try to serve those who throw it back in our face? There is no one simple answer, but there is a principle that Jesus taught, that is repeated in 3 of the Gospels and that we see in the ministry of Paul.

When He sent the apostles out on Kingdom missions, He said “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.” (Mark 6:8-11, NIV)  Did they ever actually do it? Yes!

"The influential religious women and the leaders of the city … incited a mob against Paul and Barnabas and ran them out of town. So they shook the dust from their feet as a sign of rejection and went to the town of Iconium." (Acts 13:50-51, NLT)

In another parable, Jesus tells us not to “throw pearls before pigs.”  Awfully strong language, isn’t it?   Let’s get one thing out of the way. Jesus is not teaching us to be petty or vindictive! He is not telling us to throw a tantrum when we feel disrespected or when others are rude. That would be totally in conflict with the command to love others sacrificially, to be selfless servants.

We are to be led and empowered by the Spirit. If we have given ourselves prayerfully to someone in our family or to a region or even to a church in service and they care nothing for the things of God, the Spirit may whisper to us, “You’re finished here. Move on.” We do not have to make a grand production or call down the fire of judgment on their heads. Instead, we obediently pick up the pieces, thank God for the opportunity, trust Him for the results, and leave, shaking off the dust, without remorse or regret.  Let me underscore the fact that this has nothing to do with being personally offended!  If we are hurt and decide, “Well, I’ll show them” and walk off in a huff, we have missed the point.  If our desire is to find fertile soil for the Gospel, to use the finite resources of time and energy for the greatest good, and we are led of the Spirit, then we go. God will give us wisdom to know the difference between “I quit!” and “It’s time to go.”  

Samuel Wells writes about serving people who avoid the Gospel, who resist God’s work, who refuse accountability making excuse after excuse for not living as they should, becoming disciples of Christ. He takes Jesus’ teaching and writes these wise words.

“Don’t carry that dust everywhere you go, embittering relationships, souring friendships, sapping energy, leaking hope.
Shake the dust off your feet.

Don’t take out your anger on people when you have no idea what’s making them be so bafflingly indifferent.
Shake the dust off your feet.

Don’t judge them -- that’s God’s job, not yours, and only God knows why they’re so distracted or so passive or so frustrating or so silent.
Shake the dust off your feet.

Don’t go on a self-righteous rant that assumes you’re a perfect embodiment of the gospel and anyone who doesn’t repent and be baptized this instant must be stupid.
Shake the dust off your feet. Shake, shake, shake.”

Now let me change the focus to you and me and our attitude towards Christ. Are we meeting Him with apathy? Are we indifferent about worship? Are we more interested in chasing happiness than the pursuit of the Eternal?  Let’s realize that He, too, despite His abundant love, will ‘move on.’ The word from the Word comes from His letter to the Laodicean Christians. He couples a warning with promise.  May these words awaken us to follow Him today.  "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. … Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:15-16 18-20, NIV)

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Lord, I want You to be welcomed in my life.
Forgive me for the times when I rush on to my own agenda,

When I ignore Your invitation, when I offer up half-hearted prayers,

When I persist in sin, despite the Spirit’s conviction.

Lead me to Your heart.  
Let’s sit down to dinner and become best of friends,

Jesus, this I pray . Amen

Knowing how to LIVE, not merely to exist!

The Bible app on the IPad (YouVersion) allows me to set a timer for the Word to be read to me as I lay down to sleep.  I love hearing the ‘ancient words, ever true’ and they wrap themselves around me, filling my mind.  My most recent choice has been the Psalms and last night in the dark the words, “The Lord is my Shepherd… He leads me” were the last words to enter my consciousness before I slept. 

And, I rested in those eternal Words!  From childhood my mind has been shaped around the knowledge that God is present, that He has a purpose for me, that His will is more important than mine, that the best life is found in Him, that eternal life can be owned now through faith in Christ.  Where did that knowledge come from?  The Bible!  I am blessed to know how to live, not merely to exist.

Does the Scripture fill your mind?  I am not talking about knowing how to parse every word, dive into the ‘original’ languages, or know every footnote of history that gives Scripture a context.  While those things are certainly of merit, it is important to get the wisdom and God-centered worldview of the text into our minds. We need a reference point outside of ourselves, an external source of Wisdom.  "The Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of justice and protects those who are faithful to him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will know how to find the right course of action every time. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise planning will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe. Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose speech is corrupt." (Proverbs 2:3-12, NLT)

It is not just knowing the words that matters to me.  I want to align my will with the truth revealed.  Here’s the song of Psalm 119 - "I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt. Be blessed, God; train me in your ways of wise living. I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth; I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches. I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you’ve done it. I relish everything you’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it. " (Psalm 119:11-16, The Message)  Countless times in my life, just as I start to speak or act, some phrase from the Scripture comes to the forefront of my mind and the correction saves me from living in a way that would lead to regret.  The Spirit uses the text to lead me away from those impulses that would bring short-term satisfaction but long-term regrets! 

Invest time in reading the Bible!  Don’t just start at Genesis and hope for the best.  For the novice that can be daunting and discouraging. Instead, begin with the Gospels. Soak your mind in the stories of Jesus in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  Include a Psalm each day to close your reading. Graduate to the letters of the New Testament, understanding the principles of Christian living.  Make sure you read from a modern language text.  The New Living Translation is a good daily reader.  The Message (often quoted here in CWTW) is a paraphrase of the Bible that can help you to absorb the truth, but use it as a supplement, not a primary source.  Get into a good Bible study, led by a person who is solid in faith.  Avoid the ones where the Bible is treated like literature instead of Truth.  Be cautious about a teacher who makes much of lesser themes.

Become a person full of the Word. 

Here is a word from the Word. May it be your prayerful choice today and every day.
"God, teach me lessons for living so I can stay the course. 
Give me insight so I can do what you tell me— 
my whole life one long, obedient response. 

Guide me down the road of your commandments; 
I love traveling this freeway! 

Give me a bent for your words of wisdom, and not for piling up loot. 
Divert my eyes from toys and trinkets, invigorate me on the pilgrim way. 
Affirm your promises to me— promises made to all who fear you. Deflect the harsh words of my critics— but what you say is always so good. 
See how hungry I am for your counsel; preserve my life through your righteous ways! "  Amen
(Psalm 119:33-40, The Message)

“You’re an idiot!”

Human beings have been a warring bunch since the dawn of history, fighting over territory, treasure, religion, and tribal connections. We may consider ourselves more civilized than those who took clubs to each others’ heads, but we still fight, don’t we?  Americans are divided and the issues that separate us are not imaginary.  The fact that the media and internet offers a megaphone to every voice who wants one, regardless of competence or motivation, only complicates communication. I have all but given up on watching news channels. Adults sit at tables and shout at each other endlessly, saying the same things for days. Facebook trolls post their opinions and gleefully watch their thread explode! It is easy to conclude that the only way to break through the noise is to express your point in the most offensive way to attract the most attention.

Too many words are used like grenades. If we disagree with another, instead of trying to understand the point, give context to his issues, it is so much easier to blow him away by declaring – “You’re an idiot!” If we find ourselves struggling with competing ideas, we often slip into absolutes saying, “Well, I know the TRUTH!”  Even our presidential candidates are feeding the fire hurling words at each other that are incendiary – racist, bigot, liar, crook, fool.

Christian, we need to hear the counsel of the Lord about our words. James urges us to make our words as refreshing as a fresh water spring!   "A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. … With our tongues we bless God our Father; with the same tongues we curse the very men and women he made in his image. Curses and blessings out of the same mouth! My friends, this can’t go on. A spring doesn’t gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? …  You’re not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?" (James 3:3-12, The Message)

How are using the gift of language, Christian?  
Words can pull people together by bringing focus to mutual efforts. Ever heard a good leader use words to create a vision that moves a church, a town, a nation? It’s amazing!

Words can soothe a broken heart! “I care about you.” “We can do this.”  Is there any phrase more powerful than a sincere "I love you!"?   

Words can inflame fury!  Words spat out in harsh tones of anger, designed to wound and kill, can hurt more than the cut of a knife.  Hateful words that demean another, that criticize, that unfairly judge; destroy lives.

Are your words healing or hurting?

Are your words building up or tearing down?

Are your words encouraging or discouraging?

Are your words refreshing or exhausting?

Gentleness, listening, understanding does not harm ‘the truth.’  Let’s not fall into fear that insists, “If you do not defend this, then the truth will be forgotten.”  We can hang onto convictions, know what is right and wrong, without needing to go to war with everyone that thinks differently.

So, listen to how you talk. If you discover that you are using foul, discouraging, or faithless words, pray for the Spirit to wash your heart and mind. We do not have to settle for 'nice' words that disguise the content of our hearts and minds with words that are purposefully bland!  Instead, fill up your mind with God’s Word – hopeful, faithful, resting on Him.  When the source of the spring is cleaned, the overflow is pure!  Yes, pray that the language you use reveals the life of the Spirit in you!

Here is a word from the Word to ponder today - "Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior." (Ephesians 4:29-31, NLT)     

Lord, my prayer today is that "the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14, NIV)  

Amen.

Church, who needs it? Let’s just be Christian.

How would you like to be part of a world-wide movement that can change history? How would you like to be in a group where you can be made stronger, find a ‘home,’ and be shown the way to live with real hope and purpose?  I’m in! And, you can be, too.  That place is the Church, not just a church.  I hear you, “Jerry, you’re selling something that is not real. My church is boring, a place where people argue and fight, where tradition is more important than mission.”  Sometimes that is true, but healthy churches, who are functioning as a part of His Church, are the HOPE of the World!

When I was 16 years of age, God spoke to me (He really did, but that is another story) and asked me to serve Him in His Church. It was not my dream.  Even as a teenager, much of what I had seen in the church was nothing more than a ‘religiously dressed up’ version of a local club. But, exploring the Word, I found that God called the church into existence and entrusted the future of this planet to her.  He gave her the Gospel of Christ and the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that she would go out and make a difference - now and eternally.   

Paul tells us that God planned the Church to demonstrate what Christ's Gospel could do to make a new society, not built on human accomplishments or personality, but on the Spirit's power: "When it came to presenting the Message to people who had no background in God’s way, … God saw to it that I was equipped, but you can be sure that it had nothing to do with my natural abilities. And so here I am, preaching and writing about things that are way over my head, the inexhaustible riches and generosity of Christ. … to make plain what God, who created all this in the first place, has been doing in secret and behind the scenes all along. Through followers of Jesus like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels! All this is proceeding along lines planned all along by God and then executed in Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 3:8-12, The Message)  Think about that!  When the church is healthy, even the angels are impressed.

 We feed the hungry, teach new disciples, provide a place of safe harbor for those who are hurting, give to support the work of spreading the Message, gather for prayer, and offer up worship. Sadly, some local churches have forgotten that and they get together to whine about the world, build higher walls, and cry for rescue! That’s not the plan. We are warriors who do battle, lovers who know the power of love to transform, people with purpose that is greater than the cuisine we eat or the house in which we live.  

There is a high level battle going on around the Church all the time - evil fighting with good, but Light overcoming darkness. Hate rises, defeated by sacrificial love. Ignorance and fear meets wisdom and courage. Life comes to the soul and those who were dead though living awaken to eternal possibilities!  Those who only think of the church as a "Sunday club," a social gathering of like-minded people, have yet to catch a glimpse of her true mission!

I love the privilege of serving Faith Discovery Church. She is not a large church, nor is she rich, but the breadth of her reach is amazing. On any given week, she is touching hundreds of people- feeding families, providing education to children in her Christian school, inviting people to experience the Presence of God in worship, training boys and girls in faith, and counseling the confused, offering Christ’s salvation to those who are confused and/or enslaved by their sins- just to mention a few things. Who does all this?  We are a network of volunteers including dozens of faithful men and women, young and old, who make it all possible.

So, I am going to get personal here.

Are you part of a local congregation? If not, why not? 

Please do not tell me about the hypocrites, the failed pastors, the misplaced priorities.  All those things ARE TRAGICALLY true. Christ’s Church consists of people- just like me, like you – who are imperfect, failing, sometimes short-sighted, selfish, and sinful. Yet, the Spirit comes and equips, changes, and builds people where He is invited. When God is welcomed, personally and in our fellowship, He comes to us;  not to make our church a perfect place, but to make her a healing home. A living, Spirit-filled church,  will always be a messy place, full of people at all stages of spiritual development, from infancy to maturity.

The church is the place where God will most effectively use you in His work, the place where the gifts of the Spirit He's invested in you are brought to mature and effective expression. "The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don't." (1 Corinthians 12:25, The Message) Christians cannot fully function as God intends without being 'in the Body.'  Those Christians who dismiss the church as irrelevant or unnecessary ignore what the Bible teaches, and not without real consequence for themselves and others.

People criticize their church - sometimes reasonably, often unfairly. Some churches do 'church' better than others. But, a person who works towards the destruction of a church, does an awful thing. He is attacking what God loves! The Church, which includes local congregations, is His Bride.  The Word says that "Christ's love makes the church whole. His words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness." If Jesus gives His church such love, how can we so easily attack, criticize, dismiss, and destroy her?

Church - let's love her. Let's give ourselves to make her great, for Christ's sake.  Let's raise our level of commitment to her, allowing nothing to become more important than being part of God's work to reach the world. Let's pray for her success. Let's be the place where the Light of Christ shines brightly in a very dark world.

The word from the Word says that "Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing a her by the washing with water through the word,  27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless." (Ephesians 5:25)   And this, "Come to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was rejected by the people, but he is precious to God who chose him. And now God is building you, as living stones, into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are God's holy priests, who offer the spiritual sacrifices that please him because of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:4-5, NLT)

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Build Your Kingdom Here

Come set Your rule and reign

In our hearts again.

Increase in us, we pray.

Unveil why we're made,

Come set our hearts ablaze with hope,

Like wildfire in our very souls.

Holy Spirit, come invade us now.

We are Your Church,

We need Your pow'r - in us!

We seek Your kingdom first,

We hunger and we thirst,

Refuse to waste our lives,

For You're our joy and prize.

To see the captives' hearts released,

The hurt, the sick, the poor, at peace.

We lay down our lives for heaven's cause,

We are Your Church,

We pray revive this earth!

Build Your kingdom here,

Let the darkness fear!

Show Your mighty hand,

Heal our streets and land.

Set Your church on fire,

Win this nation back.

Change the atmosphere,

Build Your kingdom here, we pray!

Unleash Your kingdom's pow'r,

Reaching the near and far.

No force of hell can stop

Your beauty changing hearts.

You made us for much more than this,

Awake the kingdom seed in us.

Fill us with the strength and love of Christ,

We are Your Church!

We are the hope on earth!

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