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Somebody Ought To... |
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| ...I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. Isaiah 6:8 |
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We've all experienced it: we see something happening and instantly think, "Somebody ought to do something!" It's usually the first thought we have, while looking around to see who is available, because what we REALLY mean is Now to myself, I am just me, and all the folks around me are those "somebodies". It's always a relief to see Somebody already at work, but there are those times when there's NOBODY but ourselves and we have a decision to make, quickly: "Will I go?" It's not unusual to see news stories on tv or in the paper where someone needed help, but all the people stood around, waiting for SOMEBODY [else] to do something. Often we hear of a SOMEBODY who plunges into the danger and pulls a victim to safety. Conversely, we also hear of times when there is no one willing to go and those who could have been saved, perish. Nowhere is this truer than in our lives as Christians. In John 4:35, Jesus said, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. He told His disciples in Matthew 9:37, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. I venture, there's not a day passes by that we, as Christians, don't see or hear of someone who needs the Lord in their life; someone who could use an encouraging word; someone who needs fervent prayer. Sure, we are truly stirred when we hear what is going on in the life of someone, but then we sit back and say, "Well, SOMEBODY ought to ..." SOMEBODY ELSE, of course. We rarely, if ever, see ourselves as that SOMEBODY. We wait on the pastor to do it--after all, "he's the one in charge". We wait in the evangelist--he's the visitor and doesn't have to "live in these parts". We wait on the deacons, Sunday School teachers, whoever, just so long as it is somebody other than us. You know, when God called Moses to lead the children of Israel, ole' Moses came up with one excuse after another, didn't he? (See Exodus, Chapters 3 and 4.) And we're still trying to use them today: Who Am I? (Exodus 3:11) Don't we, today, ask, "Who am I to go and do this?" Yet, God is STILL the SAME GOD that He was when He called out to Moses from that burning bush and said, "I will be with thee!" He goes before us to make the way. He opens doors no man can open and shuts doors no man can shut. He makes a way where there seems to be none! So here's the answer to the "Who am I?" question, the next time it comes up: "I am the one who God has called to do His bidding!" Let me tell you, don't worry about the field, don't worry about the equipment, don't worry about the fertilizer, don't worry about the team, just Take Hold Of The Plow! Whomever God calls, He also equips. Says Who? (Exodus 3:13) Moses asked God, "Who shall I say has sent me?" God gave Moses the Answer of Answers: And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. Exodus 3:14. Have you ever encountered someone who tried to use an authority they didn't have? They looked awfully foolish when it was discovered that they were all bluster and bluff, didn't they? Ole' Sveca and his seven sons got beat up and stripped of their clothes when they tried to use an authority they didn't have, Amen? And he was a "high priest", too! You see, the difference is, he was ordained of men, but Moses was ordained of God. "Ordain" is tasso, which means to "assign to a certain position or duty". Whom God ordains, He sustains. When God calls you to a task or duty (and as followers of Christ, EVERYone of us has been called!), He will be there with you as you carry it through. Just as Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 10:20, For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you, the same is true for followers of Christ today. Are you a person who insists on a guarantee? Here is The ULTIMATE Guarantee: Hebrews 13:5 tells us that He will NEVER leave thee, nor forsake thee. There you have it. They Won't Believe Me (Exodus 4:1) Moses said to God, "But they won't believe me!" Oh, if we would just remember that it is not the "atta boys" of men that we seek, but the "Well Done, thou good and faithful servant" of Jesus Christ, we would be released from the spirit of self-importance--personal rights and prestige. We would be set free from the spirit of self-centeredness, which demands thanks and praise for our every act. We would be desensitized to mankind's ingratitude. Know this: there were many who didn't believe Jesus Christ, Himself. We are told in Matthew 13:58 that even in His own country, Jesus did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Jesus told His disciples in Matthew 10:14, ...whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. Ezekiel 3, verses 17-19 gives us this instruction: Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. If we will follow the Lord's bidding, HE will take care of the conviction of mankind's hearts through the Holy Spirit. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are to deliver the message of the love of God for us, that He sent His Only Begotten Son to die on a cross for us, to perfect His plan of salvation for us. And, we are to do so everywhere, every time, we get a chance! Our conversations should ALWAYS lead in that direction, so that we can be "instant in season, out of season" (II Timothy 4:2), not only always ready to witness of Jesus Christ, but EAGER to do so! I Can't Speak Well (Exodus 4:10) Moses told the Lord, "I'm not a fancy speaker...slow of speech..." And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. Exodus 4:11,12. Again, this sounds like one of the many excuses we try to use today. Let me tell you something: if you are TRULY persuaded of in Whom you have believed, if you have a Know So Salvation, it's going to show in how you act, the words you speak, and the conviction in your tone. Those to whom you speak will know you speak from your heart. It won't be with an arrogant spirit, or a "knock-'em-over-the-head-with-it" attitude--it will be with an outpouring of loving compassion that grips their heart and plants seed in their minds. It's sad beyond description that we, even those of us who so strongly claim, "Well, I just can't witness," don't have a problem with gossiping, telling smutty jokes, yakking about unimportant--even unGodly things or bawling somebody out when they've made a mistake on our account, but we can't share the love of Jesus Christ with someone through a compassionate remark or kind greeting! Eloquence is NOT required to speak the truth of the Love of God! Let me tell you, The Truth needs no eloquence, nor defense! The Truth is eloquence itself and its own defense. There is nothing more eloquent, more lovely than the simple phrase, "Jesus Christ loves you." Jesus did not speak eloquently. He did not use flowery words of flattery. As a matter of fact, His words were so simple, so plain, that folks still today cannot grasp the simple truth of His words. And yet it is so simple that even a little child can understand: "Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so..." Even without words, there is the eloquence of a loving touch, a smile from the heart, a tear of compassion--all are simple truths of the Love of God that we, as workers of God, need to share with those we meet daily. Today, we've added many excuses to those Moses used: I Don't Know Enough Yet It is always commendable to want to learn more, ever seeking more of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are instructed in II Timothy 2:15, Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. However, even if you are a "new babe in Christ", you can relate the incredible experience of salvation to those you meet. You KNOW the difference you feel in your heart and life. And never will it be any better a time to share than while you are experiencing that "first love" as the Love of God works His wonders in your life every day. I'm Not "Good Enough" Yet Putting it as plainly as possible, if you wait to get "good enough" before you begin to witness of the Lord Jesus Christ in your life, or if you wait to get "good enough" to become a Christian, I'm going to dash those hopes right now: it will NEVER happen! First: the Word of God tells us in Isaiah 64:6 that ALL our righteousnesses are as filthy rags in the sight of God! Secondly, if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you do NOT have that within you that can "clean you up"! The "clean up" comes through salvation in Jesus Christ, and the "on-going maintenance" through the Holy Spirit. Far too often, "new" Christians try to compare themselves with those who have been "in the way" for many years, and feel they cannot "measure up". Let me tell you, that's not your measuring stick! While the Lord Jesus Christ immediately forgives us of our sins and removes them from us when we come to Him in full repentance and recognition of our need of a Savior, there is a growth process each of us go through. II Peter 3:18 tells us that we are to ...grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ... Colossians 3:1 tells us that if we are "risen with Christ", we have "put off the old man" and "put on the new" (verses 9 and 10). It is through trusting in God's promises, relying on His Truths, accepting and believing that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him that we grow in grace and knowledge and that our relationship with Him is made stronger day by day by day! There Are Too Many Hypocrites There are hypocrites in all walks of life. Hypocrites do NOT dictate our relationship with God! We aren't following them--we are following Jesus Christ! Anyone who uses the "hypocrite excuse" is hiding behind a tattered net--it won't hold anything. Just as we cannot force someone to hear the truth, accept the truth and live the truth, we cannot prevent someone's hypocrisy. Each of us are individuals, and individually accountable to God. If someone else chooses to put on a false face and try to fool the world, it's sad, but it won't keep me (and shouldn't keep you) from striving to have an on-going, closer-each-day walk with Jesus Christ! What Will Folks Think? Let me show you what Jesus Christ taught about that: Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:34-38.Our loyalty to Christ must come above and before all other loyalties. To follow Christ may mean us having to turn away from loved ones who reject Christ and the plan of salvation. Joe's Two Important Men tells the story of a young man whose dad refused to have anything to do with him because he chose to follow the Lord's call upon his life and become a minister. Yet, true to His promise, God's love covers a multitude of sins. Because of Joe's great love for the Lord, his love toward his dad remained steadfast, and he faithfully prayed for his dad's salvation. Before his dad died, he met Joe's Lord and Savior. My friends, if we will surrender our will to Jesus Christ and follow Him, He will take care of the rest. Maybe Later This is the saddest excuse of all, and carries the highest risk. There are those who think, "I want to wait for my husband (or wife)", or "I'm having a good time now. When I'm older I'll settle down and..." Oh my friends, not a one of us have the guarantee of a tomorrow. I want you to take note of this: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. James 4:14. The Word of God tells us ...behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation. II Corinthians 6:2. And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. Mark 8:34-38. What is it that causes us to wait for SOMEBODY ELSE to do what needs to be done--speak an encouraging word, give that witness of Jesus Christ, be an example of His great love? What is it that stands between us and God? What are we giving in exchange for our souls? Who or what are we allowing to hinder us from serving the Lord Jesus Christ? What excuses will we offer to God when we stand before Him? Romans 14:10-12 tells us, ...we shall ALL stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. II Corinthians 5:10 tells us, For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. |
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| (all emphasis on scriptures, such as bold, underline or uppercase, is mine) "Somebody Ought To..." Copyright © 2003 by Patricia Sikes. All Rights Reserved. |
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| For God So Loved The World | |||
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