A New Mission
Are you one of those people with a detailed plan for the new year? Have you left room for God in your plan? Or better still, have you surrendered your plan to His plan? It is ok to plan ahead; it is not okay to leave God out of the plan.
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.” You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15 ESV)
The question is not whether God has an assignment for you – the assignment has already been prepared. The question is not your ability – you have been created for the work.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10 ESV)
The question is your availability. Are you willing to follow God wherever He leads?
Are you willing to follow God when the assignment doesn’t make sense? Joshua followed God’s command (Joshua 6:2-5) to march around the city, blow trumpets, and give a great shout; and the walls came down. Are you willing to follow God when you do not like the assignment?
Are you willing to follow God when the assignment is unexpected and you feel unprepared?
In Judges 6:12, the angel of the Lord addresses Gideon as a valiant warrior – when Gideon looked like anything but a picture of bravery. I have to wonder if Gideon looked around to see if there was someone else the angel might be talking to. As the scene unfolds in verse 15, Gideon pretty much says I am not the guy for the job. Ultimately, Gideon accepts the call and defeats the Midianites with an army of 300 men.
Why would God call Gideon of the tribe of Manasseh, who was hiding in the valley trying to thresh grain in a winepress? Because God knew more about Gideon than Gideon knew about himself, and He knew the work for which Gideon had been created.
There is One who knows you better than you know yourself, because He created you. His is the voice of truth, and He is calling out your name. How will you respond?
By Jesse Smith
Jesse and his wife, Melanie, reside in Lexington, along with their son, Zak.
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.” You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.” (James 4:13-15 ESV)
The question is not whether God has an assignment for you – the assignment has already been prepared. The question is not your ability – you have been created for the work.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10 ESV)
The question is your availability. Are you willing to follow God wherever He leads?
Are you willing to follow God when the assignment doesn’t make sense? Joshua followed God’s command (Joshua 6:2-5) to march around the city, blow trumpets, and give a great shout; and the walls came down. Are you willing to follow God when you do not like the assignment?
Are you willing to follow God when the assignment is unexpected and you feel unprepared?
In Judges 6:12, the angel of the Lord addresses Gideon as a valiant warrior – when Gideon looked like anything but a picture of bravery. I have to wonder if Gideon looked around to see if there was someone else the angel might be talking to. As the scene unfolds in verse 15, Gideon pretty much says I am not the guy for the job. Ultimately, Gideon accepts the call and defeats the Midianites with an army of 300 men.
Why would God call Gideon of the tribe of Manasseh, who was hiding in the valley trying to thresh grain in a winepress? Because God knew more about Gideon than Gideon knew about himself, and He knew the work for which Gideon had been created.
There is One who knows you better than you know yourself, because He created you. His is the voice of truth, and He is calling out your name. How will you respond?
By Jesse Smith
Jesse and his wife, Melanie, reside in Lexington, along with their son, Zak.
Recent
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2022
January
New Year's Day 2022All Things NewA New NormalA Renewed MindA New MissionA New BeginningSpring is Coming...God's Not DeadHis Presence As I Pray With Other BelieversHis Presence As I Fill My Heart and Mind with His WordHis Presence As I WorshipHis Presence As I WriteHim AloneGoodbyesOur Friend and So Much MoreTrust Your Gut...The Flooding of the Holy SpritLiving By the SpiritDon't Just Stand ThereThe Futility of Human EffortThe Will of God for YouThe Internal Battle for ControlEvery Good Tree Bears Good FruitAchieving Victory Over SinIlluminating Properties of SnowSearching
February
MapsThe AdvocatesPainting the PictureThree In OneFebruary Scripture Memory VerseWelcome to the Book of Acts!A Growing HeartThere's Something You Need to Understand!Let's Flip a Coin - Or Do You Have a Better Idea?Are We There Yet?Growing in the ChallengesA Day to RememberA Historical RealityA Life TransformedA Message that Convicts and SavesA Gospel that GathersPain with a PurposeThe Early Church - AccountableThe Early Church - God Living In UsThe Early Church - BoldnessThe Early Church - GenerosityThe Early Church - ServingThe IntroductionThe Starting Lineup
March
On the DefenseNot in My House!We Have a Barn Burner!Drop the Rock!Scripture Memory Verse for MarchThe Glory of God's RedemptionSalvation Comes from GodEncountering ChristChanged Hearts and LivesCompleting the Unfinished WorkPsalm 131Something Came UpUnoffendableSpeaking Our LanguageTo Love or Not to LoveShake It UpPsalm 131Sola GratiaFreed by GraceAmazed by GraceScandalous GraceEvidence of GraceWhat God Has GivenThe Travel PlannerWhat Makes You Curious?Strengthened by Other BelieversImposters Exposed
April
A Farewell to EphesusScripture Memory Verse for AprilHappy EndingsSomething You Need to Know About PaulAlmostBlank PageSuper ChristianThe Prince of PeaceA Special CrossMore Than an Empty TombTwo Things to RememberResurrection LifeWhat We Wear MattersA New LifeProgress ReportGospel GrowthPraying for the Global ChurchA Powerful Prayer GuideDelivered from Darkness