Someone lamented to me this week how urgent it is for us as Christ's church to involve ourselves with our neighbors and with others in our spheres of influence for the cause of the gospel. He pointed out how no one would deny the importance of evangelism and few would suggest Christ's mantle of witness is not draped on their shoulders. Yet we often remain disinterested, unmotivated and uninvolved.
I am convinced that the closer our walk with our God, the closer we will draw to those around us to converse about Christ. This is where the Community Houses of Prayer (CHOP) ministry comes in. May God be pleased to use CHOP for the enlivening of His people, the equipping of His church and the extension of His kingdom. Below is a description of the ministry. I encourage you to get it started where God has established you for the sake of His name.
"CHOP is a ministry tool that directs prayer as a means to revive (motivation) our hearts in grace as we draw near to the living God as our loving Father and to involve (participation) us in our everyday lives as active witnesses for Jesus Christ in dependence and expectation of His working. CHOP looks to cultivate in us a greater awareness of the evangelistic nature of ordinary life in which we find ourselves every day. It kindles in us an attitude of personal involvement and expectation as the witnesses for Christ we are by virtue of being His disciples. It involves us in the actual activity of bearing verbal witness to the glorious gospel of salvation bound up in Christ alone. We look to draw near to people for Christ and draw near to Christ for people. And we do it collectively, united with fellow believers for mutual encouragement in a common mission." (Community Houses of Prayer Ministry Manual, p. 13).
Suffering Servant
His cold hand hovered above the thermostat, all the while his mind vacillating whether to turn it up or tough it out. What will win out is probably not whether to be comfortable or uncomfortable, but which he is more willing to endure, discomfort to his body or discomfort to his bank account.
Comfort questions can drive us. We shy away from pain. We gravitate toward ease, maybe even push a little in the direction of pampering.
The Christian life mandated for us by Scripture and modeled for us by our Savior seems to work in a markedly different manner. Jesus, as THE Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. His suffering now was tempered by the joy set before Him. Peter makes a big deal in his letters about suffering for righteousness' sake.
When it comes to our active engagement in witness for the gospel, I think we can safely say that until we are willing to suffer for Christ, we will be woeful in our witness for Christ. On the one hand, that speaks to stepping outside of our comfort zones to draw near to others and speak up. On the other hand, we must be willing to pay a cost. Suffering always involves cost. Yet that price is really just investment in the kingdom of God, laying up treasure in heaven.
As Christ was a suffering servant, so must we be who bear His name. Jesus' suffering was represented in the cross. Isn't that what He holds up for us as well--denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily and following Him? That sounds like suffering to me, but a suffering in the direction of glory.
Comfort questions can drive us. We shy away from pain. We gravitate toward ease, maybe even push a little in the direction of pampering.
The Christian life mandated for us by Scripture and modeled for us by our Savior seems to work in a markedly different manner. Jesus, as THE Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53, did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many. His suffering now was tempered by the joy set before Him. Peter makes a big deal in his letters about suffering for righteousness' sake.
When it comes to our active engagement in witness for the gospel, I think we can safely say that until we are willing to suffer for Christ, we will be woeful in our witness for Christ. On the one hand, that speaks to stepping outside of our comfort zones to draw near to others and speak up. On the other hand, we must be willing to pay a cost. Suffering always involves cost. Yet that price is really just investment in the kingdom of God, laying up treasure in heaven.
As Christ was a suffering servant, so must we be who bear His name. Jesus' suffering was represented in the cross. Isn't that what He holds up for us as well--denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily and following Him? That sounds like suffering to me, but a suffering in the direction of glory.
Conspicuous For Christ
What a privilege to be an influence for Christ in someone's life! Whether it's conducting a neighborhood Bible study or meeting with a friend to go through a book together or broaching the subject in a casual conversation at work, we can bring the perspective of a relationship with God to bear. How will they react to the mention of prayer or reference to the blessings of God? We won't know until we interject that perspective into things. They may respond with scorn or skepticism. They may just ignore your comment. It may be that your reference piques their interest and may even identify you as someone they could approach later with "religious" questions. It may even be you hear the hearty "amen," from someone you did not realize was a brother or sister in Christ. The point is, you never know how God will work. But you do know being conspicuous for Christ places you in the work of the Great Commission. Let that be our prayer as we embark on each day, that our conversation would be seasoned with grace and that our God would be pleased to use us as His instruments.
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