Life sux without purpose

Picture the scene, a family dinner. Dad shouts for the children to be quiet and tells them how stupid they are. Demands someone bring him a drink and food. The children run riot. Dad screams at Mom to sort out the children. A huge argument ensues. Mom gets mad and tells him to get out. Later they divorce. This all happens on Sunday night after church. A great reflection of Christianity.

The Boss at work is know as a tyrant. He orders people around. Pays poor salaries. Fires anyone who shows the potential to take his position. He Dominates, manipulates and controls. He shows no empathy for anyone. Its work to the bone but on weekends he's at church singing worship songs and listening to a sermon. What a contrast of characters. Would Jesus be proud to call you his Son?

What about the regular Personal assistant in the office. She takes hour long lunch breaks when in should be 30 minutes. Arrives late, Leaves early. Uses company equipment for personal use, heck she even takes some stuff home. Sugar, tea, coffee, some of the water bottles from the boardroom fridge nothing big so it should be ok. She refuses to help anyone. She worries about herself and how much money she can score in any way possible. The people at work see all this. What do they think when she says she is a Christian?

I have been thinking a lot about how we handle everything in life. What are our motives and what drives us. We often get stressed out because we are probably doing things our way. We get stressed out because we have no control of what happens and we want it to be our way. We want to be in control. We sometimes use prayer as a means to achieve our objectives forgetting that we need to align our lives with Jesus and his objectives. Our prayers are often a wish list of things we want and we expect God to deliver because we said so. Much like spoilt children talking to Rich Daddy. This is not exactly correct. Sure we can ask God for things but he will in the end give us what is right and good for us and for his kingdom and not just anything we ask. If God thinks you need to work on your selfishness why would he give you more stuff to be selfish with. He would probably trust you with more if you were not selfish and that means not being selfish in your heart and not just in action. Faking the end result because of wrong motives just shows once again that the motives are wrong and you need more work before you before God can make you what he wants you to be.

I guess in this year we should be asking what's the point then? Why am I here and what should I be doing? If work sux for me should I run or is there more? If Family is a pain should I run or Is there more? I would like to throw some thoughts at that and it all revolves around Mission. What is your purpose and mission in life?

Firstly let's look at family. Is your mission to be married and be selfish and obtain as much as you can from the family life, from your spouse and your children or, is family about getting your spouse and children to reflect God. This means your role is to help the others in family find God, Grow in God and reflect God with the aim of ultimately being missional themselves. If your family is not where it should be the question remains about what part you have played in either helping or hindering the family from growing to the goal of reflecting God. What will you do each any every day to help your family members be messengers of Jesus and his Love.

What about church.... Same thing, is church there to support your selfish agenda? Do you leach of church, get happy on worship and great sermons but contribute zero to the people who attend. Is this Gods purpose for you in a community of believers to sit back and absorb without giving back to what is happening in the Church, Community and Home Cell. I think God has gifted you in some way. Use these gifts to further the kingdom.

What about work.... For some people it's a power trip. For others a money making machine. Maybe you hate work? I don't know what goes on at your work but have to ask the question....What's your purpose there? Is it to sit through the drudgery or is it to shine the light. To reach out to others and show them Jesus. this is done through what you say, What you do and in some cases requires you to step out and maybe offer to help someone. Pray for someone. Feed Someone. Comfort Someone. Not work.....Pure Joy. Being the light in the work place. If your are a person that brings Anger, Grumpiness, Stress, corruption.....your are not bringing the fruits of the spirit to your work place. Maybe it's time to try and lets God be more and you be less.

Anyway......So there's a new years resolution for you. Be missional and change where you are.
Be real. Don't fake it. Be the original you the way you are designed to be.

Cheers
Greg

Angry with GOD

I was no friend of God. He had killed my parents. He had ruined my life. I had to live my life without any help. I had to feed myself and protect myself. God!!!, give me a break. He had left the planet if he even existed. He was probably watching us all through his magnifying glass. Burning us like little ants whenever he pleased. I was no friend of God. I was more of his enemy. I was the wolf people spoke of. I had taken their daughters, I had taken their money. I had used people as much as possible for my own gain. I was wealth and could do what I wanted. I had no need for God.

That was until now. I was battling to breathe. My ribs had cracked from the impact of me hitting the rocks below the cliff I had been rock climbing on. I had tried to call but winced in pain. I was alone and bleeding to death. No one knew where I was. I tried to push myself up. My one leg bent sideways in an angle it should not have done. Pain rushed through my body and I collapsed. My head throbbed. I could feel blood oozing down my face. This was my time. This was my end. I was now going to meet my maker, assuming he still existed. I could feel the strength draining from my body as the blood flowed out. As the blood flowed out so did my anger. I prayed, begged and pleaded. God if you really exist. Show me. If you really Love me Show me. Save me now. I tried to negotiate my way out. I tried to beg my way out. I shouted at him. “You want me dead like my parents”. “What kind of God are you? Everything went black as I passed out.

It was a great day for a walk. I was in my usual spot overlooking the mountains and the beautiful view. This was where I found God the most. On weekends I Loved Spending time with him, listening to him and worshiping him in this spot amongst his creation.  It was my favourite place and with my favourite friend, Jesus. “Lord, I am here for you”. If you need me speak to me”. “I am all yours” I prayed.  That was when it happened, the audible voice. I had never heard Gods voice so clearly before. I had read about it in the bible but had never experienced it so vividly.  “Get up, go down the cliff face”. “Follow the path to the left along the cliff at the bottom”. “I need you to share my love with someone today”. I was shocked. To hear a voice was one thing. To obey the voice was madness. I considered the voice was a dream. Then it came again. “Get up, go down the cliff face”. “Follow the path to the left along the cliff at the bottom”. “I need you to share my love with someone today”.

There was nothing down here. What was the point of being sent here? This was a wild goose chase. I must have been dreaming about the voice I had heard. No one was waiting for me at the bottom of the cliff. I had been walking ten minutes and was considering giving up. This was an exercise in futility. It was then that I saw some rope on the cliff face up ahead. It was dangling loosely on the rock face. Some rock climber must have left it behind I thought. My eyes followed the rope and what I saw shocked me. It was a man lying on the rocks at the bottom. He was still attached to the rope. He was badly injured if not even dead. There was blood all over the rocks. I ran to him and checked his pulse. He was still alive barely. I pulled out my mobile and called 911. I was praying “Jesus, Help this man”. I heard a voice reply “I am“.

I was sitting in church getting ready to preach. I was a friend of God. He had saved me that day at the bottom of the cliff. He had sent someone to save my life and the least I could do was tell others and share his love for them. I got up and walked forward using my crutch to support me. I knew what I needed to do.

Q – Do you share God’s love with others? How?
Q – Do you listen for Gods voice? When, where, How often?
Q – Do you obey him even when it seems stupid or unimportant?
Q – Do you resist God in your life? Why?
Q – How has God shown his love for you?

Millions of people die every day without knowing God. That could be you. Maybe it’s time to cut God some slack. Get over your petty human issues and realise that he does Love you and does want the best for you and from you. Without him you are nothing. With him you are everything. You are designed to fulfil his purpose and not your selfish desires.  I hope you feel as challenged as I am to hear God and obey. To bring Jesus to a broken world and show that he cares.  Paul was the worst person, killing Gods people yet Jesus wanted him and met him on the road to Damascus. How much more does he want you?

God Bless

Greg