Engage My World
God has wired us to make a difference in the world, and He expects us to do just that. He has set us a part as salt and light, he said that our lights are to shine, he has shown us that we are valuable and he has a future for each of us. He has gifted us and challenged us to draw on the rich resources of a deep faith.
Matt 5:13-16
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
The passage from God' s Word that we are going to consider is:
Col 4:2-6
2 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. 3 And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. 4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. 5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
To Engage My World, we must:
1. Pray to Engage Your World - "Devote yourselves to prayer..."
It is in prayer we begin to truly "see" what is really happening, what the real problems are. God can show us His perspectives when we are in prayer.
Devoted , Driven, energized, moved -
a. Look for opportunity where God is working - "Be watchful ..." -
b. Attitude of Action "be...thankful..." thank God that he is shows you and wants to use you to make a difference in the world - through the hearts of people.
c. Opportunities - "pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message"
We must pray for the opportunities to engage our world with the influence of Christ, then we must look for those opportunities to come, expect God to answer that prayer.
many times we see in our lives, you know-God, I want my life to make a difference. God, show me how my life can make a difference. And then what we wait for is a burning bush experience.
that's not how God communicate to us. God answers prayers and He makes opportunities available to us by opening our eyes to where He is working around us.
But here's the spiritual principle, when you see a need that touches your heart and that need isn't being met, that's God's invitation to you to get involved, that is God's invitation for you to act, for you to use your life to make a difference.
It doesn't have to be a lightning bolt or a burning bush. That is God's invitation when you recognize that opportunity to serve.
I call these divine appointments. These opportunities that God provides. There are specific situations that God brings into your life, every day, where you can make the world around you a better place.
trust me, God will provide those daily divine appointments, especially if you are praying for them. I want you to look at what Jesus says about all of the opportunities that are available to us.
This is what He says in John 4:35.
"...I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest."
Jesus says-open your eyes, pay attention, there are opportunities for you to influence people around you, every day. They are all around you. You just have to pay attention. There are opportunities to serve other people. There are opportunities to share your faith. There are opportunities to help those who are less fortunate. And there are divine opportunities. Don't miss them, because you aren't looking and you aren't listening.
d. Spiritual Methods to proclaim the mystery of Christ
"so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ"
God's ways are different than our own ways, the methods that God would want to engage our world will be different than you or I would come up with.
Isa 55:8-11
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the Lord .
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
2. Be Ready to Engage your World with the gospel. "4 Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should."
a. Clear focus - it is the gospel - that only Jesus connects us to God to discover life and how the world is to work
i. 2 Tim 4:2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction
b. Don't be distracted by deterrents - "...for which I am in chains,"
i. 2 Tim 4:3-5 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
3. Seize the Opportunities ~ Wisely
"5 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
We seize our opportunities and engage in two ways:
In ACTIONS - "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders..."
And CONVERSATIONS - "Let your conversation..."
We grow in our faith when we share our faith - there should be no fear in our faith, but most are afraid to strike up a conversation about their faith
This is where most people struggle - we are hesitant to let Jesus enter into our conversations. IF someone will bring it up, we MIGHT engage in the conversation - but in Christ there was no hesitancy but urgency in conversations.
a. Not cautiously but courageously - make the most of every opportunity
b. Not veiled but visibly - salt that looses it's taste
c. Not fearfully but favourably - converstations full of grace
d. Not harshly but humbly - know how to answer
e. Not intimidated but intentional - LET YOUR...
Philem 6
6 I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
Who do you know? that needs to know:
* God loves them and sent His Son
* Jesus died to absolve their sin
* By faith in Jesus, they can live free
Pray that God will show you ~ write down their names here...
Pray for opportunity to share your faith with them
Pray that God will give you the way to share with them
Commit to Be Ready when the opportunity comes
Commit to Seize the opportunity when it comes
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS TO:
□ Memorize Deuteronomy 31:6.
□ Read Passion Week daily devotional
□ Give my life to Jesus today
□ Find out about being baptized next week
□ Commit to share my faith this next week
□ Invite a friend to Easter services next week
MY NEXT STEP TODAY IS TO:
□ Memorize Deuteronomy 31:6.
□ Read Passion Week daily devotional
□ Give my life to Jesus today
□ Find out about being baptized next week
□ Commit to share my faith this next week
□ Invite a friend to Easter services next week