Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48 NIV).
In the fall of 1991, I started reading the Bible every afternoon on the subway on the way home from work at my job in Washington D.C. As a new Christian, a minister had told me to start Bible reading with the book of John. So starting there I proceeded to read the entire New Testament. Then I went back and read Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In reading Matthew, I got to this verse. In the midst of a huge teaching by Jesus, He states, “Be perfect.” The subway had gone out of the tunnel and was above ground. I looked out the window and I thought to myself, “That’s impossible.” As I continued to look out of the window of the subway, I pondered, “Yet why would Jesus instruct us to do something if it cannot be done?” That moment was monumental in my early Christian life.
Being open to that which seemed impossible, I would gradually learn God can do what is impossible for people. Once a person truly believes in Jesus, he or she is forgiven of sins, justified because of Jesus’ atonement for sins on the cross. I had been justified, and I would realize I had been indwelled with the Holy Spirit as a believer in Christ. Then comes a life of being improved by the Holy Spirit, being changed to be more and more like Jesus Himself, who is One with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Biblical term is sanctification. It is a life long process in this world.
Last night I watched a movie which I saw at a movie theater near Bailey’s Crossroads in Virginia as a young teenager with my family back in the early 1980’s. Then I saw the movie a second time in the late 1980’s when I was watching some videos during spring break of my junior year at Virginia Tech. Both times I thought the movie was extremely funny and I laughed out loud. Watching the movie last night, I laughed sometimes, but less and less as the movie continued, and ironically, I ended up not liking the movie. I felt there was much hypocrisy between what the star character advocated and what he did. I was hurt when the name of Jesus was said twice in a mode of anger, definitely not a mode of praise. These points and additional stuff in the movie not only took the fun out of the movie, but it left me feeling sad. This movie I thought was so funny in the 1980’s had gone completely sour for me. What happened? The bottom line is I am not the same person I was back in the 1980’s, because I have been changed by Jesus. I still make mistakes. God still has much work to do in my heart. And I have learned from the Bible that I will not be made completely holy until I am with Jesus in full in heaven. Yet one thing I can say for sure is my heart is so much better than it was in 1989. I am a changed person.
Written in my journals over the years has been the statement, “The perfection process is a painful process, yet the perfection process leads to goodness.” As we depend on Jesus, we are made more loving.
Jesus is perfect! I praise Jesus for all He has done for me.
Hunter
Monday, July 25, 2016
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Your calling
After having been a Christian for only about three years, it was announced at my church a special man was speaking in a few weeks named John Stott. People seemed excited, so I decided to attend. Driving to the church that Tuesday evening back in 1993, I did not even know he was a renowned author and worldwide evangelist. I would soon learn. His talk turned out to be an incredible blessing to me, one of the most influential events in my early Christian years.
During his talk, John Stott told a story. He said in his early ministry days, he heard some Christians support a “pyramid model” of ministry. At the top of the pyramid were the missionaries who served in a country where there was little Christian influence. Then down the pyramid a smidgeon were the pastors in a country where there are plenty of Christians. A tad down the pyramid were the teachers who are a light for Christ. Then down some more were the housewives, the professional workers, and the blue collar workers who are witnesses for Christ in their various professions. At the bottom of the pyramid were the politicians for Christ. This last statement elicited a laugh from the audience at that church inside the Washington D.C. beltway.
Yet then John Stott said this model is wrong. He stated, “The truth is any person is completely carrying out the grand calling of God if he or she does whatever it is which God has called him or her to do.”
If you are a follower of Jesus, you have been called to do ministry work. Hardship will be involved, yet your calling is a privilege which will bring blessings and glory to God. Whatever your occupation, there is the call for you to be a witness for Jesus. A disciple of Jesus is called to proclaim to Gospel. In giving the “Great Commission,” recorded in Matthew 28:19, Jesus gave no formula for carrying this out since people can do so in a variety of manners in a variety of circumstances. Yet it all starts by loving God and loving people.
Now everyone has a calling, yet all people have different gifts and different passions. Jesus creatively uses the gifts and passions of His children. Being a witness for Christ is way of life, which you carry out by relying of God.
Your calling may involve different ministries in different seasons. Your calling may involve a validation of your current career or a future career change. Careful discernment is required. If you do not know your calling, take some time to listen to God. One suggestion is to take a personal “retreat” to a quiet place where you can spend several hours alone with God. I personally start such a listening time by writing in my journal. Journaling thoughts and prayers often leads to giving thanks to God, and giving thanks to God often leads to hearing the still small voice of God.
In carrying out your calling, be mindful the foundation of your calling is Jesus Christ, the One who loves you and who died on a cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
“Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent’” (John 6:29 NIV).
Hunter Irvine
During his talk, John Stott told a story. He said in his early ministry days, he heard some Christians support a “pyramid model” of ministry. At the top of the pyramid were the missionaries who served in a country where there was little Christian influence. Then down the pyramid a smidgeon were the pastors in a country where there are plenty of Christians. A tad down the pyramid were the teachers who are a light for Christ. Then down some more were the housewives, the professional workers, and the blue collar workers who are witnesses for Christ in their various professions. At the bottom of the pyramid were the politicians for Christ. This last statement elicited a laugh from the audience at that church inside the Washington D.C. beltway.
Yet then John Stott said this model is wrong. He stated, “The truth is any person is completely carrying out the grand calling of God if he or she does whatever it is which God has called him or her to do.”
If you are a follower of Jesus, you have been called to do ministry work. Hardship will be involved, yet your calling is a privilege which will bring blessings and glory to God. Whatever your occupation, there is the call for you to be a witness for Jesus. A disciple of Jesus is called to proclaim to Gospel. In giving the “Great Commission,” recorded in Matthew 28:19, Jesus gave no formula for carrying this out since people can do so in a variety of manners in a variety of circumstances. Yet it all starts by loving God and loving people.
Now everyone has a calling, yet all people have different gifts and different passions. Jesus creatively uses the gifts and passions of His children. Being a witness for Christ is way of life, which you carry out by relying of God.
Your calling may involve different ministries in different seasons. Your calling may involve a validation of your current career or a future career change. Careful discernment is required. If you do not know your calling, take some time to listen to God. One suggestion is to take a personal “retreat” to a quiet place where you can spend several hours alone with God. I personally start such a listening time by writing in my journal. Journaling thoughts and prayers often leads to giving thanks to God, and giving thanks to God often leads to hearing the still small voice of God.
In carrying out your calling, be mindful the foundation of your calling is Jesus Christ, the One who loves you and who died on a cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
“Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent’” (John 6:29 NIV).
Hunter Irvine
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