Originally posted February 1, 2011
This morning I picked up the book Brent gave Clint for Christmas. In Rising Above, living a life of excellence no matter what life throws you, (appropriate, huh?) by Wayne Cordeiro, I read:
“Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways.” You think?? “People usually resist change until the pain of remaining the same is greater than the effort it takes to change. One of God’s most effective tools to increase our motivation beyond good intentions is PAIN. The truth is, if we never struggle, we will probably never change.”
Our family has definitely lived through the pain of resisting change and pain that leads us to change. As we start this new year – 2011 – I have felt convicted again to “change”. Even though I think we have done a good job of being faithful and obedient, I also feel a deep need - conviction - to get past the waiting and hoping and working toward something more and DOING something with what we already have.
Our purpose in Christ is to be obedient and to love others. He didn’t say “when you have time” or “as soon as your business succeeds” or “when the kids are grown” or “when you feel better”, “when you get the clear diagnosis”, “when you lose weight”, “when your spouse (or ex-spouse) gets it”, “when you get a job”, "when the economy gets better"... when, when, when... what about now??
God really does say “just do it”. I know you think Nike said it first and some know my dad says it but did you know it actually comes from scripture?
Numbers 15:39 God says “…remember all the commandments of the LORD and DO them, and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes…” Nehemiah 1:9 God says “…keep My commandments and DO them, though some of you were cast out to the farthest part of the heavens, yet I will gather them from there…”
Throughout the OT, God says remember/keep my commandments AND do them. There is a big difference b/w “keep” and “do”. It’s not so hard to keep, right? Keeping is sorta internal – I keep my memories, good intentions, promises... but doing? That can be a little harder. “Do” requires action, getting up and out, making the phone call, visiting, talking (not whinig)... Are you sitting and watching and waiting? Are you "keeping” the commandments?
Are you being good? Or are you DOING good? And are you doing good in Christ's name??
Throughout the NT, Jesus was not challenged by the religious leaders for his thoughts or feelings but for his actions.
In Mark 11:28 the chief priests asked, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority to do these things?”
They didn’t ask who gave you the authority to THINK these signs or BELIEVE these signs… they asked him, what are you DOING? Jesus could have been perfect and believed all day long but that wasn't his calling, his purpose...
In John 3:2 Nicodemus said “for no one can DO these signs that You do unless God is with him.” In John 13:17 Jesus says “If you know these things, blessed are you if you DO them.” Philippians 4:9 says “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these DO, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Actions > evidence of God > glory to God > blessings and peace :-)
Imagine what our world would be like - what would AMERICA be like - if we all STOP WAITING on someone (government, corporations...) or something (economy, income...) and START DOING with what we have?
We have a God bigger than all our pain and all He wants is obedience.
First know and then do. So today… let’s DO IT!