Friday, June 10, 2016

God's To Do List





God is at work. His Spirit is on earth giving us a special message and assignment from the Father (John 16). God is at work building His Kingdom. I’ve tried to personalize this truth in my own life. Can I actually join God’s Spirit in His work of bringing His Kingdom to Earth? In John 4:34 Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work” and John 17:18, “As the Father has sent me into the world, so I send you, my disciples, into the world.” I am to imitate Christ, for God will give me daily work to do, as regularly as I eat food.

In my own journey of faith, I’ve experienced “getting” a specific job to do that I attribute to the Spirit’s message from the Father. I believe that these messages are from God because 1) they have outcomes which build God’s kingdom; 2) they have come as a direct result of Spiritual disciplines practiced: prayer, reading the Bible, and listening to the preaching of the Word of God; and 3) they are connected to a need which has arisen in a sphere of influence in my life.  A simple recent example was connected to the prayer, “God, build your kingdom in my neighborhood.” On Saturday, after a long work day in Portland, I pulled up to my house and noticed a moving van 2 driveways down: new neighbors. As much as I wanted to go crash on the couch, the Spirit said, “Go help them move.” This was no garden of Gethsemane moment, but I still had trouble saying, “Your will be done.” I did obey. I don’t know how God is going to use it in His plan, but at the very least, God’s love has spilled out of this Christian and blessed someone who had a small need.

When God has given me tasks, they always require a step of faith. Reaching out is scary. Faith is running down a path towards “His Kingdom Come” risking loss. My part is to run down that path trusting God that the outcome is in His hand. Isn’t that why Christ said: “Your will be done”?

God is at work. Where? Wherever I am right now. God is working in my life, in my family, in my neighborhood, in my job, and in my church. He is at work where I am because His Spirit is there indwelling me! Yet He has condescended His plan to depend in part on you and me. Jesus said, “All authority has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples.” I remind myself, “Don’t waste the Spirit of God in my life because I am so concerned with my agenda, my comfort, my entertainment, and my peace.” God is at work. He has specific jobs for you to advance His Kingdom. Ask Him what He wants you to do, and then join Him.
--Randy Bartsch



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