Greetings and welcome to Wednesday. A big fun day around here as both sets of our folks are coming out for dinner and a show tonight. Our church, Southcliff, here in Fort Worth produces a big musical celebration every Christmas called ‘Christmas in Cowtown.’ It features the singing Christmas tree as well a lot of other great songs and theatrics and culminates in the re-enactment of the birth of Christ and the saving Gospel that He brought to this world over 2000 years ago. We’re excited, we haven’t seen the show in several years since we’ve been away, I can’t wait to see it again! If you’re interested in seeing it, there’s 2 more performances this Friday & Saturday and the tickets are free. Check out Southcliff.org for details!
This morning we’ll be finishing up the book of Ephesians by looking at chapter 6. It really amazes me how quickly we are going through God’s Word by simply covering one chapter (roughly 5 minutes) a day! I started in Matthew in early June and here we find ourselves in early December having completed a pretty in depth study of 10 books of the New Testament. It’s so important to spend time daily in God’s Word and I think one of Satan’s biggest weapons is how we view reading God’s Word. It’s just such a big book. It’s thick, heavy and scary. Like reading War & Peace. I mean where do you start and how in the world do you attack it? Should it be done in a certain order? What if I start at the wrong place? And all those books crammed in there! There’s 66 different books in there and all with crazy names I can't pronounce. Basically, all this raises the question that so many ask themselves, “I know I should be reading the Bible, but I just have no idea how to do it.” I was the same way.
When I started the 5MC with the young adults at Village Baptist in Destin, Florida we just started in Matthew. Why? Absolutely no reason besides it just seemed like a great place to start. There’s a phrase, “paralysis by analysis” that is so true. We can think something into the ground and find ourselves never acting, only thinking more. Another great saying is, “a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.” God’s Word can and will transform your life and how you walk with Christ. Don’t let your analysis paralyze you into non-action. Either start reading along with me and the 5MC or just start in Matthew. It doesn’t matter, just start. The 5MC is proof, a few steps every day moves you along much quicker than you think.
Well, there’s tons of great stuff in Ephesians chapter 6, it's mostly known as being the place where Paul talks of the armor of God. This is a tremendous passage and so relevant for us today. We are in a spiritual war today against Satan. He is out to either halt or completely stop the giving out of God’s Word, his biggest hindrance here on this planet. Remember, when personally tempted by Satan in the wilderness, what did Jesus use to combat the Devil? The almighty, Holy Word of God. In fact, it’s also important to note that out of the entire armor of God (7 pieces) only 2 of them are offensive pieces. The Word of God (sword) and prayer.
This armor/weapon ratio is a picture of what the battle looks like today. The Devil is always on the offensive, never relenting. We are told that we “must stand against” his attacks. In fact, Paul uses the word “stand” four times in this passage. Satan is attacking and we are called to stand and defend. But when the time is right in battle you move from defensive to offensive. And when you do you’ll need weapons. We as Christians have 2 weapons in this battle, the Word of God and prayer, one for each hand. My friends, if you’re not in the Word of God daily, you’ve got one empty hand today as you go into battle. If you’re not in daily prayer either, well, your going into the battle empty handed and that’s not going to go well. I pray that you’ll take up these 2 Godly weapons and be prepared today. Join me in the 5 minute challenge and spend some time daily in God’s Word. Also go to Him in prayer each day. The weapons you need, lie at your feet, you need simply pick them up.
I’d also like to touch on another few verses that speak greatly to me. These are ‘life verses’ for me.
“Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free.” Eph. 6:7-8
This is such an unbelievable message, one that I need so desperately today. One us Christians of the world need so desperately today. Who are you serving and why? Out in Maui we really needed healthcare that didn’t cost us an arm and a leg so I got a job as the night manager, selling Hawaiian shirts at Tommy Bahama. I of course had a boss. Was I working for her? Yes and no. Huh?
You see this is where we need a paradigm shift. God provides one here. I was under her supervision and I am called by God's Word to submit to her as an authority figure and I did. But was I REALLY working for her? No. I am working for the Lord. He provided that specific job to provide for my needs and it is to Him that I was serving. Now you’ll say, “well Dan, how exactly are you serving God by selling aloha shirts to tourists on Maui?” You know, it’s not so much the physical act you should focus on but the spiritual.
The Tommy Bahama store on Maui was one of the highest volume stores in the entire company. Extremely high volume. We greeted over 10,000 guests a week at that store. Why do you think God put me there? To sell shirts? Not so much. He could have given me a job at smaller store that only had minimal traffic. He could have given me a job in a basement with no human contact at all. God put me in a place where I could serve Him with the gifts He gave me. I look back on that job and realize I probably had a bigger ministry in one year there than I did serving as administrator at Lahaina Baptist Church. You see, it’s all in perception. We see what we do as who we are. God sees who we are and gives us something to do. Sometimes God puts you somewhere because he wants YOU to be there and sometimes God puts you somewhere because HE wants to be there.
I was able to speak of Christ and invite so many people to church that I lost count. Now, this wasn’t Dan standing at the front door yelling at people about Christ, just the opposite. I saw God open so many opportunities to speak of Him that it perpetually kept me in disbelief. I still keep in contact and pray for some of those people that God put in front of me at that store 3800 miles away. You see if you’re serving Him wherever you’re at and in whatever you’re doing and have Him in your heart and on your lips, He will give you an opportunity to speak of him.
“Serve as if your serving the Lord, not people.”
I read a story just this morning and it fits perfectly here. William Carey was a shoemaker who was called by God to apply as a foreign missionary to India in 1793. Someone asked him, “what is your business?” meaning to humiliate him because he was not an ordained minister. Carey answered, “my business is serving the Lord, and I make shoes to pay expenses.” What a beautiful view of God and work and how they fit together.
I pray today that you are filled with the Holy Spirit and no matter where you are or what you are doing, that you’re doing it to the glory of God.
Blessings for your day.
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