CALL TO MISSIONS: TEN IMPORTANT LESSONS

Posted on Jan 5, 2015 by leobawa

This is a brief reflection in response to those who are seeking direction to the call of God to mission. Today, Becky asked me a question about lessons on the call of God from Luke 5:1-11 and the material below is the summary of my response to her. I believe it will bless your life too.

“…Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him” (Lk 5:10b-11).

Hello Becky, the above passage reveals to us the Love of God and why Jesus calls his disciples to follow him. From the passage the writer clearly shows us how Peter and his friends cherished their finishing business and how much they labour for the food that is not eternal. However, when they met with Jesus their lives and business dramatically changed, especially when they obeyed the instruction of Jesus (Lk 5:5). However, it was at the height of their successes and achievements that they left all and followed Jesus. I like such immediate obedience. This suggests that Jesus has the right/authority to call any man/woman anytime for his specific assignment. Don’t you think so?

Therefore, meditating farther and gleaning from Peter’s encounter and the nature of his call in this story (Lk 5:1-11), I want to observe and share the following salient truth about God’s call to Missions with you. I hope it will add to what you already know about God’s blessings and calling upon those he loves:
1.      God does not call people to destruction, condemnation or shame as so many people think of God. God has best plans and a great future for those who obey and follow him. According to prophet Jeremiah, ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope’ (Jer 29:11NIV)
2.      Although God does not call people to lazy outings or purposeless hangouts, yet there is no amount of hard work can get us any farther without God at work in our lives. Jesus told his disciples, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5).
3.      God’s call is a call to God’s purpose. From Genesis to Revelation we see God unfolding his purpose for humankind in and through man. The dynamic list of the heroes of faith who had walk through this earth in the past, remind us that God is up to something and only those who discern, discover and step out by faith share part of the amazing stories of God.
4.      God’s call is a call to divine love. God is first inviting us into intimate love relationship with Jesus. Having drink deep into Christ’ Love we are then send out by and with Christ to share and show his love with others.
5.      God’s call is a call to a personal discipleship walk and work with Jesus. As we daily seize the opportunities that come our way by his grace beware that it requires a disciples to abide. Hence the need for quick obedience.
6.      God’s call is a call to demonstrate the Lordship and power of God in our personal and public life. This reminds me that God is behind all our success, breakthrough, miracles, rewards, awards, accomplishments, promotions, career etc. But I like Peter’s response. At the peak of great achievement in his fishing business, career or profession he decided to surrender all and answer God’s call upon his life. Peter caught fish on that day to the extent that his net broke, he had to call for another whole crew and boat to help and both boats were filled up and even began to sink (Lk 5:6-7). What a success! But he did not allow that to deter him from answering the call to follow Jesus.
7.      God’s call is a call to sincere confession of sin, disobedience and unbelief. We always feel reluctant to obey God. In our calling, Jesus is inviting us to confess our fears (Lk 5:9-10) and confusion; and confess his glorious Lordship over our lives (Lk 5:5).
8.      God’s call is a call to “catch men” alive or to catch men for life and bring them to Jesus (Jude 22-23; Acts 9:15; Proverbs 11:30).
9.      God’s call is call for radical decision and absolute dedication to God in the business of Christ Kingdom.
10. God’s call is a call to follow Jesus. We are not call to be it or do it alone. Christ promised to be with us (Mt 28:19-20). We can do nothing with Jesus (Jn 15:1-8). Jesus is the Master we are his disciples and Lord of the harvest. He leads the way his disciples follow him.

Finally, Jesus told Simon, “Don’t be afraid. From now on you will catch people instead of fish.” Simon and his partners brought the boats to shore, left everything, and followed Jesus (Luke 5:10-11 GW).

Please Becky you may join me to meditate on these passages too. John 15:16; Luke 9:23; 14:26, 33; John 12:26; Matthew 4:19. Thanks very much. You are amazing and great. May we answer the call of God instead of trying to fix our lives by ourselves.

LISTEN MORE

Posted on May 22, 2014 by leobawa

“Listen carefully to my words, and let my declaration be in your ears” (Job 13:17). “A wise person will listen and continue to learn, and an understanding person will gain direction” (Prov 1:5).

In the past few days, God has been encouraging me to listen to him more and pay more attention to those he has committed to my hands. I thought I should share my reflection on this, hoping that it may bless someone. I have been thinking on this subject under the following topics:

1. The Discipline of Listening is Essential for All Kinds of Learning

As Jesus’ followers we may have all the opportunity to watch, feel, speak (asking questions) and even abide in his presence without listen to him. For instance Jesus said to the people following him in Mk 7:14, “Then Jesus called to the crowd to come and hear. “All of you listen,” he said, “and try to understand. Your souls aren’t harmed by what you eat, but by what you think and say!” (LB). This Bible passage suggests the following:

i. Jesus loves people and wants them to listen to him. For by listening to Jesus God’s kind of faith is born and nurtured in humans (cf. Rom 10:17).

ii. Crowd finds it difficult to listen but Jesus said, my sheep hear my voice and follow me (Jn 10:27-30). There are always more and more noisome activities in a crowd.

iii. Listening to Jesus brings about rapid understanding (in relationships, leaning situations, etc) and facilitates an enduring spiritual growth.

iv. However, much talking and less listening harm the soul; injure emotions and destroy intimacy in relationships.

We are only true disciples to the extent which we discipline ourselves to listen to the Master. And we are as faithful Disciple-makers to the extent which we are willing to listen to others.

2. Becoming Like Jesus is not Possible without Listening Him

Jesus spent his time on earth listening to God and to people. This seems to be the most important duty of all believers: Hearing God and be relevant to the world around us. But some of us either do not listen or spent more time listening to wrong things. Jesus listened to men and women, poor and rich, kings and their followers, friends and enemies: and had compassion on them. Today, almost every believer desires to be like Jesus but very, very few want to be like Jesus in the discipline of listening. We all want to be listened to, no one wants to take time to listen to others. We are all good speakers but poor listeners. How I wish the opposite is the case, we would then be excellent speakers. Using the function of body organs, humans are made up of two ears for hearing reasonability and one mouth. This means, it may be more profitable to listen twice or double before speaking.

True Disciples listen more and talk less. They use their two eyes to observe more and their two ears to listen more, as well as their two hands to do and feel more before speaking wisely. That is why wisdom is the right application of a cumulative knowledge in a given situation or circumstance. Lord, help my heart to be like Jesus in seeking to listen more to God and through God listen to people’s cry, pains, groaning and hurts.

3. People of God Listen to God’s Voice

When the people of God no longer listen to God they will take him for granted. I like the say that “Christians who can no longer listen to one another will soon no longer be listening to God either; they will always be talking even in the presence of God.”

It is God’s will that his people should listen to his voice. God’s lamentation in Psalm 81:11-13 does not only serve as warning to us but also reveal to us what it means to listen to God. The God laments:

But my people did not listen to my voice;
Israel would not submit to me.
So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,
to follow their own counsels.
O that my people would listen to me,
that Israel would walk in my ways! (Psalm 81:11-13).

4. Learn to Listen More to Others

I like Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s discipleship reflection when he succinctly observed that “We do God’s work for our brothers and sisters when we learn to listen to them. So often Christians, especially preachers, think that their only service is always to have to ‘offer’ something when they are together with other people. They forget that listening can be a greater service than speaking. Many people seek a sympathetic ear and do not find it among Christians, because these Christians are talking even when they should be listening.” May God help me to listen more daily as I seek to engage with the people around me.

5.Gateway Questions:

i. Write about a time when you benefited from having another Christian listen to you.

ii. Write about your experience as a listener. Are you a good listener? Did you feel like you were doing God’s work as you listened?

iii. Do you know someone in your community or in your church who never seems to be listened to?

iv. Would you prayer that God will grant you courage, compassion and availability to connect with them and allow them speak their hearts and mind to you?

LORD TRAIN MY EARS TO LISTEN TO YOU MORE AND MORE AND TO YOUR PEOPLE ALSO.

OPEN MY EYES

Posted on May 21, 2014 by leobawa

And may you be able to feel and understand, as all God’s children should, how long, how wide, how deep, and how high his love really is; and to experience this love for yourselves, though it is so great that you will never see the end of it or fully know or understand it. And so at last you will be filled up with God himself (Eph 3:18-19 LB).

God’s love, wisdom and miracles are all around us if our common senses were to function as God intended them. Although the stories of our lives are full of miracles and a manifestation of God’s amazing grace, yet we most times do not see his amazing performances. Our union with God makes us see God in our lives daily. And helps us do less and achieve more; know less but experience more of his love and grace in our lives. God’s blessings in our lives make us more productive in life and ministry. However, we may need to grow in our ability to see, hear, feel, and smell the goodness of God in our lives. This will help us to know that even our day to day living is a miracle from God.

I like Chaim Stern reflection in his Jewish book of prayer, Gates of Prayer. According to him:

Days pass and the years vanish, and we walk sightless among miracles. Lord, fill our eyes with seeing and our minds with knowing; let there be moments when Your Presence, like lightning, illumines the darkness in which we walk. Help us to see, wherever we gaze, that the bush burns unconsumed. And we, clay touched by God, will reach out for holiness, and exclaim in wonder: How filled with awe is this place, and we did not know it! Blessed is the Eternal One, the holy God!

I like the saying, “Sell cleverness and buy bewilderment” in the wonders of God’s love. The above meditation highlights the following:
1.       My Insensitivity to God to the manifestation of God’s grace in my life and my world
2.       My Ingratitude to God for what he is doing in and through my life
3.       My Poor vision of who God is and what he is doing around me
4.       My Sinfulness before God before the holiness of God
5.       The helpless and hopelessness of humanity without God

However, it also reminds me of the following:
1.       God’s love for all humankind
2.       God’s desire for all men to be saved
3.       God’s provision for the salvation of mankind
4.       God’s power that is at work in human
5.       God’s undisputed character
6.       The wonders of God’s creation
7.       God’s global immanence, regardless of the News headlines.

When God opens our eyes to see his power and our ears to hear his word and feel the works of his presence each day, our faith becomes stronger and wiser. When we see the depth of his love for our lives our hearts and minds become more secure and we become more peaceful toward our neighbours. His glowing holiness is our beauty in ashes. May God help us to pause each day and reflect on his wonders in our lives. May God open our eyes to see that our very existence each day is a miracle from him.

HAPPY NEW YEAR: A WORD FOR THE WISE

Posted on Jan 2, 2014 by leobawa

N E W Y E A R in Focus! This year will be tough and rough, harsh and hard; and very challenging for many. But the good news is, in the midst of these, we shall see the rainbow of God’s mercy, faithfulness, power and love in display. This is not a new word. It is a reminder to those who are the students of the Bible. We are in the age of perilous time (2 Timothy 3:1-17); lawlessness (2 Thess 2:1-17); and a time that iniquity is abounding and love of many is waxing cold fast (Mt 24:1-14). If you are good in mathematical calculation and have the wisdom that can reduce the above expression into figures, what do you think would be the scale or magnitude, or percentage of difficulties, hardship, wickedness, or evil that we shall be dealing with? So I pray that as the evil one seeks to carry out his evil and merciless actions in this year; may God brace and oil your heart with His grace and power. May his presence be your defence, comfort, peace and joy. And may his power guide and guard you through the shadows of death, deserts, mountains and jungles of life. May you arise and shine now that the glory of God is risen upon you. This is the best time in the history of the world to practice Christian faith. May God take you deeper, higher, wider and stronger in his LOVE-adventure this year.

Whatever may be the fiery darts of Satan against your life in this New Year, I would like to proclaim God’s faithfulness, victory, mercies and love over you. I proclaim that this is another year to work and wait patiently; to progress in praise, worship and thanksgiving to God. It is another year to prove and celebrate the presence of God in our lives daily. This is another year to be dressed in his mercies, faithfulness, love, power and grace. It is another year to see the shield of faith at its best as we lean upon the loving chest and feast on the milk of his breast. This is another year to step into the quiet experience of leaning upon the everlasting arms of the God who never sleeps nor slumbers.

This is another year of eternal priority, a year of faithful service, loving witness, holy living, fruitful ministry and training in righteousness. It is another year to be a missionary, an ambassador of Christ among the nations; to triumph over temptations, trials; and to be seated with Christ far above principalities and powers. Yes, this is another year to make the King of kings and the Lord of lords glad by advancing his kingdom among the nations. Another year to prepare for the rapture and great gathering of the saints above.