12/04/25 BEING ON MISSION

12/04/25 BEING ON MISSION

Always on duty.
Always on call.
Always on mission.

We hear these phrases used in reference to doctors, law enforcement, pastors, and mothers.

The principle is also applied to children of God (followers of Christ).

Being a Christian is a full-time reality (commitment, relationship, experience). I am not referring to nominal Christians (Christian in name only), or to cultural Christians; I am referring to actual Christians (born again, Christ-following, Bible-believing).

Though the three phrases are good, I choose to use the phrase, "Always on Mission."

"On Duty" might imply "forced compliance." As Christians, we do have duties, but we do not do our duty is not because it is oppressive, legalistic rules. We do the will of God because we love Him, not because we are coerced, or because we are seeking rewards, or because we are earning our pay. It is true that we owe God everything, but we gladly surrender to Him because He is worthy and because we are grateful.

"On Call" indicates that we are not actively involved at a particular time. We tell folks, "Call me if you need me," but that is not the viewpoint of a Christian toward God. The fact is, we are already called, and we are answering that call. We are not putting God's call on hold. We wait for God's leading, but not for His call. As sinners (people living in sin), we are called to salvation (faith, obedience, and newness of life), and as believers, we are called to service. As Christians, we have accepted the call to salvation and the call to service. God leads us day by day and step by step, and we follow when He leads us in a new or distinctly different pathway, but that is part of our call. Jesus said, "If any man will be my disciple, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me."

"On Mission" is a phrase that indicates we are currently active in our service to God. Our mission is an ongoing, never-ending mission. There will be times when we have special or particular "missions" within our greater mission.

I am always "on mission," but sometimes I am called, led, or directed to do a specific mission within the mission. Witnessing for Christ (telling others the Good News and manifesting His presence in my life) is my mission. My constant mission is to love, follow, and serve God and to tell others around me about Christ. I am always a witness (because my life witnesses to my relationship with God, either good or bad), and as a faithful witness, I am always ready to give my witness (tell someone about my relationship with God), but sometimes I am sent specifically to witness to others about Christ.

Therefore, when I am involved in daily or routine activities, I am still on mission. God's word tells us, "Whatever you do, do as unto the Lord." In my daily activities, I am watching and listening for God's leading to tell the Good News to someone. But sometimes I go out into society for the express purpose of sharing my testimony and proclaiming the Good News to others.

In my going, I may share with several people, but I am always asking God to lead me to the person He has prepared for this encounter. I also ask God to give me the opportunity and ability to be a "meaningful" witness.

In fact, the other day I was "voice texting" a message to myself, which I wanted to put on Facebook. In the text, I was pointing out the importance of asking God to lead me to a person with whom I could have a meaningful witness. While I was dictating on my phone, God actually took me straight to someone. I had to stop dictating my post in order to do my mission within my mission. As I had been praying, it was not only an opportunity to share with someone, but it was a very meaningful and successful encounter.

I had at least three meaningful witnessing opportunities on our trip to Morehead on Wednesday. There are various ways an encounter can be categorized as meaningful, and you may not always know how meaningful your witness has been. Remember, just like everything else, which we do as believers, "we witness by faith."

12/04/25 PROPER ALIGNMENT

12/04/25 PROPER ALIGNMENT

Christians are children of God, members of God's family, parts (members) of Christ's church (Body of Christ, Bride of Christ, Building of Christ). The Church has only One Head, and His Name is Jesus. Christians are strangers, aliens, sojourners, foreigners in this world; we are in this world, but we are not of this world. Christian citizenship is in heaven. God is our King, and we are His ambassadors. When there is conflict, we are to obey God and not man.

Since we are citizens of heaven and since God is our King and since we are God's ambassadors, Christians live according to the law, rule, authority of God and we represent Him faithfully in this world, submitting to legitimate authority but giving our unrestricted allegiance to only God. The kingdoms (nations) of this world are temporal. Even the best and greatest of nations are fallible and will fail because of their own rebellion against God.

Christians appreciate the sacrifices made by people for the public good, but Christians are first of all, subjects of God and serve His purposes. If the direction of any people conflicts with the will of God, Christians are faith-bound and duty-bound to be faithful to God's eternal purposes.

Christians must be faithful to God's word, to God's will, to God's way. This means we are not committed to establish any human purpose which is in conflict with the revelation of God. Being part of the global community, a nation, a political party, a local community, a culture, a religious organization, a local church, a family is always subsidiary and secondary to being a follower of Christ.

If you want to be a New Testament Christian, then you need to have no other gods before you. Your life, your belongings, your relationships, your goals, your vote, your service, your very life belongs to Jesus.

God should never be "second" on the list. God should never get your "leftovers," your extras. To surrender anything less than your all to Jesus is not even within the realm of salvation.

The Father gave His all, the Son gave His all, and those who love and trust Christ give their all to God.

12/04/25 CULTURE MATTERS

12/04/25 CULTURE MATTERS

Being a Christian means becoming a new creation and becoming a part of a new family. This includes changes in your nature, beliefs, thinking, speaking, behavior, relationships.
I asked Google, "What does culture include?" It gave me an AI answer along with other links. I share this AI response below, which is thorough and accurate. I sometimes use computer searches for general information, if it is valid and saves me time. I don't let AI do my thinking or guide my Bible study or belief system.

CULTURE does influence and impact our beliefs and behavior. If your salvation (your right relationship with God through Jesus) does not transform you and correct the detrimental parts of your cultural experience, then you are not going to be conformed to the image of God's Son and you will not fully follow Jesus.

Being conformed to the image of Christ includes instantaneous changes and progressive changes. Sound doctrine and the whole counsel of God are essential for experiencing and living the Spirit filled life. This will include cultural changes, which come by, "walking in the light, as He is in the light," and "doing that which is pleasing in His sight."

Sadly, people want their eternal status changed but they do not want their lives changed; they want God's blessings, but they do not want to accept God's Lordship. People refuse to let Biblical Christianity change their cultural values and they reject Biblical changes that their children need to make, enslaving their children with cultural heritage. Do not hold on to your earthly culture. The new life, the new path of salvation will lead you out of the entanglements and darkness of the old life.

Remember, the Bible says, "we are new creations in Christ, old things are passed away and all things become new," and we are to, "walk in newness of life," and "come out from among them and be ye separate, says the Lord."

If your culture is not dominated by salvation, then your culture becomes your god. Don't hold on to a "worldly treasure." Take hold of the heavenly treasure with both hands.

Each phrase in the following description of CULTURE should be considered. Your culture will either agree with the Bible, or it will not. This is where the importance of the great Biblical truth of "being crucified with Christ," becomes evident.

In our New Birth we put on the New Man, we receive life from Christ; but in our being Crucified with Christ we put off the Old Man, we die to the world, the flesh and the devil and we are made pure, even as Christ is pure. As the Scripture says, "Cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double minded."

Consider the following points as they relate to the Christian experience and life. Salvation is a "WHOLE PERSON" reality. It transforms the whole person, and it makes the person whole.

GOOGLE AI said...
Culture includes shared behaviors,
beliefs,
values, and attitudes,

as well as the
social norms,
institutions, and
knowledge
of a particular group of people.

It encompasses both
nonmaterial aspects like language, religion, and customs,
and
material aspects such as tools, art, and physical objects.

Nonmaterial culture
Beliefs and values:
Shared understandings of what is right and wrong, good and bad, and what is important to the group.

Language: Spoken and non-verbal forms of communication that allow for social interaction and influence how people think and perceive the world.

Norms and customs:
Rules and expectations for behavior, including social habits, etiquette, and rituals.
Symbols:
Things that stand for or represent something else, such as gestures, objects, or ideas.

Material culture
Artifacts:
Physical objects created by a group, including tools, technology, clothing, and art.
Institutions:
Organized systems that shape society, such as legal, political, economic, and educational systems.
Cuisine and music:
The specific foods, music, and other arts that are characteristic of a group.