To understand God’s view of mission work, we can look at today’s passage. Paul and Barnabas set the standard when they obeyed God’s call to go forth. The local body of believers—those left behind to share Jesus Christ with neighbors and friends—equipped the men for their journey. They did so for the same reasons that apply today:
The spiritual condition of mankind. Romans 1:21-32 describes this sinful world. Unchecked sin leads people down a slippery slope toward a depraved conscience and, ultimately, a darkened mind that cannot perceive what is right. Every unbelieving person is sliding on that treacherous path.
God’s spiritual provision. Responding with grace to mankind’s plight, the Father sent His Son to save the world. On the cross, Christ bore the sin of every person—living, no longer alive, and yet to be born. The offer of salvation is for all; God’s grace is blind to race, creed, and color (Rom. 10:12). All who believe in Jesus are forgiven of their sin, and they’ll spend eternity with Him.
The commission from Jesus Christ. Acts 1:8 says that we receive the Holy Spirit so we may bear effective witness to those who need salvation. Notice that we don’t simply begin at home and work steadily outward. People everywhere are waiting for the good news. The Word is to be carried far and fast.
The purpose of the church is to worship and witness. Some will go and some will send, but all are called to the work of spreading the gospel. This is not a suggestion; it is a command (Matt. 28:19). Believers living in God’s will are all to be involved in missionary work.
When something’s on our mind, we are wise to consult Scripture or trusted spiritual mentors. God has also given His children the privilege of prayer, and He wants us to bring our concerns directly to Him. But believers often have questions about the power and effectiveness of prayer.
Will god’s plans fail if I don’t pray? God is not subservient to us or dependent upon our prayers. The time we invest in speaking with Him involves us in the work He is doing in our lives and in the world, but He will carry on with or without us. Laboring alongside the Lord is a blessing.
Does my prayer (or lack thereof) impact god’s work? I believe Scripture indicates the answer to this question is both yes and no, depending upon the situation. There are times when God’s purpose is set. He is in control and has determined the best course. In the Old Testament, He often revealed what He would do and then brought those events to pass.
In other cases, we “do not have because [we] do not ask” (James 4:2). There are some good things that God holds back until we extend prayerful hands to receive them. But He is a loving Father, who also pours out blessings that we wouldn’t even think to request.
Believer’s prayers have tremendous impact, particularly on their own faith and life. Do you understand what an awesome privilege it is to kneel before the all-powerful Father and know that He listens and will respond? God loves being good to His children and answering their prayers.
The two most important disciplines in the life of a believer are Bible study and prayer. It is impossible to grow continually in Christ without practicing both.
Prayer is the primary means by which we talk to God, and it is also a way He teaches us. When we pray, we’re petitioning the Lord and trusting Him for the answer. In doing so, we learn to listen to Him, just as we learn to wait for His response. And He loves for us to honor Him through this spiritual act of worship called prayer.
Indeed, prayer is one of the best ways to honor God. When we pray to our heavenly Father, we are acknowledging that He is God, that He truly is “the high and exalted One who lives forever, whose name is Holy” (Isa. 57:15). God alone deserves glory, and we ascribe honor to Him when we “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17). That is, we are to maintain a God-focused attitude throughout the day—continually asking Him to govern every detail of our lives.
Today’s passage says that our Father dwells both on a high and holy place and also with the contrite and lowly in spirit. This means that our motives and the condition of our hearts are very important in prayer. Simply wanting to “get our way” is not the spirit of prayer that honors God. Furthermore, it does not produce prayers that He will answer.
The heavenly Father longs for an intimate relationship with His children. Time spent in communication with God is the best way to grow close to Him.
In our world of electronic banking and credit cards, it’s easy to ignore what things cost. The same is true with sin. Our culture enjoys temporary pleasures while disregarding what God says is the price of transgression (Rom. 6:23).
The Bible tells what our sin cost Jesus. For our sake, He suffered...
Physical pain. During the hours leading up to His crucifixion, Jesus was mocked, beaten, and humiliated. (See John 19.) In His weakened state, He was forced to carry on His shoulders the instrument of His death—the cross. Then He was nailed to it and hoisted up to die an excruciating death.
Man’s sin. Jesus lived a perfect life on earth and never knew the disgrace of sin or the bitterness of regret. But at the cross, the Father placed all of mankind’s sins upon the Savior (2 Cor. 5:21). There, Christ experienced the fullness of our transgressions, guilt, and shame.
Abandonment. In the final hours, Jesus was separated from His Father (Mark 15:34), their fellowship broken for the only time since eternity past. Our sin became the barrier that kept them apart until Jesus Christ’s work of atonement was finished (John 19:30).
Divine judgment. God’s wrath was poured out on Jesus because of man’s sin. Christ experienced the condemnation we deserved (Isa. 53:5-6; Rom. 5:9).
Our Savior suffered greatly on our behalf, shedding His blood so we might become part of God’s family (John 1:12). He calls us to a life of sacrificial service—doing the Father’s work and living to please Him. In light of what our salvation cost, how can we do anything less?
Today’s passage tells us how Moses endured arduous times: by faith. Every believer will face trying moments. The key is to remember that tough times are …
Inescapable. “For man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward” (Job 5:7). Every one of us will experience periods when life is hard. Financial pressure, family trouble, health issues, business difficulties, opposition within the church—the list of potential problems that we could face is endless. It is, therefore, essential that we learn to respond in the way God desires.
Able to destroy or develop us. Have you ever noticed how people respond differently to the same difficult situation? Some grow more focused while others fall apart or are even destroyed by the trial. How we respond depends on our perspective: Are we God-centered or trouble-centered?
Survivable. The key is to learn how to walk in continual awareness of God’s presence. Moses demonstrated this in seeking to free the Israelite people from Egyptian slavery. He had learned to “see” our invisible God walking by his side and to be constantly mindful of His presence. Moses didn’t focus on the Egyptians, Pharaoh’s power, or even the Israelites he was leading. His focus was on God.
How aware are you of the Lord’s presence? Are you worrying less because you’re thinking more about His sovereignty? Are your fears receding as you consciously believe in His protection and all-sufficiency? Moses did not start out with this awareness; he had to learn and develop it. We, too, will learn as we deliberately seek Him.
