Live Out What God Put Within You

Today's Soul Food Nugget: Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. - Philippians 2:12 (NIV)

What I’m getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning. When I was living among you, you lived in responsive obedience. Now that I’m separated from you, keep it up. Better yet, redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God himself willing and working at what will give him the most pleasure. - Philippians 2:12,13 MSG

Jesus never minced His words.

He wanted follower-doers not hanger-on-observers. His mission was action, change and disruption. Not ease, comfort and leisure.

Disciple comes from the root word discipline. As a believer I am first and always saved by grace and faith. But we have plenty work to do - a local and global mission.

In the same way Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, we are called to be servants in an adversarial, antagonistic world - a lost world. The world is hungry to see the love of Jesus - despite the resistance!

We are called to follow in His steps and execute His mission on earth. Loving, preaching, teaching, disciplining, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This feels uncomfortable, right? It is. We are called to go beyond our comfort zone. But in the power and courage of the Holy Spirit.

We are called to reach out - beyond ourselves - with Christ within us, to reach the lost, lonely, desperate and rebellious. And those who lost their way after being at home with the Father, but ran away.

Will you join me in this mission? We need each other to form a strong band of Jesus-Rebels to rescue people from darkness and disciple them, as Jesus commanded.

At the very least, pray and give to those who will go or are already in the battlefield.