Tuesday, February 28, 2017

Day One: Get Your Mind Right

“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”  Romans 8:6

According to Nursing Assistant Central, “A world champion memorizer, Ben Pridmore memorized 96 historical events in 5 minutes and memorized a single, shuffled deck of cards in 26.28 seconds.”  The mind is a very powerful organ in the human body.

We are in Day One of our Mission Trip on San Andres Island.  Maybe you are thinking about loved ones back home or you are thinking about the laundry you forgot to wash.  These aren’t bad things, but they can hinder your service.  

Our thoughts will either help or hurt our service unto the Lord; not just today, but in the future too.  According to scripture, our mind set on the flesh equals death.  We need to begin to learn how to take our thoughts captive.  We need to surrender our thoughts to the Holy Spirit.  
How do we surrender our thoughts to the Holy Spirit?  Die to self.  Die to flesh.  

When we believe in Christ, we are made anew in Christ.  2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”  Part of the transformation of following Christ includes being made anew in Him.  In Ephesians we are encouraged put off the old self, the flesh, and put on the new.  I have to put off Jeremy’s desire and put on Christ’s desire.  He calls us to love Him with all that we are (including our mind) and love others.

When we decide this morning to allow Christ to rule and not our flesh, than we will have life and peace.  This is what we want to share with all those we come in contact with.  We have two choices: flesh - the old self or in Christ - life and peace.

Where will you allow your mind to be today?  Will you effectively convey love, life and peace? Or death?  

May we go would and accurately share the love of Christ today, by reflecting Him.

Monday, February 27, 2017

Day Zero: Some First Things

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20

Even before we hit the mission field and the island, we are called to be His ambassadors.  An ambassador represents someone.  The United States has ambassadors all over the world.  While in country, their job as ambassadors is to speak for the nation.

Because of what Christ has done for the world:  born a virgin birth, lived a sinless life, taught you and me how to live, died on the cross for the whole world, but didn’t stay dead, and now sits at the right hand of the Father; we are called to be Christ’s ambassador or representative wherever we go.

God has called His people, who believe in Him and proclaim it, to go.

In John 20:21, “Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Wherever we are: home, work, local story, international airport, or San Andres Island; our job as believers is to represent Him on all fronts.  Words, actions, countenance, and love should all reflect Christ to anyone we come in contact with. Galatians 5:22-23 comes to mind, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

May we begin by understand that it is a high calling to be Christ’s ambassador - wherever and whenever we go.  Reflecting Him to a world that desperately needs His grace and love, should be our primary objective.