Your B.I.G. Dreams Part IV - “G” - Generation Serving
Thursday - 2/12/09 - Thank you Lord for opening up our hearts to the incredible richness of the plans you have for each of us and also what you want to do with us as a group. Please show us even more today.
We are unlocking ‘B.I.G. dreams’, the kind that Kingdom-minded believers need to have:
“B” - Beyond Human Ability, “I” - Inspired by God, “G” - Generation Serving
Here is a powerful way to think about these elements - the ‘B‘ has to do with the scope; the ‘I‘ has to do with the source; and the ‘G‘ has to do with the situation. If we look deeply into all three of these areas, perhaps it may be said of us one day, like it was of David, that we served the purpose of God in our generation.
“G” - Generation Serving
Acts 13:36 “…For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep…(NKJV) Another translation says it like this “…For David, after having been useful to his own generation in accordance with God’s purpose…” (Weymouth) We might ask ourselves how useful we are to the generation we find ourselves in? Are we serving it with maximum effect? Hopefully so…
God placed us here intentionally for such a time as this. Today is the context in which He has chosen to place us. How very exciting. Now is the time that God has allowed us the profound opportunity to shape history and influence outcomes on earth through decisions we make in response to His call.
Why do so many of us seem to miss the wonder of the opportunity right in front of us?
You are Not in Heaven, You’re on Earth
In heaven, we will have vast experiences that none of us fully understand - glorious, uninterrupted fellowship with God in a very different way than we commonly experience here. But you are not in heaven right now. You are on earth with a calling on your life to be fulfilled HERE. That’s no accident. God foresaw the issues of our day and sent you and I to be solution-carriers at this very time, divinely equipped to meet the challenges present in our world.
He didn’t give us all the same gifts, experiences, skill-sets, passions and calling and certainly didn’t intend for us to all operate identically. As creative as God is, how creative does that sound? Some of us make better mayors than traditional missionaries; better professionals than Pastors.
Religiosity
Unfortunately, prevailing religious mindsets have greatly limited the expression of Christ in and through us to our world. The church at large finds itself with arguably less influence and ability to shape society today than previously, yet more believers living on earth than ever before in history. How often do world, national and city leaders come knocking on our door for answers these days? Is it possible they don’t call us because we have become less relevant than our taglines may suggest?
David was a prominent leader with governmental authority, military skill and unashamed devotion to the Lord. He was not only God’s choice, but well qualified. This man after God’s own heart lead with his life in society and didn’t leave that to others. He was plenty spiritual. It’s interesting that God’s heart, reflected in David, caused him to engage with his generation, rather than separate himself.
What are We Looking At?
What does it say to the world about God when His children focus on our own lives, meetings & relationships with comparatively little cumulative, strategic impact on the world around us for a group our size - while telling everyone they need to be like us. Among other things, this communicates that all the wonderful goings-on of life created by Him are irrelevant. Yet life on earth is a wonderful, precious experience and its multi-facets come from God. If He didn’t want any work or art or communities or governments or nations or economies, there wouldn’t be any. None of this takes away from the centrality of the cross. It’s all His.
We don’t all live at church and neither are we supposed to, but too many Christians act as if they wish they did. God’s plan instead, is that we are salt - and salt can’t season anything it doesn’t touch. Why are we trying so hard to stay in the shaker or hover around it? Is it possible that God is trying to pour us out into the world while some of us are clinging to each other and our own plans that don’t allow us to fit through the holes to find the real path of God’s choosing?
Another Place to Recognize Our Dream
As Christians, we need to be attentive to the situations around us. What’s going on in our world? What’s going on in our nation-region-city-neighborhood? What problems need answers? Rather than ignoring the issues of our day, we should be leading the charge to solve them. Are we sometimes too busy to notice or too self absorbed to care? Surely not.
Some of us that seem to languish a bit concerning God’s plan for us might be looking in the wrong place. We may find a clue where we haven’t been looking hard enough. If you recognize a problem that needs solving and find that you have a passion to do so, that’s probably not a coincidence. God may have figured that out long ago.
Too Much Credit to the Devil — It’s God’s World
The earth is the Lords and all it contains. For a while, Satan gained legal access through sin to bind creation but praise God any rulership he exhibits now is as an impostor. He is trespassing on God’s property. God is searching for those who want to evict him from all kinds of places where he has set up shop. Don’t forget that Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, not just bring us abundant life.
Ps 97:10
“You who love the Lord, hate evil…”
NKJV
We should be pushing him back in the Arts, pushing him back in Government, pushing Him back in Science, pushing him back in Education, pushing him back in Medicine, pushing him back in Family, pushing Him back in Entertainment, pushing him back in Spirituality, pushing him back in Innovation, pushing him back in the Media, pushing him back in Business, pushing him back from people’s lives. You talk to some Christians and you’d think the devil was supposed to be gaining on God in creation! Rubbish.
God is looking for Christians who will roll up their sleeves and get involved solving problems as we advance the Kingdom in our world, letting our example and light shine before men; speaking not only with words, but demonstrating with actions in ways and places the world can see. The life of the redeemed believer, our entire life - every part, is a relevant message to our generation. Let’s serve them according to God’s will for us. We can do this - because we were designed to.
Blessings to you, your family and upon your endeavors,
Rick for Ti-MC
PS We’ll talk Tuesday about a great question from one of you regarding practical and effective strategies for meditating on the Word to produce deeper, more powerful faith.
Share your thoughts with us. This is an important post. Huge readership today. Love it? Hate it? Love and hate it? We’d love to hear from YOU.
“because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.” - 1 Thess 1:5
“…solution carriers…engage this generation…strategic impact…” - Rick Hubbell
As a young adult, and an aspiring Kingdom guy posts like this mess up my agenda. A call for a generation to demonstrate the power of God everywhere instead of just talking about it (even passionately) from the safety of our churches; challenges me to re-prioritize my calendar and budget.
It really matters what and how live this thing called the Kingdom.
I’m still reading and reflecting on what you are saying here. So much of it I’ve been feeling for quite some time. Holy Spirit is the same everywhere - huh. I’m finding (again) that it isn’t too smart to tell just anyone about your dream until it’s well established and working because others don’t have the same passion or understanding. It’s easy for me to get discouraged and the seed of maybe I haven’t really heard from God to get planted, or “this is too hard”, or the “critters that destroy crops” come along and make you think it isn’t going to work. BUT - I think I HAVE heard from God and I’m not giving up. GIVE UP?? What am I saying!! I’m just getting started!!! Thank you again for the time you are putting into this and for your encouragement!
Dear friends and fellow-servants to this Generation,
Tears stream down my cheeks as I think about the power locked up in human hearts that was placed there by God but somehow we have stifled it by becoming more concerned with ourselves than the people around us. Admit it. Even those of us with a heart committed to serving God by serving people have to continually redirect our minds and intentions back to the heart of the Father for people. I am reminded of the challenge to believe that what God has called you to do is what he has called you to do. Ted Dekker describes this well in his book Saint, “Your focusing but not believing. This isn’t some random force that you can tap into because Yoda says so. Believe in the Maker of the stone to move it! Believe that he is alive and active and begging to move the stone if you allow it. You are chosen! We are all chosen, but you for a specific task, which depends upon your belief. Your gift is to believe in a way that makes ordinary people seem stuffy by comparison. Believe!”