Commissioned
We all, at least if we are 18 or older, have received a commission of some sort. Maybe you have been commissioned for jury duty. You might have even been commissioned into the Military, drafted. Even sometimes people are commissioned for a particular job at where they work.
We have all been commissioned
It made me think about that as Christians we are all commissioned for duty. It may be different for each person, depending on age, time of life, position, personality, etc. But we are all commissioned.
When I was driving to work one day recently the car in front of me started losing control due to slick roads. I had to pull to the left of him into what could have been oncoming traffic in order to avoid crashing into him. It was in town turning at a light so traffic was slow and there wasn’t any oncoming traffic and they could have avoided me because there were two lanes. Right behind me was a one-trailer semi and this gave him a little room to adjust and not hit me. I am thankful to the Lord that all turned out well. When you are in a situation like that you don’t always think about what to do you just react to the situation. Everyone would respond differently depending on his or her experience in driving.
It made me think
When I was thinking my almost accident it made me think about our commission as Christians. We want to reach out to those that may know Jesus but are discouraged and we want to reach out to those that do not know the Lord. But how do we safely go about doing this? How do we avoid having an “accident” (shipwreck our Christian experience by following them)? What can we do to help those that are slipping off the path without joining in their folly? How do we come alongside them and reach them for the Lord without losing our own way? These are questions we all have to ask ourselves.
Different commissions
This is why I believe that all of us have different commissions. We may have a struggle in a certain area, which makes it a risk for us to reach out to certain individuals. We may have small impressionable children and we may need to avoid certain things as well. And the main thing is that we have to be prepared for whatever commission God calls us to. We need to be equipped. And maybe He will call us to a place we thought we would never choose to go. As we equip ourselves God can use us in a broader way. We cannot do the duty of our commission unless we are equipped. So the work begins with us. We cannot share what we do not have.
Jesus has already commissioned us
We have been commanded to make disciples of all nations.
Matthew 28:18-20
“Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given unto
Me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach (disciple)
all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway,
even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
God’s Commands are like beacons of light that will guide us throughout the course of our lives. When we violate God’s commands it will bring conflict and unhappiness.
God has promised great rewards for those who keep His commandments before their eyes. John 14:21,
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
(Hath) to have, i.e. to hold, to hold fast. When we hold fast to Christ commands Christ will manifest Himself to us. That is an amazing thing.
There are rewards for holding fast to Christ commands
We have already learned that:
- God will reveal Himself to us.
John 15:10
“If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept my Father’s Commandments, and abide in His love.”
John 14:21
“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and My Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
Reward
- We will abide in God’s love
1John 3:22
“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.”
Reward
- Our prayers will be answered
1John 2:3
“And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments.”
John 14:15
“If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”
Reward
- We have assurance of our love for God
1 John 5:2, 2
“By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His Commandments.”
“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous”
Reward
- Our love for the Body of Christ.
We may not think of all of these as rewards but they are. They make life, a life of joy.
Navigators chart a course over the waters by observing. The word that Jesus used when He said to “keep” the commandments has the same meaning “to observe or attend to.” So just like a ship navigator gets his ability to navigate from the stars so we can get our ability to navigate life through studying and understanding Christ Commands.
How often should we be meditating on the Word?
Psalms 1:1,2
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
What might mediating day and night look like?
Pick a verse that you would like to start memorizing. There may be something you’re struggling with, like anger, depression, unforgiveness, etc. Pick a verse and go over it several times a day. Make that the last thing you think about before you go to bed and the first thing you think about when you get up in the morning. Even if you are up in the night think about the verse. Keep it ever before you. This is a habit that will have to be created in ourselves because most of us do not naturally have our minds going to scripture.
God created the day to start in the evening, why?
Genesis 1:5 “…And the evening and the morning were the first day.”
- The evening is the most important part of our day because it affects the quality of our sleep and sets our mental attitude for the rest of the day. So, in reality, we don’t “get up on the wrong side of the bed”; It is the attitude that we have when we go to bed the affects how we get up.
- The evening is the best time to evaluate our day and to set new goals for the next day. Making sure that everything is right between us and those around us as well as making things right with God by repenting.
- As we go to sleep meditating on the Scripture and setting our goals before the Lord, it will make a difference in our lives.
Psalm 16:7
“I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.”
I looked up these words in the Strong concordance so I could understand a little more about this verse.
(Counsel means to advise, consult, give counsel, purpose, devise, plan) (Reins mean seat of emotions and affections)(Instruct means to chasten, discipline, instruct, admonish)(Seasons means night as opposed to-day). To me, this means as we keep God’s Word (commands) before our eyes that God will give us insights from His Word and clear direction. This will dramatically impact the success of our lives.
Dear Father,
I want to immerse myself in Your Word. I want Your love to shine through me. Prompt me each time my mind is idle to think upon Your Word. I am nothing without You and I need You desperately.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
I challenge you to keep the Word of God ever before you.
Love you all.
Some of you may have this habit already in your life. What method have you used to help keep God’s Word ever before you?