Swimming with the Sharks

Swimming with the Sharks

by Kim Meeder

In her new book Fierce Beauty, Kim Meeder recounts in detail her experience diving with sharks in the Pacific Ocean. From the safety of a shark cage, she and her husband, Troy, came in extremely close contact with numerous man-eating creatures.

God is so good to reveal himself, whether it's through His Word, in church, or with a shark cage in the Pacific Ocean. When we are in Christ, it's as if we are inside the invisible safety of a Plexiglas box. We can swim among giant "sharks" and have complete peace. When we are not in Christ, we are not in a safe place. Then swimming among giant sharks is terrifying because one of them could destroy us at any moment.

Since we know this, why do we believers keep climbing out of Christ's protective place?

Friend, when we are in Christ, we will have perfect peace...no matter what monsters, what storms, what darkness surrounds us. He cannot be moved, and when we place our lives inside His, neither can we.

His peace is not circumstantial. It doesn't come from those things on the outside that surround us. His peace comes from within; it comes from Jesus being inside us. Scripture says, "His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7). If we're finding our peace in Christ, nothing in this life can take it away—period!

Since this is true, why do we Christians suffer from bouts of anxiety, depression, and fear? Why are such vast numbers mired in negativity? Maybe it's because our focus really isn't "in" Christ. Perhaps we place our trust in hopes for peace in a husband, a job, a friend, a look, an ability, a bank account, a family member, a title, a boyfriend, a thing. Any of these entities, when placed in a higher position than God, becomes more than just a distraction from truth; it becomes our idol. When it wavers or collapses, so does the sense of peace we fostered through it.

When will we realize that where fear exists, peace cannot?

Someone much wiser than me once said, "Either Christ is Lord of all...or He isn't Lord at all."

When we continually jump in and out of the peace of God, it's the equivalent of playing spiritual Hokey Pokey. He doesn't want us to put our trust in Him and then take our trust out. Or put our trust in Him and shake it all about. Believe me, this isn't what it's all about! He'd rather we just put our hearts in...and keep them in, because it's when we abide in Him that His authentic peace within us grows.

Resting in God's peace is like being in a shark cage or the eye of a hurricane. It doesn't mean we will be spared from those who wish to harm us or from the storms of this life. It means that because of our King's great love for us, we can go through the storms together, in peace: "I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart" (John 14:27). Because of our Lord, we can be peaceful in the face of serious illness or injury, we can be peaceful in the collapse of a family, we can be peaceful in financial crisis, and we can be peaceful when facing death-- if we choose to place our peace in Him.

So if we don't feel God's peace, it's only because we've chosen not to. Inadvertently or not, we left the Plexiglas box and are swimming with the creatures that can destroy us. If this is true for you, there's no time like the present to call on His name and return to His presence and peace.

Excerpted from Fierce Beauty by Kim Meeder (published by Multnomah Books). Troy and Kim Meeder join James and Betty Robison this Monday and Tuesday on LIFE TODAY.

Fierce Beauty - Kim Meeder 

Kim Meeder on Life Today

tells how Jesus Christ miraculously comforted her in that dark time.

Respect, Honor and Praise

"Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost."

Book of Common Prayer

Respect, Honor and Praise

Patrick Morley

Lamentations 2: 1-22

SITUATION Jeremiah's second lament spoke of affliction and deliverance. Solomon's Temple symbolized God's presence in Israel. Its destruction represented God's rejection of his people because of their stubborn sinfulness.



OBSERVATION God cares more about how we worship than where we worship him.


If we ponder who God really is before we carelessly utter any remark before or about Him, surely we will render a more considered, respectful utterance. There is no difference from the respect we would show the distinguished stranger if we knew his true identity. When once we see Him as He really is, the trite or casual remark no longer seems appropriate.



In fact, when we know the God who is, our first reaction is to hide from the awfulness of His presence. We want to see the face of God, until the presence of His glory draws near. Then, we want Him to hide us in the cleft of a rock. His presence is like peals of thunder and fierce winds of a violent storm, and we reconsider the foolishness of our whim to see Him. He is a holy god. Not only holy--but holy, holy, holy. 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come" (Revelation 4:8)



. . . Let us reconsider who God is--His power, His wealth, His wisdom, His glory, His honor, His Praise. Let us take our cue from the living creatures, elders, and the angels. Let us not approach the God who is holy, holy, holy with caprice or unthinking casualness.



Let us come into his presence with praise and thanksgiving, but also in sober recognition that were in the presence of the Holy, "Let us then approach,the throne of grace with confidence" (Hebrews 4:16), but with the bearing and respect we would show to the One whose identity we have learned; the God who is, who created all things, in whom we have our being.



When you come apart to meet with God, consider these statements as you being your time in His presence. Pause and mediate upon them:



* Father, I come to meet with You . . . meet with me.



* Lord Jesus, I come to meet with You . . . meet with me.



* Holy Spirit, I come to meet with You . . . meet with me.



Enter into the presence of God who is, with the respect and honor and praise He is due. (From Walking with Christ in the Details of Life by Patrick Morley)



APPLICATION Worship God in prayer and song. Find a song that lifts your heart to God; sing it throughout the day. Thank God often for his help and love for you.



EXPLORATION Worship -- Nehemiah 9:2-3; Psalm 122:1; Isaiah 29:13-14; Jeremiah 7:2-3; John 4:21-24; 1 Corinthians 11:2-16.



The Devotional Bible - Experiencing the Heart of Jesus, Max Lucado General Editor, New Century Version, Thomas Nelson Publishers.

No One Likes To Wait

God Is Sovereign over Delays

Dr. Charles Stanley

Proverbs 16:9

No one likes to wait, but have you ever wondered why? It's because delays show us that we are not in control. Someone or something else is calling the shots. Although we may be able to identify the immediate cause--like a traffic light or the long checkout line--ultimately the One who controls all our delays is the Lord. Since He is sovereign over everything in heaven and on earth, even our time and schedules are in His hands.

This means that in every delay, we are actually waiting for God in one way or another. You might have thought that the expression "waiting upon the Lord" applies only to seeking guidance from Him or an answer to prayer. But it can mean so much more when you remember that He controls all your day-to-day inconveniences and frustrations.

In the Christian life, learning to wait is vitally important because until you do, you'll never be able to walk in obedience to God, have an effective prayer life, or experience the peace of resting in His loving sovereignty.

We must learn to trust His judgment--about not just the big events in our lives, but also the trivial ones which cause us to become irritated, impatient, or even angry. If we're sensitive to His instruction, each delay has a lesson.

The next time you face an unexpected or unwanted wait, remember that it comes as no surprise to God. He wants to teach you patience and increase your faith. He's more interested in developing godly character than He is in making sure your schedule runs according to your plans.

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org.

Not There Yet

Bayless Conley

In Philippians 3:12-13, Paul gives us an important insight into becoming complete or mature in Christ,

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected (or complete); but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.  Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

As believers, we must realize that we have a way to go.  We have not arrived.  There are still some things ahead.  We still must press on.

But some people have the idea they have arrived.  They don't need to grow anymore; they don't need to study anymore; they don't need to increase anymore.

It is like the true story of a young neighbor who was talking to Albert Einstein at a dinner party.  She asked, "What is it exactly that you do as a profession?"  Einstein looked at her and said, "I've devoted myself to the study of physics."  And in shock she replied, "Studying physics at your age?  I finished my studies a year ago!" 

Unfortunately, that is the attitude many Christians have today about their spiritual growth.  They think they have finished.  Instead, our attitude should be like 95-year-old Pablo Casals, considered to be the greatest cellist that the world has ever known.

A young reporter asked him one day, "You're 95.  The world considers you to be its greatest cellist; and still, at 95, you practice six hours a day.  Why?"  To which he responded, "Because I think I'm making progress."

Friend, you have not arrived.  Set your goal to be making progress every day.  That is how you will become mature in Christ. 

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more ways to Connect with God 

The Swan - Pablo Casals

Dreaming of the Perfect Day

What’s Your Temperature?

Gwen Smith

Today’s Truth
“Search Me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalm 139:23-24, ESV)


Friend to Friend
I got a phone call in the middle of the day from my son Preston. He was calling from the nurse’s office at the school. Here’s how the conversation went:

“Hey, Mom. It’s Preston. I’m not feeling well, and I have a temperature of 96.5. Can you come get me?”
“96.5 degrees?” I asked. “Honey, that’s below normal! That doesn’t sound right.”

“I know,” he said, “but I don’t feel well. Can you please come pick me up?”

“Sure, honey. I’ll be right there.”

I chuckled the whole way to the school at what he had said.  Surely he misread the thermometer! A normal temperature is 98.6. Something was off. I got to the school in a North Carolina minute and headed straight to the nurse’s office. While Preston packed his bag to go home, I spoke privately to the school nurse. With a grin on her face, she explained to me that Preston was resistant to putting the thermometer under his tongue as she had instructed him to do. He wasn’t comfortable with that. “So,” she said, “he held the thermometer between his lips.” The nurse and I exchanged amused glances as I thanked her for helping my son.

Although Preston knew something wasn’t right with his body, the nurse didn’t get an accurate temperature reading because he didn’t place the thermometer deep enough into his mouth. He didn’t let it probe past the surface of his lips.

Later that night, as I thought back on the day, the Lord spoke to my heart. I realized that I’m often as stubborn as Preston because there are many times when I resist having an accurate reading of my spiritual wellness taken. Times when I won’t let Him probe past the surface of my heart, my actions, my attitudes, and my perspective - to allow God to reveal the accurate spiritual temperature of my life. Times when I’m not comfortable with deeper-level stuff… when I won’t sit still to listen.

I was disturbed by that thought.

I needed to be disturbed by that thought. By that truth. Just because I’ve been a Christian for a long time does not mean that I’m always in perfect spiritual health. In fact, the more I learn about God’s holiness through the Bible, the more I realize how much I need His grace and strength every minute of every day.

You might not “feel well” today. Perhaps you have spiritual indigestion from your marriage, your children, your friendships, your finances, your singleness, your conversations. You could be “sick” from the shows you watch, the internet relationships you’ve developed, the gossip or harsh words you allow to pass from your lips, the jealousy you feel in your heart. Maybe you haven’t allowed your heart to be probed recently... you’ve been resistant because you don’t like to feel uncomfortable, convicted or exposed.

The Bible tells us that the kindness of God leads us to repentance, and repentance leads us to restoration. To wellness and holiness in Christ. What’s your spiritual temperature? Are you hot or cold? Is the flame of faith in your heart fading or raging? Have you sat still long enough lately to ask God to search your heart? It’s time for an accurate reading, friend.

“For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” 2 Chronicles 16:9, NIV

Let’s Pray
Holy Father, as the psalmist prayed, I ask that you would, “search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24, ESV).
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn
Take a spiritual inventory today. Spend a few moments considering your spiritual wellness. Ask God to probe your heart and reveal areas in your life that need to be made right as you answer the following questions:
·         What is your quiet time like?
·         Is God a top priority in your life?
·         Do you set aside time regularly to read your Bible?
Read John 15:1-11 and then write a prayer response.

Click here to LISTENto a song called Restore that connects with this devotion beautifully.


More from the Girlfriends
The Bible tells us that God disciplines those He loves. I do realize that this devotion might have stepped on your toes today. Please know that Sharon, Mary and I are on the pruning table right there with you, and though we may not always love the sting of God’s pruning, we can trust that it is for our growing and for His glory. Hope you take time for the deeper-level stuff today!

Are you ready to go deeper, but struggle to know how? Gwen’s book, Broken Into Beautiful, can help you connect some faith dots. To grab a signed copy from her website CLICK HERE– or order Broken into Beautiful from Amazon, Barnes & Nobleor your favorite online retailer.

How did today’s devotion connect with your heart? How were you challenged personally? Let’s talk about it and pray through it on my Facebook page! Meet me at www.Facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about 
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com


Are You Dreaming of the Perfect Day?

The Place of Tears

The Place of Tears

TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1, by Os Hillman

"My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death" (Mt 26:38).

Often the place of our greatest pain becomes the place of our greatest triumph. Gethsemane was the place of Jesus' greatest trial. Three times He asked the Father to let this trial pass. It was not to be. The Father sent His Son to the cross to pay a debt owed by humanity.


Jesus was faced with His own temptation to quit, to not fulfill His destiny, to run from his assignment. It was a personal battle to persevere. Sometimes we face situations that cry out "I quit! I cannot endure anymore!" We want to throw in our towel of what little faith we have left. We conclude that this faith thing simply does not work.

"Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him" (Lk 22:43).


After Jesus asked the Father if this cup could pass, an angel was sent to Him to comfort Jesus. The Father's answer to Jesus' prayer was "No." But, His compassion to His Son came in the form of an angel. Some temptations seem to be more than we can bare. However, God tells us: 


"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it"(1 Cor 10:13).


If we persevere we often realize later the place of our greatest battle becomes the place of our greatest victory. It would be here, on the Mount of Olives, near the Garden Gethsemane where Jesus ascended and would return triumphantly - not as a sorrowful soul - but as our triumphant Savior. The battle He won in Gethesmane would result in the triumphant entry as Lord of the universe.


God will use your greatest failure or greatest sorrow to be a powerful force in your life and the lives of others. Your Valley of Baca (weeping) becomes springs for you and others. You will go from strength to strength (Ps 84:6). It is in the dying that the new springs are allowed to come forth and a new strength emerges.


If you find yourself in your Garden of Gethsemane, lay yourself at the feet of the only one who can sustain you. Entrust yourself to your Heavenly Father. Let Him determine your fate. It will ultimately become a place of victory.


Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.

Crosswalk: Achieving Emotional Security

Dr. David

The Relationship Doctor

We’re all familiar with alcohol sobriety, drug sobriety, sexual sobriety and even sobriety as it pertains to our eating habits. Sobriety—being sober in our approach to certain aspects of living—is not only wise, but Biblical as well. read more

The Road To Perfect and Complete

The Road to Perfect and Complete

Bayless Conley

I want us to focus our attention today on James 1:2-4,


My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.


What I want to look at today is how God seeks to bring us to maturity by building patience into our lives.  If there is one thing I have learned in my Christian walk, it is that God is not in as much of a hurry as I am!
Now, what is patience?  Patience is the long-lasting quality of your faith.  If you let go of your patience, your faith falls to the floor.


The end result God is looking for is that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  The word perfect here means mature.  God is developing maturity in us by working on our patience.
I have a dear friend who has a great church.  They endeavored to build another building on their property and it ended up being a major undertaking.  In fact, it turned out to be the most difficult thing he had ever done.  I mean, it took a strip out of his hide.


Eventually it got built, but you know what my friend says about it?  He says, "You see that building?  I didn't build that building.  It built me."


Going through those trials, facing those difficulties, having his faith tested, having to trust God when it seemed like there was a lack of finances, having to hold onto God's Word when he was a laughing stock with some people, all of that built character in him as he stood the test.


I have a question for you:  Has anything been building you lately?  If so, rejoice, because God is working maturity in you! 

Visit the Answers with Bayless Conley website for more

 ways to Connect with God 

No More Nagging

Sharon Jaynes

Girlfriends In God

Today’s Truth

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective,” (James 5:16 TNIV).

Friend to Friend

There are some verses in the Bible that I wish God had just left out.  Here are a few of them:

• A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping. (Proverbs 19:13)
• A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day; restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand. (Proverbs 27:15,16)
• Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife. (Proverbs  21:19)
• Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife. (Proverbs 25:24) 

OK, that’s about all I can take right now.  When I wrote the book, Becoming the Woman of His Dreams, I surveyed and interviewed men about what they longed for in a wife.  One thing that men repeatedly mentioned was their aversion to nagging. Drip, drip, drip. Webster defines nagging as to scold or find fault with repeatedly, to cause annoyance by scolding or repetition. Interestingly, a nag is also an inferior or aged horse. The best remedy to cure ourselves from being a nagging wife, or a nagging mother, or a nagging friend, is to become a praying woman. Jesus invites us to stop nagging our husbands (and others) and begin nagging God!          

Here’s what Jesus had to say:

"Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, `Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'

"Then the one inside answers, `Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.' I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.

"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Luke 11:5-9).

In the Greek, the words ask, seek, and knock are present participle verbs. The more correct translation would read, ask and keep on asking, seek and keep on seeking, knock and keep on knocking. God invites us to be persistent in our prayers. We can give our worries and cares to God and leave it up to Him to do the rest. “Cast all your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you,” (Psalms 55:22).  “Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for you,” (1 Peter 5:7). If you are married, remember, you don’t want to be your husband’s mother…you want to be the woman of his dreams. 

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, I confess that sometimes I nag my husband…alright, maybe more than sometimes. But Lord, I am determining in my heart to stop nagging my husband and start being consistent and persistent in prayer. My husband is Your workmanship, not mine. Forgive me when I try to yank the paint brush from Your hand and create brushstrokes of my own. I pray that I can be the woman that he needs in order to become the man that You  desire.

 In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

What do you think a nag sounds like?

Do you ever nag your husband or other significant people in your life?

If there are things that you tend to nag your husband about, try this - write them down on a piece of paper, turn the list over to God, and then turn off the leaky faucet. Give it a try.  You might be surprised!

More from the Girlfriends
Nagging just seems to come natural for most of us girls. But God calls us to live super-naturally.  If your marriage could use a bit of freshening up, take a look at Sharon’s book, Becoming the Woman of His Dreams. And if it that little but powerful muscle called the tongue that needs an overhaul, see her book, The Power of a Woman’s Words. It is up to us to turn off that leaky faucet for good!

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about 
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

Love In Action

Service: Love in Action

Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth

God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing (Ephesians 2:10, NCV).

Friend to Friend

The Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea are made of the same water that flows down, clear and cold from the heights of Hermon and the roots of the cedars of Lebanon. The Sea of Galilee is a place of great beauty because it has an outlet. It gathers in its riches and then pours them out again to fertilize the Jordan plain. 

However, the Dead Sea, with the same water creates horror. The Dead Sea has no outlet. It gets to keep.

When we come to God, one of our first “natural” responses is to serve Him. In fact, our service to God should be spontaneous, enthusiastic and tireless. If there is no desire to serve or we find it hard to serve, then there is something wrong in our relationship with God.

One summer, our air conditioner was not working correctly. It only partially cooled the house but seemed to run all day long, doubling our electric bill. When the repairman arrived, the first thing he did was remove the filter from the air conditioning unit. It was filthy. He then removed the coil which was completely covered with layers of dog hair, cat fur and dust. The repairman explained, “This unit was never meant to work under this load. It is working as hard as it can but it is not strong enough to do something it was never intended to do.” He then replaced the filter and cleaned the coil. Our electric bill went back down, the house was cooler than it had been in months and the unit ran smoothly.         

                                        

We were created to serve God and to worship Him – here on earth and for eternity. Worship and service cannot be separated. When we worship God, we will naturally serve Him and when we serve God, we are worshipping Him.

There are many Christians who are doing nothing but there are no Christians who have nothing to do. When we think of a servant, we may think of someone who reports to work for a specific amount of time and is paid a specific wage. That is an employee - not a servant. The word “serve” comes from the Greek word “latreuo” and is often translated as “worship.” It is not the picture of a slave serving a master. It is the picture of a love relationship that compels action.

Romans 12:1 (NIV) “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.”

We worship God by pleasing Him in the daily routines of life. In other words, we should consider each day as a worship service to God.

·         Cleaning house

·         Cooking meals

·         Making beds

·         Picking up children

·         Helping a neighbor

·         Buying groceries

·         Teaching a bible study

·         Listening to a hurting friend

Service begins in the heart where it was conceived in love and then works its way out in every day life as an act of praise and gratitude. Service is love in action.

Let’s Pray

Father, thank You for sending Your son, Jesus Christ, to die in my place and pay for my sin. I can never thank You enough for Your grace, mercy and love. I want to serve You with my whole heart. Please lead and direct me in the way You have for me to go. I want to be Your servant.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

• List several talents and gifts that you recognize in your own life.
• How are you using those talents and gifts to serve God?
• Ask those who know you best to identify your strengths. You may be surprised at their response.
• Look for ways to serve in the areas that give you the most joy.

More from the Girlfriends

The most joyful people I know are the ones who serve God whenever and wherever they can. Don’t try to serve with the gifts you think you should have. I encourage you to identify your gifts and abilities and then use them to serve others. God created you with a specific plan in mind and will empower you for His service.

Looking for a Bible Study? Check out one of Mary’s E-Bible Studies. You can download each lesson on your own computer, print it out and complete it at your own pace. Perfect for both  personal and small group study.

Need encouragement? Check out Mary’s weekly online Bible study Light for the Journey and join women across the world in Bible study and prayer. The current topic is When I Am Afraid. Learn how to face and deal with the fear in your life.

Be sure to connect with Mary on Face book or through email. She loves hearing what God is doing in your life!

Girlfriends in God

P.O. Box 725

Matthews, NC 28106

info@girlfriendsingod.com

www.girlfriendsingod.com

The Missionary Question

Pastor Charles Stanley

Romans 10:11-15

At every missions conference hosted by my church, I give God the same message I've been repeating since my early 20s: "I'm available, Lord. I'll go to foreign fields if you say so." Until He tells me to pack my bags, I'm going to keep on sending others to work among unbelievers in distant and even remote lands.

Paul asked a series of rhetorical questions in Romans 10 that can be summed up like this: How will the world hear about Jesus if you do nothing? God uses Christians to spread the word that His salvation plan is available to all. He put us in families and communities and nations so we will mingle and share what we know. But some believers are called to carry the gospel farther than others. Those who stay behind are to offer prayer and resources for those who travel. 

If you're shaking your head and thinking, Mission work isn't where my heart is, I have news for you: Every believer is called to missions as either a goer or a sender. That call comes in dramatic ways for some, but for most of us, it is simply a biblical principle to be followed (Matt. 28:19). What's missing for those who don't have a "heart" for such work is passion. Christians who share and go and send are often excited about God's message for unbelievers—and it's possible for you to become more enthusiastic too.

I challenge you to ask the Lord, "Am I open to going anywhere You send me?" Our roots in a community should be sunk only as deep as God wills. If you aren't called to go, then choose to be a sender. Offer your prayers, your money, and anything else that will help to put others on the mission field.  

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, 

please visit www.intouch.org.