ANY Two People SEEKING God Can Work Together

In a sermon preached at Ridgecrest immediately before I became a Director of Missions I heard Jimmy Draper state "Any two people genuinely seeking God can work together." His words were spoken as he preached on "The Single Priority of Christ," using the testimony of the Apostle Paul from Philippians 1: 21 (and associated verses). I took note of those words and have used it as a guide in my work as a Director of Missions/Associational Missionary.

It burdens me that we (as believers) debate and argue on so many issues and harbor such ill will toward one another as a result of past hurts. While we read and respond to this post, hundreds of people will leave this world to eternity - most without Christ. As those committed to being Great Commission/Great Commandment people (and in our positions leading countless others in that same effort), it appears to me that we should make extra effort to work together for the cause of Christ.

I believe God's Word teaches that the world will know we belong to Him by the way that we "love one another." I believe God's Word teaches that we are to do all that we can to "preserve the unity" of God's church. I believe that God's Word teaches that we are to work together as a body of believers to reach a lost world for Christ.

Draper stated that the Apostle Paul was able to state Philippians 1: 21 because he had learned to live by the SINGULAR priority of Christ. The world encourages us to "get our priorities in order." For most of my life I have shared that philosophy. Today I would tell you that I missed the mark when I proclaimed that philosophy. I should have preached prioritY and not prioriTIES. In Matthew 6: 33 Jesus taught us to "seek first His kingdom and His righteousness" and declared that all these "things" shall be added as well. I am called of God to be like Him, therefore that should be my message as well. I must stop putting "things" ahead of Christ.

When I state my opinion on issues of importance - they are my opinions and not God's Word. When I work diligently to advance my agenda - I must work hard to insure that my agenda is in tune with God's Will for His Kingdom. When I look to my "friends" or my "enemies" and am swayed one way or the other by their comments, I must look to God's Word and meditate upon it to insure that I am not being swayed by just any "wind of doctrine" that comes my way. That's why Draper's comments hit home that day - am I genuinely seeking God for the advancement of His kingdom or am I continually ignoring God's Word and His Call upon my life for the purpose of building my kingdom?

I commend Dr. Frank Page and those who planned our SBC this year for their efforts to call us to prayer. I believe God is calling His church to repent/turn from our wicked ways and genuinely seek Him. If and when we genuinely seek God together, we will begin to genuinely reflect who He is in the way we live our lives/conduct ourselves. That's what the world around us needs to see in us - a reflection of the Living Christ that offers to those in despair the help, hope, fulfillment, deliverance, and salvation that only Christ can bring into their lives. If we are not careful we turn people away and they remain eternally lost while we are engaged in debate over that which is important to us but may not be quite as important to God.

God is inviting us to join Him in His work - to become engaged in evangelism - sharing His message so that people will hear and come unto Him; to become engaged in discipleship - walking alongside new believers and helping them in their daily walk with the Lord and being there for them when they stumble; to become engaged in fellowship - which is far more than our potluck dinners on any given day of the week in Baptist life; to become engaged in ministry - caring for the needs of one another as part of the body and caring for the needs of our neighbors as Christ would have us to be caring for the needs of our neighbors (His definition not ours); and engaged in genuine worship of the one true God - not just playing church like little children or "going through the motions" of doing church.

The question before us is "will we join Him in His Work" and will be commit to genuinely seeking God together so that we can work together to accomplish His purpose? The QBQ (Question Behind The Question) is - are we willing to lay down ourselves for the cause of Christ, pick up His Cross, and FOLLOW Him? I remain convinced - "any two people, genuinely seeking God can work together."

Reflections On San Antonio

I have not yet formulated a final analysis of the SBC meeting in San Antonio. As I reflect, it was far more for me personally than just the business of the SBC. In fact, that was the lesser emphasis.

Yes - I was there to celebrate the 300th Anniversary of Associational work in North America. As I think about the potential we have in our work together, I realize that the harvest field is truly white unto harvest and we have not yet come close to our potential for kingdom causes. I pray we will truly commit to the work TOGETHER that is before us.

I am so grateful to the National WMU. For the first time in history, one national group delayed their meeting's beginning to celebrate with another national group (SBCaDOM Conference). As we gathered at FBC San Antonio for worship and celebration on Sunday afternoon, WMU were with us. As WMU closed their meeting on Monday night, SBCaDOM was represented. Thank you WMU for ALL you do to promote missions - including associational missions!

I am also grateful to Frank Page, our SBC President, for his efforts to point the convention toward the need for revival and renewal and the increased emphasis on prayer and calling us to prayer. Sure - there are those with hidden (and not so hidden) agendas. But he (and others in leadership of the proceedings) kept before us 2 Chronicles 7:14. The healing our nation needs will come as we - God's people - genuinely seek God. There is famine in the land - people are hungering for that which only Christ can provide - if God's people will commit to being God's people, there can be revival in the land.

Once I have time to reflect more, I will post additional thoughts on the covention (maybe). At this point, I am asking you to commit to praying with me daily that we - as Tar River Baptist Association - will COMMIT to working together for the cause of Christ- genuinely seeking Him together so that those around us may come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as a result of our work and witness.

I remain convinced that "any two people genuinely seeking God can work together." Pray with me that we will be God's People - salt and light to a lost world in the shadow of our steeples.

Feel free to post your prayers in connection with this post.

God Bless!
Dougald