Sometimes I don’t like what God commands me to do (Don't judge, neither do you!) 

Moses is one of the greatest leaders in the Bible…and he was so faithful to the Lord that his last act of obedience was to climb up a mountain and die…a death brought about by the hand of God.

I don’t know about you…but…I might have tried to run from this one.  However, Moses didn’t…he was faithful.  There are some Scriptures where he did beg God to change His mind…but at the end of it all he surrendered.  (WAIT…that reminds me of another story found in Luke 22:39-42.)

One of my fears in life is that I will always be the guy who is saying, “Whatever you want Lord…I will do it,” and then when He commands me to take a step that I won’t do it because doing so will, well…it will hurt, it won’t be easy!

But…I am beginning to realize that God is always calling us closer to Himself…and the closer we get the more we die.  We cannot walk closer to God and remain the same.  The Apostle Paul was able to pen the words of Galatians 2:20 and he was quoted in Acts 20:24 because he realized this…

No price was too high

No command was considered to be ridiculous

EVEN when it hurt!

Jesus said if we want to follow Him that we are going to have to take up our cross…translation…there are going to be times that it hurts!  (See Luke 9:23)  However…

James 1:12 says that those times are for our development.

Romans 8:28 says that He works all things out for His glory and our good.

Romans 12:1-2 says if we will become a living sacrifice (ouch) then we will know His “good, pleasing and perfect will!”

And…even though God asked Christ to go to the cross…Jesus was able to experience something that no one on the planet has been able to pull off either before or since.

There was a crucifixion…but it led to a resurrection!!!

God has greater things in mind for us than we have for ourselves.  And…the path He commands us to take isn’t always going to be the quickest one, the easiest one or the one that makes the most sense.  However, we can trust that He is HOLY and wants nothing more for us than the very best.

I may not always like what He commands me to do…but if I will stay faithful and follow Him, even when it’s hard…then I will always be content with the results that He brings about.


(Resource: Perry Noble)

One of my life verses that is always in front of me is Hebrews 11:6…

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

One of the myths that has been crippling to Christianity for years is that Jesus has called us to “play it safe”…when that is not taught OR modeled by Jesus OR His followers in the Scriptures.  (See Acts 20:24 and Galatians 2:20)

Jesus didn’t play it safe…Paul didn’t play it safe…none of the Apostles played it safe…the church in Acts 4:23-31 upon being threatened and persecuted did NOT pray for safety…they prayed for boldness!

Yet today we seem to want to play it safe…that cannot be the goal.

So what about you church leader?  Church member?  Whoever…what is that ONE THING that you KNOW the Lord is calling you to do?  You know it’s a risk…you know that in order for it to take place you are going to need divine intervention?  What is it?  Why not do it?
People have asked me before, “Pastor, how do I know that it’s God telling me to do it and not just an idea I had?”  GREAT question…allow me to share three identifying marks that I have personally experienced.

#1 – This thing that you believe you are called to do by God will not contradict God’s Word! I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit…and I believe that He speaks as loud today as He did in the book of Acts; however, I also know according to the teachings of Scripture that the Holy Spirit will not contradict the Word of God.  So…if “that thing” that you feel called to is in direct conflict with God’s Word…then it’s not God telling you to do it.

#2 – You can’t get away from this thought…it dominates your thinking and the more you marinade on it the more you feel like you might explode. For example…you feel God is telling you to do something.  BUT…instead of running out and doing it immediately you begin to read books on it and dive into the Scriptures to see what they teach about the subject.  But the more you pray, study and read about it…the hotter the fire inside of you becomes!

#3 – Godly people in your life affirm it. (SEE Proverbs 15:22)  What I have learned from personal experience is that if I do not want to share my idea with those in my life who I know really do love Jesus and love me…then…I usually know it’s not a “God idea” but rather a me idea.  One of the things that EVERY believer in Christ needs is godly men and women who love Jesus and love the person enough to speak the truth in love…people who value the friend more than the friendship and are willing to say what needs to be said.  ANYTIME I have ever shared a thought/idea that I really believe the Lord has placed in my heart and the people the Lord has placed in my life to love and challenge me push back…I ALWAYS take a step back and pray and think through the idea more until the Lord either gives me greater clarity OR shows me that the wise counsel of my friends is exactly what I needed to hear.

That is what works for me…so how about you?  What is that thing that you know you should do?

Life is short, hell is hot and eternity is forever!!!  The world has NEVER been impacted by Christians who spend their whole lives in a car seat and beg God to never let anything bad happen to them!

Ask HIM to set you on fire with HIS plans…and THEN GO FOR IT
(Reference: P Noble)