* Repositioned for the Kingdom – The Reciprocity of Love

 

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. 
Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  
James 4:8

 

I want to talk today about love being at the center of it all.  Love is the lubricant that stops us from being cut off by God and it’s also the agent that allows our shifting or repositioning to be easier.  After all, He tells us in His word, if you love me, you’ll keep my commands – implying if love isn’t involved, we might have a problem.  Because of love, God works in our lives in many different ways to make us the very best that we can be in Him.  The same God that intervened in Moses’ life intervenes in our lives today. Despite our obstacles, our shortcomings, our fears, struggles and weaknesses, there’s one that is capable of stepping in and making everything alright; the one true living God!  We have to accept the way that he steps in and intervenes and move accordingly.  We believe with all of our hearts that

. . . with God all things are possible.  Mark 10:27 

Our actions in God are predicated by what we believe in our hearts.  In the midst of all that’s going on in our lives and in the world today, sometimes we forget that this journey called life is to lead us to eternal life.  The bible tells us of the dispensation of the fullness of time when God is going to gather together in one all things in Christ.  Jesus’ prayer in the garden describes that eternal life, He said: 

. . . Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. John 17:1-3

 God granted Jesus the authority over our life:  that He might give us eternal life.

God created us for eternity; not just temporal time.  He doesn’t deal with us for our temporal time but for eternity.  But we seem to have lost a sense of eternity and a sense of accountability which causes us a lack of focus.  Thank God, in His infinite wisdom he knows how to keep us or get us on track. We can’t be found struggling against God in our mind,

®       To be repositioned we must have a renewed mindset; a mind that is set to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength [Mark 12:30].

Gods at work in all areas and in all people and He is pursuing us with a love relationship. 

We have to trust that God is able; that He’s capable of seeing us through each and every obstacle we come against.  It’s only with this mindset that we can be repositioned for whatever it is that God is calling us to do.  We don’t fight God in the obstacle, we seek God for His will to be made known to us.  The only way we can accomplish this is to know God in a better way; in an intimate way; understanding that He’s the only one that’s in full, complete control.  Listen to the prophet, Isaiah who said ‘He’s the potter, we’re the clay;’ [Isaiah 64:8].  

We can’t get it twisted, it’s God who’s at work; he’s the master molding and shaping us in the way that He would have us be [Isaiah 29:16].   

®       To be repositioned, we must be pliable; wholly submissive 

God sent his son not just to redeem sinful man, He also gave us an example to follow.  That example is Jesus.  Here’s an example I’ve found in Jesus: 

We don’t fit God in our plan, we fit our life into God’s plan.  

Whatever we see God doing that’s what we should be doing. Jesus said:

 . . .  My Father works, and so I work.  . . .  what I see the Father do: whatever he does, these also I do.    John 5:17-20

We know thru His word and we see that God – is seeking to save that which is lost.  The need to reposition in this phase is crucial. It doesn’t matter where we fall on the spectrum.  Rather we believe it or not, sometimes we sit right in the church and we have lost our way; got stuck in irrelevant ways stuck in church instead of living in the kingdom.  But God, in His loving kindness, seeks us out to reposition us [that’s one end of the spectrum] and puts us in the midst of the people of God [those that have allowed themselves to be repositioned] to help us find our way back to Him and His plan.

God is moving to bring His people, you and I, together collectively to do His work.  God shows up in the midst of our activity; the normal activity of our life; He comes to us and makes His will known; just as He did with Moses, Joshua, Peter, Paul and many others in the bible days.  He’s the same – yesterday, today and the future – and we have to expect and accept that God will do the same with us.  We need to open our heart and immediately adjust our will to His. 

®       To be repositioned, we must be able to hear God clearly.

God’s standards are different than man’s.  Just as we’ve lost sight of our eternal life, we’ve lost sight of the consequence of iniquity.  We’re so caught up with the world; the things of the world and the standards of the world that we’ve lost sight not only of God’s perspective but His standards and His purpose.  God says deny self, God says lose your life for His sake to save it.  We have to get to the point where it’s no longer about me and my wants and desires.  It’s about God’s desire for me. 

There’s a conflict in what we see and what God wants us to see.  We need to make our ways the same as God’s way.  We need to seek spiritual insight.  That’s the only way we can be victorious in Christ.  

®       To be repositioned, we must have a godly perspective. 

Remember without God we’re nothing, without God we can do nothing.   I’m not trying to offend, that’s not a statement of negativity or a pessimistic attitude, it’s truth.  What keeps us going and stops us from being dismayed, stops us from being non-fruit bearing is to be securely attached to the source [John 15:5 – the vine]. 

All we are, all we do, we owe to God!  That leads me to the conclusion that we must draw closer in our relationship with God in order that we can be and also remain attached to Him.  That requires some repositioning on our part knowing that when we:

Draw nigh to God, he’ll draw nigh to us.   James 4:8a

That brings us to my final thought:

®       To be repositioned, we must love God from the heart. 

In order to experience a close, intimate relationship with God, we must pursue it. It can’t be a one-sided relationship.  God can’t be the only one putting in the work.  We must be active participants and allow our experiences with God to grow us and reposition us into what He would have us to be in this phase and every season of our life.

God pursues a continuing love relationship with us that is real, personal and reciprocal.  We can’t fully love and appreciate God without believing who He is; it’s His will for us to believe on the one that was sent; His son, Jesus Christ [John 6:40].

It’s not always a pleasant experience because the bible lets us know  For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He corrects each one He takes as His own  [Hebrews 12:6]  

God knows far better what sin and iniquity can do and so God, out of His love for us, disciplines us.  

Thank God for the Old Testament accounts.  Apostle Paul said that the things that happened then were written for examples and they’re written for our admonition; that we may know of them and not make the same mistakes they did.  Take heed lest ye fall!  I said that because I’m reminded of the account of King Nebuchadnezzar, [Daniel 3-4] who, though he didn’t walk in the ways of God, made certain assertions of God but never advanced beyond his words; he indicated he knew and believed in the sovereignty of God.  He said [in short]:

Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.  And went on to make a decree, that ended with because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.  Daniel 3:28-29

At that point, he had the opportunity to change his ungodly ways and turn to the one true living God; shift his ways to the ways of God.  Remember, God hates the sin but loves the soul.  In this account, He had the opportunity to cancel all of his previous decrees that went against the way of God, but he didn’t.  Saying the right words but doing and thinking the wrong things.  After an accumulation of ungodly standards and attitudes; puffed up in his pride, and full of himself; God spoke to him thru a dream.

Even with the interpretation of the dream, the king wasn’t moved; still puffed up in pride, vain and not acknowledging the goodness of God to him  [Daniel 4:30]

God met him right where he was; high and mighty in his kingdom, and brought him down to the level of a beast in the field:

And he stayed in that state until the condition of His heart was made right and, in his heart, he was able to acknowledge the sovereignty of God, he said:

Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.   Daniel 4:37

What makes this account so powerful is that God gave King Nebuchadnezzar space to come to his senses; to realize that God is sovereign and everything that we have and everything that we are is because of God and God alone. He didn’t just cut him off.  He chastened him; a form of correction.  What is the purpose of me sharing this account?

Beloved, the assertions that we make; what flows from our lips must be founded in our heart so that we don’t just speak them, we live them, we walk them out!  In other words, it’s not just the words we speak, it’s not even about the actions we take, but it’s a heart thing – our hearts have to be shifted from vanity and selfishness to a pure heart that will then drive our words and deeds.  In your heart, what are you loving more than God, what are you esteeming higher than God?

God took everything that King Nebuchadnezzar had away from him, stripped him from his kingly vestments; bought him down to the level of the beasts in the field!  Yet, at the same time secured those very things for him - leave the stump of the tree roots - for that time when he got His mind right – which was to acknowledge from his heart the sovereignty of God - know that the heavens do rule.  Not our idols, not us, but God! 

God’s children are fighting Him because we don’t understand the chastening that is occurring.  Though we may not like it, we are chastened of God to humble us, to discipline us – to discipline us is to correct us to redirect our thoughts and actions and to get us back on the right path; to reposition us in the Kingdom for His will to be completed in our life.

God chastens us out of love to get us to that right place in Him.  He’s not just being mean, He’s building us up, molding us, shaping us to be all that we can be in Him.  We may lose some things in the process but what we get back will be better.  

If we could never experience God without a natural example, we would be in bad shape.  So stop fighting God, in the midst of your troubles; use this as your quiet time to lay before God and see what He is trying to show you, what He’s trying to tell you so that you can alter your steps, change your mindset, love God from your heart and become repositioned; fully aligned with what He’s doing. 

Sermonette 

* Solemn Assembly – 2023 – The Need To Be Repositioned in the Kingdom

 

 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: 
the night cometh, when no man can work.

John 9:4-5

Good evening, I’m honored to be with you this evening; sharing the word of God during this awesome solemn assembly.  Our theme this year – Repositioned for the Kingdom – is so applicable if we’re to move forward in the will of God.  This word for today doesn’t matter where you are; rather you’re a babe in Christ or you have tenure, rather you’re soaring with eagles, strutting with turkeys or anywhere in between.  Where ever you see yourself; grab hold and be receptive to God’s word. 

I want to address the need to be repositioned in the kingdom.  So let’s start where we are today; dealing with an old network of ‘churching’ that doesn’t work today.  The old network of our forefathers is not adequate for today, the world is constantly shifting and changing and if we’re to be spiritually relevant in it, we have to be repositioned in God so we can be the instruments of godly change in the world.  Above all, we want to be fit for the master’s use.

I want to use Joshua as my backdrop to show the necessity of being repositioned in order to continue the work of God.  The work doesn’t stop because those that were leading the way are no longer here.  So, let’s take a look at Joshua and Moses.  In this account, after Moses died, God allowed Joshua a space of time to mourn.  The move forward to the promised land had come to a halt as Joshua mourned the loss of his beloved leader.  How long would Joshua have languished there if God had not told Him to get up, there was still work that needed to be done; he had to carry on in Moses’ stead but he couldn’t do it until he had been repositioned.  God’s plan didn’t die with Moses’ and it didn’t change with Joshua.  God’s intent was to get the Israelites to the promised land.  Moses’ job was to lead his people out of Egypt, Joshua’s job was to lead them into the promised land.  Joshua’s way was not Moses’ way but the commonality between them was still God’s way.  Their purpose was the same but Joshua’s monsters were not the same as Moses’.  He had been in the fight with Moses but he had to be repositioned for his fight.  But Joshua had an issue.  He was stuck in his mourning to the point that God had to intervene.  God told Joshua to get up and when you get up, I need you to :

 ®    Be strong and of a good courage

       ®    He told him to meditate in the word and observe to do all that is in it

        ®    And he told him don’t be afraid or dismayed

He was instructed to reposition himself to continue the work of God.  If Joshua was already strong and of good courage, was meditating on God’s word and doing it, if he wasn’t afraid or dismayed there would not have been a need for God to tell him those things.  But he was being repositioned from where he was in his mind to where he needed to be to carry out the next phase of God’s will.  Let me pause here and say all of our hindrances are not sin-related; Joshua’s wasn’t.  It was a need for a renewal in his mind.  How often do we consider ourselves unworthy or not capable, fearful of the unknown, too burdened with the cares or circumstances of our life so that we can’t do what God has called us to do?

Previously Joshua had Moses to lean on and now Moses was gone.  Just like Joshua with Moses, there are some of us who’ve had the honor and privilege to be in the company of some mighty men and women of God but now they’re gone and it’s left to us to carry on – not to be them – but do the work of God given to us for this time.  It takes some shifting; some repositioning to break away from the norms and antiquated networks; to have a new mindset.  Joshua needed a new mindset.  He was no longer 2^nd in command, he was the new leader with a mission that needed to be completed.

We have a mission just like Joshua; ours comes from Jesus who said, “I didn’t come to call the ‘righteous,’ but to call those who are sinners and bring them to repentance.”  Luke 5:29-32   

The cure for this sin-sick world is repentance and it’s the responsibility - our obligation, - those of us who are citizens of the Kingdom – to bridge the gap of sin-sick men to a forgiving Father.   Until Jesus comes again, we have to continue the work left to us by our savior, Jesus.

There’s a great spiritual gap – the gap is between the challenge of Jesus to reach the world with the Gospel and the failure of His people to fulfill that challenge.  That’s why we need to be repositioned.  It’s time now for the body of Christ to shift, to move, to reposition to meet the need, to reach the world before it’s too late.     

When we recognize and accept our personal responsibility to the multitudes of sin-sick people, we become part of a special group; a group of believers from all over the world who’ve joined together spiritually; the body of Christ – we all have a role to play in the body. 

Apostle Paul explains Jesus as the head, who joins and holds together the whole body; providing the support needed so each part works according to its proper design [Ephesians 4:16]

My role may not be the same as yours but we work together as a united front to accomplish the will of God and sometimes it takes some repositioning to get us in proper alignment.

If we’re to continue to fulfill the will of God and bridge the gap between sinful man and a righteous God, we have to get out of cultural, theological, and denominational ruts. We must be repositioned in the kingdom to meet the spiritual needs of today!  We have to be repositioned to go fourth as Jesus instructed and share the good news of the mediator between a merciful God and sin-sick man.

We’ve become so acclimated to the standards of the world, trying to blend in and fit in where we can that we’re casting shadows rather than shedding light!  We’re trying to blend in when we should be beaming the light of Jesus.  We need to get repositioned so that our light shines brightly! 

There has to be someone who will intercede on behalf of a sin-sick world, someone who will usher sinful men to a faithful God; a God who is rich in mercy and faithful to forgive us; someone who will cast the light that leads to the path of eternal salvation.  Playtime is over; if we’re not repositioned, – no one to effectively pray, no one to fast, no one to encourage, no one to preach and teach the word – then it’s a wrap for the world; men and women under our watch who could’ve been spared - fatally lost.  That’s why it’s imperative that we allow ourselves to be repositioned in the kingdom; what we did 10 years, 5 years, even 1 year ago may not be what is needful for today.  That’s why we have to be willing and pliable to the repositioning.   We can’t get stuck and comfortable like Joshua; languishing in his grief – Do like God told Joshua and get up!

The times we’re living in demands it!  It’s time to get up, all you 'Joshuas' – those who are scared, fearful, comfortable where you are, there’s work to do!  The times are perilous. We know the condition of the world and we know the condition of the church today.  In the world, these are critical times.   In the church there’s a great falling away, we're almost spiritually catatonic as the world plummets to a destructive end and not only that, the love of God has waxed cold in the hearts of many in the church.

We can see the world living out the word of God today.  Just like in the bible days, we’re living in perverse times:  I hear God saying, asking the question:  Can’t you see how wayward and wrong this generation is? Matthew 17:17.  

We don’t know how long God will stay His hand so we have make haste to be about our father’s business.  We have to be repositioned to be relevant in reaching out and getting the attention of a sin-sick, dying world to let them know that there is a way, a path to salvation, a hope that can only be found in and through Jesus. 

God made it possible to bridge the gap that separates us from Him.  He sent His son Jesus and Jesus let us know: 

. . . I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.  John 14:6

There’s no other way.  The Bible tells us:

. . . there’s one God, and there’s one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. (I Timothy 2:5)

The need for a mediator indicates there’s a gap or a separation between two parties who can’t accept each other. 

Jesus is the mediator between sinful man and a righteous God. Neither can accept the other without the mediator.   Jesus made it possible for man to be redeemed from sin and accepted by a righteous God.  The body of Christ isn’t left out of the equation; somebody has to lead the way to the mediator.  How do sinful men make it to Jesus – the answer is by those who are repositioned in the kingdom!

Multitudes of people still wait for the message of the mediator who can bridge the gap between them and God. They may not know exactly what they’re waiting on, but we know there are many, many people in the world just waiting to be found.  The bible says:

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.  Romans 8:22

Groaning and travailing for the hope that is only found through Jesus!  The sin-sick needs someone to point them in the right direction; lead them to Christ.

The world is crying out, lost, confused and without hope; many not even realizing that there’s a place where their spiritual needs can be met, a place where there’s hope and a place where they can be healed and delivered from their sin-sickened state.  Some are spiritually dying and don’t even realize it.  But the bible says that

 . . . God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  John 3:16

So, what must we do?  First and foremost, because of God but secondly for the sinner’s sake, as a repositioned child of God, we have to live a life that is a reflection of our heavenly Father.  Others see us, they observe us and they make note of what we do and what we say.  The bible talks about living epistles; through our actions as well as our speech; people should see the God in us.  (2 Corinthians 3:1-3)

For anyone who calls themself a saint of God, a child of the king, a kingdom citizen – however we refer to ourself, everybody in our life should know who we are and what we represent.  We can’t be wishy-washy, doubleminded or lukewarm.  We have to be alert to the timing of God.  How impactful are we?  We need to prick the hearts of the sin-sick one way or the other – either they run to Jesus (like in the case of Peter preaching his first sermon) or they cut you off like in the case of Stephan (who was stoned for his words).  But either way our impact should be big.  

Secondly – We have to do our part and work as a united force.  This is how it should be:  people working in all positions in the body of Christ; all working in unison; all staying in their own lane because they know their assignment; fitly joined.  No one trying to outdo the other or do a job that they haven’t been positioned. 

People can’t be totally delivered and set free because some are not allowing themselves to be repositioned; nor are they focused on the goal; they’re not seeing things and doing things from a godly perspective.  They’re looking for applause, a position, a title, promotion; when it’s not about that at all. 

We wonder why we see so much confusion and corruption in the church;

That’s another reason why we need to be repositioned so that we can combat every ungodly thing that comes against the kingdom of God.  We need to shut some stuff down; we need to set proper boundaries; we need to hold the standard of God up as a defense against all ungodliness – particularly as:

 We see the word of God being fulfilled:

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  Matthew 24:12

This is what we need to understand, no matter what state we’re in; rather we’re out of God’s will or in His will, He still loves us.  No, He doesn’t like or approve; nor is He accepting of the sin but He loves us.  His word tells us that He sent His only begotten son not because we’re so good, but because He loves us!  [John 3:16]  

It should be our desire to point people to Jesus.  Despite the times, we know that we serve a God that is omnipotent and that when we open our hearts to Him and obey His will, allow Him to mold us, shape us – that we become repositioned for His glory to be manifest. 

It’s time to be repositioned into a:  New year, new beginning, new mindset, new focus, new start, new intentions, new results!   

Lord, we thank you for your word on today.  I pray that it fell on good ground; that where ever we’re at in our walk with you, put it in us to be pliable to your will, to be repositioned to where and what You called us to be!  In Jesus name, Amen.

 

 Sermonette