To Stop Being Afraid

Dear Blogger Friends,

 

Here is your inspirational message below!
 

“Are you better off than you were four years ago”  In today's vicious, gutter-level political arena, this question, used to great effect by a campaign barely two decades ago, seems harmless.  It wasn't; it isn't.   Now Christians are encouraged to imagine what effect a candidate may have on their jobs, their security and their quality of life.  In other words, instead of voting on what will advance the Kingdom of God, more and more Christians are voting based on what makes them feel safe, secure and prosperous.    We've forgotten, or we pretend to forget: There is no such thing as a guarantee of safety, success or even provision, regardless of who’s on earth is in charge. This ability to make Christians dwell on self doesn't just open the door to politicians playing to our deepest fears it sucks us into their circle, making us not only hearers of their dark diatribes, but sellers and spinners of it as well.    In this way, the ambassadors of hope are removed from the equation; the front lines of service and sacrifice are abandoned, and the character of Christ ceases to be front and center in the public face of the Body of Christ. We who are rescued from our own destructive sinfulness should be bursting with energy to share the hope that makes it possible for us to face total loss and start over. When we encounter Jesus Christ as Saviour, we are called to live the rest of our earthly days in service to something, anything, Everything is bigger than self.  We're to walk the second mile, offer up our only coat, pray for those who use us, all while measuring our sacrifice against that of Jesus', and thereby remaining meek, humble, grateful and increasingly compassionate. Those who have met Jesus must have our souls turned inside – out again so that everyone – be they democrat or republican, native or immigrant, weak or powerful – becomes someone whose sight of the face of Jesus is more important to us than our own circumstances. We can start, right here, right now, by reading Jesus' own words in the Beatitudes, where He lays out clearly who He wants us to be until He takes us home with Him.    Ask the Holy Spirit to refresh these words in you, and then show you how to give them life by becoming their lived-out version. Written by Randy Kilgore, 13th October 2016 – Made To Matter)

Profile Background Source:

Randy Kilgore is a Senior Writer and Workplace Chaplain. A workplace chaplain for nearly a decade now, Randy received his M.Div. in 2000, from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (including two years of study at Covenant Theological Seminary) after a twenty-plus year career in business, most of which was spent in senior human resource management positions. Randy has written many MarketPlace devotional messages to professionals, church ministers, pastors and workers. Randy did co-founded’ the Rutland (VT) Dependent Care Collaborative. As a writer and chaplain, Randy has released six volumes of workplace Bible studies, and two books: Made to Matter: Devotions for Working Christians (Discovery House Publishers: 2008); and Talking about God in the 21st Century Workplace. His writing also appears regularly in magazines and online.