Getting old...er. I turned 36 years old today. I must say, though it is unavoidable, I am not the least bit happy about aging. As each year comes another passes and my efforts to hold on to time is as vain as grasping at the wind. Life is a vapor, vanishing right in front of my eyes. The temporal is so empty and always leaves me wanting. The loss of a more balanced perspective can leave me quite discouraged. But, thanks be to God! He knows. He knows how dissatisfying life can be without purpose beyond our years. So, He gives us gifts, anoints and appoints His people to certain tasks or callings that give us the privilege and blessing of laboring for the eternal. We store up treasure that rust and moth cannot destroy and thieves cannot break in and steal. As we can see in Ephesians 4, we each have an equally important part in this work. And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.... - Ephesians 4:11-12 Today, though it could be even further discouraging, is a great reminder of what God has called me to do. You see, 6 years ago marked a landmark transitional moment in my life. In late 2008 I was traveling the country, speaking at churches, Christian events and more. I did my best to communicate my testimony and teach God’s word to the audience I was given, but in truth, I was a scripturally illiterate evangelist / teacher. I knew “stories” in the Bible, but I knew very little of Bible study and had a very immature view of the scriptures as a whole. Sure I believed the Bible, but I barely knew why and would have a very hard time defending said belief. Occasionally, I would be asked questions from those who heard me speak and, sadly, could not always give an adequate answer. I remember feeling the need to broaden my knowledge of scripture, so I called my friend Pastor Scott Hunt of Calvary Chapel Pickens in South Carolina. I told him that I needed to learn the Bible and that I needed to learn it fast. He assured me that couldn’t be done, but told me, “There’s no better way to learn the Bible than to teach the Bible.” In the remainder of our discussion I decided to start a Tuesday night Bible study on the next Tuesday night I was in town. I immediately pulled out my calendar only to realize that my next available Tuesday night would be a couple months away and, to my amazement, it was December 23, 2008.....my 30th birthday! Why was that amazing? I had wrestled with leaving my boxing career. I had wrestled with my purpose and the meaning of life, but on my 30th birthday God would show me exactly why I was put on this planet....to teach His word. As you may know, Jesus began His public ministry at about 30 years of age, as did John the Baptist, and it was required that a man be 30 years old to be a Rabbi. God put His stamp of approval on my calling, anointing and appointing on my 30th birthday and showed me my part of His rescue mission. So, 6 years ago today, I taught my first Bible study, beginning in the Gospel of John. I can only apologize to those in attendance, and thank God that He doesn’t disqualify us for our inadequacy or inability. Today, as I wrestle with adding another year to my life and growing older, the Lord reminds me, yet again, that I am simply on a rescue mission to do a job. And, when my job is complete, I can go home. What’s my point? God has a plan. Get in it. There’s no better place to be than the will of God. iwantreality #whatsyourpart #itsjustarescuemission
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 13:49:54 +0000
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