Bible Studies

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by Doug Laird

10/03/24
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There are exceptions, but for the most part, one’s assigned “mission field” is going to be wherever one finds himself on a daily basis, be it at home, work, school, or play. Your mission is to serve the spiritual interests of those you interact with each and every day.

Sometimes, the adversity that God sends or allows to take place interrupts our daily routine and what we had planned for the day.

This often brings us into situations, circumstances, and locations that we would have not have chosen for ourselves. These interruptions might prove to be brief, or prolonged.

Being where God wants us to be, and doing what He wants us to do, is not always easy, and often not what we had in mind.

Consider the undeserved sufferings of Job.

Paul made some of his greatest contributions to the developing Church while writing letters from prison cells that would become New Testament Scripture. He was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, incarcerated, and eventually beheaded.

Jesus accomplished His atoning Work while abandoned and suffering on the cross.

Just being placed in a position to demonstrate to others that you can walk the walk as well as you can talk the talk, may be the greatest challenge you will face in the individual plan that God has for you.

In the perfect scenario, being equipped and trained takes place in one’s local assembly (1), but in the apostate times in which we are living, the teaching and practice of sound doctrine can be a hard find.

What His children don’t learn the easy way (2), they WILL learn the hard way, through negative experiences and divine discipline (3).

Be it at home, school, work, or play, the advancing disciple will see the primary purpose for him or her being there is to be an ambassador for the Kingdom of God.

Everything else that takes place there is secondary.

Advancing disciples will see the Hand of God working behind the scenes in whatever blessings or adversity that God sends, or allows to take place.

God will send the necessary amount of both blessings and adversity in order to place, and to keep, each one of His advancing disciples WHERE He wants him or her to be, and doing WHAT He wants him or her to be doing, WHEN He wants him or her to do it.

This is where the devil, and those who do his bidding, enter the picture.

They desire to distract us from the plan of God by getting our attention on the prosperity (or lack of adversity) being experienced by others, some who are clearly living in rebellion, flaunting the commands of God.

The devil has a counterfeit offer for virtually everything that God has established. This includes the individual plan that He has for you.

This includes much of what goes on within the Christian Community and the world around us.

These alternatives are designed to appeal to the fallen nature in Man, offering “solutions” to our needs.

The devil will offer (4) as much “blessing,” and send as much adversity as God allows, to distract us from the plan that God has in mind.

God does not desire robotic obedience and worship. God allows satanic opposition to afford us the opportunity to make choices, as to who we will listen to, and whose interests we will serve.

Participating in the Great Commission is what gives spiritual purpose and meaning to each and every moment, of each and every day, be it by making a verbal response to a 2Pet. 3: 15 opportunity, or providing others with the unspoken testimony of our daily lives.

In each and every minute of each and every day, God is either providing the advancing disciple with the means to grow in His knowledge and grace, or the opportunity to apply what we have learned, as we glorify God and minister to the SPIRITUAL needs of others.

The ME part in the Why Me question refers to all of the necessary blessings and adversity it takes to place and to keep ME and you (as an individual) WHERE God wants ME and you to be, in order to do what He wants ME and you to do.

“Followers of Christ” are here to seek and to do His will, NOT our own. Whatever God sends or allows to take place is a part of the plan, and serves a divine purpose.

Advancing disciples do not ask WHY. They have learned to ask WHAT is it that God wants to accomplish by what He has sent or allowed to take place.

“For to me, to live is (for) Christ, to die is gain (Phil. 1: 21 NASB2020 parenthesis mine).”