Tag: Discipleship

Perseverance – An Overlooked Work

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Key Quotes

“I was also blessed to see the example of Job, that despite all his good works and outstandingly upright life, it wasn’t until he persevered in trial that Job brought maximum glory to God and became such a great witness of God that Satan’s mouth was shut.”

“Jesus said in John 6 that the work of God is to believe in Him and what greater opportunity to do this work than when we have to persevere in trial and trust in His Love, Wisdom and Power!”

“I know that whatever limitations/boundaries God may put forth for me in future, whether in health or finances or time, I can be a useful servant by bringing glory to His name and by being faithful while fighting any form of grumbling, complaining or discontentment. This can bring as much glory as (and even more) than someone who goes out from street to street each day to witness for the gospel or sells everything they have and goes as a missionary to another country.”

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A couple of months back, I was pondering about my future and wondering what life would be like if I had to relocate to another state or country without access to like-minded believers or a local community like NCCF. What if the opportunities to serve in my current capacity were no longer available? Would my life be wasting away?

I felt God open my eyes to see how narrow minded I was regarding what it means to serve God. My idea of real service and usefulness to God was mostly limited to things like helping out in the church, sharing God’s word during bible study, or sharing the gospel with an unbeliever. However God reminded me that the purpose of all true service should be to glorify Him (I Corinthians 10:31), and if so, He has many ways He desires to be glorified, and many of them may not be obvious to others, even fellow believers.

God is the one who appoints each of his servants to play a unique role in glorifying Him. One person may be called to glorify God through faithful preaching, another through sacrificial missionary work, another through faithful raising of children as a mom, another through facing constant threats from the government for their faith, yet another through joy and praise to God despite battling a difficult illness. All have equal opportunity to glorify God to the exact same degree, even though to us one may seem more noble or highly esteemed than the other. God is not only interested in me being a witness before other people, but even more so to angels and principalities, who also see my works and attitude in secret.

“My brethren, take the prophets, who spoke in the name of the Lord, as an example of suffering and patience. Indeed we count them blessed who endure. You have heard of the perseverance of Job and seen the end intended by the Lord—that the Lord is very compassionate and merciful.” – James 5:10-11 NKJV

I was also blessed to see the example of Job, that despite all his good works and outstandingly upright life (Job 1:8, Job 31:1-end), it wasn’t until he persevered in trial that Job brought maximum glory to God and became such a great witness of God that Satan’s mouth was shut.

‘Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”’ – John 6:28-29 NKJV

Jesus said in John 6 that the work of God is to believe in Him and what greater opportunity to do this work than when we have to persevere in trial and trust in His Love, Wisdom and Power!

Therefore, I need never fear the future, because I know that whatever limitations/boundaries God may put forth for me in future, whether in health or finances or time, I can be a useful servant by bringing glory to His name and by being faithful while fighting any form of grumbling, complaining or discontentment. This can bring as much glory as (and even more) than someone who goes out from street to street each day to witness for the gospel or sells everything they have and goes as a missionary to another country. I can bring glory to God just like Jesus did for the first 30 years of His life – every nail Jesus hit with His hammer was an act of service to God. It is not the servant’s place to tell his Master how his Master ought to be served. Rather, my duty is to be faithful to do all that that I have been allotted (1 Corinthians 4:2 TLB). 

May the Lord help us all to be found faithful regardless of what God calls each one to do. Amen!

“If we endure hardship, we will reign with him.” ‭‭- 2 Timothy‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬a ‭NLT‬‬

“I know your works, tribulation, and poverty (but you are rich)… Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer… Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” – ‭‭Revelation‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

‘This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me.”’ – ‭‭John‬ ‭21‬:‭19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

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**By Shina Madamori © Copyright – Shina Madamori. No changes whatsoever are to be made to the content of the article without written permission from the author at NCCF Church

Our Earthly Life: A Disposable Cup

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Key Quotes

“There’s something valuable about remembering death, and thinking about it. When we think forward it urges us on to live a worthwhile life now. And when I stand before God, I’ll definitely at that time be thinking about how I wish I had lived. But the wise ones are the ones who consider that question now, and not just consider that question, but they do something about it”

“When I come to die (or the Lord returns first), will I say, “I wish I could have showed the Lord more how much He means to me.”

“One of my goals in this life is to gain the continual habit of gently turning my attention away from distraction and back to the Lord and His presence, throughout every day.”

“Our disposable life can be a cup full of devotion to Christ – devotion means : Christ is EVERYTHING to me. The disposable cup full of Christlikeness to live here and please the Lord not just outwardly, but inwardly from the heart with pure love and intentions flowing out of us. The disposable cup full of humility which lifts the Father and Jesus up, and is happy to go down and decrease because He is increasing. The disposable cup full of trust and faith which bows before God’s wisdom and love, in the midst of great pain and years of suffering – contently committing ourself to the Lord’s hand through it all to do as He will”

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One of the most challenging things Paul said was in Acts 20:24 “I consider my life worth nothing to me…” (NIV). I read mainly the NASB translation of the Bible today, but I learned this verse in the NIV and as a teenager I was so challenged by what Paul said there. What a challenge Paul gave us in his example.

We can tell a lot about ourself by what pops up in our phone apps and on our computers, in our web browsers – Recommended videos, and ads, etc. Companies spend billions to track our behavior and recommend us content they think we will consume. So in a sense I suppose at least some of what comes back to me is a reflection of myself – and my interests.

But I was surprised the other day that Youtube recommended me a really random video, I have no idea why. The video was a live stream of a memorial of a random lady who had recently passed away a day or two earlier. This was not a famous lady – it was an older woman who lived in the U.S. somewhere, and the funeral home where her service was had a Youtube channel which livestreamed the services. And for reasons unknown to me, it popped up in my recommended videos.

At first I was confused and ignored it, but then I was reminded of Ecclesiastes 7:2 : “It is better to go to a house of mourning Than to go to a house of feasting, Because that is the end of every man, And the living takes it to heart.” So I clicked on it and started watching.

There’s something valuable about remembering death, and thinking about it. When we think forward it urges us on to live a worthwhile life now. And when I stand before God, I’ll definitely at that time be thinking about how I wish I had lived. But the wise ones are the ones who consider that question now, and not just consider that question, but they do something about it (see the parable of the wise and foolish virgins in Matthew 25).

So I clicked on that live stream (which had been going on for a little while already – so I scanned through it), and I watched family members talk of this womans life – the challenges she went through, losing a husband who died somehow when the kids were young. Trying to raise her daughters in the right way, and be there as a support to her grandkids in the midst of everything.

But the thing that touched me most is what her granddaughter said. She said weeping, “I wish I could have told you more how much you mean to me.” And I thought of people that have passed away in my life, and how we definitely often have that thought: “If only I had one more day…”

But then I realized something even more important on the exact same lines, but not toward loved ones. Toward God: we have JUST this one life to show God how much He means to us.

And here’s the question: When I come to die (or the Lord returns first), will I say, “I wish I could have showed the Lord more how much He means to me.”

And it flips my perspective on everything when I think like that. How much more I wish I would have strove against sin harder in my inner life, to spend plain and simple time with Him – not with masterful professional prayers but just 2 friends alone with each other – Jesus and I. To love Jesus by loving others and showing them mercy and encouragement, to be content in all trials and suffering for His sake, to praise Him in them. To labor WITH God for salvation of others by praying for them and never giving up, to seek His presence always, and treasure Him above all. To despise the things of earth, and to consider everything of earth rubbish for His sake – to know Him and to please Him.

What a chance we have now. But we only have it now. 2 Cor 6:2 “… Behold, now is “THE ACCEPTABLE TIME,” behold, now is “THE DAY OF SALVATION”

I’ve heard it said, “A man is what the thinks about all day.” One of my goals in this life is to gain the continual habit of gently turning my attention away from distraction and back to the Lord and His presence, throughout every day. Not to fix my gaze on ‘other cares’. It’s not easy. I don’t think many Christians ever attain that type of closeness with the Lord. But the Lord put in my heart the desire for that life, and I believe that this is the way to keep doing everything for the love and glory of God (1 Cor 10:31) – to carry my cross with Jesus in my sights (Heb 12:2) and in my heart. Otherwise it’s like a wife who cooks and cleans the home, and doesn’t leave – but has no desire for her husband, no intention to love and be with him. It can be lifeless. I have to keep the Father and Jesus in my heart in the midst of all of this. I need the right life WITH the right motive.

The Lord gave me a picture one time: I like to drink coffee in disposable cups. I enjoy the coffee. But the cup is basically value-less except for what it holds for a temporary time. I throw it out after. And I saw – that is EXACTLY what our life is: Disposable. That’s what Paul said “my life is worth nothing to me.. if only I may finish my course” (Acts 20:24). The only value this life holds is what it can contain of Jesus in this passing moment that we are here. It’s disposable. It’s a disposable life – but can be full of treasure while it is here for a little time, before it’s thrown out.

Our disposable life can be a cup full of devotion to Christ – devotion means : Christ is EVERYTHING to me. That devotion is the valuable thing this disposable life can hold for a time.
The disposable cup full of Christlikeness to live here and please the Lord not just outwardly, but inwardly from the heart with pure love and intentions flowing out of us
The disposable cup full of humility which lifts the Father and Jesus up, and is happy to go down and decrease because He is increasing
The disposable cup full of trust and faith which bows before God’s wisdom and love, in the midst of great pain and years of suffering – contently committing ourself to the Lord’s hand through it all to do as He will

This is the eternal value which our disposable cup can hold for some time until we take it into eternity.

James 4:14 “…You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.”

And it is spiritually very helpful – thinking about the future and our end (even in the form of watching Youtube memorials of strangers!) – to meditate on: what will matter 1000 years from now? Or even 100 years from now? This helped me early on in my Christian life. And I’m working to try to teach my kids about this today.

Here’s a poem which also challenged me when I was younger and I heard it – to live more seriously for God now, and to fix my mind on things above (Colossians 3:2):

100 YEARS FROM NOW
It will not make much difference, friend,
A hundred years from now,
If you live in a stately mansion
Or on a floating river scow;
If the clothes you wear are tailor-made
Or pieced together somehow,
If you eat big steaks or beans and cake
A hundred years from now.

It won’t matter about your bank account
Or the make of car you drive,
For the grave will claim your riches and fame
And the things for which you strive.
There’s a deadline we all must meet
And no one will turn up late,
It won’t matter then all the places you’ve been,
Each one will keep that date.

We will only have in eternity
What we gave away on earth,
When we go to the grave we can only save
The things of eternal worth,
What matters, friend, the earthly gain
For which some men always bow?
For your destiny will be sealed, you see
A hundred years from now.

——————-

**By Bobby McDonald © Copyright – Bobby McDonald. No changes whatsoever are to be made to the content of the article without written permission from the author. https://nccf.com/

Fake Christians

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Bible Verses About Fake Christians

Sadly there are many false believers who will be expecting to go to Heaven and will be denied entrance. The best way to avoid being one is to make sure you have truly put your trust in Christ alone for salvation.

When you have repented and put your faith in Christ that will lead to a change of life. Follow God and educate yourself with his Word.

Many people follow false teachings from the Bible given by false preachers or they just refuse to obey instructions from God and follow their own minds. 

There are many people who throw on the Christian name tag and think by just going to church they will be granted Heaven, which is false. You know there are people like that in your church and especially in the youth today.

You know there are people still having sex outside of marriage, still going to clubs, they still have a continuous willful potty mouth. Hell will be worse for these people than atheists. They are just Sunday Christians and they don’t care about Christ. Am I saying that a Christian is perfect? No. Can a Christian backslide? Yes, but there will be growth and maturity in a true believers life because it is God working in them. They won’t just remain in darkness if they are the Lord’s sheep because God will discipline them and also His sheep hear His voice.

Fake Christians quotes

Laurence J Peter – “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to the garage makes you a car.”

“Don’t let your lips and your lives preach two different messages.”

“Your most powerful testimony is how you treat others after the church service is over.”

“What a heartbreak it would be to live an “almost” Christian life, then “almost” get into heaven.”

Beware, there are many fake Christians

1. Matthew 15:8 These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

2. Isaiah 29:13 And so the Lord says, “These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.

3. James 1:26 If a person thinks that he is religious but can’t control his tongue, he is fooling himself. That person’s religion is worthless.

4 1 John 2:9 Those who say that they are in the light but hate other believers are still in the dark.

5. Titus 1:16 They claim to know God, but they deny him by what they do. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit to do anything good.

Fake Christians don’t care about God’s Word

Fake Christians sin on purpose saying, “I’ll just repent later” and disobey God’s teachings. Even though we are all sinners and we still struggle with sin, Christians don’t live a lifestyle of willfully and deliberately sin.

6. 1 John 2:4 Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person.

7. 1 John 3:6 Those who live in Christ don’t go on sinning. Those who go on sinning haven’t seen or known Christ.

8. 1 John 3:8-10 The person who practices sin belongs to the evil one, because the Devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason that the Son of God was revealed was to destroy what the Devil has been doing. No one who has been born from God practices sin, because God’s seed abides in him. Indeed, he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born from God. This is how God’s children and the Devil’s children are distinguished. No person who fails to practice righteousness and to love his brother is from God.

9. 3 John 1:11 Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.

10. Luke 6:46 Why do you call me Lord but don’t do what I tell you?

Fake Christians think that there is another way to get into heaven besides Jesus.

11. John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

True Christians love Jesus and have new desires and affection for Him.

12. John 14:23-24 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.”

13. 1 John 2:3 We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.

14. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Fake Christians are hypocrites

Even though the Bible says we are to lovingly, kindly, and gently go to our brothers and sisters alone to correct them of their sins, how can you do that, but you’re doing the same thing as them just as much or even more than them? People who do things for show such as give to the poor and other acts of kindness to be seen by others are also hypocrites.

15. Matthew 7:3-5 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

16. Matthew 6:1-2 Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.

17. Matthew 12:34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Fake Christians will not enter into heaven.

False converts will be denied. 

18. Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

19. 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

20. Revelation 22:15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Fake Christians are false preachers and false prophets just like the cast of Preachers of LA.

21. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

22. Jude 1:4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

23. 2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

24. Romans 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Reminders

25. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.

If you don’t know the Lord: A Clear Gospel Message

***By Fitz Cherry at Bible / Photo from pexels

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Christianity Promises Suffering and Persecution: Here’s How to Prepare

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“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” ~ Matthew 16:24-26


“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.” ~ 1 Peter 4:12-13

No one enjoys suffering. No one. Most people across the globe recognize, however, that suffering is normal in this fallen world. Western culture, on the other hand, has so glorified the values of safety, comfort, and convenience that anything less is now regarded as something akin to human rights violation.

The idea that people have a right to a secure, healthy life is an attitude that has, unfortunately, bled over into the church. The extreme example of this is Prosperity Teaching, which communicates that God wants Christians to be wealthy, healthy, and happy all the time. Even among more biblically orthodox Christians, however, there is an unspoken idea that God somehow promises to protect them from suffering. The result is an absence of teaching on the presence and role of suffering in the Christian life, and the crises of faith that accompany that suffering.

Suffering Is Normal in a Fallen World

The Bible regards suffering as normal. Part of this suffering comes from the fact that we live in a fallen world, and this kind of suffering falls on Christians and non-Christians alike. 

The Bible regards suffering as normal. Part of this suffering comes from the fact that we live in a fallen world, and this kind of suffering falls on Christians and non-Christians alike.

Because of the rebellion of Adam and Eve against God, the physical world itself was subject to corruption and decay (Rom. 8:18–22). As a result, things like disease and natural disasters happen to everyone. Certainly, modern science and technology have developed to the point that we can shield ourselves from some of the consequences of this corruption and decay. However, we cannot eliminate them entirely. Hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes occur all over the world without discriminating between Christians and non-Christians, and we are completely powerless to stop them.

How to Endure Suffering: When God Takes Away

We can now cure or prevent many diseases, but that doesn’t stop both Christians and non-Christians from developing cancer or having heart attacks. The sinfulness of men and women adds human violence and oppression to this dark picture, so that crime, war, and oppression are also part of life everywhere on earth. Eventually, all of us die—sometimes slowly and painfully—as a result of the rebellion of our first parents. 

It is true that God, in his incredible mercy, undoubtedly does protect us from many of these consequences of the Fall in our world. However, he does not ever promise in his Word that he will protect us from physical injury or illness, and he allows all of us to die. This kind of suffering is a normal part of normal life in a fallen world.

Suffering Is Promised for Christians

For followers of Jesus, however, the picture is even more sobering. The Bible actually promises us persecution and suffering for our faith. The world is in rebellion against God. It hates God, and when he came as a man in the person of Jesus Christ, the world responded by murdering him. Jesus promised us that the world would treat us the way it treated him(John 15:20, ESV). 

The first followers of Jesus consistently experienced suffering for the sake of Jesus, in Jerusalem (Acts 8:1), Galatia (Gal. 3:4), Philippi (Phil. 1:29), Thessalonica (1 Thess. 2:14), and Asia Minor (1 Peter 4:12), along with the recipients of the letter to the Hebrews (Heb. 10:32). Paul went through horrible suffering (2 Cor. 11:23–29), as did the other apostles (Acts 5–8). Paul was quite explicit in saying this was to be expected by everyone who follows Jesus (2 Tim. 3:12, ESV). In the Bible, suffering and opposition are a normal part of the normal Christian life.

The comfortable experience of Christians in the West has actually been an anomaly in this regard. Because of the Christian heritage of Western civilization, combined with democratic freedoms and historic rule of law, Western Christians have largely been left alone for their faith. Even today, as Western nations become increasingly post-Christian (and even anti-Christian), the opposition experienced by most Christians goes little beyond mockery. However, there are signs that this protected status may be changing. If it continues to do so, it will simply put Western Christians in the same boat as their brothers and sisters all over the world.

Today, in Islamic, Hindu, and Communist parts of the world, being a follower of Jesus means, at best, losing your job and being rejected by your family. At worst, it can mean imprisonment, beating, and even death. These things are being experienced all over the world right now by our brothers and sisters in Jesus.

People who have been given a realistic sense of what it means to follow Jesus, and who have counted the cost, will make much steadier disciples.

How to Prepare for the Reality of Suffering as a Christian

Here are three points that can prepare you for such a fate:

  1. First, Christian workers need to examine their own hearts, searching for any sense of entitlement. As Paul advised Timothy, they need to be prepared to “share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God” (2 Tim. 1:8, ESV). They will do this, not by cultivating stoicism or asceticism, but by concentrating long and hard on “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:8, ESV), who is better, more valuable, and more delightful than anything we lose by following him.
  2. We need to share the gospel the way Jesus did, by making the cost of discipleship clear (Luke 9:57–62). People who have been given a realistic sense of what it means to follow Jesus, and who have counted the cost, will make much steadier disciples. And lest we fear that such a sobering presentation of the gospel will keep people from being saved, we need to realize two things. First, we are offering Jesus, not a cozy life, and Jesus really is better than all of the good things of this world combined. Second, it is the power of the Holy Spirit that draws people to Jesus, not our attractive packaging of the message.
  3. We need to include the subject of suffering well in our immediate follow-up with new believers.
    • Followers of Jesus should not be surprised or caught off guard by suffering (1 Peter 4:12). 
    • They need to endure suffering without compromising their integrity (2 Tim. 4:5; 1 Peter 2:19). 
    • They must love their persecutors and pray for their welfare (Matt. 5:43–47). 
    • They are to renounce any intention to take revenge (Rom. 12:14–21). 
    • They are to trust God in the middle of their suffering and respond by proactively doing good (1 Peter 4:19). 
    • They are to use their experiences of suffering as a basis for comforting others who suffer (2 Cor. 1:3–7). 
    • They are to fix their eyes on Jesus (Heb. 12:1–3). 
    • And they are commanded to rejoice. “Rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings” (1 Peter 4:13). 

As followers of Jesus, we do not rejoice in suffering because we enjoy pain, but because Jesus is so worthy in our eyes and hearts that we delight in being identified with him. All suffering is temporary. It isn’t worth comparing with the glory that awaits us (2 Cor. 4:16). In that place of glory, all pain and suffering will be gone forever (Rev. 21:4).

*** By Zane Pratt serves as the VP of Training for the International Mission Board – img.org

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An Interruptible Life

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“Now the LORD appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth, and said, “My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by.”‭‭Genesis‬ ‭18:1-3‬ ‭NASB‬‬

I was challenged by Abraham’s willingness to be interrupted. It was in the heat of the day — when he’s finally taking a bit of rest, when it’s too hot to work, when it’s inopportune — that the Lord visits him. And instead of putting Him off, Abraham goes out of his way to make the Lord comfortable. He quickly runs to and fro to attend to his special Guest.

And this must have been an atmosphere that Abraham cultivated at home: he hears no argument from his wife, who was likely in the middle of preparing dinner for her family, when he asks her to drop everything and make an extra meal. And he hears no argument from a servant when he tells him to quickly go kill a choice calf.

What an attitude! No matter how inconvenient, Abraham sprung into action. It spoke to me of having a willingness to be interrupted, to not be so fixated on my own plans that God can’t allow a distraction or inconvenience or conviction or interruption to come across my path.

I’ve found He often comes in the heat of the day, when we are not “expecting company,” so to speak. How do I respond when He interrupts or asks something inconvenient of me?

“Would you mind to come back later?”“Now’s not really a great time…”

I got a call the other day, at what felt like the worst possible time, and I took it, without total peace in my heart. And the Lord showed me moments after I hung up: “You aren’t jumping at the opportunity to serve, to have your plans messed up, to be inconvenienced.”

I long for this heart: “Don’t pass me by!” And it challenged me to see my lack as evidence that I cherish the Lord’s nearness far too little. Isn’t it the highlight of my day when He drops by?

Interruptions Reveal What We Love

Imagine if, unbeknownst to you, your best friend from childhood, or high school or college, someone who you really treasure, arrived at your doorstep. You haven’t seen him or her in years.

Do you apologize that you can’t be bothered because you’re busy tidying up? Or explain that you’ve got errands to run? Even if you already had dinner plans, you’d cancel them!!

Why? For love!!

So when there’s a need, why am I so deeply inconvenienced? The same reason: for love of my plans, for love of my system.

And the Lord wants to come in the heat of the day and “mess with” that. And He wants to see: do I have a “drop everything” mentality? It says Abraham “hurried” (v6) and “ran” (v7) and “hurried” some more (v7). I’m sure Abraham started the day with a to-do list, which I’m sure was prepared in all diligence. We know nothing whatsoever about anything else Abraham was doing that day.

But Abraham sprung to service at the Lord’s interruption. He even killed a tender and choice calf – God wants to see, when He shows up, is there anything precious I’m unwilling to sacrifice? Will I give Him the best?

We may say, “Lord, send me anywhere! I’m ready to move! I’ll go to the darkest jungles for You!”

But He may very well respond, “Send you anywhere?!? I can’t even send you anyone! You can’t be bothered! You can’t be interrupted. Your plans are so precious.”

Oh for such a longing to be pleasing to the Lord that we are willing to lead an interruptible life!

Jesus’ Interruptibility

It wasn’t just Abraham! The gospels are filled with stories of Jesus’ interruptibility. He was so interruptible that, in the middle of a sermon, several men dug a hole in His roof (Mark 2:1-4)! On His way to heal Jairus’ daughter, He cheerfully entertained an interruption by a woman with a severe health issue (Matthew 9:18-23). In fact, one of Jesus’ most famous miracles came as a result of His willingness to be interrupted.


John the Baptist was Jesus’ cousin, and when he was killed, it grieved Jesus’ heart to such an extent that He sought to be alone with His Father. “Now when Jesus heard about John, He withdrew from there in a boat to a secluded place by Himself…” Do you know what happens next, in the middle of Jesus’ special time alone with His Father? The passage continues, “…and when the people heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities. When He went ashore, He saw a large crowd, and felt compassion for them and healed their sick” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14:13-14‬). And after healing them, He doesn’t stop there. His disciples wanted to send them away because it was getting late, and folks needed to eat their dinner.

“But Jesus said to them, “They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!” They *said to Him, “We have here only five loaves and two fish””(‭‭Matthew‬ ‭14:16-17‬).‬‬ We know how the story ends. But it’s amazing to see how the feeding of the five thousand began: with Jesus, grieving over His cousins’ killing, seeking to spend a moment alone; and yet, still willing to be interrupted.

What a challenge to me, especially as I find I can be most un-interruptible when I’m trying to get some time alone with God!! It’s amazing to see that Interruptibility is at the very heart of Christ.

Rebekah’s Interruptibility

Is it any wonder that when Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his only son, the heir of the greatest inheritance on the earth, she would be marked by the same zeal to jump to serve?

“She said, “Drink, my lord”; and she quickly lowered her jar to her hand, and gave him a drink. Now when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, “I will draw also for your camels until they have finished drinking.” So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, and ran back to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels.”‭‭Genesis‬ ‭24:18-20‬ ‭NASB

‬‬ Rebekah was simply going about her “family chores” that day. Who knows what else she might have had on her list, but even when she’s unexpectedly interrupted and asked for help, her attitude is remarkable: she didn’t lazily serve as a duty, doing the bare minimum. She diligently went above and beyond. Little did she know that the “big door” of marriage (let alone a once-in-a-generation-marriage!!), which she certainly desired, would swing on such a small hinge of cheerful service.

As I read her story, I felt my heart longing for the wisdom and grace to raise children who move quickly to serve, who run to go above and beyond, and who can be cheerfully interrupted. And I felt the Lord speak clearly to me: “If you want to raise such children, seek to be an interruptible father, yourself!”

Welcome My Children in Jesus’ Name

It’s easy to think, “but how can I welcome interruptions like Abraham did? He had the privilege of being visited by God Himself.”

Thankfully, Jesus makes it clear in the New Testament how we do actually have the opportunity to serve Him directly: “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25:40‬ ‭NASB‬‬

When I cheerfully welcome an interruption from even the least of my brothers in Christ, I am welcoming Him, just as Abraham at the tent door.

But the Lord takes it even a step further:“And He called a child to Himself and set him before them, and said… ‘Whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me.’”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:2, 5‬ ‭NASB‬‬

What an incredible encouragement! When I am willing to be cheerfully interrupted by my children, I have the opportunity to receive the Lord Jesus Himself. The thing that’s truly amazing to me is, I have this opportunity countless times per day! And I was jealous of Abraham’s “unique opportunity”?!? I’m sure he’d rather have my daily opportunity to welcome the Lord at the door of my tent.

Thank God for revealing that cheerfully welcoming interruptions and “receiving a child in Jesus’ name” (which means receiving them for His sake, considering Jesus, in the fear of God, and out of reverence for the dignity He has bestowed upon them as creatures made in His likeness) is the ultimate opportunity to welcome the Lord and serve the least. There are many such opportunities in the heat of every day, and I believe the Lord will help me to be clothed in the gentleness in humility of Jesus Christ, Who is the Ultimate Example of an interruptible life.

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**By Jeremy Utley © Copyright – Jeremy Utley. No changes whatsoever are to be made to the content of the article without written permission from the author at NCCF Church