April 1st...

YAY! I am finally caught up to at least the same month that we are currently in. This is progress!
This time, instead of a narrative of what I said on Wednesday, this week will be an outline. For those of you who like outlines (like me) this will be great. If you don't then I would have to say sorry! tough cookies! But keep reading! They won't all be like this.

Three Truths about Living the Mission:

1) Living the Mission comes out of our love for God.
Proof: Read Ephesians 5:1-2, 8-20
and 1 John 4:19-21

Living the Mission isn't something we do because we have to or we know we should like brushing our teeth or cleaning our room. Living the mission is worship! It comes out of our love for God. When we see all the many incredible things God has done for us in our lives, not to mention the love He showed us on the cross, dying for our sins so that we might inherit eternal life, worship should be our immediate and almost involuntary response. You won't be able to stop yourself from living your mission as a way to thank God for His faithfulness, and the more we worship God, the more we will fall in love with Him, the more passionately we want to do His will in our lives.

2) Living the mission will increase your faith.

Don't believe me, huh? Well..

Proof: James 2: 21-24
and 1 John 3:16-20

Still don't believe me? Well then, LIVE IT! Go ahead! I double dog dare you! Live your mission and see if it doesn't make your faith grow like a weed! (A good weed, of course, that grows quickly!)

3) Living the mission is hard!

Proof: Colossians 3:23

This semester our guys and girls bible studies have been looking at a book by Alex and Brett Harris called "Do Hard Things". The book is fantastic and I would highly recommend reading it on your own or with a group of friends. We have gotten a lot out of this book and it's been a perfect addition to our pursuit of living the mission. If you just can't get enough info about living the mission and what it looks like, especially in your life individually as a high school or college student, READ THIS BOOK! It proves my point much better than I could and shows why it's so important to do the things that are sometimes hard and uncomfortable.

But just because the mission is hard doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. Maybe you're afraid of failure or of losing friends or of being different and standing out. 2 Timothy 2:17 addresses these very feelings: "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of sound mind. (NIV)" Don't be afraid! God is faithful and won't let you go!
Blessings,
PM