What It Means To Be A Torchbearer

The other morning I woke up and God really challenged me with a thought.  Do I wake up each and every morning and aimlessly try to follow Jesus?  Am I throwing darts at a target but don't know where the target is?  I have been pondering and praying recently and after talking with Don we both know that we need to start writing and blogging more.

I went back to one of the first challenges Don ever gave me.  To come up with a Biblical name.  My name is "Torchbearer of Christ."  This name should encompass a personal mission for the glory of God.  I like the name but I never really put a lot of time or effort into daily living that out.  So now it is time to start.

A Torchbearer is one who leads or inspires others in working hard toward a valued goal.  In this case Christ is the goal, his glory, his kingdom, and deeper intimacy with our Savior is what we must work hard for.  As a torchbearer I must lead by example, encourage others, and press on toward the goal in spite of opposition (which is sure to come!).

With that being said I would like to invite you along this journey with me.  My goal is to blog a minimum of 3 days a week.  In blogging I want to help inspire you toward Christ and his kingdom.  I will be reading through the Bible this year so many of my thoughts may come from that.  I pray that you would take some time to develop a personal mission statement, to create a Biblical name, and live that out daily for the glory of God.

Billboards

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” - Matthew 5:14

If your life was a billboard what would it say?

A billboard on a hill cannot be hidden. Recently I was doing some traveling and noticed how many billboards are alongside the highway. For the most part they are all up on hills. As you travel along the road you begin notice the many messages being presented to you. I saw signs that promoted fast food joints, hotel hot spots, gentleman’s clubs, and the occasional sign spreading the message of Christ. Billboards are placed in high traffic areas. There is research and planning in what gets advertised where. In Christ we have a life transforming message given to us. Matthew 5:15 says,

“Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

We were not meant to hide. We were meant to shine. As Christians we need to be visible. The message of Jesus Christ, his redemptive work on the cross need not be hidden but spoken from the hill tops. Light is meant to shine into darkness and we are to be that light.

A billboard directs you to the destination. Many times it says the exit number, website, or general information where you can find the product advertised. Where do your words, actions, life direct people? Is your life a billboard for Christ? We have this incredible gift, this light burning bright inside of us, the question is will be allow it to shine. Remember your Father in heaven, how glorious and great he is and allow your life today to bring him glory.

“Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” - Philippians 2:14-15

Further Reading: Matthew 5, Philippians 2:14-18

Are you Dangerous?

Today I was thinking, "I wonder if Satan is fearful of me?" Now we could dive into a deep theological discussion but lets just think about it simply for a second. "Am I dangerous to Satan?" You see, I am a guy and those of you who know guys know that they like fighting, battles, and doing dangerous things for the most part. So obviously as I was thinking about this I really started to get excited. I want to be dangerous or a threat to the enemy's plans. I want to wake up each morning empowered by the Holy Spirit of God and take on the world. I am not talking about doing these monumental things that "the world" would say is great but I want to be dangerous in the little things. For instance, when I walk into the coffee shop in the morning I want to make sad people smile. I want to bring back the joy that Satan has robbed many people of. Imagine people have a joy meter that goes from -10 to +10. When you encounter someone do they shift to the negative or move toward the positive? Everyone we encounter is affected by what we say or how we act. How does that make you feel? That you have the opportunity to take someone from a -10 day to a +10 day. Are you asking God for opportunities to be dangerous to the enemy? Are you looking for ways to encourage one another? Do you want to be dangerous? I know I do, I want to cause as much damage to the enemy and share the abundance of love that Jesus Christ has shown me by his shed blood on the cross. So I want to encourage you to live dangerously today!