A Time For Action VII

Today is our last post regarding the series on the actions of the saints in the early church. I thought I would give you a little inside look at my own walk when it came to studying for this series. I know we didn't even get an opportunity to talk about 99% of what the early church did and that was on purpose. Ironically, what the early church did is important, but not as important as the fundamental truth that they gave us through God’s Word. Their first actions were always to seek Him first. Because of this, their actions after were able to be unique in character with precision and intensity that could only be brought together in the will of God. Today many believers think we need to clean ourselves before we come to God; or we need to be about helping those in society or even doing what needs to be done around the church. Now these things are all good on their own, but only after God is given the rightful place and time He deserves. I take Jiu Jitsu, which is a specialized fighting curriculum for hand to hand combat on the ground, as an example of this. One of my teachers told me that, “Being still is not the same as doing nothing.” Patience, and preparing yourself for the moment to act is as important as the action itself. When I was told this, I immediately thought of God’s Word in Psalms 46:10-11 which states, “10 “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” 11 The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah”

I hope this series as helped you understand the first action as believers needs to be Christ centered. That is, not helping others but rather being first with Christ in saved, and in relationship, only after our actions being done uniquely as called but still Christ centered. Believers can only truly help others when we are acting out our faith, this is why James states in James 2:18 “But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” The early church recognized the need for action, yet the early church also recognized the need for Christ to be centered. This is why all their actions were only after their time in the Word with the Lord. This is why our actions can only truly be what is needed in this world only after we have separated ourselves and sought after the Word of God first. Our actions need to be precisely what is needed at the exact moment in the form exactly required for the perfect answer in that exact scenario. Doesn’t that sound impossible? And yet Paul makes the declaration of how we can answer this impossible task with Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” The impossible challenge you will see before you is possible when you have Christ centered in your actions. Before we act, we seek His word, we seek Him. Now how do we do this? Proverbs gives us a resounding declaration of the mindset we need to have. Proverbs 2:1-12  “My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, 2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; 3 For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones. 9 Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good course. 10 For wisdom will enter your heart And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; 11 Discretion will guard you, Understanding will watch over you, 12 To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things.”  We need to ask ourselves, are we seeking the Lord first? Are we seeking Him like our ancestors in the early church did? I can tell you that when we act like the early church we will find results like the early church. So seek after Christ first and have Him be the source for all your actions and see what an amazing adventure this life can be.

Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,

Jl