From the Pastor

Pastor Mike Burns
Victory Church
903.567.2072 (Ext. 3002)
MBurns@wordofvictory.org
Living Strong: What is Your Assignment?
In Isaiah 6,
verse 8, Isaiah answers the call of God with the words, “Here am I, send
me!” In spite of the freshness of
Isaiah’s vision, the overflow of his heart, and the sincerity of his offer to
God, he couldn’t help but blurt out as he visualized the work ahead of him,
“For how long, O Lord?” (6:11)
In other
words, “I’m not sure I can do this. It sounds like it could be dangerous. At the least, this job will make me
unpopular, and I’ll probably lose any social standing I might otherwise have
had. There can’t be much money in this
either, so I’ll probably be poor. But
the worst is that I can’t imagine the heartache of pouring out my life to tell
others about You and never having anyone respond positively, receive it
personally, or repent permanently. Maybe
my gifts lie in other areas, Lord. Could
I try it just for a little while…?”
There must
have been a ringing sound of authority and finality to the Lord’s voice as He
responded to Isaiah’s query, because He left no doubt as to how long Isaiah was
to serve: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses
are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, until the Lord has sent
everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken.” (6:11-12)
So, here is
what Isaiah understood about his assignment:
1. Isaiah was commanded to serve until
he no longer had any opportunity to do so or until judgment came.
2. His service was not to be some
“holy hobby” or some short-term project.
It was to be a lifestyle!
3. The success of Isaiah’s service
would not be determined by the number of people whose lives were changed, but
by his faithfulness to obey his Lord.
4. A deep sense of satisfaction,
fulfillment, and joy he longed for, would come because of his obedience to the
Lord. These are rewards Isaiah would
find as he lived his life to serve and please the One he loved.
What Assignment has God given you? Would you ask Him? I know He has one in mind for you because He
told us clearly through the words of the Apostle Paul, that “we are God’s
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in
advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10)
What “Living
Strong” means for you:
1. Don’t dodge your assignment because
it seems to lack any chance for success.
2. Don’t miss your assignment because
it seems to be an insignificant, small thing (Zachariah 4:10). FYI – The church in Europe was birthed when
Paul spoke to a handful of women on a river bank.
3. The size and scope of your
assignment is up to God, and the effectiveness and lasting impact of your
service are also His responsibility.
4. You and I are simply to be
faithfully available…and obedient.
5. The assignment that God gives you
will take you way beyond your comfort zone. Some assignments begin small and
stay small. Others begin small and grow large.
There have
been times when I have argued, resisted, procrastinated, and questioned, but in
the end, I always give in, because He is my Lord! Like Isaiah, I have seen Him,
and I love Him. I don’t serve Him because I have to. I serve him because I want
to do something for Him. In the process of doing something for Him, I have come
to know Him, and so will you.
Have you
said, “Yes Lord, here am I, send me”?
Live Strong this Week!
Pastor Mike
Published on Wednesday, September 10, 2014 @ 10:30 AM CDT
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