Ponder on That!

Something I’ve been discovering lately is the inherent need for people to have others agree with them about…anything! Even to go so far as everything. Working with people in a counselor capacity I’ve honed the skill of psychoanalysis. It’s not wrong to psychoanalyze someone, just keep it to yourself most of the time. Through experience with various forms of human psychology I’ve come to realize that this particular one is borne mainly out of a need for affirmation in both men and women. The tricky point is this: How do you react to someone who is acting out of this psychological state?

I’m sure some of you are wondering “who” this person is that I’m talking about. I’m talking about that guy or gal who is unhealthily obsessed with arguing. That person that can’t hear a single thing without finding some wrong in it and then trying to correct you, more often in front of everyone than not. The person who has perfect doctrine and is hell-bent(ironic?) on making sure you have it too or at the very least hear it so they can “wash their hands” of your having false doctrine. Now I’m not talking about anyone I know in particular. In fact this post is coming out of a wonderful and incredibly friendly quasi-debate I’m having with my friend Greg. A good man of God who loves well. We have a difference of opinion on certain doctrinal points that are at the very least murky waters for humans. But the key is that neither one of us are belligerently accusing either one of having “false doctrine”. The truth is that on the topics of which we are debating we are both probably wrong.

So given that bit of history, I’ll continue on. How do we deal with the person who can’t have a stable friendly and coherent debate without playing the “Thou art wrong!” game? What is the resolution to this issue that we find popping up in Christian communities nation wide? First I’m going to tackle this from a purely psychological standpoint. You are dealing with someone who is very insecure in what they believe. They feel that their beliefs are only true if everyone believes in it with them. Any challenge to their way of thinking is a rude awakening to the fact that they may be wrong. Not only is this damaging to their self-esteem but also to their competence. If they are defeated or refuted they will have one of two major reactions. 1. Aggressive opposition: towards you and your doctrine, which usually results (but not always) in several unsavory actions such as slander and gossip. The second reaction is ultra-passivity. This will often manifest as quietness, self-pity, and brokenness. These are the major reactions. Some people however; are just not bothered by refutation at all or are so stubborn that they justify their beliefs through some (usually) very convoluted thought process.

Moving on from the major reactions are some minor reactions.(NOTE: It’s important to know certain characteristics of psychology when dealing with people as 1. it can help you be a better minister, and 2. you can avoid a lot of strife if you can see it coming.)

The most subtle minor reaction is one of acceptance. If the instigator is refuted sometimes they will genuinely alter their way of thinking. This is the best reaction you can possibly get. It’s subtlety is due to the fact that few people are eager towards the admission of personal error and humility is somewhat of a subtle virtue. The second is more apparent and hints at something deeper within the person. I call it the play-off. The person is deeply disturbed by the fact that they can’t refute someone or are refuted themselves, but instead of taking a side, which they were so eager to push the agenda earlier, they relent and merely play-off the whole situation usually by means of cracking a perfectly timed joke or just down playing the seriousness of the debate. Usually they wont take much more thought to your point of view and will return to the community the next day as if nothing ever happened. Even if their actions caused major division within the group. This is something that speaks of deep rooted stubbornness. Often it also point to hints of narcissism(or pride) in that they think they are right no matter what and can still continue on as if nothing ever happened, because they believe they “didn’t do anything wrong”, without ever apologizing, making peace, or even acknowledging the possibility of them being wrong. This minor reaction can result in devastating community splits and has been a plague among modern evangelical churches for the past 100-150 years*.(*Note: I’m certain this has gone on longer than that but for the sake of specificity I’ll suffice to use the above time frame.)

Now I want to tackle this issue from a spiritual standpoint. (Note: It is very important to marry the two standpoints together. Psychological understanding and spiritual principle are not separate, but rather can work hand in hand for the glory of God. But the physical never trumps the spiritual so always fall back on the spiritual from the get go.)

Looking at this particular kind of person, one should never be out on the hunt for a divisive debate. Similarly, we as Christians, should never seek to crush and opponent through intellectual prowess. If there is any correction, any admonishment, any exhortation, let it be done with grace and gentleness as we are encouraged to do in Ephesians 4:2-3 and II Timothy 4:2*. Subsequently it is not our job to harm these brother and sisters with harshness and severity. Nor is this leeway to throw our humility as leaders out the window. Rather this is an encouragement towards sensitivity.

It’s our responsibility to see and know this psychological state and be ready, able, and willing, to confront it in a Godly and honourable manner. For the truth of the matter is this: This state of mind is not a healthy one. If it be a product of low self-esteem, then it is our duty to speak identity to the person. If it is a product of pridefulness then let us lead and instruct in humility. If it is a spirit of division, that attaches itself to a weaker brother or sister, then let us bear one another’s burden and rebuke the spirit away from them and fight along side them, not against them. In all ways we should be looking to the glorification of God. Especially in the sensitive areas of the community. Being human as we are there is no fool-proof plan to avoiding all conflict. Conflict will arise eventually but how we deal with it defines us as Children of God. As stated in John 13:35 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The forbearance of one anothers sin is the prism through which we must view all psychoanalysis. If you take it from merely the physical standpoint then one is tempted to correct the issue through alternative means other than letting God teach His children. And while it is so imperative that we do not forsake our duties as teachers and disciplers we must not ever think that we are the ones causing anyone to learn. For all revelations come from God, and truth is for God alone to give. Paul said in Ephesian 1:17 – “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,” So be careful that you do not take on the burden of making someone learn. In the same way when we plant seeds, though we water, and care for it, we cannot make the seed grow. Only God is it’s increase. So be sure to commit all brothers and sisters to Christ in that God will correct His children. For Jesus said “My sheep know my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” -John 10:27. So if any one of us is in error then know that if they are truly a sheep of Christ and a Child of God, then God has started a good work in them and is faithful to bring it to completion.(Philippians 1:6)

This post seems like it has gone on long enough. My prayer is that it will be of some use to a bold follower of Christ somewhere seeking knowledge, and that it will bless them and help them to the glorification of God in Christ Jesus.

Your Brother and Fellowservant of Christ,

~Ephraim Goff

*”with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” -Ephesians 4:2-3 ESV

“preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” -II Timothy 4:2 ESV

Celebrated Insignificance.

“I love to use the insignificant and unspectacular people.”

It constantly stuns me as to when God speaks to me. Even more amazing is how He speaks. I was driving to Lubbock earlier tonight. I’m typing this on my grandmothers computer too. It was during this drive, the earlier part, that I took the opportunity to talk with my loving Father. I was petitioning Him, with thanksgiving, for a safe trip to Lubbock. Needless to say He gave me one, and among other answers was one in particular which spawned the title for this blog entry.

“I love to use the insignificant and unspectacular people.”

This was my Fathers answer to the question that I posed. “God what am I useful for? I feel so insignificant in the areas of ministry. I’m not a great speaker. I’m not a particularly exciting person, and I certainly have no great point to make in amongst the giant list of sermons available at the click of a mouse. How will you use me God?”

The Father answered with this “No, you aren’t that special. You aren’t that spectacular. Not alone. I love to use the insignificant and unspectacular.”

“Take Moses for example: He was a Hebrew, born among slavery, and ‘shipped off’ to the Egyptians as a baby. He was a murderer by the time he left home, and a shepherd for a small tribe in a small land. He stuttered and was scared of failure. But ‘I’ took him and shaped history.

“Look at David. He was a smaller man, the youngest of many brothers, and, again, a lowly shepherd. He wasn’t even considered as a candidate when Samuel asked to see ‘all’ of Jesse’s sons when he was seeking the new king. Yet ‘I’ took him and shaped history.”

“Now let me solidify this for you son. Look at each of the disciples. None of them were spectacular, or significantly special in any part of their culture or society. Aside from being rather despised by others, people generally avoided them. Now tell me…why are you worried about being ‘special’ or ‘spectacular’?”

I was almost laughing by this point. My face was glowing with joy at the answer God gave me. I don’t need to be special. I don’t need to be spectacular. I don’t need a good sermon or great eloquence. I just need to join in with God and His work, and let Him take control. The greatest men of the Bible were merely mediocre at best. But they gave up their will and joined in with the work God was doing around them. When we do this… God changes the world.

 So I encourage you to take this and run with it. I’m not saying wallow in self pity until God does something with you. I’m saying keep your eyes open to the opportunities God gives you to be a part of His work. He’s choosing to use the guy in the office, the college student flipping burgers to pay tuition, or even the old man on the street corner waiting for the bus. Whatever your circumstance, be aware of how God is moving around you.  Because He’s just waiting for you to join in with His will and do His work. He wants to use unspectacular you. So don’t strive to serve God by seeking recognition. You don’t need a degree to be “defined” or be a particularly potent preacher. You just need to let God have His way in you.

But on a more personal level, be praying for me. God’s wind is starting to blow, and my sails are ready to follow. There are great opportunities and obscuring fogs on the horizon. Pray that I would be open and willing to follow His lead. I love you all, my dear brothers and sisters. Take heart and stand strong in the Lord. Resist the devil’s temptation with furious zeal for our Fathers house. Be blessed.

Your Brother and Fellowservant in Christ,

   ~Ephraim Goff.

It Gets Easier They Say…

It’s cold around me. A feeling I thought would never come in light of this treacherously hot summer. The heat seemed almost to be wanton about the way it destroyed the landscape this year. Rendering it into a harsh, dusty, hot environment. Ironically coinciding with one of the harder years of my life, in which, the state of my life seemed to be a pale reflection in the heatwaves of the summer that lay behind. Much like the road reflects the sky on a hot day here in Texas. Mirages give one the illusion that the road goes on forever into the vast expanse of the blue, if not dusty skies. Obscuring reality with unreality.

Thus is the setting for the story that is unfolding. A mere chapter in my book. A seemingly upsetting drop in the metaphysically misplaced sea that is my life. In that my heart is in heaven but I’m stuck on earth. But this issue of heart has been a recurring theme in the latter parts of the month of October, but the occurrences were brought about by the cataclysmic event that took place in the earlier part of the month. The catalyst for the scene. I’ll set the stage… Cue curtains!

(For the sake of the reader, I’ll try to refrain from going into excruciating detail as often as possible.)

The day was long. The week longer. I had spent considerable time pondering the thought that has so often entered my mind in the last year. And no doubt many a mind of the young man over the course of human history. “Is it time to go out on my own?” or better yet, “Can I succeed if I’m on my own?” Needless to say this question that was racking my mind was also tearing me apart…is tearing me apart. I have my own life…and I am, my own man. But I love my family, my friends, and in general the life I’m living at the moment. But all things are beautiful in their time and as with all things on the earth, they must eventually, and inevitably, change. So I’m at an intersection. A proverbial crossroads if not an actual one. “Floundering” is the word that comes to mind when I think of the way that I’ve been approaching the issue, though “drifting” is probably a more suitable adjective as well as “flippant”. But I feel this is borne out of a fear of the unknown. After all these years, and all the things I’ve seen, am I still afraid to trust God.

See, I’ve always been a hyper-calculative person. I do my best to be prepared for every possible scenario and while it is an incredibly stressful way to live, it also happens to be incredibly rewarding. It affords me the indispensable opportunity to be foresighted in what is going to happen around me. Though admittedly I’ve grown soft over the last 2 years. I’ve lost vision of where I’m going in life. This is due to the “cataclysmic event” I mentioned earlier. I made the painful decision to leave my music career in the rear view mirror. “Why is that a hard decision?” you might ask. Mainly because I’ve invested my heart and soul into it. For seven years I’ve placed all my money and energy into this career in music. But God is calling…has called me away from it. With a painful call of obedience, I have given Him my hands. For my own good no doubt.  But it’s painful to turn your back on everything you “knew” you were meant to do.

So this is where I am. If I leave, I ought to have some goal in mind. I don’t want to enter the world without a calling. But I also don’t want to stay where I don’t feel God wants me. But I don’t know where the hell He does want me! I just see doors closed. One after the other and never opened. I don’t feel a tug, or a drive. I don’t have this master plan that everyone else seems to have and is concerned that I don’t. So I want to desperately find a direction. I’m desperately seeking to just find a way to get out of a rut I don’t know how I got in, that I don’t even really know what it is. If I could fight my way out I would…Oh believe me I would thrash so violently and so precisely that I think it would take a platoon of men to hold me down. If I had a clear target I would strive for it so unceasingly that it would consume my every thought. But I don’t have a clear target anymore, and all my “skills” of foresight have become a useless dead weight and constant reminder that I am clueless as to how to resolve this situation. God help me…

"I'm desperately wanting 

To just find a way 

I'm searching and seeking 

For someone to say

That it's all right 

And it’s okay 

Like I know you can 

That it’s all right and it’s okay 

Like I know you can..."
You Alone - by Echoing Angels

A Dialogue With God.

I had one of those talks with God today. We shared a dialogue. Just us. Having a conversation.
Earlier today I was tasked with working outside with my father. An old friend of his is coming to visit our camp tomorrow and he wants it to look nice for his friends visit. Needless to say many of you who know the current temperatures of where we live, can empathize with my somewhat unenthusiastic approach to working outside. 102 degrees in the shade isn’t fun. To compound that discomfort, I’m working with the use of only one arm. My left wrist was injured a couple of weeks earlier during an accident playing basketball.

Given the circumstance I think most would understand why I would be in a bit of a sour mood. And for good reason. I went straight to work from waking up with no breakfast. This just isn’t a good combo for the Goff family men. We get easily agitated without food in our bellies in the morning. Okay, so the scene is set. A perfect opportunity to take a bad day full of lemons and make some lemonade to quench my thirst. This isn’t what happened. I took the lemons and squeezed them out in my eyes then blamed God for my self-inflicted sorrows.

I know that sounds really childish but for some inexplicable reason I was really depressed today. My normal “never say die” spirit was quenched, and for all intents and purposes, I felt like I had a cloud over me that was just draining the joy out of me. This is the place where God found me. Broken, tired, injured. And it was at this place He decided to have a conversation with me.

Now normally I don’t hear from God in this way but today for His own reasons He chose to speak with me. The dialogue happened in my mind. I was arguing with God. He started out by asking me if I was angry with Him for injuring my wrist. At first I answered “No, of course not”. But as I began thinking I knew it would be useless to try to cover up how I was really feeling to God. He knows. (There is a back story to the wrist that is for another time but God used my wrist injury to glorify Himself.) So I answered again differently. “Yes God. I am angry about it. ” “I’m in pain. My body is suffering and it’s very painful to have to deal with this.” “I understand that it’s for Your glory, and I’m thankful You used me. But how do you expect me to be happy while I’m in pain? Joy is different from happiness”. He asked me “Is it?”.

Then He began asking me a series of questions about Himself. “Ephraim…Do you trust Me?” I said “Yes.”   “Ephraim, do I know what I’m doing?” I said yes again. “Then why are you angry…really?” I took some time to think about that one. “I’m angry because I can’t do anything. My left hand is so important to me for work and I rely on it so much that I can’t hardly operate without it. I’m useless. Then God asked me “Ephraim, if I took your left foot would you still love me?” Of course I answered yes. “God you know you could take any part of my body and I would never stop loving you. You gave your whole body for me why should I give any less.”

Then God began telling me things. “Ephraim. Are you mad at me for your wrist injury, or are you mad at yourself because you are weak?” I realized how wrong I had been. “Ephraim, I love to use your weakness to glorify Myself.” Then I said again what was on my heart. “God everyday I fail to live up to my own expectations…how could I ever dare to live up to Yours.” “I never expected you to please me. That’s why I sent Jesus. Otherwise you can’t. Stop living on your own strength.” I felt very much like a small child that had gotten a “talking to” by his father. But God didn’t leave me with a chastisement. He left me with hope by telling me this “Ephraim remember this. All things work together for the good of those who love the Lord. You will overcome the struggles you face. You will have victory and you will be strong in me.”

My day looked brighter after that…

Not a Prophet….Just Watching

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Libyan_civil_war

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=51444&src=eorss-iotd

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Haiti_earthquake

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=51472&src=eorss-nh

http://www.fews.net/Pages/default.aspx

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/sudan/index.html

I bet a few of your who are reading this are wondering about the title and the mass amounts of web links preceding this introduction. The truth is, they are merely a fraction of secular sources that I was spurred to research by the current economic and agricultural state of the U.S. Again I’m no prophet, and I’m certainly not a political or economic scientist so please don’t quote me if you like this. These are merely musings, and observations.

With expert stealth, like that of a trained assassin, the effects of the drought in south-central United States is taking a devastating toll on the economy of said country. Mind you I’m not a scholar on the matter but I like to make logical observations. If we observe an eco-system, and we also remember what we learned in Jr. High science classes about the food-chain, we see that the origin of energy is plants. Plant life makes up the base of all food chains. Plants, are eaten by insects, insects are eaten by small mammals, or birds, the birds and smaller animals are eaten by medium-sized predators and so on and so forth. Either way scientists agree that energy originates, in a food chain, at plants. This applies to humans as well.

So taking that bit of information I’ve developed somewhat of a theory. Now you can take it seriously and dig deep or you can take it at face value but it is what it is. The current 2011 drought, and the excessive flooding in mid-eastern U.S. have so badly damaged the grain crops that they are beyond salvage in this last half of 2011. The impending complete economic collapse which may or may not come within the next 5-10 years(possibly sooner), coupled with the unbelievable amount of debt incurred by government spending as well as the inevitable inflation and depreciation of the American Dollar, unless we stop printing money, are all leading to one obvious thing. The downfall of the U.S.A as a superpower in the world. Brazil is already an emerging superpower, and we’re barely holding out the border battle with the drug cartels.

Famine is a real possibility. Cattle farmers in Texas, where I live, are selling their cows at alarmingly low prices by the masses. Stock auctions are going through the night into the early hours the following day. The price of beef is dropping. Why you ask? Farmers can’t produce feed for them for lack of rain or because of too much rain. Grain crops in Texas have suffered over 30% losses in the first half of 2011 and the Mid-east is flooded out thus killing a major part of the crops their. Ranchers don’t want to sell their livestock but in order to feed them it would put them out of business. Their upkeep will be their downfall. And the problem isn’t really that is will cost them too much, but it is the question, “Will there even be feed to buy in 6 months?” It’s too late in the year to plant crops. The U.S. Grain market will and has crashed. We’ll be importing beef by mid to late 2012.

Call me bleak but I’m an optimist. And there is an overall point to this post. America is down the tube, don’t place hope or trust in this country anymore but place your trust and hope in Christ. If you place your hope in temporary things your hope will be temporary. To steal a line from a song, “Some people talkin’ like things are gonna remain. You see it in the ads in the news. But I…I think of all that’s lost in yesterday and my belief in love gets renewed.” - Love is Gonna Last by Jenny and Tyler.

Now, I want to move into the second half of the post. The first dealt with economy of the U.S. The second will deal with global issues from a Biblical view point…Now there’s a contrast. I was reading the other day in Mark 13, when I came across a passage that I have read over many times before but it never stuck much in my mind until this drought. Verse 7. Now before I really get into the Bible reading. I want to address and explain the links above and where they lead. The first is a link to a Wikipedia page about the Lybian Civil War. I’m not saying that everything on there is truthful, and to tell the truth myself I didn’t even read it. I put it there as a documentation that it is indeed a real event. The second is a link to another Wikipedia page about the Tohoku Earthquake that devastated Japan with a Tsunami earlier this year. The Third is a NASA page with documentation of the drought in Texas. The fourth is a link to a page about the 2010 Haitian earthquake. The fifth is another NASA page about the flooding in Missouri. The sixth is the FEWS homepage. Famine Early Warning System. This will give you up-to-date information about the famines that are occurring all around the world that we never hear about. The seventh is a New York Times web article about the ongoing conflict in Sudan.

In verse 7 of Mark chapter 13 we see Jesus telling the disciples that there will be wars and rumors of wars. Needless to say that I posted the scripture below, but I hate it when people take things out of context so I provided most of what was clearly relevant context to verse 7. Which is most of the chapter. Here we see Jesus answering a question that was a direct consequence of what He had told the disciples early when they made mention of the buildings of the temple. Obviously doting upon their fine craftsmanship. Jesus told them that there will come a time when not one brick will stand upon another. So in private the disciples asked Him what are the signs the times are coming. He goes on in verse 7 to explain. I’ll let you read the whole passage below. We’ll meet on the other side.

Mar 13:1 Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings [are here]!”

Mar 13:2 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not [one] stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

Mar 13:3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately,

Mar 13:4 “Tell us, when will these things be? And what [will be] the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”

Mar 13:5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you.

Mar 13:6 “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am [He],’ and will deceive many.

Mar 13:7 “But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for [such things] must happen, but the end [is] not yet.

Mar 13:8 “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles.  These [are] the beginnings of sorrows.

Mar 13:9 “But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.

Mar 13:10 “And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.

Mar 13:11 “But when they arrest [you] and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.

Mar 13:12 “Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father [his] child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.

Mar 13:13 “And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

Mar 13:14 “So when you see the ‘abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not” (let the reader understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Mar 13:15 “Let him who is on the housetop not go down into the house, nor enter to take anything out of his house.

Mar 13:16 “And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.

Mar 13:17 “But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!

Mar 13:18 “And pray that your flight may not be in winter.

Mar 13:19 “For [in] those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be.

Mar 13:20 “And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

Mar 13:21 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here [is] the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, [He is] there!’ do not believe it.

Mar 13:22 “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

Mar 13:23 “But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

Mar 13:24 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;

Mar 13:25 “the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Mar 13:26 “Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

Mar 13:27 “And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

 

Famines. Wars. Earthquakes. Sounds a bit familiar. Lets look at 2011 in Retrospect.

Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami. Famines in North Korea and all over Africa. Crashing Grain market in the US. Unimaginable Debt for US(Estimated at 14 trillion dollars) The Lybian Civil War. The Sudanese Civil War. Droughts in China and Texas. Flooding in Australia and Mid-East US. Volcanic eruptions in Iceland. Tornadoes in Central and Southern US. Fighting with Drug Cartels along the Mexican/American Border. The world isn’t doing to well this year. This is just a fraction of what had happened this year.

Now please if you get anything from this don’t take away that I’m pushing a rapture agenda. I don’t buy into the pre-tribulation or post-tribulation dispensationalism debate. At the end of things what matters is that we serve Christ and preach the gospel. An angel even came and told the people sitting on the hill to go and be about the business Christ commanded and to not sit and stare at the sky. Which is basically what people have returned to with getting caught up in the prophecy and eschatology of the Bible. I’m not one of those people. But even I couldn’t help but notice that we are seeing the beginning of birth pains(NIV) and sorrows.(KJV, NKJV) Time to wrap it all up. I bet you’re asking yourself. “Ephraim…am I somehow supposed to encouraged by this?” My answer is, “yes.” Yes you are. Read below.

 

The Message: When focusing on the grandness and physicality of the temple Jesus wrought within the Disciples, a truth that stands for eternity. There will come a day when these things will pass away, and what remains is Christ. There will be a time when we are delivered into the hand of ungodly men to bear witness of Jesus Christ, but DO NOT WORRY and he who endures to the end will be saved! Cling to Jesus! Cling to hope. An eternal hope founded in the reality of the love and Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

The Challenge: I challenge you… No. I dare you to be bold and willing to go and preach the Gospel. With reckless abandon serve Christ in all capacities and situations. To let Jesus transform you by the renewing of your minds. To lose sight of this world and to see with heavenly eyes. To walk about in faith not by sight. To see the opportunity for ministry in everything. Yes, times will be hard. Yes, we may even have to suffer. But clinging to Christ, He will give us strength to endure any and all tribulation for His name sake. So lead in faith. Step out in Holiness and serve Jesus Christ today. Because literally…Our lives depend on it.

Life’s Greater Purpose.

This blog entry is going to be more of a recognition of a wonderful man of God and brother in the Lord whom I look up to tremendously.

 His name is Nick Vujicic…

                                                                       

His story is one of triumph over tremendously difficult circumstance. Born without limbs he has gone from no limbs to no limits.

Nick Vujicic is 28 years old. Born in Brisbane, Australia with an incredibly rare disorder known as Tetra-Amelia, characterized by the lack of all four limbs, Nick suffered through an incredibly difficult child-hood. On top of dealing with the every day pressure of school, bullying, and identity, Nick had an obstacle which is, for most of us, unimaginable.

He can’t walk, or run. He can touch things. He can’t throw a baseball. And for all intents and purposes the world around him considered him marked for failure and uselessness from birth.

In many ways, Nick personifies what a lot of  us feel like at various point in our lives. Helplessness. Uselessness. Inability to change our circumstances. It’s from this very position that Nick’s greatest victory comes from. Falling down, he chose to stand. Standing up, he chose to kneel. And while kneeling in his heart, he chose Christ our Lord as his own.

Nick won’t hesitate a moment to tell you that his overwhelming  joy and his funny personality are not a product of trying to cover up the pain he felt as a child. But rather that his joy and personality are a gift and a tool that God not only gave to Nick, but also tasked him to use for His Glory.

Nick now preaches all over the world. To young men, old men, youth and adults alike. It’s this message that has changed the lives of thousands of people. It’s this mans willingness to serve and follow God that is impacting the nations for Christ. Not the man himself. But God’s work through him. Preaching and teaching that if we would give our all for Christ then Christ will use us, and show us Life’s Greater Purpose.

The Message: God is waiting, and willing to use us in an incredibly massive way that we can’t even comprehend. Maybe you’ll touch millions, maybe just one. But living and giving your life to Jesus is the only way to overcome any and all difficulties this world throws at you.

The Challenge: I’m challenging you now, to give your life and your cares to Jesus. Yes, we go through problems. Yes, we have trials. Some of them can’t be changed by our own power. But all things are possible with God. Mark 10:26-30. When you fall down, stand up, kneel down and choose each day that Jesus Christ is worth your whole life. It isn’t easy but, He IS worth it.

Your brother in Christ, and fellowservant of the Lord,

         ~ Ephraim Goff

www.lifewithoutlimbs.com

A Secret Millionaire.

“Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.”

Earlier today as I was dawdling around the house. I noticed that my mother was watching a new show on Netflix. It’s called “Secret Millionaire“. Being my usual curious self, and frankly having nothing else to do, I sat down and watched. I was absolutely stunned with what I was watching. A multi millionaire went to Skidrow and spent 5 days in a run down hotel searching for different individuals and organizations, to donate money to, who were doing works to help the poor and needy people of Skidrow. The things they showed were harrowing. Nothing I saw was new to me. I’ve lived in third world countries and at their worst they aren’t as bad off as some places I’ve been.

What struck me the most was at one point in the show the millionaire, named John, was volunteering with a man named Amine who ran a hat store that took donated clothing and also compiled “hygiene” packs. John was with Amine distributing these item, when an old man with a walker came hobbling past. They looked at his shoes and noticed that they were destroyed and unfit to use. Amine immediately took his own shoes off and gave them to the man. With out even thinking he took the shoes off of his feet and placed them on the feet of the old man and helped him back to his feet. This struck John deeply and moved him to tears. It moved me to tears. To see such selfless giving, hit me hard in the heart.

One phrase that is still burned in my mind that John made, was “That feels good. If you want to feel good, help someone else.” Knowing who I am and that I’m going to go minister to homeless people tomorrow, I decided to run with this idea. I’ve been thinking about it all day. I went fishing at a small creek near my house called the Clear Fork of the Brazos at around 6:00PM. In retrospect this means a lot to me considering what I was thinking about. Have you ever heard the old proverb “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime.” Tomorrow at 3PM I am going to partake in an outreach for the homeless. We’re going to be ministering the Gospel to them as well as feeding them. We’re taking care of their immediate needs and their eternal needs as well.

In Matthew 4:18-20, Jesus calls Peter and Andrew to him and says He will make them “Fishers of men.” Jesus knew that preaching the Gospel was very much like fishing. You cast out a line(speak to someone). You wait patiently for a bite(interest). When you have them hooked(they genuine interest or want) you reel them in and land them(Lead them to Christ and salvation). I love fishing for fish and I especially love fishing for men. Now I bet you’re asking yourself “What does any of this have to do with the original idea about ‘A Secret Millionaire’?” Well I’ll now move on to something else God showed me.  Millionaires are obviously rich, that’s a logical deduction. What does Christ say about riches? In Matthew 6:19-21. Jesus tells us to not store up earthly riches but to store up our treasures in heaven, because where our treasure is there our heart is also.

What does this mean to you? To me it meant that storing up eternal things is the only real treasure we have. Not an uber-deep take on the passage but a truth nonetheless. Now applying that to life is an incredibly deep thing…for me at least. What are eternal things? Things that are based in eternity. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon says God has set eternity in our hearts, that we would know that the carnal and physical things are not all there is to life. We can only store up eternal things that are our real treasures. Things that last. Like ministering the Gospel and leading people to salvation. This is our treasure. “Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish feed him for a lifetime.”

So I want to challenge every one of you, my brothers and sisters, to store up your treasures in heaven and be fishers of men. Invest in eternity. Be a secret millionaire. In Christ we’re all called to be millionaires. In heaven not on earth. Be not carnally minded. Now let’s go fishing!

The Message: Live for eternity. Store up Treasures in heaven and live like the citizens of heaven that you are.

The Challenge: Be fishers of men, and store up those treasures. If your treasure is in heaven then your heart will be there also. Be secret millionaires, because our treasures are hidden away in Christ, where rust and moth and robbers can’t take or destroy it.