As we start 2018, it could be said that TGP is entering a Joshua-like season. Like Israel was given the land of Canaan (flowing with milk and honey) and told to take it, so TGP has been given land right in the middle of Libertyville (prime real estate). Now that the Lord has said, “it’s time,” we ask ourselves, “Now what?”
Yesterday, we started our first vision message about the “Now what?” If you looked at the points, you’ll see that our starting point for 2018 is to get ourselves prepared. Getting our spiritual house in order, so to speak. Below we’ll briefly reflect on the points of getting our spiritual house in order.
Following The Lord’s instruction (Torah)
When Joshua first started leading Israel into the land, the Lord told him to keep the Law before his eyes.
Josh. 1:7-8 Obey all the law…Do not turn from it…Keep it always on your lips; meditate on it…Then you will be prosperous and successful.
Any Christian community has the same set of priorities. First and foremost is to learn, meditate, and recite the instruction of God–the Bible.
At TGP, if we want to go forward in all that the Lord has for us, we need to know what He wants of us. That is found in the Bible. The degree to which we are ignorant of the word of God is the degree that we hamstring our ability to hear the Lord’s voice. Why? Because many times it is easy to confuse the Lord’s voice and our own voice. Knowing scripture is the best way to ensure we are on track, because God will never go against His word. Our first charge for 2018 is to know the word of the Lord better. From there, we can go forward into the world and preach the full Gospel.
Consecrate Ourselves
Josh. 3:5 “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you.”
One of the best ways for a community to consecrate themselves is through fasting. At TGP, we will be launching a church wide fast in February as a way to get in tune with the Spirit of the Lord. From there, we hope to hear more what the Lord has in store for TGP in the coming months. Additionally, we hope for each member of TGP to hear the prompting of the Lord in specific areas they are to be active in.
Partner in the Work of the Kingdom Together
Joshua 4:1-7 “the LORD said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”
We often use the term Fellowship as a synonym for “Hanging Out.” Yet Fellowship means much more than that. Think “Fellowship of the Ring.” Obviously, the nine members of the Fellowship did way more than just hang out together. They were bonded together with a common mission. Each one brought strengths and weaknesses. They also all served as contributors in different ways. So when we think of Fellowship at TGP, let’s think about the common mission that bonds us together. Hanging out is a part of it. In addition, what tasks and efforts are required of us to fulfill the mission? What gifts, talents, and abilities to each of us bring to the table? Do we believe in the mission enough to engage our gifts, talents, and abilities to ensure it is fulfilled?