What is Hindering You

This weekend, I went to Beth Moore's simulcast at my mom's church - Calvary Baptist in Rock Hill.  Their women's ministry absorbed the cost so ladies in the community could come for FREE!  How fantastic is that??!!!

Once I've had a chance to go back and meditate on what God revealed to me through Beth's teaching, I will share it with you.  But right now, I want to share a connection God made between a Scripture Beth used and my devotion today.  

Beth ended her teaching with Acts 28:30-31 which says,

"For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house (*he was on house arrest*) and welcomed all who came to see him.  Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." 

My daily devotion comes from Henry Blackaby's "Experiencing God Day by Day Devotional." Here is what September 11 said,

GO!

"Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father

and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."  Matthew 28:19

Our Master commands us to "go." We need permission to stay! The gospel is the account of Jesus' leaving His Father's right hand to go to Calvary.  Jesus instructed those who wanted to be His disciples to leave their homes and their comforts and follow Him.  Some insisted that they could not go yet because they still had to care for elderly parents (Luke 9:59-60).  Others wanted to make sure everything was in order first (Luke 9:61-62).  Still others expressed willingness to follow but wanted to know the details of what they would be doing (Luke 9:57-58).  Jesus never excused those who struggled to follow Him.  He made it clear that to follow Him meant He set the direction and they were to follow.

We can convince ourselves that Jesus does not really want us to adjust our lives, pointing to the success we are enjoying right where we are.  Yet Jesus often told His disciples to go elsewhere in spite of the success they were experiencing.  Peter had just pulled in the greatest catch of fish of his entire career when Jesus invited him to leave everything (Luke 5:1-11).  Philip was enjoying astounding success as an evangelist when the Holy Spirit instructed him to go to the desert (Acts 8:25-40 - to encounter the Ethiopian man - yes, that would be in AFRICA!)  Success where we are can be our greatest hindurance to going where Jesus wants us to be.

If you become too comfortable where you are, you may resist Christ's invitation to go elsewhere.  Don't assume that God does not want you to go in service to Him.  He may lead you across the street to share the gospel with your neighbor or to the other side of the world.  Wherever He leads, be prepared to go.

WOW!

I need to say that again....WOW!

So, the question for you and for me is are we telling others about Jesus Christ boldly and without hinderance wherever we go or are we letting our comfort, our wants, our dreams, our success or even our fears hinder us from obeying God's call to go and share the gospel? 

Oh Lord, please help us through the power of Your Holy Spirit to be bold and unhindered so we can share the Good News with everyone we meet - across the street and around the world. 

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,
Nancy