Simple to the World, extravagant to God

The title of this blog is what I want my life to be:  Simple to the things of the world but extravagant in my love for God.  That word popped in my head as I was surfing the internet for the latest vintage home decorating ideas.  While there is nothing wrong with wanting something beautiful and creatively organizing and crafting ones home, it can become a preoccupation.  There are many distractions and preoccupations the devil tries to throw at people to get their eyes off Jesus.  Sometimes its the news, politics, sports, hobbies, entertainment, family issues or ministry.  God wants us to "lay aside" those things that weigh us down so that we can run the race God called us to.  Sometimes God will call us to be simple in our life so we can spend more time with Him. 

Hebrews 12 says "1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith"  There are some sins God is asking us to strip off but also some weights.  I would define weights as anything in life that can take our eyes off Jesus.  I would also submit that this is a continual effort.  In Philippians 3 it says: "But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,^d but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."

It is important to remain in a state of growth and movement towards the prize of obtaining Jesus.  It is dangerous for a Christian to think they have "arrived."  Even Paul admits he had not achieved perfection, but he was focused on one thing which was pressing towards his heavenly prize.  Physical exercise is not easy and it does not come naturally.  It takes effort and determination and putting the body into submission to achieve fitness.  Even if one is perfectly fit, if they stop working out, they will go back to a weak frame.  Even if a person won the Olympics, if they stopped practicing and stay fixated on that one victory, they would never win anything else in their career.  In the same way, our spiritual development does not come naturally and it is never fully actualized on earth.  We need the effort and determination of an spiritual Olympian to set our heart and mind to seek the Lord and learn of his ways in a world where everything that is freely offered wants to feed the lusts, flesh and pride of man.  We also need the endurance of a marathon runner to continue to press into God even after experiencing apex encounters with God.  David said in Psalm 63 "My soul follows hard (close behind) after thee."

Often throughout the day, the Holy Spirit will whisper to me "It's my turn." That is, the Spirit is always trying to initiate intimacy with the Bride.  It happens in the most inconvenient times and places whether in a social event or during a TV show.  As we learn to listen to God's voice we follow his call to "come away" and have communion with Him.  This is also how he woos us away from those encumbrances to spend time with Him. 

Not only does he want to love on us, but God wants to love through us.  As we learn to receive love from Him, He will fill our hearts to an overflow point where we have to spill it out on others.  In Matthew 10 Jesus sent the 12 disciples out giving them power to cast out devils and heal the sick.  His command to them was:

"9“Don’t take any money in your money belts—no gold, silver, or even copper coins. 10Don’t carry a traveler’s bag with a change of clothes and sandals or even a walking stick. Don’t hesitate to accept hospitality, because those who work deserve to be fed.

11“Whenever you enter a city or village, search for a worthy person and stay in his home until you leave town. 12When you enter the home, give it your blessing."  Sometimes God will call us to be simple in our life so we can reach more people for Him.  Could you imagine how hard it would be for the apostles to minister if they had an entourage of animals and baggage to carry with them as they went.  Jesus command to them was very simple:  Don't take extra because it will get in the way.  I know of several evangelists who have very simple homes and their luggage is very light because they travel so frequently it is not practical to have an elaborate wardrobe or estate to keep when they have so many people to touch for Jesus. 

Finally the Lord impressed on me the quote of Bill Wilson from Metro Ministries "the need is the call."  The needs before you will be your open door to reach people for Jesus.  This may come in the form of a person who is sick, who has lost a loved one or is having marital issues.  There are people all around us that have problems for which Jesus is the only cure.  These are the ordinary times and places that we know where God wants to come in and change everything by using us to impart his glory. Therefore my final point is that sometimes God will call us to be simple in our life so that we can keep Jesus the main thing.  Ministry is not complicated.  We do not have to have a ticket to India, a 1000 seat sanctuary or a national broadcast to be used of God.  If we have breath to breathe, God can use us to do supernatural works for Him all through the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit as we are simple to the things of the world but extravagant in our love towards God.