{"id":3299,"date":"2024-10-05T21:10:08","date_gmt":"2024-10-05T21:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/muscularchristianityonline.com\/platform\/?p=3299"},"modified":"2024-10-05T21:10:08","modified_gmt":"2024-10-05T21:10:08","slug":"what-would-your-billboard-say-part-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/muscularchristianityonline.com\/platform\/?p=3299","title":{"rendered":"What Would Your Billboard Say (Part I)?"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Muscular<\/a>If you were tasked with creating a billboard that promoted the advantages of being a Christian, what would it say? Let\u2019s take it a step further and say that you can design it however you want, but you have to leave out the idea of eternal life as well as the notion that says \u201cHe helps you with your problems.\u201d<\/p>\n

It makes you think, doesn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

John 3:16 and verses like Isaiah 42:10 and John 16:33 demonstrate that missing hell and going to heaven along with having a Divine Source of assistance in moments of trouble are both very much a part of the Christian\u2019s landscape. But, if your approach to Christ is limited to either a funeral home or a major crisis when you\u2019re feeling like you\u2019re at the end of your rope, then you\u2019re missing out on the vast majority of what God brings to the table in the context of a relationship with Him.<\/p>\n

In John 17:3, Jesus defines eternal life as \u201cknowing God.\u201d That\u2019s not something that begins when your heart stops, rather it\u2019s something to be enjoyed, experienced and deployed right here, right now. And while it\u2019s certainly a game changer when you\u2019re dealing with a problem that threatens to overwhelm you, it was never intended to be something you reached for only in times of duress. That said, how does knowing God translate to an advantage when comparing the life of a believer to their unsaved counterpart?<\/p>\n

What would your billboard say?<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve got a few ideas.<\/p>\n

Check it out:<\/p>\n

I) It\u2019s All Good<\/strong><\/p>\n

And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Rom 8:28)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God\u2019s will is\u2014his good, pleasing\u00a0 and perfect will. \u00a0(Rom 12:2)<\/strong><\/p>\n

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Cor 9:8)<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s all good! \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

A) The Word \u201cGood\u201d<\/div>\n

The word \u201cgood\u201d goes beyond \u201cdecent\u201d or \u201cpassable.\u201d In each of these verses, the Greek word for \u201cgood\u201d is \u201cagathos (pronounced eh-gah-THOS).\u201d That same word is used to describe God Himself in Matthew 19:17. Among the definitions of that word, you\u2019ve got things like \u201cexcellent\u201d and \u201cdistinguished.\u201d Another Greek word that means \u201cgood\u201d is \u201ckalos (cal-OHS).\u201d The definition for this word is \u201cbeautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable, good, excellent in its nature and characteristics, and therefore well adapted to its ends.\u201d1<\/sup> This is the word used in Matthew 5:16 where it says:<\/p>\n

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matt 5:16)<\/strong><\/p>\n

When Jesus describes Himself in John 10:14 as the \u201cgood\u201d shepherd, He uses the word \u201ckalos.\u201d When He turned the water into wine, the guest that noticed described what Jesus had made as the best wine, the choice wine and he used the word \u201ckalos.\u201d \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

B) Making it Sell<\/div>\n

If you were to go back and substitute the word \u201cexcellent\u201d for the word \u201cgood\u201d every time that it appeared, those verses would resonate a little more, wouldn\u2019t they? Take for example Ephesians 2:10. Now before we proceed, let\u2019s go ahead and qualify the word \u201cwork,\u201d just so there\u2019s no confusion as far as what that word means. The Greek word is \u201cergon\u201d and it means \u201caction, deed.\u201d It\u2019s not a word that is used solely to describe something supernatural, it\u2019s also used to describe something very common. In other words, \u201cgood works\u201d isn\u2019t necessarily referring only to some noble gesture like volunteering for VBS or helping an elderly woman across the street. It\u2019s an action, it\u2019s a \u201cdeed.\u201d\u00a0 But when you put that word \u201cagathos\u201d in front of it, well, see for yourself:<\/p>\n

For we are God\u2019s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do excellent deeds, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph 2:10 [edits highlighted])<\/strong><\/p>\n

That \u201csells\u201d doesn\u2019t it? The bottom line is that you and I were put on this planet to make a difference and not just an appearance. In the midst of all the things that typically occupy our time and energy, there\u2019s a Purpose and a Power and a Perspective that allows us to process the world around us in a way that is infinitely more meaningful and stable than what our unsaved counterpart has access to. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

C) Goalposts<\/div>\n

As human beings, we all have goalposts that we\u2019re shooting for. And we work to advance that ball into the end zone. Problem is, those goalposts never stop moving. We never achieve that which results in lasting fulfillment. Solomon says as much in Ecclesiastes when he says<\/p>\n

\u201cMeaningless! Meaningless!\u201d says the Teacher. \u201cUtterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless. (Ecc 1:2)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Solomon isn\u2019t clinically depressed, he\u2019s simply acknowledging the fact that you want something until it\u2019s yours, and then you want something else. And from that perspective, he\u2019s right on target. Everything is lacking in its ability to truly satisfy, save one thing and he mentions it in the last two verses of Ecclesiastes 12:13:<\/p>\n

Here then is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. (Ecc 12:13)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The word \u201cduty\u201d has been added. The way the Hebrew reads is \u201cthis is the whole of man.\u201d The same thing shows up in Colossians 3:4:<\/p>\n

When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (Col 3:4)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Galatians 2:20 says:<\/p>\n

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Gal 2:20)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Go back to that Truth we looked at a moment ago in Ephesians 2:10: Excellent deeds\u2026 \"fulfillment_graph\"<\/a>When I give God the keys to my life, He comes in and gives my spirit a pulse. At that point, my perspective changes and I\u2019m not looking at life as a series of spikes in fulfillment and achievement. Rather, it\u2019s a constantly increasing quantity of \u201cexcellent deeds\u201d or \u201cgood works.\u201d That\u2019s what Paul is talking about in 2 Corinthians:<\/p>\n

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord\u2019s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. (2 Cor 3:18)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Are you smellin\u2019 what\u2019s on the stove, here? As a believer, I\u2019m not looking at life as a collection of obstacles or even a journey that\u2019s going to peak at some point followed by a mundane existence. I\u2019m seeing it as one quality adventure after another. That doesn\u2019t mean that every day is a holiday and every meal is a feast. Jesus said we would run into problems:<\/p>\n

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (Jn 16:33)<\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019re swimming in a dirty pool. Ever since Genesis we\u2019ve had to contend with heartache, sickness and disappointment. That\u2019s part of the world we live in. Saying \u201cIt\u2019s all good\u201d doesn\u2019t negate the reality of life. What it does is position the Reality of Christ in our lives so we\u2019re not simply \u201cgetting through it,\u201d rather we\u2019re getting to it! If something goes south, I\u2019m not obligated to process that as some unfortunate detour. If I\u2019m on my knees and I\u2019m being intentional about ensuring that my hand is staying in His, then I can stay motivated regardless of my circumstances because I know that in the end this is just one way in which God is steering me so that I\u2019m staying aligned with His Plan. And there is a Plan! That\u2019s why I can say \u201cIt\u2019s all good!\u201d Even when I\u2019m getting ready to run past what appears to be the last defender between me and the goal line and I get pulverized by some mammoth safety that came out of nowhere, I can still get back up. Not because I\u2019m calling forth some hidden resolve within myself, but because I\u2019ve got the Spirit of Christ working in and through me. That\u2019s my Purpose, that\u2019s my Power and that\u2019s my Peace. And you know what? It\u2019s all good!<\/p>\n

\n
\u00a0…more about your Billboard<\/div>\n
\u2022 Keep Reading<\/a>
\n\u2022 What Would Your Billboard Say? (Part I)<\/a>
\n\u2022 What Would Your Billboard Say? (Part II)<\/a>
\n\u2022 What Would Your Billboard Say? (Part III)<\/a>
\n\u2022 What If?<\/a>
\n\u2022 Your Billboard<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

III) Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some of y\u2019all might be listening to me and thinking I\u2019ve got monkeys coming out of my nose. Look, there\u2019s more to life than a business card and a check book. There is nothing wrong with excelling in the marketplace but that cannot be what defines you. It\u2019s not the money you\u2019re making that equates to a life, rather it\u2019s the Savior you\u2019re serving.<\/p>\n

But that\u2019s not going to make sense if you\u2019re on the outside looking in.<\/p>\n

The Bible says that you\u2019re a spiritual corpse prior to Christ coming in and breathing life into an otherwise lifeless entity (Eph 2:1, 4). If you\u2019re ready for the goalposts to stop moving, if you\u2019re ready to start living and stop merely existing, if you\u2019re ready for a perspective that can honestly claim, \u201cIt\u2019s all good!\u201d then make today the day you make Christ Lord of your life.<\/p>\n

Maybe Christ is already living in your heart and you’ve given him the keys to your life. Awesome! But the Truth that’s being expounded on here isn’t something that stays fixed in your mind automatically. It’s both healthy and necessary to “renew” your mind, like it says in Romans 12:1-2. Frankly, you’ve got to stay on top of your game spiritually in order for God’s Word to resonate practically.<\/p>\n

Regardless of your circumstances you can maintain a healthy and optimistic disposition. Not because you’re a naturally upbeat person, but because you know “it’s all good” based on the Person, the Promise and the Presence of God in every minute detail of your life.<\/p>\n

Rock on!<\/p>\n

It’s all good!<\/p>\n

To view some more ideas about one’s “billboard,” click here…<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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