John 20:21–22 (ESV): Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

In review, care is a lifestyle: I am made by God perfectly needy, therefore I live openly meeting needs and having my needs met by God. Equip is also a lifestyle: I am made by God perfectly ignorant, therefore I learn and help others to learn too. We together learn about Jesus. Today as we dig into the concept of send, we also see that is a lifestyle too.

Check this statement out… it makes me laugh a bit…

I am perfectly pointless.

That sounds so bad, right? But until God points, I don’t have a purpose. The send in our life is God pointing.

So, send is thinking this way: I don’t know what God is going to do but I will put myself in a place to find out. There is a tension here. The tension is we don’t know where the next place is. I know where I am today, but I don’t know where I am going to be tomorrow. And because of that I am afraid. This is why we seldom engage send.

God points at many things for us to engage. He wanted us to care and to learn how best to help (equip).

Here is where the rubber hits the road. There are three conditions of send inside of our heart.

The first is the place to be, but we have to overcome some worldly stuff to get here. A fully sent person, is a person that is not afraid of where God will point them.

The second is a step in the right direction, and yet can be very disappointing if a person chooses to stay here. That is, a partially sent person, this person has to filter where God points them according to their personal preference.

The last is a dreadful condition in which a person is sent, but they choose not to hear or see God’s pointing. A non-sent person is a person that does not receive God’s appointment, and they actually don’t even think about it.

So today, which category do you think you are in? My prayer for you today is that you would be all in with the Lord. That you would hold the things that you have and the things you have learned loosely and present yourself to God as a living sacrifice so that He can show you His good and perfect will for you life.

Sometimes people ask me, “What is God’s will for my life?” As if the answer is a brain thing, “Once I know I will feel better.” God’s will is completely a heart thing. We will talk about this later, but to be a “sent” person should be thought of like this. I am first sent by God into the condition and heart position of sent before he tells me where I am to go. My heart must be ready to be sent before I go.

Why, you ask? Why doesn’t the Lord simply tell me where to go and what to do? Wouldn’t that be easier? Send thrusts a person out into the world on the wings of faith. Sent by God is a person who is depending on the Word and promises of God, right where Jesus wants you to be.

Matthew 10:16–20 (ESV): Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

The Lord wants you to be ready for the wolves of the world, that’s why equipping is important. Some of the spiritual battles you can prepare for, others you can not. Sometimes, only inside of the testing and temptations will you find the wisdom of God. But here is the thing, if you listen to the Lord in the preparation of the send, then you will most likely also listen to him in the heat. He wants you intact and healthy. So, He often prepares you in the condition of send before he sends you.

Are you a sent one? The answer is a big fat, yes! Step on in.

Pray this…

Lord, I receive your call today. I am willing to be equipped and changed for Your purposes. Lord, if you want me to keep doing what I am already doing then I receive Your appointment to do so, and I do it with great joy. If you have other plans, let me not hold on to something that you would like me to let go. Prepare my heart and my mind. If you would like me to serve in my church, show me where. If you would like me to serve in the community show me where. If you have other plans, make me ready for Your assignment. I live on this earth to serve You Jesus, because Jesus, You have given me everything!

Blessings,

Pastor D