The very last words of Jesus on the cross were, "It is finished." However, his work was far from done. In John 14, Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you." Another scripture I would like to tie into my thoughts as we begin is Acts 17:26 "And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods of time and boundaries of their dwelling place." The three ideas I would like to focus on has to deal with the idea that you were born to live in a specific place, given an allotted time to use all you gifts and talents in that place, for a specific task to be accomplished.
Recently, I heard a very prominent Christian leader say that he believed that most Christian's never succeed in life because they either don't know their place, have left their place, or moved to the wrong place. So I got to thinking about this from a biblical perspective. In the Hebrew Scripture we find that Abraham was called by God to leave his father's house and "Go to a land that God had prepared for him." What's interesting to me is that the vision that God gave Abraham actually started with his father Terah. In Genesis 11:31 "Terah took Abram his son and Lot the son of Haran, his grandson, and Sarai his daughter in law, his son's Abram's wife, and they went forth from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan, BUT when they came to Haran, they settled there. It appears that God was leading Terah to move his family into the Land of Canaan but he settled in a place that God had not intended for the family. This maybe why God told Abram to leave his father's house. He was in the wrong place, not fulfilling what God had intended for them as a family. What if Abram had disobeyed and just remained in a place that God had not appointed him. I have been so amazed over the years at how many people I know have left places seeking to find a place where they could be happy and end up never fulfilling their God-given purpose. I am not convinced that you can just pick up and leave a place and go off to somewhere else and assume that God is with your choices or will bless you.
The problem is that too many Christians define success in terms of cash, assets, and accumulation of goods and services as a measurement of success. They even think that when losses occur that somehow God has determined it's time to move. Throughout the Bible, you find people like Naomi (in the Book Of Ruth) leaving her "place" because of her losses and famine. The Bible says she left and was "bitter." In Ruth 1:8 she even tells her family to go away. Sounds like a lot of people I have observed who leave their place, their assigned places, and even throw they're church family away. They end up in a bitter state because they have gone through a spiritual famine. Then they tell you they are just "churched out" On top of that they say things like "I Love Jesus, but I hate the Church." The church is not a building, or institution. It's people. So what they are really saying is I hate people and I even hate myself (because they claim they are a member of the Body Of Christ). I Corinthians 12:21 states, "The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you" nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." Every part of your physical body is assigned a place in your body not someone else's body. Last I checked my eyes were not seeking to be removed and placed into someone else's body. I have no spare body parts. I Cor. 12:28 clearly states "God has arranged the members in the Body, each one of them, as he chooses." So just as our body parts have been assigned a place to dwell - and each of us have been born in a family - God appoints us to specific local congregations in an assigned place to exercise our gifts for the tasks. We (member of the body of Christ) have been assigned together to fulfill God's plan in a geographic sphere and given a timeline to get the job done. So if God wants you to leave a church in a geographical place - then like Abraham you should consider leaving the area for a new assignment in another geographical place in another city or you might be just plain - out of the will of God. It's that simple. Like Abram, God does call people to leave geographical areas to go and serve in. However, like Terah most people don't go all the way into the new location - they just try to settle down in another body (in their current city) - trying to be a transplanted eye or heart. That body may take to the alien heart or eye because it needs one but in most cases spare body parts get rejected. This is why so many the embittered Christians (who couldn't work through their issues) get mad and wonders why they can't just fit into another church. Have you thought your rejected by other churches because you are not in your assigned place? Or you haven't move to another geographical location you are being called to? Too many won't move because they base their decision on "cash" or a "job" rather than step out in faith where God is calling them to go. If God calls you to another place he will provide for you, give you a new job your will love and place you into another church to fulfill your new assignment - because you've finished your job well where you've been.
However, most people who leave their assigned places leave because things didn't go their way. They didn't seek the Lord. They didn't follow God's calling. They just left - MAD! They held false expectations on others in relationship to them. They got frustrated, upset when things in relationship or direction didn't go their way so they divorce themselves from relationship and divorce themselves from the church God called them to. One of my dearest friends, John Sandford has said, "Relationship is designed to grind." As a member of the Body of Christ you are called to work through your unforgiveness, your judgements, vain expectations and bitterness. Even if you find people in the Body of Christ where you are assigned annoying (and those you may just flat out don't get along with) you need to hear what Paul wrote in I Cor. 12:22-23 "...the members of the body which seem to be WEAKER (which means not as strong in areas as you are) are necessary; and those members of the body WE DEEM LESS HONORABLE, on these we bestow MORE ABUNDANT HONOR, and our less unpresentable members are treated with greater respect. In other words, when certain people in the Body of Christ bother you- it's your job to treat them with honor and respect... you are called to work through your problematic relationships just like you would with any other member of your personal family. You just don't leave a church with relational problems left unresolved. In fact, if you go to another church with these issues unaddressed in your life - you will carry those same unresolved problems into you next relationships. In Ephesians 4:29-31 takes it a bit further: " Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up "ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS" (in other words you don't talk against the pastor or others in your house or with others - putting them down - instead you do everything to build them up according to their need) so that IT MAY BENEFIT THOSE WHO LISTEN. Every pastor should be wary of anyone who comes into the church they serve when "new people" come to their congregation speaking against their last church or last pastor.
30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Talking about your offenses with others is learned behavior that your parents should have taught you not to do. Ever heard your father say, "Young Lady! You don't talk about you mother like that in this house!" Well, too many Christians have taken up the habit of speaking against the body, it's members, and spread words around that tear down even "weaker" members of the body in order to puff themselves up. Just remember, "If someone talks behind other's back in your presence, they will do the same to you." It is so sad... how many Christians leave their assigned places and end up completely away from God and then bad mouth the church (People). to justify their own actions and decisions to stop going to a particular church.
Look at this verse: Jude 1:6 "and the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgement of the great day!" Could this explain the dilemma of so many Christians who have left their assigned place, callings, and tried unsuccessfully to go fit in somewhere else? If God keeps Angels in chains and brings spiritual darkness upon them for leaving their assigned places what makes you think you're exempt. Matthew 18:34-35 says: " His master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart." You don't get to leave the Body because you're offended (Matthew 18:15-17). You are not called to leave the assigned place you're called to be in because your offended. If God has called you to leave a place- it's because there is another geographical assignment and body you are called to go and become a part of. However, you are not called to leave because you just disagree, have difficulty with others, and are tired of others you just don't like. You have been called to be in an assigned geographical location in a particular body of believers. God places you in the body as He wills not as you will! (I Cor. 12:18) You are not called to withhold yourself from relationship with others, talk behind their backs, speak bad words around the community, or even try to get others to leave the church God has placed them in. To do so only brings problems on yourself.
As a pastor for over 40 years,having served 5 churches I was called by God to serve, I have seen church splits, people fight, disagree, flee, and never speak to one another again. As a result of their poor decisions, I have also watched these same people end up on the front pages of newspapers, jailed, strung out on drugs, become drug dealers again, have affairs, divorce, end up in bars, giving themselves to prostitutes, killing others, embezzling their companies, and entering into all sorts of darkness that results in destroying their own marriages and families. When someone wants to leave their assigned place other than because God leading them to do so - you need to asking what is the condition of their heart? When people do not resolve their conflicts and leave relationships in bad places - it's because they are not right with God. (I John 4:21) When your relationship with God is on the rocks - your relationships with others is right behind. Don't leave your assigned place... or settle for something less than God's best for your life. I have never left a church in my life just because I wanted to. I was called, sent, and even moved geographically to an assigned place. I also kept my relationships in tact with every pastor I served in the past. I could always go back and visit the church without conflict. I honored them, held them in high esteem and spoke well of them after I moved - even if I didn't see eye to eye with them, the elders, or other members of the churches I served. I do not want to leave or abandon the place I have been called to serve. The only prescription for leaving a place other than God calling you to do so is found in Matthew 10:14. Jesus said, "If any household or town refuses to welcome you or listen to your message, shake the dust from your feet as you leave." Notice the word "leave." This implies if your not received in a town then you go to another assigned place (City or Town)! Not another church. God has not called you to leave your father's house (John 14). "In my father's house (the church) are many dwelling places... I go to prepare a place for you. Robert Schuller once remarked an important truth... "Bloom where you have been planted." So, if you find yourself (staying at home) not giving yourself to a local body, faithfully financially supporting it, and using your gifts and talents to fulfill it;s mission - then you out of the will of God and out of relationship with him. Jesus and his body are one (this is a corporate experience). A true New Testament community is designed to call you out of yourself self life and redress your old nature, habits, and bring your self life to death.
Psalm 92:12 "The righteous will flourish...planted in the House of God - they will flourish in the courts of our God!" What is the spiritual condition of your life? Still love Jesus but hate yourself and the rest of the Body of Christ?
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