This message was originally published 9/22/05 back when I was also writing for the original Slice of Laodicea. If you are relatively new to the Internet part of my ministries in Christ then it is going to be just a little different than you might be accustomed to reading from me. But then again, you may also have become quite aware by now, that I am just a little bit different anyway. Alright–so I'm a lot different! However as Christians, we should be unusual. In fact, if you read 1 Peter 2:9 in the King James Version it says – But ye are…a peculiar people.

Truly it seems as if Jesus is drawing here to Apprising Ministries some of His most peculiar people! But that’s alright, as the comedian once said: “I live in my own little world; but it’s ok, because they know me there.” And it really is kind of like this for the Christian because our Lord has chosen us out of this world. Though for now we remain here physically, for those of us who truly belong to the Lord our citizenship is in Heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:20).

And further, the Bible says of the Christian – As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you use to live when you followed the ways of this world and the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those that are disobedient (Ephesians 2:1-2). And Peter, an Apostle of Jesus Christ – [writing to Christians] – To God’s elect, strangers in the world…who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the [Holy] Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and the sprinkling by His blood (1 Peter 1:1-2) – [has these instructions from the Lord for His “peculiar” people] – Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. [And] live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good works and glorify God on the day He visits us (1 Peter 2:11-12).

Though I don’t agree with everything taught by evangelist D.L. Moody, he was absolutely right when he used to say that the life of the Christian is the Bible of the unbeliever. Another pastor put it quite well when he pointed out that people outside the faith often say – “Show me what you believe” – before they ever would say – “Tell me about your Christian faith.” And I can tell you from personal experience this is true. It is as a friend of mine, who is not a Christian...yet, once told me when we coached high school football together – “I just want you to know that when you talk about that stuff [Christianity], I don’t say that you’re wrong. I listen, and I watch you.”

Along this line Christian author Joanie Yoder once wrote:

I knew a young in Germany named Wolfgang who modeled [this] principle at a building site where he worked. As an enthusiastic believer [in Christ], Wolfgang always read his Bible during lunch. Though his fellow workers jeered, he didn’t stop his daily reading. He simply prayed for a way to demonstrate [the love of Jesus of Nazareth] to them. When the worker went home at night, they always left their muddy boots behind. [So] Wolfgang began staying late after work to clean their boots.

The men were puzzled at first [about how their boots had become clean each day] but [they] realized that Wolfgang was the only one among them who would perform this humble service. Not only did they come to respect him, but sometimes they even asked him to read the Bible to them. Only eternity will reveal the full effect of Wolfgang’s shining life. But this we know: When his co-workers saw his good works, they [then] started listening to his God. Jesus said – Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven – Matthew 5:16 (NKJV).

And the Bible further teaches – For we are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). Yoder concluded – “If you long to lead people around you to Jesus [then] radiate His love by doing practical deeds for God’s glory alone.” And this is what you be doing because this is the most important reason why God leaves us here as aliens and strangers in this world–when our citizenship is actually in Heaven. We are here to be witnesses for Him and to actively lead others to Christ when they see the reality of His presence in our lives.

Seek The Lord While He May Still Be Found

All of the above now leads me to something that was also placed on my heart for me to bring to your attention. Wherever the Lord has called you to serve Him during this time of rapidly accelerating apostasy, as the skies grow ever more threatening, I exhort you to begin seriously seeking the Lord about possible ways where you can begin outreach into your community. Kind of like the way our brother Wolfgang did with the unbelievers at his building site. Then people around you also get to see the reality of Christ in action through us. The Master would like His Body to begin more actively showing our faith in Him to those we come into contact with, and to let the Lord use us as His vessels by getting more actively involved living out what we profess to believe.

This is really nothing new. And to accomplish this we don’t need to abandon proper Biblical doctrine and follow dreamers in the Emergent rebellion against the Bible nor do we need to be led by new breed culture-loving new evangelicals. For only by properly living out our faith will we then be able to let God visibly demonstrate the absolute Truth of our Risen Lord through each of our lives out into our communities in which He has chosen to place us. As the Bible says – Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth (1 John 3:18). And again – Do not merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says (James 1:22). Beloved, now is the time–more than ever!

Let each of us begin to pray seriously, and in earnest, that Jesus will make His true Body of Christ more like the German brother referenced above. We need to ask our God–Who knows everything–just what each of us might do; individually, as well as the Church of Jesus Christ in America, to “clean the muddy boots” of those in the communities which our God determined beforehand that we should live. Remember now, we are not where we are by coincidence. So let’s ask our Master: “What do You think we should do, and what can we do?” And then as He shows you be willing to do whatever God shows you; no matter what, to the end. To redeem a phrase–ask not what Jesus can do for you, but rather as a Christian–ask what you can do for Jesus.

And also remember, as the Body of Christ, we are God’s team as it were. That’s T.E.A.M. Dear Christian, let us never forget that Together Each Accomplishes More. Together the time has now arrived for us to seek God in these matters, as well as fully expecting that He will answer our prayers. Let’s believe that the Lord will begin showing us ways in which we might be of service to our communities–as a Church–and as individuals. Trust in His Word because – This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of Him (1 John 5:14-15).

Men and women, remember what Jesus has already told His Church – let your light so shine before men, that they see your good deeds and praise your Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:16). Now surely it is God’s will to use His people to bless others so that they may come to know Him through Jesus Christ our Lord. After all, we are His Body. Have you ever stopped to think about that? Did you realize that when Jesus wants to hug someone He uses our arms? When He wants to tell someone that He loves them then it is our voice that must speak for Him. Often when God wants to do something nice for someone it is us who must answer the call to go. And in these opportunities of service the chance to share Jesus with others will then naturally come about.

So does this idea of being a “witness” for Jesus come a bit more alive for you now? Just think about it though; if you aren’t in contact with unbelievers, then there will be no chance to lead them to Christ. Not to worry however, there’s no reason to feel that you can’t come up with any ideas–or that you couldn’t do these kinds of things–because the Bible says that our God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20). But we do at least have to ask. As the time grows short in this Age of Grace, and as the love of most will grow cold, the Lord wants us to begin to think “outside the box” and to go further into the Holy Scriptures.

Yes, now more than ever dearly beloved of God, I encourage you to trust that our glorious and majestic, great and mighty, LORD God Almighty will do exactly what the Bible says He will. And further, that Christ will give us the strength to accomplish the tasks which He places within our hearts to do. For it is written –Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).

And as God begins to answer our prayers, and to place His desires within our hearts, let’s be sure and share these blessings with each other–because our Lord speaks through all of His children. When I was first called as a pastor-teacher, after the body of elders had laid their hands on me, one of them said to me: “You must learn to listen to everyone, because God can speak through anyone.” I’ve never forgotten that; as I have certainly seen this happen many, many times–and sometimes through the most unlikely of people.

As the Bible says:

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things - and the things that are not - to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).

So let’s keep all of this in mind as we seek God’s will as to how each of us can Clean The Muddy Boots around us. Most of us who have been Christians for a while now know from experience that the Lord delights in revealing to His children–those who make the effort to seek Him–what our God is doing around them because He wants you to share His joy with us as His will is accomplished on earth as it is in Heaven.

And I must be straightforward with you as I tell you; yes, it does require an effort on the part of the Christian. O, but the life you fully surrender to Christ is more than worth it–for eternity–as the Bible says – And without faith it is impossible to please [God], because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). Dear children, let us marvel and wonder at what we have just read. Those of us called out of the world–through no merit of our own–to worship our Lord can come to see the absolutely amazing truth that God – rewards those who earnestly seek Him!

Soli Deo Gloria!